Twitter Users Ponder What Famous Side Characters Deserve Their Own Film

You know them. You love them. They’re the ones who sparkle around the edges of a story, who crackle with life and joy in limited screen time. Who intrigue and beguile and who leave you wanting to know and see more.

Of course sometimes the magic of a side character is entwined with their status, and if they were granted more screen time the harsh light of exposure would change things. The magic would fade. It had drawn its power from what was left unsaid, and our fertile imaginations filled in the blanks. But who knows—maybe some of these bit players would make for perfect main characters.

In response to a prompt from the official Toronto International Film Festival tweet, Twitter users pondered the latter possibility: Side characters that they were so bewitched by so as to wish for a whole film based just on them. But before we get into that, let’s just remember these two legends:

Okay now on with the Twitter roundup:

What famous side character deserves their own film?

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 30, 2020

Dooley Wilson’s Sam from Casablanca! pic.twitter.com/9Mlwpqe7mC

— Ouija: Ori-Genevieve-il (@hey_itsg) September 30, 2020

Tom Hagen from “The Godfather”! pic.twitter.com/NgAMerETY2

— Frances Fong-Lee (@FrancesFongLee) September 30, 2020

give me a love affair for tony. https://t.co/3zIlRGJvfq pic.twitter.com/b67AnS0gPN

— ✍🏼 roxana | ✊🏼 zivar | ⚒️ hadadi (@roxana_hadadi) October 1, 2020

This relatable woman pic.twitter.com/YPQUkG5Q6k

— Katie Anne (@PghKtx89) October 1, 2020

I suggest ALL ABOUT BIRDIE, starring Thelma Ritter. pic.twitter.com/utuVMbcfbR

— Rachel Eggers (@racheleggers) October 1, 2020

Juan from Moonlight pic.twitter.com/LTdIs40CH6

— byeD (@winnnnno) September 30, 2020

Betty Schaefer in Sunset Blvd graduates from script reader to writer pic.twitter.com/5cHe2bX0w3

— Jane Stedman (@soniajane1986) October 1, 2020

Charlie Prince from 3:10 To Yuma!

😎 pic.twitter.com/fzZzxQtRw1

— estee tabernac (@esteetabernac) September 30, 2020

Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) in Unforgiven. pic.twitter.com/5Fr3b5Edf2

— donna g, Host The More the Merrier (@tmtmwithdonnag) September 30, 2020

Playwright Jeff Slater, Michael Dorsey's roommate in Tootsie. pic.twitter.com/eTGTgnSYjf

— Rick Kronbyrd (@RickySKron) October 1, 2020

Walter Sobchak pic.twitter.com/7Le566NvDB

— Patricio Chile (@patjchile) September 30, 2020

Mr. Miyagi.

Set during WWII, young Miyagi fights both the systemic racism of his country’s military and the brutal Nazis in Europe. pic.twitter.com/g5hNkehCkJ

— Lion🦁 (@JurassicLion) October 1, 2020

The Adventures of Rod Williams: TSMFA pic.twitter.com/n96NH7aK9S

— 🌻🔪Justin🔪🌻 (@8bitjayhawk) September 30, 2020

pic.twitter.com/dwV2Rtv13K

— Stuart Henderson (@henderstu) September 30, 2020

ok but the cops from Knives Out ABSOLUTELY could be in a buddy-cop sitcom. pic.twitter.com/bC0RBHjKJC

— annie (@the_soap_suds) September 30, 2020

Without question. pic.twitter.com/BiQNsSxvCj

— Slade (@Slade) October 1, 2020

Doug from Ghost World pic.twitter.com/xQ5r5QCbPT

— Sneaky Dee 🎤🎬 (@SneakyDee101) September 30, 2020

I’d like to know what The Mystery Man is up to on a day to day pic.twitter.com/88YQ1NRIsq

— Ghost of Frank Booth (@pblueribbon86) October 1, 2020

It’s all I want pic.twitter.com/ayhwelZfJQ

— SS 🐍 (@S_T_Soutar) October 1, 2020

The other dirty jobs…his start at the DEA…seeing him before the appt when the doctor prescribes him the watching him listen to classic music.. pic.twitter.com/BfnpxLivL6

— JamalNeff (@JamalNeff) October 1, 2020

Tom Atkins' Detective Cameron from Night of the Creeps. pic.twitter.com/FL677SFLYq

— I Was a Teenage Paul Anthony Johnson (@Cinedaze) October 1, 2020

It’d be like The Office, but better pic.twitter.com/UyzFbgILc6

— Heather (@quinnofthenerds) October 1, 2020

Yes, have some! #Ghostbusters pic.twitter.com/nZM9joyvE4

— Brodie Cotnam (@BrodieCotnam) September 30, 2020

I'd like Mia Wallace's own film. pic.twitter.com/mTjuhLCWOw

— Stefanie Malone (@StefanieMalone) September 30, 2020

I also want the Marion Ravonwood movie where she moved back to Nepal and is still running the bar and winning drinking contests.

— tom_quinn (@tom_quinn) September 30, 2020

Still waiting for the rom com with Betsy’s sister and the young gangster from Betsy’s Wedding.

They had chemistry (more than the main characters, really) pic.twitter.com/YjezG4rVYI

— Eric Brott, #staysafestayawesome (@ebrottsoclearn) October 1, 2020

It would have been cool to see a movie about Gus Polinski, the "Polka King of the Midwest," from Home Alone

R.I.P. John Candy pic.twitter.com/RSbyMgfLYu

— Neil (@neilbelieves) October 1, 2020

Easiest question ever 👄 pic.twitter.com/DClSiyQiOf

— West Leigh🌈🎸 (@BrahBrahBrah) October 1, 2020

Cyn from Working Girl. Joan Cusack is a national treasure. pic.twitter.com/oPJmj4mnux

— James (@JamesSNYC) October 1, 2020

pic.twitter.com/eJiVaUQXHh

— Lisa loud larynx (quiet personality) (@LisaLoudLarynx) September 30, 2020

Juba from Gladiator pic.twitter.com/AoPMJsqA20

— sarah ✨ (@sazpratts) October 1, 2020

The greatest small role of all time, by a distance. Deserves a harrowing 3 hour character study drama imo. pic.twitter.com/D5xDx1UtyO

— mitchkramerdaddykink (@NashDad13) October 1, 2020

I want to see her conquer the world. pic.twitter.com/Gz7JKQ5oFW

— Patanormal Activity 🎃👻🦇🍿🍫 (@peak37pt) October 1, 2020

pic.twitter.com/dQEX2Dpldw

— The Tinseltown Twins (@TinseltownTwins) October 1, 2020

Cabbie from Escape From New York pic.twitter.com/H51wx6igWM

— Ñick (@ithsmayicknay) September 30, 2020

Eternal Sunshine has three side characters I’ve always been curious about. pic.twitter.com/Ayzqp8lz2a

— Rose (@TwainLady) September 30, 2020

Bruno Kirby, in whatever movie he is in. pic.twitter.com/pXczY2NAVa

— Marty Trujillo (@martyalen) October 1, 2020

Both Judy and Madeline pic.twitter.com/bYXsxykeAF

— Thomas Appleyard (@PreparednessNP) September 30, 2020

Loretta in Drop Dead Gorgeous pic.twitter.com/tm2Ul4qBL1

— Miss C 💖💜💙 (@carbtherapy) September 30, 2020

pic.twitter.com/K3FCjuaLBd

— C-andy-man Roberts (@RacketyEsperus) September 30, 2020

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Petr is a staff contributor. You can follow him on Twitter.

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Image sources (in order of posting): Warner Bros. Pictures, Cinecom Pictures