Turning a film into a TV show is a tried-and-true method for discovering a new angle on a well-loved classic. We have already seen several knock-out television hits adapted from classic films, such as Fargo on FX or Netflix’s Cobra Kai (an adaptation/continuation of The Karate Kid).
Now, The Rainmaker (1997) has a new life as an upcoming television show. The original film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was adapted from a John Grisham novel. The crime thriller follows attorney Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) and paralegal Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito) as they fight against an insurance company and its lawyer (Jon Voight) after the company refuses to cover a dying man’s medical expenses. The Rainmaker is finally getting another moment in the spotlight on USA Network (starring Milo Callaghan, Lana Parrilla, John Slattery, Madison Iseman, and Dan Fogler).
However, we have to wonder which other classic films might be next. The following possibilities were chosen either because the original movie could use another chance to take on the material in a new way or because the format seems perfect for a television series.
Spellbound (1945)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound is perhaps his most in-depth investigation of mental illness and misplaced guilt. Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman), a psychoanalyst employed at a psychiatric hospital, falls head over heels for a young, new doctor, Dr. Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck). Things sour when she realizes that he is an imposter, and he admits that he believes that he killed the original Dr. Edwardes and has assumed his identity. However, he is also suffering from disassociative amnesia - he cannot remember who he is or what happened to Dr. Edwardes. They both set out on a journey to recover his memories and learn the truth.
Spellbound is an undeniably romantic thriller, making it a worthy entry in Hitchcock’s filmography and one that would provide the perfect twists and turns for a television series. There would be many elements in Spellbound that would be difficult to recreate, such as a dream sequence created by none other than surrealist artist Salvador Dali. However, this classic film could also benefit from some fine-tuning, particularly with a more modern (and accurate) depiction of psychoanalysis and mental illness, improving its already impressive legacy.
Near Dark (1987)
Even in an age overflowing with cinematic vampires, Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark is a vampire film that needs more attention. Caleb (Aiden), a cowboy in Oklahoma, gets more than he bargained for after a date with Mae (Jenny Mae). After he bites his neck, he is quickly initiated into her group of vampire drifters, including Jesse Hooker (Lance Henriksen), Severen (Bill Paxton), Diamondback (Jenette Goldstein), and Homer (Joshua John Miller). While initially interested in their lifestyle, Caleb soon questions whether his soul is worth this violent, nomadic lifestyle.
A vampire western is a great idea for a film, and it’s a great idea for a TV show, too. Near Dark, as it currently exists, is nearly a perfect film. However, it presents a world that deserves to be explored in more detail. Are there others like the band of misfits we see in this film? How did these characters become what they are, and what were they like in their previous lives? While it will be daunting to recreate these iconic performances, particularly Paxton’s show-stopping turn as Severen, this film is set in a world filled with potential.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron, the Queen of Romance, When Harry Met Sally dared to ask, “Can men and women just be friends?” When Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) and Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) met for the first time as recent college graduates, they intended never to lay eyes on one another again. However, fate brings them together many years later, and they form a close friendship, even setting each other up with their other friends, Marie (Carrie Fisher) and Jess (Bruno Kirby). Through everything, they find it hard to ignore their attraction, forcing them to choose between love and friendship.
When Harry Met Sally is one of those untouchable movies, and for good reason. The chemistry between Crystal and Ryan is warm and familiar, and the writing is sharp yet loving in its deconstruction of romantic comedy tropes. Yet, if anyone could confidently adapt this show to television, it would make for a very bingeable series, perhaps even rivaling Gilmore Girls as the essential autumn show. It also lends itself to several seasons, perhaps by presenting new couples inspired by the scene-stealing interviews sprinkled throughout the runtime. It would also be nice to see a version of this story that reflects gender dynamics and conversations of today, incorporating more diverse relationships and challenging Harry’s philosophy about relationships even further.
Set It Off (1996)
A heist movie with a huge heart, F. Gary Gray’s Set It Off is an example of leveraging a talented cast and killer soundtrack to make a message hit home. Frankie (Vivica A. Fox) is fired from her job at a bank after a robbery because she knew the robber from her neighborhood, and the police unfairly profile her as a possible accomplice. This is the final straw for her and her friends Cleo (Queen Latifah), Stony (Jada Pinkett Smith), and T.T. (Kimberly Elise), all of whom feel mistreated and without recourse. The women plan a bank heist of their own, which leads them further down the rabbit hole of crime and deception.
Set It Off is a cult classic with messages that still resonate today. While the magic of Fox, Latifah, Pinkett Smith, and Elise holds this film together, it has a unique flair and a necessary story that helps it stand out amidst the hordes of similar heist films. A television adaptation could help smooth out any rough edges, while keeping the energy and spirit of the original, as it adds to the film's context with today's issues. It could be one concise miniseries, or a lengthened series that breaks each twist in the plot into several seasons’ worth of drama.
Holes (2003)
When Disney and director Andrew Davis got their hands on Louis Sachar’s popular novel, even tapping him to adapt his story for film, sparks flew. Stanley Yelnats (Shia LaBeouf) suffers bad luck due to a family curse, culminating in his wrongful conviction for stealing shoes. As a result, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp, to do hard labor with other juvenile delinquents, including a quiet boy named Zero (Khleo Thomas). The camp leaders (Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, and Sigourney Weaver) force the boys to dig holes, and it turns out they may be looking for a secret treasure connected to Stanley’s curse.
Holes is an intriguing mash-up of comedy, westerns, and magical realism, which already lends well to television. The likeable characters and deeply emotional story connecting Stanley and Zero to a great injustice decades before they were born is an epic that can span several episodes and seasons. The original film is charming and memorable, but it would also be nice to see a version that can breathe and take its time developing its complex lore. Today's kids (and adults) would likely be glued to their screens to see the mystery of Holes unfolding.