Top 10 Worst Movies Based on British TV Shows

“Harry Enfield and Chums” had everyone smiling in the ‘90s, with one of its most popular characters being stroppy teenager Kevin - played by Enfield himself. And as Kevin proved such a hit, they decided to give him and his sidekick Perry - played by Kathy Burke - their own spin off movie, which follows the characters’ quest to lose their virginities in Ibiza. Unfortunately, what worked brilliantly for brief sketches struggled to succeed for a feature-length film - although “Kevin & Perry Go Large” does have a cult fan base within the rave scene!

A critically acclaimed show that lasted for ten series, “Spooks” centred on the exploits of a team of British counter-terrorism agents. But “Spooks: The Greater Good” - the film that followed on from the show - wasn’t half as high-octane, or anywhere near as well received. And that’s despite bringing in Jon Snow himself - Kit Harington. The flick now joins the likes of “Terminator: Genisys” and “Justice League” as movies starring “Game of Thrones” cast members that flopped at the box office.

Before finding his calling in acting life by portraying Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.’s career was pretty hit and miss, as highlighted by 2003’s “The Singing Detective” - a loose (and lacklustre) adaptation of the BBC serial. Downey Jr. stepped into the role first filled by Michael Gambon, playing a bedridden author with a skin disease who imagines himself as a sleuth from his books. Despite a stellar cast, including; Mel Gibson, Robin Wright and Adrien Brody, this one never lived up to the name of the show.

Some things are just best left untouched, as “Absolutely Fabulous” proves all too well. The ‘90s sitcom was perfect for its time, following the drunken, wild antics of middle-aged Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone - expertly played by Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley. However, the characters seemed frustratingly out of place in 2016, with this flimsy film feeling fairly forced, and only serving to dampen the fond feelings for Ab Fab’s original small screen run.

On paper, the big screen rendition of “The Sweeney” had all the right ingredients for success, with Ray Winstone taking the lead and director Nick Love - the man behind violent Brit flicks like “The Football Factory” and “The Business” - taking the helm. But, you can go ahead and stick that paper in the shredder, because this was yet another let down. The film looked glossy and neat, but that simply took away from the grittiness of the ‘70s original. Generic action and a shallow plot did nothing to help matters either.

The old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” might be overused, but it sure applies in this case. Despite the show still being well loved, no one was exactly crying out for a modern take on “Dad’s Army”, were they? And as this film shows, for good reason! Starring Bill Nighy and Catherine Zeta-Jones among other established names, it’s a reinterpretation that fails to recapture the magic of the original and, as a result, ultimately feels like a pointless update. Stellar cast aside, nothing of note stands out about the movie. You’re better off sticking to re-runs of the classic series.

Leigh Francis’ alter ego, Keith Lemon, was a stand out in “Bo’ Selecta!” and always entertains as host of “Celebrity Juice”... But headlining his own movie? Not so much. In fact, this film proved to be a complete mess that couldn’t even claim to be funny in a ‘so bad it’s good’ kind of way - which is really all it had to aim for. And while lots of comedies are littered with cameos, Paddy McGuinness and Peter Andre don’t exactly scream ‘star-studded’, do they? You know you’re reaching when David Hasselhoff is the best you can offer.

After helping to drag Batman’s reputation through the mud in “Batman Forever”, Val Kilmer returned a couple of years later to do the same with “The Saint”. Kilmer lacked the suave aura of Roger Moore, who played the character in the series - a part which actually went a long way to landing him the role of James Bond. The Robin Hood characteristics of the protagonist also fall by the wayside with Kilmer, as the lead is portrayed as just another thief for hire. Essentially, this film robs The Saint of everything that made him interesting.

There is perhaps potential for a solid live-action movie based on “Thunderbirds”. Sadly… this isn’t that movie. Despite the original show consisting of performances by puppets, it still had heart and soul in abundance compared to this flat adaptation, which offered a live-action take and yet was ironically more lifeless. The central characters from the beloved series appear but take a back seat to a young cast serving as their offspring, in a widely criticised creative choice. Tellingly, even the show’s creator slammed the film. Thunderbirds are no.

Not to be confused with the Marvel movie of the same name which obviously proved an unprecedented juggernaut of success... this was the polar opposite of that. 1998’s “The Avengers” isn’t just one of worst films based on British TV, but possibly one of the worst films, period. With Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes playing heroes and Sean Connery as the villain, the awkward, uninspiring and almost entirely entertainment-free adaptation was far more disappointing than it had right to be. Hacked to death in editing and hacked even further by critics, it was a box office bomb beyond redemption.