15 Comedy Movies We Think Could Pull Off Sitcom Versions
What makes a solid sitcom? Well, producers are usually looking for shows that could be considered “evergreen” meaning the premise is simple enough to be repeated until the end of time. Usually, an ensemble cast is at the forefront of the show. American sitcoms often ensure the characters don’t change much, but their adventures and mishaps do. Sitcom reboots often replace the original cast with new actors, so we will account for that as well in our findings. MacGruber and What We Do in The Shadows were able to pull it off, so who’s next?
Galaxy Quest
Dreamworks
Although the movie has a dynamite cast, this is one of those premises that is interesting enough to pull off rebooting with an entirely new comedic roster. A show about former Star Trek actors actually traveling the galaxy as an unbelievably inexperienced crew is just begging to be thrown on FOX. Fish out of water stories are some of the easiest vessels for comedy, so what are we waiting for!?
Old School
Dreamworks
Will Ferrell, Luke Wilson, and Vince Vaughn certainly bring a lot to the table with their performances in Old School, but strip them away and what do we have? A show about three adult best friends starting a fraternity at a college, the perfect situation for comedy. Maybe they will try to steal the rival schools' mascot before the big game. Maybe they try to play a prank on the neighboring sorority in the non-creepiest way possible. The possibilities are endless!
Zoolander
Paramount
I would 100% watch a show about a group of dim-witted male models navigating their way through the industry if that show was ever put to air. If it was given the stripped-down tender care of the first Zoolander film and not the cameo-heavy self-referential style of Zoolander 2 this premise has lots of leeway for model-related shenanigans. Oh no, all the models need to compete for the same gig! Oh, no, one model needs to teach another model how to read good! The show writes itself.
Anchorman
From executive producers, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay comes a new news team to take over the airwaves. These words echo in my mind but will most likely never come to fruition. But, in a perfect world, we cast a group of five gifted improvisers to take on the mantle of a 70s news team and hilarity inevitably ensues. The whole focus of the first two films is on the raw talent of its stars, so go the same route with the sitcom. Like the What We Do In The Shadows spin-off, the new Anchorman can showcase the improvisational gifts of whoever is cast.
Idiocracy
20th Century Studios
It is common for people to tell Mike Judge and Luke Wilson, the original creator and star of Idiocracy respectively, that rewatching the movie is rough because it feels so like today's society. In a world where the dumbest stars are rewarded with popularity like Kanye West, Andrew Tate, and the “catch me outside” girl, this is the show America needs now. I mean we literally voted the star of Celebrity Apprentice into the White House. If that doesn’t seem like the real-life equivalent of President Camacho, then I don’t what is.
Heavyweights
O.K., so Heavyweights isn’t the most politically correct movie when it’s put up against today’s standards of body positivity. But what if we capitalized on that change and brought everyone back to Camp Hope to revisit how we talk to children about their weight? Every season could focus on another summer at camp and perhaps even a few former cast members could be the ones running the camp now. Disney Plus, this idea is on us.
This Is Spinal Tap
Spinal Tap Productions
Even though there is already a sequel to This Is Spinal Tap on the way, the story of three British rock stars navigating their way through waning popularity is certainly a strong enough premise to warrant an episodic series. Run over to Second City or Groundlings and scoop up three of the best talents you can find and let them riff. Even if it wasn’t exactly called “Spinal Tap” the essence of the characters is timeless and would certainly lead to some great comedically improvised moments.
Matilda
Alright, I may still want Danny DeVito to direct as he did for the original Matilda movie, but the popularity of the Matilda musical has proven that audiences are still interested in this story. What happens after Matilda goes to live with Miss Honey? We literally end the movie knowing this young girl has supernatural telepathic powers, and we’re supposed to believe the story ends there? Let me see teenage Matilda throwing bullies out of windows, baby!
Sky High
Disney
Sky High was the ultimate sleepover film if you were born in the 90s. The prospect of attending a floating high school built solely for the training of superheroes was irresistible to any kiddo. Superhero high school, that’s the premise at its most basic, which makes you wonder why it hasn’t been adapted into a sitcom before. Like Freaks & Geeks if they could burn a hole through someone’s face with their laser eyes. I bet with the right deal we could even get some of the teachers back, which include, Jim Rash, Dave Foley, Bruce Campbell, Tom Kenney, and Kevin McDonald.
Adventureland
A bunch of quirky teens working at a run-down amusement park? This premise is just waiting for a That 70s Show-style reboot but with even more rollercoasters. New rides may need installing and testing every few weeks. Relationships form and die out atop the awkwardly slow Ferris wheel. Jesse Eisenburg too big for the role? Throw in Freddie Highmore from The Good Doctor and call it a day.
Waiting
Lionsgate
Where are our situational comedies about the service/restaurant industry that aren’t like Two Broke Girls? Waiting was a Comedy Central 2 pm staple that found that sweet spot between raunchy and relatability. With shows like The Bear taking off, why not bring in our old friends from Shenaniganz and see how they interact with things like Yelp and Instagram Food Bloggers?
Princess Diaries
In a classic fish out of water story that is as old as time, a girl who is very not-princess-like must learn the ways of royalty in the new Disney Plus sitcom The Princess Diaries. There are so many gags to tie into this idea that the series could last years without running out of material. Princess Mia wears her converse to a ball and everyone is all like, “Hey you can’t do that.” More jokes just like that are right around the corner if Disney finally answers my letters about my interest in helming the reboot.
Big
20th Century Studios
What if Tom Hanks was big….forever? What if the poor Zoltar machine was destroyed shortly after Josh Baskin was transformed into an adult? We'd follow Baskin as he continues to fake his way through adulthood along with his best friend Billy, and ethically confusing girlfriend Susan. Let’s see Josh go to a kegger! Let’s see Josh go to the DMV! Let’s see Josh be the only adult at the Kids Choice Awards until he is escorted out!
Night At The Museum
20th Century Studios
The original writers of Night At The Museum, Tom Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, left the series of films after the first picture, but let's bring them back as executive producers for the new NATM sitcom, most likely entitled, “Nights At The Museum.” New exhibits are shuffled through the halls every week! Relationships form and fall between statues of Roman emperors and mummified Egyptian cats. The show has a great opportunity to tell highly original situational jokes and teach a bit of history all at the same time.
Howard The Duck
Disney
Disney Plus is missing one crucial show, that I for one would binge like a madman. The live-action, sitcom reboot of Howard The Duck. We’ve already seen Howard The Duck in the background of movies like Endgame and Guardians Of The Galaxy, but when are we going to get the wise-cracking duck detective to star in his own series? The only thing I would change is instead of an animated duck, can we pleeease make it another person in a duck costume instead?
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Top Image: Dreamworks
