20 Movies that would’ve done more justice to audience as a limited series

Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: The battle Of the five Armies | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: The battle Of the five Armies | Image via New Line Cinema

Movies with rich storytelling and character arcs are a treat to watch. However, sometimes this experience remains underwhelming when either stories or characters are not explored to their full potential. In such cases, limited series can provide a perfect canvas for such movies to explore the complex stories and depth of various characters and not just the protagonist, giving the audience a full frame of their imagined world. Here's a list of 20 Movies that would have thrived as a limited series offering their fans an extended stay in their beloved fictional world. Please note that this article is entirely based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

20) Ender’s Game (2013)

Asa Butterfield from a Fan Event of Ender's Game | image via Getty
Asa Butterfield from a Fan Event of Ender's Game | image via Getty

Directed by Gavin Hood and based on Orson Scott Card’s novel, the film showcases a future on Earth where people are preparing for a war with an alien species called Formics. The protagonist, Ender Wiggin, a brilliant young boy is selected to train at Battle School for the war against the Formics. As the film was well received, a series accounting for Wiggin’s Challenges, guilt, and redemption while also exploring more about “Enderverse” would satisfy the yearning fans of the movie.

19) The Lovely Bones (2009)

Saoirse Ronan in The Lovely Bones | Image via Paramount Pictures
Saoirse Ronan in The Lovely Bones | Image via Paramount Pictures

Based on Alice Sebold’s novel, this film follows Susie Salmon, played by Sairose Ronan, a young girl who is murdered and stuck in the afterlife watching over her family and her murderer. The film did a middling performance. In a series format, the storyline of Susie’s afterlife journey and her family’s quest for justice can be developed simultaneously, providing a perfect pace and depth to the characters.

18) The Irishman (2019)

Robert de Niro in The Irishman | image via Netflix
Robert de Niro in The Irishman | image via Netflix

The three-and-a-half-hour Netflix film could have definitely been a miniseries. As the movie follows Frank Sheeran's life from being a truck driver to a prominent hitman, a series can provide more detail on important events, character arcs, and the evolution of the mob world. The episodic portrayal could focus on different phases of Sheeran's life and his relationships with Russell Bufalino and Jimmy Hoffa.

17) Children of Men (2006)

Scene from Children Of Men | image via Universal Pictures
Scene from Children Of Men | image via Universal Pictures

Directed by the renowned director Alfonso Cuaron and based on PD James' novel of the same name, the story follows a disillusioned bureaucrat, Theo Faron, played by Clive Owen protecting a pregnant woman in a dystopian world where humanity is on the brink of extinction. As the film is based on a dystopian future, a series can provide time to build its atmosphere. A limited series can provide more depth to the characters and also give a glimpse of the socio-political situation of a childless society.

16) District 9 (2009)

Vanessa Haywood in District 9 | Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment
Vanessa Haywood in District 9 | Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment

This film is director Neill Blomkamp's debut film. It follows the journey of Wikus van de Merwe, played by Sharlto Copley a field operative tasked with relocating the aliens to a new camp. During this mission, Wikus accidentally gets exposed to an alien chemical and begins to transform into an alien himself. The film's themes of xenophobia and segregation can be explored further in a limited series. Each episode could focus on different perspectives, such as the aliens' experiences, corporate exploitation, and the evolving human-alien relationships.

15) The Butterfly Effect (2004)

John Patrick Amedori in The Butterfly Effect | Image via New Line Cinema
John Patrick Amedori in The Butterfly Effect | Image via New Line Cinema

The film follows Evan Treborn, played by Ashton Kutcher who can travel back in his past and change it which also alters his present. A limited series exploring more about time traveling and the consequences caused by it can provide a deeper look and the psychological impacts of time travel, allowing a more detailed examination of personal sacrifices and ethical dilemmas involved in changing one's fate.

14) The Prestige (2006)

Hugh Jackman in The Prestige | image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Hugh Jackman in The Prestige | image via Warner Bros. Pictures

The 2006 film directed by Christopher Nolan did a great job in showcasing the rivalry between the two magicians Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. A limited series would help explore more in-depth about the characters and their backstories. Apart from world-building a series can emphasize the supporting characters like Olivia and John Cutter.

13) Eternals (2021)

Scene from Eternals | Image via Marvel Studios
Scene from Eternals | Image via Marvel Studios

Directed by Chloe Zhao, the film follows the Eternals who have emerged back on Earth to protect it from the Deviants. A limited series for Eternals could give more time to each character to show the character arc and provide a detailed backstory to introduce the Eternals to the audience. A series could explore their individual histories, their interactions with humanity throughout the ages, and the impact of their presence on world events.

12) Cloud Atlas (2012)

Halle Berry in Cloud Atlas | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Halle Berry in Cloud Atlas | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

The 2012 film follows intertwining six different stories across different times and places. With its interconnected stories across different eras, a limited series format would allow for a more nuanced and gradual unfolding of each narrative thread enhancing the storytelling and providing the audience a deeper understanding of the characters.

11) Prisoners (2013)

Hugh Jackman in Prisoners | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Hugh Jackman in Prisoners | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Prisoners follow Hugh Jackman's Keller Dover, who goes on a desperate search for his abducted daughter. The intense nature of a child abduction case and the psychological toll it takes on everyone involved would benefit from a detailed, episodic approach. A limited series could explore the investigation process, the complex dynamics between the characters, and the moral dilemmas they face.

10) Scarface (1983)

Al Pacino in Scarface | Image via Universal Pictures
Al Pacino in Scarface | Image via Universal Pictures

Directed by Brian De Palma, the film showcases Tony Montana's, played by Al Pacino, rise and fall in the criminal world. A limited series could delve into his early life, his rise through Miami's drug trade, and the complicated details of his empire providing a richer and more detailed portrayal of his journey and ultimate downfall.

9) Underworld (2003)

Kate Beckinsale in Underworld | Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment
Kate Beckinsale in Underworld | Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment

Underworld follows the story of an orphan Vampire named Selene, played by Kate Beckinsale, who is trying to protect a human doctor Michael Corvin, played by Scott Speedman, from werewolves. A limited series could explore the deep-rooted werewolf-vampire history and political intrigue within the species, devote more time to character arcs and provide detailed world-building, making the complex stories more engaging.

8) Interstellar (2014)

Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Directed by Christopher Nolan, this film follows the story of Joseph Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, as he ventures into space to find a new planet for human beings. With its complex narrative about space exploration, time dilation, and emotional connections, a limited series would delve into its scientific concepts, and explore character backstories offering a more in-depth understanding of its multidimensional plot and themes.

7) World War Z (2013)

Scene from World War Z | image via Paramount Pictures
Scene from World War Z | image via Paramount Pictures

Based on Max Brooks' novel of the same name, a Limited series could provide stories of diverse characters. Each episode could feature different regions grappling with the zombie apocalypse, showcasing various cultures, strategies, and human resilience. This format allows for a broader and more intricate depiction of the worldwide crisis.

6) The Incredibles ( 2004)

Scene from The Incredibles | Image via Walt Disney Pictures
Scene from The Incredibles | Image via Walt Disney Pictures

The superhero family dynamic, their struggles balancing ordinary lives and extraordinary powers, could be better explored in a limited series. Each episode could focus on different family members, their individual growth, and villains, giving more depth to their world and the societal implications of being superhuman.

5) Dune (2021)

Timothee Chalamet in Dune | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Timothee Chalamet in Dune | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

As the Dennis Villeneuve-directed film focuses on the story of Paul Atredis, played by Timothee Chalamet, a limited series can provide a more detailed view of the Dune World. With the help of Frank Herbert’s epic, a series could provide intricate political, cultural, and religious themes. It will offer a space to explore these themes in detail, develop its large cast of characters, and provide a richer, more coherent narrative, fully immersing viewers in the universe of Arrakis.

4) The Matrix (1999)

Keanu Reeves in The Matrix | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Keanu Reeves in The Matrix | Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

While the movie follows Neo's, played by Keanu Reeves, story, a series could expand on the dystopian world, exploring the origins of the Matrix, individual resistances, and untold stories of characters like Morpheus and Trinity. The philosophical questions about reality and control would have more room for exploration, adding layers to the original narrative.

3) Ex Machina (2014)

Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina | Image via Universal Pictures
Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina | Image via Universal Pictures

This film follows a young programmer, Caleb, played by Domhnall Gleeson, who is tasked by his boss Nathan, played by Oscar Isaac, to asses a robot called Ava, played by Alicia Vikander. The philosophical and psychological depth surrounding artificial intelligence, ethics, and human nature can be expanded vastly in a limited series format. Each episode could delve into different aspects of AI development, exploring characters' backgrounds and motives, enhancing the tension and ethical dilemmas.

2) The Dark Tower (2017)

Idris Elba in The Dark Tower | Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment
Idris Elba in The Dark Tower | Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment

The 2017 film tried to adapt The Dark Tower saga by Stephen King into a single film. Stephen King's fantasy series is sprawling with diverse worlds, timelines, and characters. A limited series can capture the epic scope of Roland's journey, detailing the complex mythology, multiple storylines, and deep character developments, that a single film could not accommodate.

1) The Hobbit Trilogy

Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: the Battle Of The Five Armies | Image via New Line Cinema
Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: the Battle Of The Five Armies | Image via New Line Cinema

Directed by Peter Jackson, The Hobbit trilogy was widely seen as unnecessary. Instead, a limited series could have retained narrative integrity, delving into Tolkien's rich details and character arcs. Episodes could offer thorough explorations of Middle-earth, showcasing its diverse cultures and epic mythos without feeling bloated.

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Edited by Sugnik Mondal
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