An 80s trend followed by Back to the Future, Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice have aged remarkably well 4 decades later

While few theatrical franchises receive animated TV spinoffs like Back to the future, Beetle juiceand Ghostbusters did, this '80s trend predicted major changes in Hollywood in the 2020s. While the blockbuster may have been born in the '70s with hits like Jaws, Star Warsand ForeignerThe 80s were where the film franchise really flourished. All of the aforementioned hits received sequels that expanded their fictional worlds and earned surprising sums at the box office, but the decade was also home to a number of major franchises that continue to this day. These include the Ghostbusters films, the Gremlins series, and the Back to the future franchise.

Of Rambo to Robocop to Mad Max to Indiana Jones to The TerminatorThe 80s were a quiet time for blockbuster franchises. While some of the best films of the '80s never received sequels, the decade was instrumental in popularizing the concept of sequels, reboots, spin-offs, prequels, and numerous other IP extensions. That's not to mention the horror franchises of the '80s, whose low budgets and high box office returns often resulted in them getting more than half a dozen sequels. Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Halloweenand Children of the Corn all reliably produced side dishes.

Many Important '80s Films Received Animated TV Sequels

Everything from Robocop to Rambo got an animated TV spin-off

However, one thing these R-rated horror franchises were less likely to spawn were animated TV spin-offs. Of The real ghostbusters to RobocopGetting a spin-off from an animated TV show aimed at kids was a rite of passage for the major film franchises of the '80s. RamboThe infamous TV spin-off The Force of Freedomdiverged greatly from the tone of their source material. Even the infamously explicit and horrific The Toxic Avenger Somehow got a spin-off cartoon aimed at kidsalthough Toxic Crusaders it altered the style and tone of the original film series beyond recognition.

Many of these spinoffs have allowed popular franchises with only a few theatrical performances to be a comparatively cheap way to expand their fictional universes. Show how The real ghostbusters, Beetle juice, Back to the future, Teen Wolf, The Karate Kidand Police Academy offered viewers the chance to follow their favorite characters as they embark on shorter weekly adventures. This made their respective films more popular on the rental market based on their stories. Others, like Robocop, Toxic Crusadersand Rambo: The Force of Freedomgave younger viewers an introduction to franchises that would otherwise be aimed firmly at adults.

The 1980s animated spinoff boom predicted how modern franchises expand on streaming platforms

TV spinoffs have expanded fictional universes, much like modern streaming shows

While it may seem strange for a violent, R-rated franchise like Robocop films had a TV spinoff aimed at children, it is worth noting that these TV shows allowed franchises to enter the lucrative world of merchandising. Younger viewers were more likely to buy branded toys and merchandise, meaning that even fully adult franchises received cartoon spinoffs aimed at children. In many ways, the numerous Star Wars Streaming shows that expanded the franchise's world have borrowed this approach. Although Star Wars was at the forefront, franchises like DC, Marvel and the Jurassic World the series has since followed suit.

Show how Wandavision and its subsequent spinoff Agatha all the time, Andorand Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous expand the world of their respective franchises, allowing viewers to follow characters who would otherwise not appear on the big screen for years to come. In this regard, Streaming spinoffs of contemporary cinematic universes work much like animated TV shows from 1980s franchises. In either case, these smaller-scale shows offer studios a comparatively cheap way to build the world of their franchises without relying entirely on large-scale theatrically released feature films.

Many animated spin-offs of 1980s films hold up surprisingly well today

The Best '80s TV Spinoffs Felt Like an Extension of Their Movie Counterparts

The other big similarity between many of these streaming shows and their '80s cartoon counterparts is that, as surprising as it may seem, both are generally faithful to the tone of their parent franchises. Many '80s Animated TV Shows Are Surprisingly Goodwith Beetle juice, The real ghostbustersand The Karate Kid all nailing the tone of their respective films. While programs like Robocop may stray from their inspiration, they remain fun, lively and engaging. Even the worst efforts of the time, like Rambo: The Force of FreedomThey're good for providing a few laughs.

While not all spinoffs of the 80s franchise can be as impressive as Beetle juiceOf the excellent series of sequels, many of them served the same purpose as contemporary streaming shows, and as a result, they're worth revisiting. For viewers who want to re-immerse themselves in the world of Back to the future, Beetle juiceor Ghostbusters movies, revisiting their respective TV shows can be just as effective as yet another umpteenth rewatch of the films themselves.