10 Recent Streaming Shows That Would Have Been More Successful As Movies
With the rise of streaming services and prestige TV, many of the biggest shows today would have been better as individual movies. These 10 recent streaming shows, which started as movies but became shows, would have been more successful as theatrically released movies. From Willow to Obi-Wan Kenobi, these shows could have made a bigger impact on the audience if they had been in the movie format.
Introduction
The rise of streaming services and prestige TV has brought about a new golden era of television. However, many of the biggest shows today would have been better as individual movies. With the studios focusing more resources on fewer films, while at the same time needing content for their streaming services, many projects that were initially envisioned as movies became shows.
Warwick Davis in Willow finale
While this can be successful for a series like Squid Game, others were met with much worse fates. Many of these shows were canceled before they were able to wrap up their stories, while others have been completely erased from their platform, now becoming almost impossible to find. Even shows that got to finish their stories find themselves lost among the sea of content available on the internet, and don't have the lasting power they would have had as a theatrically released movie. These are shows with real talent and worthwhile ideas behind them that wound up with the short end of the stick by being placed in the wrong format.
The group looks out over a gray waste in Willow.
In this article, we'll explore 10 recent streaming shows that would have been more successful as movies. These shows, which started as movies but became shows, could have made a bigger impact on the audience if they had been in the movie format.
Warwick Davis as Willow in Willow season 1 episode 2
Willow (2022)
Despite initially being a financial disappointment, Ron Howard's 1988 fantasy film Willow has stood the test of time. A sequel/reboot had been in development for years when Disney+ announced that Warwick Davis would reprise the titular role for the streamer. The show was positively received by both fans and critics, but after just a few months, Disney removed Willow, as it wasn't the hit they expected it to be. It’s a shame that all this talent was erased in the name of the streaming model when this same team could have delivered a theatrical movie that would have made a much bigger splash, and been harder to erase.
Silas and WIllow together on a path in Willow.
The decision to turn Willow into a show rather than a movie was a missed opportunity, as the same team could have delivered a theatrical movie that would have made a much bigger impact. The show's removal from Disney+ also highlights the impermanence of streaming content, further reinforcing the idea that it would have been more successful as a movie.
Ruby Cruz as Kit on Willow
The End Of The F***ing World (2017-2019)
Based on Charles Forsman's mini-comics, The End of the F***ing World was well received by those who watched it, but since the show ended in 2019, it hasn't had the cultural impact it felt destined for. Forsman's comics are ripe material for what could have been Gen-Z's Heathers, but now is a frequently overlooked streaming show collecting dust on Netflix. The story of the first season, which covers all of Forsman's comics, is under three hours and could have easily been told as a two-hour theatrical epic, instead of a flash-in-the-pan streaming show.
Jessica Barden in The End of the F***ing World Season 2 Netflix
The End of the F***ing World's underwhelming cultural impact as a streaming show compared to its potential as a theatrical movie highlights the missed opportunity of its format. The show's relegation to a streaming platform has resulted in it being overlooked, whereas as a movie, it could have garnered more attention and made a lasting impact.
Jessica Barden as Alyssa in The End of the F***ing World Season 2
The Continental (2023)
John Wick is one of the rare franchises that has become more popular and well-regarded with every entry. 2023's John Wick Chapter 4 was the franchise's biggest hit, and with the film seemingly wrapping up John's arc, the series required expansion. A prequel show about the hotel for assassins could have been a fun case of the week-style show, but the limited series only ran for three episodes, making it confusing why this wasn't just a prequel movie about Winston. With more movie stars, a contained story, and a famous IP, The Continental has the makings of a blockbuster movie, but for some reason, it is a Peacock original.
The Continental (2023)
The decision to turn The Continental into a limited series instead of a prequel movie about Winston overlooks the potential for a blockbuster movie with a contained story and famous IP. The limited series' short run and lack of star power compared to a potential movie adaptation further emphasize the missed opportunity of its format.
Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden in The End of the F***ing World Season 1 Netflix
