Spin-off (media)
A spin-off in media refers to a new work that is derived from an existing film, television series, or literary work, often focusing on specific characters or elements from the original. Commonly associated with the entertainment industry, spin-offs can take various forms, including films that explore side stories—like "Creed" from the "Rocky" franchise or "Minions" from "Despicable Me"—and television shows that expand on popular characters, such as "Frasier," a spin-off of "Cheers." These adaptations serve to extend the narrative universe of the original work, often taking advantage of its established fan base and popularity.
Spin-offs can also provide creators with the opportunity to delve deeper into particular themes or character arcs, which may not have been fully explored in the original. They differ from sequels (which continue the storyline) and prequels (which occur before the original), as spin-offs are standalone narratives that pivot around specific aspects of the source material. Historically, the concept of spin-offs can be traced back to notable works of literature, with authors like Shakespeare and Mark Twain creating new stories based on popular characters. Overall, spin-offs have become a significant and enduring aspect of modern media, appealing to audiences by reimagining and expanding beloved stories.
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Spin-off (media)
A spin-off is any form of media that is derived from an existing work. In many cases, spin-offs focus on specific aspects of or characters from the original work. The term “spin-off” is most often associated with films and television series. Many popular movies and shows eventually spawn spin-offs that are produced to capitalize on the original’s popularity and financial success. On the silver screen, movies like Creed (2015), Deadpool (2016), and Minions (2015) are all spinoffs of other popular existing film franchises. In television, shows like The Jeffersons (1975), Frasier (1993), Better Call Saul (2015), Young Sheldon (2017), and 1883 (2021) are also all spin-offs of other popular series. Regardless of the medium, spin-offs have many potential advantages for all parties involved. For example, spin-offs allow creators the freedom to explore key aspects of an existing work in greater detail. For television networks or film companies, spin-offs are an easily exploitable means of cashing in on an already successful property with a built-in audience.
Background
At their core, spin-offs are one of many ways to extend a successful media property into a broader franchise. This can be accomplished through spin-offs, sequels, prequels, crossovers, reboots, or remakes. To understand precisely what spin-offs are and how they work, it is first necessary to understand how they differ from other approaches to franchise-building. Sequels are a direct continuation of an original work. One well-known example of a sequel is The Empire Strikes Back (1980), which is a direct continuation of the original Star Wars (1977). Similarly, prequels take place before the original work. Crossovers like The Avengers (2012) combine characters from two or more existing works. Reboots are an effort to start a new version of an existing franchise. Batman Begins (2005), for example, was a reboot of the Batman film series that began with Batman (1989). While reboots usually serve to restart an entire series, a remake is typically a new standalone version of an existing work. In comparison, a spin-off is an entirely separate work that is based on some specific element of an existing work.
Spin-offs come in many forms. The most common type of spin-off revolves around a character who is taken from an existing work and inserted into either an existing work or a new work in which they are the star. In television, a spin-off of this nature that runs concurrently with the original show is often known as a sister show to the original. Such a spin-off can also be created after the original show has ended its run. Some spin-offs take the main character from an existing work and revisit that character at another point in their personal timeline. Other spin-offs are re-imaginings in which the basic concept of an existing work is carried over into a new work that features different circumstances or characters. In works that feature a series of separate segments, a single segment can be spun off into a standalone work. Similarly, a spin-off can also be created through defictionalization. For example, in a television show that features a fictional show-within-the-show, this element can be spun off into a real show of its own.
Overview
Though they are often thought of from a modern perspective, spin-offs have existed practically for as long as people have been producing media. The early history of spin-offs is closely tied to the world of literature. Many heavyweights of classic literature created spin-offs based on their most popular works or characters. Even renowned English playwright William Shakespeare created a spin-off during the course of his career. Sometime around 1597, Shakespeare wrote The Merry Wives of Windsor, a comedy that featured the fictional Sir John Falstaff as its main character. Previously, Falstaff was a minor character from Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts I and II who was popular enough with audiences to later earn a starring role in his own play. In another early example, famous American author Mark Twain took the character of Huckleberry “Huck” Finn from his popular novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and gave him his own spin-off book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
In the modern era, the spin-off concept is usually associated with films and television shows. Many films have spawned standalone spin-offs and entire spin-off series. One prominent example of a standalone film spin-off is Puss in Boots, a 2011 computer-animated movie featuring a character of the same name from the Shrek franchise that first appeared in Shrek 2 (2004). By comparison, spin-off films that become franchises unto themselves are a more common phenomenon in modern cinema. Creed (2015) and Creed II (2018) were the first entries in a new film franchise that was spun off from the popular Rocky film series. Spin-offs of this nature are also common in the superhero film genre. The X-Men series, which began with X-Men (2000), has spawned numerous spin-off films and franchises, including Deadpool (2016) and its follow-up, Deadpool 2 (2018), as well as features like The Wolverine (2013), Logan (2017), and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). Some other notable examples of films include Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), which were both spawned from the Harry Potter series, and Minions (2015), which was spun off from the Despicable Me series.
Nowhere are spin-offs more common than on television. The history of television spin-offs stretches back almost as far as the history of the medium itself. The popular 1950s sitcom The Honeymooners (1955) was actually a spin-off based on a sketch of the same name that first appeared as a recurring segment on actor Jackie Gleason’s self-titled variety show. In the 1970s, the hit series All in the Family (1971) spawned numerous equally successful spin-off shows, including Maude (1972), The Jeffersons, and Good Times (1974). In an example of a different type of television spin-off, the popular series M*A*S*H*(1972) was a spin-off of the 1970 film of the same name. Occasionally, some spin-offs become much more popular than the shows from which they were spawned. Perhaps the best example of this is the long-running animated series The Simpsons (1989), which actually began as a recurring segment on a much less well-remembered variety program called The Tracey Ullman Show (1987).
Bibliography
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