This text is a love letter to these scene-stealers. They’re the misfits, the masterminds, the sidekicks, and the schemers who usually find yourself extra beloved and interesting than the supposed stars of their tales. They make you need to hit pause, replay their scenes, and even daydream about what they’d be doing off-screen.
And truthfully? Their untold tales are begging for the highlight.
So right here it’s—a celebration of these unforgettable figures who earned their place in popular culture not by being front-and-center, however by dominating from the sidelines. From sharp-tongued aristocrats to eccentric witches, from animated icons to icy villains, listed here are 14 characters who broke out of the ensemble and completely deserve their very own spin-off collection.
The Standards: What Makes a Spin-Off-Worthy Character?
Earlier than we begin handing out imaginary contracts, let’s set some floor guidelines. Not each facet character is a spin-off materials—some are excellent in small doses, like a touch of spice you don’t need ruining the stew. However the ones on this checklist have one thing particular. 4 issues, to be precise.
First, confirmed depth and unexplored backstory. These characters carry hints of wealthy, advanced histories we solely glimpse on the display. Possibly they’ve acquired a mysterious previous, an unstated trauma, or a skillset that feels criminally underexplored. They virtually beg for enlargement.
Second, standalone narrative potential. You may think about their world present exterior the unique present or film. They’re not tethered to the primary character’s journey—they might simply carry one in all their very own, whether or not it’s a political thriller, a darkish comedy, or an intergalactic drama.
Third, plain viewers demand. These are the characters who development on Twitter, encourage fan artwork, and steal the highlight in each evaluate. After they’re on display, the power shifts—and audiences can’t get sufficient.
Lastly, the elusive “It” issue. Name it charisma, magnetism, or plain outdated star energy—it’s the intangible high quality that makes you need to observe them wherever, even right into a spin-off about their Tuesday grocery run. If you happen to can think about them headlining a narrative and making it work, they’ve acquired it.
With that in thoughts, let’s dive into the checklist—the 14 scene-stealing legends who deserve their very own spin-off greater than anybody.
1. Luna Lovegood – Harry Potter collection
Portrayed by: Evanna Lynch
Spin-Off Title: The Misplaced Chronicles of Luna Lovegood
Launched in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Luna stood out together with her dreamy voice, unusual logic, and quiet braveness. Evanna Lynch turned what might’ve been comedian aid into an icon of individuality.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Fantasy Thriller
Logline: After the warfare, Luna roams the wizarding world chasing uncommon creatures and forgotten histories.
World: A mixture of travelogue and thriller, with eccentric allies, skeptics, and magical conspiracies alongside the best way.
Why It Would Work: Luna’s worldview is her superpower. A spin-off would mix whimsy and knowledge, celebrating the extraordinary within the ignored.
2. Arya Stark – Sport of Thrones
Portrayed by: Maisie Williams
Spin-Off Title: West of Westeros
Arya developed from a mischievous tomboy to a deadly murderer throughout Sport of Thrones (2011–2019). Maisie Williams gave her grit and vulnerability, making Arya one in all TV’s most beloved arcs.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Epic Journey
Logline: Having left Westeros, Arya sails west to chart unknown lands and carve her personal future.
World: Limitless—new continents, cultures, and risks past the map’s edge.
Why It Would Work: Arya’s curiosity and resilience make her excellent for a frontier story. Her spin-off might develop the Thrones universe whereas giving her the liberty to write down her personal legend.
3. Donkey – Shrek collection
Portrayed by: Eddie Murphy
Spin-Off Title: The Misadventures of Donkey
Launched in Shrek (2001), Donkey’s nonstop chatter, optimism, and shocking coronary heart made him the franchise’s comedian engine. Eddie Murphy’s supply turned him into an prompt favourite.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Animated Comedy
Logline: Donkey and Dragon increase their hybrid brood whereas stumbling into absurd quests.
World: A fairy-tale sandbox stuffed with weird creatures, riddles, and ridiculous kingdoms.
Why It Would Work: Donkey thrives in chaos. A spin-off might push the franchise’s humor additional whereas exhibiting how coronary heart anchors comedy.
4. Karen Walker – Will & Grace
Portrayed by: Megan Mullally
Spin-Off Title: Simply Karen
Karen Walker in Will & Grace (1998–2006, 2017–2020) was a brash boozehound who was side-splittingly humorous. Megan Mullally’s fearless efficiency made her a sitcom icon.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Office/Wealth Comedy
Logline: After Grace strikes on, Karen “manages” her fortune, companies, and new social disasters.
World: Luxurious penthouses, artwork auctions, and upper-class absurdity.
Why It Would Work: Karen’s larger-than-life persona deserves the highlight. Her outrageous antics can simply carry a collection filled with biting humor.
5. Steve Harrington – Stranger Issues
Portrayed by: Joe Keery
Spin-Off Title: Babysitter’s Apocalypse
Steve began as a cliché jock in Stranger Issues (2016–). However Joe Keery’s allure flipped him into the present’s MVP: reluctant babysitter turned monster fighter.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Supernatural Journey
Logline: After Hawkins, Steve and a brand new crew confront weird threats in small-town America.
World: Monster-of-the-week format with 80s nostalgia and coronary heart.
Why It Would Work: Steve is endlessly watchable. A spin-off might mix horror and comedy whereas letting him shine as an unlikely hero.
6. Gus Fring – Breaking Unhealthy
Portrayed by: Giancarlo Esposito
Spin-Off Title: The Rise of Fring
In Breaking Unhealthy (2008–2013), Gus Fring embodied calm menace. Giancarlo Esposito’s precision made him one in all TV’s biggest villains.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Crime Thriller
Logline: Earlier than Heisenberg, Gus constructed an empire. That is the untold story of his Chilean previous and rise in Albuquerque.
World: A mix of cartel wars, enterprise technique, and ethical darkness.
Why It Would Work: Followers need to know the way Gus grew to become Gus. His backstory is ripe for drama, suspense, and character research.
7. Lord Voldemort – Harry Potter collection
Portrayed by: Ralph Fiennes
Spin-Off Title: Tom Riddle: The Making of a Monster
Although central, Voldemort usually lurked in shadows throughout the movies (2001–2011). Ralph Fiennes gave him chilling gravitas, however Tom Riddle’s transformation remained largely unseen.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Darkish Fantasy
Logline: The lifetime of Tom Riddle—from orphan to darkish lord—informed in harrowing element.
World: Hogwarts halls, forbidden magic, and the darker corners of the wizarding world.
Why It Would Work: Audiences crave villain origins. Voldemort’s rise might discover ambition, corruption, and the price of energy.
8. Bellatrix Lestrange – Harry Potter collection
Portrayed by: Helena Bonham Carter
Spin-Off Title: Bellatrix Unleashed
Helena Bonham Carter’s wild-eyed Bellatrix electrified the display with chaos and cruelty. She was terrifying and oddly magnetic.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Gothic Thriller
Logline: A twisted journey by means of Bellatrix’s youth, indoctrination, and repair to Voldemort.
World: Pure-blood society, Azkaban horrors, and cult-like Dying Eater circles.
Why It Would Work: Bellatrix represents pure chaos. Her backstory may very well be a chilling dive into fanaticism and concern.
9. Edna Mode – The Incredibles collection
Portrayed by: Brad Fowl
Spin-Off Title: Mode: Superhero Stylist
First showing in The Incredibles (2004), Edna Mode grew to become a scene-stealer with only a few minutes of display time. Her wit and design genius made her unforgettable.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Animated Office Comedy
Logline: Edna juggles eccentric superheroes, outrageous costume calls for, and her personal aptitude for drama.
World: A vogue home colliding with the world of superheroes.
Why It Would Work: She’s fabulous. A spin-off might have a good time her eccentricity whereas satirizing each vogue and hero tradition.
10. Dwight Schrute – The Workplace
Portrayed by: Rainn Wilson
Spin-Off Title: Schrute Farms
Dwight was eccentric, intense, and endlessly quotable in The Workplace (2005–2013). Rainn Wilson gave him absurdity and coronary heart.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Mockumentary Comedy
Logline: Dwight runs Schrute Farms whereas chasing energy in small-town Pennsylvania.
World: A rural oddball setting ripe with quirky neighbors and beet-based humor.
Why It Would Work: Dwight’s quirks deserve full exploration. His world is bizarre sufficient to gasoline years of comedy.
11. Gloria Pritchett – Fashionable Household
Portrayed by: Sofía Vergara
Spin-Off Title: Gloria!
Gloria wasn’t simply Jay’s fiery spouse—she stole scenes together with her wild backstories, fierce character, and Sofía Vergara’s unmatched comedian timing. She blended coronary heart and hilarity in methods no different Fashionable Household character might.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Household Comedy, Prequel
Logline: From chaotic household feuds in Colombia to single-mom struggles within the US, Gloria’s life is stuffed with misadventures, cultural clashes, and surprising triumphs.
World: Flashbacks to her rivalry together with her sister and eccentric Colombian kin, blended together with her early US days, would make for countless storylines.
Why It Would Work: Gloria has depth the sitcom solely hinted at—humorous, resilient, and bigger than life. A spin-off would present each her outrageous humor and her inspiring journey.
12. Melisandre – Sport of Thrones
Portrayed by: Carice van Houten
Spin-Off Title: The Purple Girl
Melisandre was probably the most enigmatic forces in Sport of Thrones. From her fiery prophecies to her morally gray selections, she embodied the present’s steadiness of religion, concern, and fatalism. Each time she appeared, the stakes felt increased.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Darkish Fantasy-Drama
Logline: Centuries earlier than the Battle of the 5 Kings, a younger woman from Asshai discovers the Lord of Mild and grows into the Purple Girl we all know—mystic, manipulator, and believer.
World: This collection might dive deep into shadowbinding, Asshai’s eerie tradition, and her lengthy, winding path throughout Westeros. Cameos from legendary figures in Essos and flash-forwards of her visions would weave a wealthy mythos.
Why It Would Work: Her story is tragic but inspiring. A spin-off might shine a light-weight on resilience and justice within the Thrones universe.
13. Thanos – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Portrayed by: Josh Brolin
Spin-Off Title: Thanos Rising
Although a villain, Thanos in Avengers: Infinity Battle (2018) grew to become oddly relatable, due to Josh Brolin’s layered efficiency. His ideology made him unforgettable.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Sci-Fi Epic
Logline: The early lifetime of Thanos—exile from Titan, rise to energy, and warped imaginative and prescient of “steadiness.”
World: Cosmic settings throughout alien planets and intergalactic wars.
Why It Would Work: Audiences need to perceive their villains. A Thanos origin might rival the most effective house operas.
14. Olenna Tyrell – Sport of Thrones
Portrayed by: Diana Rigg
Spin-Off Title: The Queen of Thorns
Olenna Tyrell delivered a few of the sharpest strains in Sport of Thrones. Diana Rigg’s wit and presence made her unforgettable.
The Spin-Off Pitch:
Style: Fantasy, Political Drama
Logline: Olenna’s rise in Home Tyrell, mastering politics with wit sharper than any sword.
World: Highgarden and King’s Touchdown intrigue earlier than the warfare.
Why It Would Work: Olenna proves energy doesn’t all the time want armies—it wants technique. A prequel would highlight intelligence because the deadliest weapon.
The Future is Shiny and Stuffed with Potential
Fan adoration is, in fact, a unifying issue amongst these characters, however what really sticks them collectively is the unexplored richness packed into them. They’re layered, magnetic, and sometimes extra compelling than the protagonists they supported. Every carries the seed of a standalone story that might thrive in the proper palms.
Spin-offs succeed after they seize lightning in a bottle once more, not by copying, however by shifting perspective. Think about Luna discovering hidden worlds, Arya charting the unknown, or Gloria constructing her personal empire. These are extra than simply facet plots. These are tales ready to occur.
So right here’s the query: if these spin-offs have been to occur, which one would you watch first?
Or higher but—who did we miss?
Drop your dream spin-off concepts within the feedback, or shout them out on-line with #SpinOffWorthy. As a result of if there’s one factor these scene-stealers show, it’s this: generally the most effective tales are hiding in plain sight.
