History BreakoutCharacter / Film

** From the ''Star Wars'' EU, Grand Admiral Thrawn, AKA Mitth'raw'nuruodo, is most definitely this. Originally one of the two central antagonists of ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'' (which received the name retroactively), [[BigBadEnsemble sharing the spotlight]] with the mad Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth, he has become popular to the point where he could rival characters from the films in popularity. He's now a CanonImmigrant as a result of being added into ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', and continues to enjoy mass popularity for his [[AffablyEvil affable demeanor]], [[TheChessmaster strategical intellect]], [[WickedCultured taste in art]], and for being overall [[MagnificentBastard magnificent]]. It speaks volumes that when in the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology, [[spoiler: it is said that Thrawn never needed a superweapon like the Death Star to bring success, because he was the superweapon.]]. And now, he made his way into ''Series/TheMandalorian'' as a GreaterScopeVillain and the BigBad in the upcoming ''Series/{{Ahsoka}} live action show. And as for Joruus C'baoth... who?

** From the ''Star Wars'' EU, Grand Admiral Thrawn, AKA Mitth'raw'nuruodo, is most definitely this. Originally the main antagonist of ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'', he has become popular to the point where he could rival characters from the films in popularity. He's now a CanonImmigrant as a result of being added into ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', and continues to enjoy mass popularity for his [[AffablyEvil affable demeanor]], [[TheChessmaster strategical intellect]], [[WickedCultured taste in art]], and for being overall [[MagnificentBastard magnificent]]. It speaks volumes that when in the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology, [[spoiler: it is said that Thrawn never needed a superweapon like the Death Star to bring success, because he was the superweapon.]]. And now, he made his way into ''Series/TheMandalorian'' as a GreaterScopeVillain and the BigBad in the upcoming ''Series/{{Ahsoka}} live action show.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGoToTheMovies'' where Alfred, the Batmobile and Batman's ''utility belt'' all get their own movies before Robin does.

* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse: [[Characters/DCEUHarleyQuinn Harley Quinn]] experienced a massive surge in popularity following ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}''. Subsequently she was given a starring role in ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}'', which was eventually retitled ''Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)'' to capitalize on her fame, and was brought back for another main role in ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'' as one of the few returning characters from the first movie.

* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
** Deadpool, sort of. He was already popular among comics fans, but the positive reception to Creator/RyanReynolds's Wade Wilson in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' eventually led to Deadpool getting [[Film/Deadpool2016 his own feature film]], even though ''Origins'''s InNameOnly depiction of Deadpool himself generally rubbed fans the wrong way.
** Quicksilver was a such a crowd pleaser in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' that he was given a larger role in ''Film/XMenApocalypse''. [[spoiler:He was proven to be so popular that he reprises his role in ''Series/WandaVision'' set in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, though it ends up being subverted as it turns out he was actually a magically controlled victim of Agatha Harkness who isn't actually either version of Quicksilver, so it was ultimately just a CastingGag.]]
** Mystique has been a memorable villain in the comics and in the original film trilogy, but it was after ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' that she became a fan favorite, thanks to getting [[AdaptationalSympathy a sympathetic backstory]], having [[AscendedExtra a more important role in the prequel compared to the original movies]] and being played by Creator/JenniferLawrence right before her popularity exploded thanks to ''Film/TheHungerGames''. It led to her getting hit with full AdaptationalHeroism as well as becoming a crucial plot point in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' and a de facto leader of the young X-Men in ''Film/XMenApocalypse''.
%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample** Wolverine. [[WolverinePublicity Come on, it's Wolverine]].

%%Administrivia/CreatingAWorkPageForAnUpcomingWork. Please hold off on adding information about the sequel itself until release.

* This happened with Sunset Shimmer after ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1''. In the first movie, the character was seen as a generic AlphaBitch with relatively shallow characterization, and wasn't received very well. Sunset was originally meant to return as a minor ExBigBad character for the second movie, ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks Rainbow Rocks]]'', doing little more than being the person to contact Twilight Sparkle for help and being fodder for a RunningGag about her previous villainous actions. After writing the initial draft of the script, series producer Meghan [=McCarthy=] realized that Sunset's redemption was a more interesting story, and thus expanded her prominence in ''Rainbow Rocks''. In the final version of the script, Sunset is ReformedButRejected for her previous villainy. Her previous evil traits are a constant point, but it's PlayedForDrama instead of PlayedForLaughs. The villains [[FlawExploitation prey on Sunset's insecurities]], [[spoiler:and Sunset effectively becomes an EleventhHourRanger for the Rainbooms to help stop the villains, going through a lot of abuse before she's accepted by anyone at CHS]]. Sunset's subsequent reformation was received very well in the fandom, coming with a subsequent explosion in popularity. This resulted in Sunset effectively being promoted to the main character of the entire ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Equestria Girls]]'' series, while Twilight Sparkle ([[AlternateSelf the "princess" one from the pony world, anyway]]) was DemotedToExtra.

* Tigress had a somewhat modest role in the first ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' film as the aloof JerkAss member of the Furious Five. Following her having TookALevelInKindness at the end of the plot however, both the sequel films and the [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness spin-off TV series]] quickly formed her a {{Tsundere}} relationship with the main protagonist, with her being the most popular and limelighted character besides Po throughout the franchise.

** James Norrington was originally going to be a secondary character that only appeared in the first movie (in fact, he was meant to be a BigBadWannabe before Creator/JackDavenport's performace proved to be to charming to make it believable) but the character's popularity lead to him becoming a prominent character in the first two sequels.

%%Needs more context about how the character's role grew.* IconicSequelCharacter Film/{{Mothra}} has become this among the big five Kaiju of the Film/MonsterVerse. She debuted in ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters'', and the character instantly resonated with the audience and cast alike, with several of the films cast members, especially Creator/VeraFarmiga and Creator/MillieBobbyBrown, having cited her as their favorite of the kaiju characters. The Website/YouTube channel, ''Audience Reactions'' for this film showed that almost every scene that involved Mothra drew applause from the theatergoers even past the first time she's seen.

* The [[SpotlightStealingSquad scene-stealing]] Minions from ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe1'' definitely qualify. In the first movie, they're minor characters mostly there to further Gru's character. After becoming the most popular characters in the film, they have since then starred in countless mini-films, dominate the soundtrack, have earned the position of official Mascot of [[Creator/IlluminationEntertainment Illumination]] (and by extension ''Universal Pictures''), and got [[WesternAnimation/{{Minions}} a feature film of their own in 2015]].

** Randy Meeks is among the most popular characters from the saga for his {{Adorkable}} nerdy-personality. Filmmakers learned this the hard ways when many fans reacted angrily to him being [[KilledOffForReal killed off]] making him a [[SubvertedTrope subvertion]]. Writers thought of bringing him back, [[{{Retcon}} Ret-conning]] his death as [[ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated mere wounds]] but settled for the more realistic decision of giving him a posthumous role in the form of a VideoWill. The fifth movie ensures Randy's legacy lives on by introducing his niece and nephew as main characters.

** Randy Meeks is among the most popular characters from the saga for his {{Adorkable}} nerdy-personality. Filmmakers learned this the hard ways when many fans reacted angrily to him being [[KilledOffForReal killed off]]. Writers thought of bringing him back, [[{{Retcon}} Ret-conning]] his death as [[ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated mere wounds]] but settled for the more realistic decision of giving him a posthumous role in the form of a VideoWill. The fifth movie ensures Randy's legacy lives on by introducing his niece and nephew as main characters.

* The [[SpotlightStealingSquad scene-stealing]] Minions from ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'' definitely qualify. In the first movie, they're minor characters mostly there to further Gru's character. After becoming the most popular characters in the film, they have since then starred in countless mini-films, dominate the soundtrack, have earned the position of official Mascot of [[Creator/IlluminationEntertainment Illumination]] (and by extension ''Universal Pictures''), and got [[WesternAnimation/{{Minions}} a feature film of their own in 2015]].

** Figaro who was also in ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'' was one of the earliest Disney characters to become popular outside of the film he came from, similar to WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck. In the mid '40s, Figaro got his own series of shorts and would also become Minnie's pet cat. Figaro is also seen in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubHouse'' and several spin-off/retools to the show (such as ''Minnie's Bow-Toons'', ''[[WesternAnimation/MickeyAndTheRoadsterRacers Mickey And The Roadster acers/Mickey's Mixed-Up Adventures]]'', and ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseFunHouse'').

* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
** Although Comicbook/WonderWoman started out as a glorified extra in ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', she became the main star of the DCEU after [[Film/WonderWoman2017 her solo movie]] grossed over $821 million worldwide, received near unanimous praise from critics and audiences, and was hailed as a milestone in female representation. Subsequently, Warner Bros. not only fast-tracked a sequel, but also extended the contract of star Creator/GalGadot and signed up ''Wonder Woman'''s director, Creator/PattyJenkins, for the sequel with a pay raise.
** Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}. Prior to the DCEU, Warner Bros. and DC comics never gave much thought to him given the character's reputation as a JokeCharacter. However, ''Film/{{Aquaman|2018}}'' became the first DCEU movie to gross over $1 billion worldwide, leading to the studio proceeding with a sequel film and a horror spin-off. There was also a poll revealing who was the Breakout Character of ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' and he won by a landslide beating the other two, Flash and Cyborg.
** ComicBook/HarleyQuinn experienced a massive surge in popularity following ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}''. Subsequently no less than ''three'' SpinOff films focused on her were put into development, and one of them, ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}'', was eventually retitled ''Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)'' to capitalize on her fame.

** Baloo from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Jungle Book|1967}}'' became so popular in the late 1960s that Disney brought his voice actor back to basically play the same character in ''WesternAnimation/TheAristocats'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Robin Hood|1973}}'', not to mention they made him the lead character of ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' for the Disney Afternoon.

** Randy Meeks is among the most popular characters from the saga for his {{Adorkable}} nerdy-personality. The writers learned this the hard ways when many fans reacted angrily to him being [[KilledOffForReal killed off]]. To please them, the writers thought about bringing him back, stating that he was [[ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated simply wounded]] but settled for the more realistic decision of giving him a posthumous role in the form of an ApocalypticLog. The fifth movie ensures Randy's legacy lives on by introding his niece and nephew as main characters.

** From the ''Star Wars'' EU, Grand Admiral Thrawn, AKA Mitth'raw'nuruodo, is most definitely this. Originally the main antagonist of ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'', he has become popular to the point where he could rival characters from the films in popularity. He's now a CanonImmigrant as a result of being added into ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', and continues to enjoy mass popularity for his [[AffablyEvil affable demeanor]], [[TheChessmaster strategical intellect]], [[WickedCultured taste in art]], and for being overall [[MagnificentBastard magnificent]]. It speaks volumes that when in the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology, [[spoiler: it is said that Thrawn never needed a superweapon like the Death Star to bring success, because he was the superweapon.]]