MRQE Ranks: Cinema's Best TV to Movie Adaptations

1

The Muppet Movie (1979)

Cast: Austin Pendleton, Dom DeLuise, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Edgar Bergen

Director: James Frawley

Synopsis: Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear, from of the large crew of loveably fuzzy characters created by puppetmaster Jim Henson, have embarked on a quest f... [MORE]

2

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Cast: Ricardo Montalban, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley

Director: Nicholas Meyer

Synopsis: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is fondly regarded as being the closest in spirit to the 1966-69 TV series that spawned it. Admiral Kirk (William S... [MORE]

3

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)

Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Neil Innes

Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones

Synopsis: From its opening multi-language titles (that sure looks like Swedish) to the closing arrest of the entire Dark Ages cast by modern-day bobbi... [MORE]

4

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Cast: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Carrie Fisher

Director: John Landis

Synopsis: Expanding on their Saturday Night Live characters, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star as Jake and Elwood Blues, two white boys with black soul. Spor... [MORE]

5

Star Trek (2009)

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Karl Urban

Director: J.J. Abrams

Writer: Gene Roddenberry

Synopsis: Mission: Impossible III director and Alias creator J.J. Abrams resurrects the classic science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry with th... [MORE]

6

The Untouchables (1987)

Cast: Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith

Director: Brian De Palma

Synopsis: Like the TV series that shared the same title, The Untouchables (1987) was an account of the battle between gangster Al Capone and lawman Eliot Nes... [MORE]

7

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Luenell, Spirea Ciorobea

Director: Larry Charles

Synopsis: Master of disguise Sacha Baron Cohen hits the road to explore America as the crude Kazakstani reporter Borat in a feature mockumentary that brings ... [MORE]

8

The Fugitive (1993)

Cast: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Julianne Moore, Joe Pantoliano

Director: Andrew Davis

Synopsis: This 1993 box-office smash partly adheres to the 1960s TV series on which it is based and partly goes off on several tangents of its own. Harrison ... [MORE]

9

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Director: David Silverman

Synopsis: They've kept television viewers laughing for nearly 20 years, and now the most popular animated family on the small screen makes the leap into thea... [MORE]

10

21 Jump Street (2012)

Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Rob Riggle

Director: Christopher Miller

Synopsis: The television series that shot Johnny Depp to stardom makes the leap to the big screen in this reboot starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Schm... [MORE]

11

South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

Director: Trey Parker

Synopsis: The most tasteless third graders on television graduate to the big screen, as Trey Parker and Matt Stone expand their animated series with foul-mou... [MORE]

12

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn

Director: Jonathan Frakes

Synopsis: The first "Trek" film to feature the cast of the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series without any of the members of the original series, this a... [MORE]

13

Serenity (2005)

Cast: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin

Director: Joss Whedon

Synopsis: A band of renegades on the run in outer space get in more hot water than they anticipated in this sci-fi action-adventure adapted from the televisi... [MORE]

14

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Letscher

Director: Martin Campbell

Synopsis: Director Martin Campbell, well-known to the action arena after 1995's GoldenEye, teams up with executive producer Steven Spielberg to bring the fir... [MORE]

15

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

Cast: Michael J. Nelson, Trace Beaulieu, Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy, John Brady

Director: Jim Mallon

Synopsis: The cult television series Mystery Science Theatre 3000 transfers its brand of science-fiction wisecracking to the big screen with relatively few c... [MORE]

16

Wayne's World (1992)

Cast: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere, Brian Doyle-Murray

Director: Penelope Spheeris

Writer: Mike Myers

Synopsis: Based on the Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name, Wayne's World is a wacky, irreverent pop-culture comedy about the adventures of two amiab... [MORE]

17

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Cast: Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan

Director: J.J. Abrams

Synopsis: The third entry in Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible film series involves super Impossible Mission Forces (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) being forc... [MORE]

18

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

Cast: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Mr. Lawrence

Director: Stephen Hillenburg

Synopsis: Something nefarious is afloat in the depths of Bikini Bottom: King Neptune's crown has been stolen, and the prime suspect is Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob's... [MORE]

19

The X Files (1998)

Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Martin Landau, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Blythe Danner

Director: Rob Bowman

Synopsis: This 60-million-dollar science fiction suspense drama (marketed with an additional 25 million dollars), was adapted from the popular TV series The ... [MORE]

20

The Addams Family (1991)

Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Hedaya, Christina Ricci

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Synopsis: Inspired more by the 1960s TV series than by the original Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons, The Addams Family proved to be one of the more succes... [MORE]

21

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)

Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban, George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson

Director: David Zucker

Synopsis: We know we're in a 1988 film when we're invited to laugh at O.J. Simpson in an opening slapstick sequence. We can also pinpoint the year of product... [MORE]

22

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Beart, Jean Reno

Director: Brian De Palma

Synopsis: After he is framed for the death of several colleagues and falsely branded a traitor, a secret agent embarks on a daring scheme to clear his name i... [MORE]

23

Transformers (2007)

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor

Director: Michael Bay

Synopsis: The interstellar battle between the Autobots and Decepticons rains destruction down on planet Earth as director Michael Bay adapts Hasbro and Takar... [MORE]

24

Charlie's Angels (2000)

Cast: Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Jaclyn Smith, Bo Hopkins

Synopsis: This 72-minute pilot film of the Charlie's Angels series stars the three original "Angels": Sabrina (Kate Jackson), Jill (Farrah Fawcett-Majors), a... [MORE]

25

George of the Jungle (1997)

Cast: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, Richard Roundtree, John Cleese

Director: Sam Weisman

Synopsis: Jay Ward's fondly-remembered cartoon series about a klutzy king of the jungle gets the big-screen, live-action treatment in this comedy from Walt ... [MORE]

26

Maverick (1994)

Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Alfred Molina, James Garner

Director: Richard Donner

Writer: William Goldman

27

Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Cast: Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Ving Rhames, Richard Roxburgh

Director: John Woo

Synopsis: Director John Woo brings Hong Kong-style martial arts action to this comic book-flavored sequel that eschews the complicated plot and political man... [MORE]

28

Addams Family Values (1993)

Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, Christina Ricci

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Synopsis: The ghoulish cartoon family created by Charles Addams returns for a second big-screen outing darker and nastier than the first. When Morticia Adda... [MORE]

29

The Powerpuff Girls (2002)

Director: Craig McCracken

Synopsis: The most adorable little superheroines in all of Townsville make the jump to the big screen in this feature-length animated adventure based on the ... [MORE]

30

Brüno (2009)

Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Gustaf Hammarsten, Paula Abdul, La Toya Jackson, Harrison Ford

Director: Larry Charles

Synopsis: Borat trickster Sacha Baron Cohen returns to the big screen to offer yet another stinging dose of sociopolitical satire in this comedy that finds h... [MORE]

31

Get Smart (2008)

Cast: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp

Director: Peter Segal

Synopsis: 40-Year-Old Virgin star Steve Carell steps into the telephonic shoes of television's most beloved bumbling detective in this big-screen adaptation ... [MORE]

32

Jackass 3D (2010)

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Synopsis: The Jackass pranksters are at it again in this third outing, presented for the first time, in some theaters, in 3D -- an effect that redefines the ... [MORE]

33

Starsky & Hutch (2004)

Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Fred Williamson, Vince Vaughn

Director: Todd Phillips

Synopsis: Starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson in the title roles, this kitschy tongue-in cheek action comedy is based on the popular 1970s cop show of the s... [MORE]

34

Jackass Number Two (2006)

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Synopsis: For fans who thought the stakes couldn't be raised any higher and the bar couldn't be lowered any further, the original cast and crew of the stunt ... [MORE]

35

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)

Director: Mike Judge

Synopsis: This is a full-length cartoon movie featuring the dim-witted obnoxious loser teens, Beavis and Butt-head. They are obsessed with sex, TV, heavy-met... [MORE]

36

The A-Team (2010)

Cast: George Peppard, Mr. T, Dwight Schultz, Tim Dunigan

37

S.W.A.T. (2003)

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, James Todd Smith, Josh Charles

Director: Clark Johnson

Synopsis: Clark Johnson's big-screen adaptation of the 1970s television series S.W.A.T. stars Colin Farrell as Jim Street, a young special weapons and tactic... [MORE]

38

Miami Vice (2006)

Cast: Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciaran Hinds

Director: Michael Mann

Synopsis: Writer and director Michael Mann updates the groundbreaking television crime series he created in the 1980s with this stylish thriller. Ricardo Tub... [MORE]

39

Sex and the City (2008)

Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Christopher Noth

Director: Michael Patrick King

Synopsis: The hit cable series Sex and the City catwalks its way onto the big screen in this feature-film continuation that fans all over have been clamoring... [MORE]

40

Dark Shadows (2012)

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Moretz, Eva Green, Gulliver McGrath, Bella Heathcote, Ray Shirley, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Michelle Pfeiffer, Thomas McDonell

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: Entombed for 200 years after betraying vengeful witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), 18th Century vampire Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) returns t... [MORE]

41

Wayne's World 2 (1993)

Cast: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Christopher Walken, Tia Carrere, Ralph Brown

Director: Stephen Surjik

Synopsis: Everyone's favorite headbangers from Aurora, Illinois, are back in this sequel to the 1992 hit comedy Wayne's World. The success of their TV show a... [MORE]

42

Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)

Cast: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Moises Arias

Director: Peter Chelsom

Synopsis: Hannah Montana: The Movie opens with Hannah's ($Miley Cyrus) hectic lifestyle wrecking the important relationships in her life. Because she gets in... [MORE]

43

The Legend of Zorro (2005)

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Adrian Alonso, Rufus Sewell, Nick Chinlund

Director: Martin Campbell

Synopsis: The legendary Mexican hero returns to the screen in this swashbuckling sequel to the 1998 box-office hit The Mask of Zorro. It's 1850, and the peop... [MORE]

44

TMNT (2007)

Cast: Mikey Kelley, Nolan North, Laurence Fishburne, Zhang Ziyi, Kevin Smith, John DiMaggio, Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mako, Patrick Stewart, Mitchell Whitfield, James Arnold Taylor

Director: Kevin Munroe

Synopsis: The stars have aligned in an ominous sign, and as a legion of malevolent monsters descends upon New York City to wage war against humanity, the onl... [MORE]

45

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Cast: Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, Josh Pais, Michelan Sisti, Leif Tilden

Director: Steve Barron

Synopsis: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie is the live-action, feature film adaptation of the cult comic book and the popular animated television show... [MORE]

47

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bernie Mac, Crispin Glover

Director: Joseph McGinty Nichol

Synopsis: The three most glamorous and butt-kicking private detectives in the business are back and ready to take on bad guys in this sequel to the 2000 bloc... [MORE]

48

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly

Director: Chris Carter

Synopsis: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their roles as Fox Mulder and Dana Scully with this long-delayed big-screen continuation that revives t... [MORE]

49

Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996)

Cast: David Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson

Director: Kelly Makin

50

The Flintstones (1994)

Cast: John Goodman, Elizabeth Perkins, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan

Director: Brian Levant

Synopsis: The good (if not fully evolved) citizens of Bedrock make their way to the big screen in this live-action adaptation of the popular animated series ... [MORE]

51

The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000)

Cast: Jason Alexander, Rene Russo, Piper Perabo, Randy Quaid, Robert De Niro

Director: Des McAnuff

Synopsis: The pride of Frostbite Falls and Whatsamatta U's most famous alumni find their way onto the big screen (and the real world) in this comedy inspired... [MORE]

52

Josie and the Pussycats (2001)

Cast: Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid, Alan Cumming, Parker Posey

Director: Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan

Synopsis: Based on the animated hit TV show of the 1970s, Josie and the Pussycats is a live-action tale of a group of young girl rockers who desire to make i... [MORE]

53

Head (1968)

Cast: Peter Tork, Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Frank Zappa

Director: Bob Rafelson

Writer: Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson

Synopsis: The Monkees -- Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones and Peter Tork -- didn't really enjoy being labelled the Prefab Four back when their T... [MORE]

54

The Little Rascals (1994)

Cast: Travis Tedford, Bug Hall, Brittany Ashton Holmes, Kevin Jamal Woods, Zachary Mabry

Director: Penelope Spheeris

Synopsis: Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, and the other characters made famous in the Our Gang shorts of the 1920s and 1930s are brought back to life in this nos... [MORE]

55

Popeye (1980)

Cast: Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall, Ray Walston, Paul Dooley

Director: Robert Altman

Synopsis: Based on the long-running comic strip created by E.C. Segar (and less on the animated cartoons created by Max Fleischer, which were decidedly diffe... [MORE]

56

The Beverly Hillbillies (1993)

Cast: Jim Varney, Cloris Leachman, Erika Eleniak, Diedrich Bader, Lily Tomlin

Director: Penelope Spheeris

Synopsis: Penelope Spheeris directed this compulsively faithful film adaptation of the popular 1960s television series. The familiar story 'bout a man named ... [MORE]

57

Dragnet (1987)

Cast: Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks, Christopher Plummer, Harry Morgan, Alexandra Paul

Director: Tom Mankiewicz

Synopsis: Dan Aykroyd must have practiced for months to perfect his Jack Webb inflections for Dragnet. Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz's directorial debut (also ... [MORE]