Sometimes, with your favourite TV show, you just want a little bit more.

Maybe a longer version of a normal episode, or a comeback after a programme came to an end?

The BBC’s hit sitcom Ghosts is coming to cinemas in October 2026 for a fresh new story, almost three years after it concluded on television – and The Bluey Movie will thrill young (and old) audiences when it hits the big screen in 2027.

BBC Bitesize takes a look at other TV programmes that became films.

The Simpsons

It’s the longest-running animated sitcom ever, having passed 800 episodes.

But it took The Simpsons 20 years to transfer to the big screen.

The show began life as a series of shorts in 1987 on The Tracy Ullman Show - a sketch show broadcast on Fox in the United States.

The mini-episodes introduced the dysfunctional Simpson family to American TV audiences and two years later, they were given their own series – debuting in prime time in December 1989 with the Christmas episode, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

Throughout the show’s lifespan, multiple ideas were pitched for a feature film but it wasn’t until 2007 that The Simpsons Movie was released in cinemas.

The plot saw disaster strike Springfield and Homer was entirely to blame before ultimately redeeming himself and saving the town.

The world premiere was held in Springfield, Vermont, following a competition between the 16 Springfields in the US to host it.

The film was a box office success and was also well received by fans and critics – a sequel is planned for 2027.

Batman

It’s difficult to keep on top of the number of times Batman has appeared in cinemas – or the number of actors who’ve portrayed him.

Depending upon your age, your Batman could well be Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson, Ben Affleck or Michael Keaton. It could even be Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Will Arnett, Lewis Wilson or Robert Lowery.

But it’s Adam West who took the Caped Crusader from the small to the big screen.

Wilson and Lowery portrayed Batman in early film serials – individual episodic chapters of the same story, released week-by-week in cinemas. Both serials were released in the 1940s and were incredibly low budget affairs.

In 1966, West took over the cowl to become Batman for an ABC series, that ultimately went on to produce 120 episodes.

West’s Batman – ably assisted by Burt Ward as Robin – was known for its action-comedy approach, with a deliberately camp style.

Producers originally planned to release a film before the programme was broadcast on television, in order to introduce audiences to the characters – but the show’s premiere was moved forward.

Batman was then released in cinemas later in 1966 as a bridge between the first and second series of the show – with the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman all teaming up.

Bat adventures continue apace – Pattinson’s The Batman: Part II will be released in 2027.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers

There are a disproportionately large number of animated chipmunks knocking about.

While Alvin and the Chipmunks have also gone from television to film (including a few novelty pop songs along the way), we’re going to focus on the originals – Chip ‘n Dale.

Much like Ant & Dec, there’s often confusion over which one is which – but there’s an easy way to tell them apart. Chip has a chocolate chip coloured nose (ie, brown) while Dale’s nose is red.

The cheeky chipmunks first appeared in a Disney short in 1943. Private Pluto saw them settle into their frequent role of lovable antagonists. The duo regularly battled Mickey Mouse, Pluto and more often than not, Donald Duck, who they frequently got the better of.

While the pair appeared in shorts, including several where they were the lead characters, it wasn’t until 1989 that they got their own series.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers put the chipmunk pals in the role of tiny detectives, with distinct personalities. Chip was the sensible one, cool under pressure in a mini Indiana Jones outfit. Dale was more laidback, cosplaying as Magnum P.I. in a red Hawaiian shirt.

The show ran for three series and 65 episodes, finishing in 1990. It then took over 30 years for their comeback in their first feature film.

After eight years of development, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers was released on Disney+, forcing the estranged pair to team up again to find a kidnapped friend.

The film – which saw a mix of animation, live-action and a huge cast of cartoon cameos – put comedians John Mulaney and Andy Samberg in the roles of the title characters.

The Inbetweeners

The coming-of-age story of a group of misfit teenagers - The Inbetweeners - was a huge success for E4 when it launched in 2008.

The adventures of Will, Simon, Neil and Jay delighted and appalled audiences in equal measures and even went on to win a BAFTA in 2010.

So it was only natural that the creators would want to go on to tell bigger stories about the foursome on a bigger screen.

The Inbetweeners Movie was released in 2010 and saw the gang go on a lads’ holiday after finishing their A-Levels and, well – you can imagine what happened next.

The film was a box office smash, if not to all the critics’ taste. They reunited for a sequel in 2014 based in Australia.

It was reported in 2025 that the show would be rebooted, with the original cast returning in 2026. Watch this space…

This article was published in March 2026