Standalone film

For other uses, see Standalone.

A standalone film is a film that does not have any relation with other films.^[1] In the late 1990s, it was typical to create standalone films with no plans for sequels. The term "standalone film" appeared when sequels, spin-offs, and franchises became normal from the mid-2000s onwards.^[2]

Types of standalone films

In a canonical meaning, a standalone film is a film that is not part of any franchise. The Sixth Sense, The Shawshank Redemption, Inception, Se7en and Interstellar are examples of standalone films.^[3][4]

When a film is set in either the same universe (or one very similar to that of) as its predecessors, yet has very little if any narrative connection to its predecessors and can be appreciated on its own without a thorough understanding of the backstory, then the work can be referred to as a standalone sequel.^[5] Mr. Bean's Holiday, Big Top Pee-wee, Home Alone 3, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Species - The Awakening, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, The Rescuers Down Under, Return to Never Land, Kronk's New Groove, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Jingle All the Way 2, Mad Max: Fury Road, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Wonder Woman 1984, Spirit Untamed, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery are examples of standalone sequels.^{[6][7][better source needed]}

A standalone spin-off is a film that expands some fictional universe. The Star Wars Anthology series is an example of standalone spin-offs.^[4][8] Standalone spin-offs may also be centered on a minor character from an existing fictional universe.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Sequel
• Spin-off

References

1. "The definition of standalone". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
2. "Isn't every movie a standalone movie?". Agonybooth.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
3. "10 Standalone Films That Deserve Sequels More Than Fast And Furious 7 Does". Nme.com. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
4. "Why Movie Universes Need Standalone Films". Denofgeek.com. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
5. Michael Andre-Driussi (1 August 2008). Lexicon Urthus, Second Edition. Sirius Fiction. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-9642795-1-3. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
6. Michael Andre-Driussi (1 August 2008). Lexicon Urthus, Second Edition. Sirius Fiction. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-9642795-1-3. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
7. "Five Films Show How 2008 Redefined the Movies". Cinematic Slant. 14 August 2018. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
8. Patti J. McCarthy (25 October 2014). The Lucas Effect: George Lucas and the New Hollywood. Teneo Press. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2017.