Fans put their heart and soul into tributes to their favorite stories, and some of the best fan films even rival big-budget Hollywood movies. The concept of the fan film was born with the creation of affordable home video equipment in the ’60s and ’70s, though it didn’t skyrocket until more recently.

Often based on established franchises, fan films allow audience members to express their creativity while filling in the gaps between installments in their favorite series. They can be straightforward remakes of popular films, or highlight pieces of lore which were ignored in official adaptations. Other times, they simply invent new adventures to help connect with other fans.

Naturally, these fan films are not official, and have run afoul of rights holders on occasion. However, there are also entire film festivals dedicated to celebrating fan creations, and enjoying the DIY spirit of the underground art form. Some fan films have even gotten the attention of the original creators, with writers, directors, and actors expressing support.

Though there is love in every fan film, they aren’t all created equal. Some stand above the rest thanks to their production quality or even their unbridled creativity, and only a select few have transcended their status as mere curiosities. Fans understand their favorite franchises better than many creatives, so their homemade movies can sometimes beat Hollywood.

10

Severus Snape And The Marauders (2016)

The Harry Potter franchise originally wrapped up in 2011, but that didn’t mean fans weren’t hungry for more. Writer/director Justin Zagri produced Severus Snape and the Marauders as a way to fill in some gaps, exploring crucial moments before Harry’s adventure. The half-hour short film gained a lot of attention online, largely for its writing and production value.

With lots of magic spells and other necessary CGI elements, the fan film has strong visual effects considering its budget. The acting is also pretty strong, something that is often most lacking in homemade movies. However, the writing is really where the short excels, with Snape and his foes feeling fleshed-out and human instead of cartoonish.

9

Never Hike Alone: A Friday The 13th Fan Film (2017)

Despite the fact that there have been nearly a million Friday the 13th movies over the years, it’s one horror franchise that doesn’t grow stale in the eyes of fans. Director Vincente DiSanti did something that the current franchise rights holders haven’t been able to do, and he produced a well-made Jason Vorhees movie with plenty of classic chills.

Never Hike Alone strips things down to the basics and features a one-on-one battle between the hockey masked slasher and an unsuspecting hiker. What it lacks in gore it makes up for with suspense, and DiSanti understands what makes an effective horror film. Its online popularity has spawned several sequels which have each gotten positive reviews.

8

The Punisher: Dirty Laundry (2012)

Comic book heroes are one of the most common sources of inspiration for fan films, but The Punisher: Dirty Laundry is no ordinary tribute. Thomas Jane returns in the 10-minute short to play the тιтle character, who is just trying to go about his day but can’t stay out of trouble.

Dirty Laundry is one of the more high-profile fan films out there, and was created by established industry professionals with some nods from Marvel. It even screened at 2012’s San Diego Comic Con, a luxury most fan films aren’t afforded. Though short, it’s generally regarded as the best portrayal of The Punisher on screen up to that point.

7

Raiders Of The Lost Ark: The Adaptation (1989)

Fan films are ultimately tributes, and none were so dedicated to the source material as Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation. The sH๏τ-for-sH๏τ remake was made by three teens over the course of seven years, and uses every creative trick in the book to recreate the Harrison Ford classic.

The film is a fascinating watch because of how clever the youngsters are when it comes to faking Hollywood. Every detail is painstakingly included, even if it’s filtered through a kid’s imagination. The Adaptation was so legendary in fan film circles that a documentary, Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, was produced in 2016.

6

Born Of Hope (2009)

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythos is so large and complex that Hollywood will never be able to explore every nook and cranny. Therefore, fan films have been a great way to examine the lore and flesh out the complex backstory. Born of Hope is taken from the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and concerns Aragorn’s parents.

There have been dozens of Lord of the Rings fan films over the years, but Kate Madison’s vision is one of the most grand. The costuming is stunning, and even the visual effects look decent for a 2000s low-budget production. Most importantly, it respects the source material, which is really all that matters.

5

The Green Goblin’s Last Stand (1992)

Making fan films has become considerably easier in recent years, but classics like The Green Goblin’s Last Stand had to do it the old school way. Adapting the iconic events of The Amazing Spider-Man issues #121-122, it was the first time a live-action Spidey project had tackled the death of Gwen Stacy.

Dan Poole pulled quadruple duty on the 46-minute fan film, and it’s his stunt work as Spider-Man that makes the movie worth watching. Poole does plenty of death-defying stunts, and he found creative ways to overcome challenges that Hollywood would later simply gloss over with CGI. Because it adapts such an iconic storyline, the plot is pretty compelling too.

4

Return Of The Ghostbusters (2007)

By the time Return of the Ghostbusters arrived in 2007, filmmaker Hank Braxtan had already created his own corner of the ’80s franchise’s universe. The feature-length fan film is a sequel to Braxtan’s Freddy vs. the Ghostbusters, and has new characters that weren’t in the original films. Short on budget but high on pᴀssion, the Return is surprisingly charming.

Braxtan and his fellow Ghostbuster fanatics and cosplayers clearly understood what made the original movies so enjoyable. The tech and ghosts are important, but the connection between the characters is really what made the franchise soar. With a bigger budget, Return of the Ghostbusters could have easily been an official part of the franchise.

3

The Hunt For Gollum (2009)

Though Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy attempted to cover as much ground as possible, it took short films like The Hunt for Gollum to pick up crucial moments from the books. Set during the events of Fellowship of the Ring, the movie follows Aragorn as he tries to track down the тιтular character.

Never reaching beyond its grasp, Chris Bouchard’s half-hour fan film looks great for something made so cheaply. It’s also jam-packed with story, so that its brief running time never drags. The movie’s professionalism is unique among fan films, and it is so professional that it almost had legal issues with the Tolkien estate, according to the BBC.

2

Uncharted (2018)

Beating Hollywood to the punch by several years, the 2018 Uncharted fan film is still the closest any filmmaker has gotten to adapting the game successfully. Director Allan Ungar’s pᴀssion for the classic video game was strong enough to get Nathan Fillion onboard, and he starred in the fan film as Nathan Drake.

Though it only runs 14 minutes, the short captures the essence of Uncharted down to game-accurate dialogue. More of a proof of concept than a full-scale story, the 2018 production is like a glimpse into an alternate reality where the Uncharted movie wasn’t a cynical cash-grab. The fan film even got praise from original game developer, Naughty Dog.

1

Star Trek: Of Gods And Men (2008)

The Star Trek franchise can be credited as the origin point for most fan films, and the sudden cancelation of the original series inspired fans to craft their own outer space adventures. The feature-length Star Trek: Of Gods and Men is the culmination of decades of fan film culture, and features cast members from every corner of the Trek franchise.

SH๏τ on impressive sets and with professional actors, Of Gods and Men is a must-see for any die-hard Trekkie. It isn’t canon, but it does offer nice conclusions for characters who weren’t given proper sendoffs in the films and shows. While still a little rough around the edges, fan films don’t get any better.