History Main / DivorcedInstallment

Various Intellectual Properties and Franchises will have discussions on adaptations, sequels and spin-offs, often just to try and keep the license. But a curious thing can happen when during development a work starts off as part of a franchise or IP but ends up being reworked into something else or entirely divergent from where it began. It may be that the license expired, the popularity of the work was seen as on the decline, the sales pitch ended up rejected or the original creative team had deviated so much from the source material it was seen as so InNameOnly they might as well change the name too. Mostly, they wanted to keep the script and existing production work that was done while having the SerialNumbersFiledOff. If you look at it sideways you might see where its' origins came from, but all definitive signs of its heritage are completely erased. A contrast to DolledUpInstallment, where a work started unrelated and was then boosted afterwards with an established name.

* ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault'' was planned as a sequel to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyThe4HeroesOfLight'' [[SpiritualSuccessor but became its own series]]. Aside from sharing a character designer/art director in Akihiko Yoshida and similar battle systems, the first ''Bravely'' title even features the Demon Lords from ''4 Heroes of Light'' as [[OptionalBoss Nemeses]], accompanied by a remix of that game's normal battle theme, "Battle with Monsters."

* As revealed in the season two finale, ''Series/SupermanAndLois'' is set in a universe independent to that of the Series/{{Arrowverse}}, despite sharing many actors playing the same characters and clearly still being part of the Arrowverse's established multiverse. The showrunners claimed that they had planned for the series to be separate from the Arrowverse since early on in the development of the first season (though not from the very beginning), which explains the various [[ContinuitySnarl story]] and [[SameCharacterButDifferent character inconsistencies]] between the two universe's versions of Superman and Lois.

* As revealed in the season two finale, ''Series/SupermanAndLois'' is set in a universe independent to that of the Series/{{Arrowverse}}, despite sharing many actors playing the same characters. The showrunners claimed that they had planned for the series to be separate from the Arrowverse since the beginning, which explains the various [[ContinuitySnarl story]] and [[SameCharacterButDifferent character inconsistencies]] between the two.

* ''Series/{{Doom Patrol|2019}}'' is a weird one. The fact that it stars most of the same actors reprising their roles from ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}''[[note]]The sole exception is the Chief, who is now played by Creator/TimothyDalton.[[/note]] and airs on [[Creator/DCUniverse the same]] [[Creator/HBOMax streaming platforms]] should have been enough indication that it ''was'' originally planned to be a spinoff of ''Titans''. Ultimately, it took place in a separate continuity and the creators have alluded to it being set in an alternate universe (which was kinda confirmed in ''Series/{{Crisis on Infinite Earths|2019}}'', where clips from ''Titans'' and ''Doom Patrol'' were shown with different universe numbers in a montage of various Earths).

* ''Series/{{Doom Patrol|2019}}'' is a weird one. The fact that it stars most of the same actors reprising their roles from ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}''[[note]]The sole exception is the Chief, who is now played by Creator/TimothyDalton.[[/note]] and airs on [[Creator/DCUniverse the same]] [[Creator/HBOMax streaming platforms]] should have been enough indication that it ''was'' originally planned to be a spinoff of ''Titans''. Ultimately, it took place in a separate continuity and the creators have alluded to it being set in an alternate universe (which was kinda confirmed in ''Series/{{Crisis on Infinite Earths|2019}}'').

* ''Series/{{K9}}'' was the only Franchise/{{Whoniverse}} show not to ever reference or be referenced by the other TV series in the franchise, as it was licensed by Bob Baker, the character's co-creator who owned the rights to him, with no involvement or permission from the BBC. By the same token, the series was only able to make indirect allusions to the Doctor and not mention him/her/them outright.

* ''Series/{{K9}}'' was the only Franchise/{{Whoniverse}} show not to ever reference or be referenced by the other TV series in the franchise, as it was licensed by Bob Baker, the character's co-creator who owned the rights to him, with no involvement or permission from the BBC.

* ''Series/{{Helstrom}}'': Originally planned to be part of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the changing of the guard at Marvel Television caused this series to instead be a completely standalone Creator/MarvelComics adaptation with no official connections to the MCU. The continuity that the series is set in was unofficially dubbed [=Earth-TRN836=], rather than the MCU's Earth-199999.

* ''Film/{{Friends|1971}}'' was born out of Creator/LewisGilbert being denied the rights to adapt ''Literature/TheBlueLagoon''.

* The trope has to fundamentally part ways with the work it started from. While a MidDevelopmentGenreShift can result in a notably different final product, it may have just been a natural evolution of the story as it came together. If an author starts out writing a Sherlock Holmes book and winds up become more of a romantic comedy instead of a {{whodunnit}}, it's still a Sherlock Holmes story. But writing a Sherlock Holmes story and it turns into a James Bond book would be this trope. Yes, this trope ''can'' overlap with DolledUpInstallment, and often does.

To put it simply, this is when a work that is part of a series (such as a SpinOff) or franchise is re-tooled into a standalone work, with most or all signs of its heritage completely erased. This is, for all intents and purposes, the exact opposite of a DolledUpInstallment.

Just to be clear on this, here is what this trope is '''not''' about:

* This trope is '''not''' about being a CanonDiscontinuity or an AlternateUniverse. If an author writes a novel about ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' in a dystopian future, and later declares that novel never happened, it's still a Sherlock Holmes novel. If he rewrites that book so that it no longer has anything to do with the Sherlock Holmes mythos, ''then'' it's this trope.
* This trope is '''not''' about having a simple title change or partial omission. If the work is called "Sherlock Holmes Without a Problem," and is later renamed to simply "Without a Problem" (or is simply called that in the first place) but still stars Sherlock Holmes, it's still a Sherlock Holmes story. If Sherlock Holmes and any recognizable characters from his universe are renamed and re-written into completely different characters, ''then'' it's this trope.
* With some exceptions, this trope is '''not''' about an idea changing into a completely different idea during the creative process. The only exception is if an idea started out as an installment of a franchise and turned into either something original or an installment of a completely different franchise. If an author starts out writing a story about cats but it ends up being about cyborgs, it's ''not'' this trope. But if an author starts out writing a Sherlock Holmes book and winds up turning it into something original, it ''is'' this trope. If he starts out writing Sherlock Holmes and then turns it into a James Bond book, it ''is'' also this trope. Yes, this trope ''can'' overlap with DolledUpInstallment, and often does -- see the examples.

If you're not sure if an example counts, read on and ask yourself if it fits in with the ones below.

* Although ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' was always meant to adapt/use footage from ''Series/SuperSentai'', [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell taking a better part of a decade to get off the ground]] lead them to change ''which'' series was used. The initial pilot was made from ''Series/ChoudenshiBioman'' footage and original scenes in 1986, called both ''Bio-Man'' and ''Galaxy Rangers''. Both the successful version of the pilot and the series proper in 1993 used footage from the newer ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger''. The latter pilot recycled the original ''Bio-Man'' footage, hence sharing names for the ''Power Ranger'' cast.

* Similar to the ''Watchmen'' example above, ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}'' was originally going to be a reboot of DC's Secret Society of Supervillains, but was converted into a stand-alone work when Creator/{{Mark Millar}} decided he wanted to go {{Darker and Edgier}}.

* In the 1970s, ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'' was canceled at issue #56, ending on a {{Cliffhanger}}. Writer Steve Skeates later created a similar hero named Prince Targo for ''Eerie'' magazine and used his plot for what would have been ''Aquaman'' #57 for one of Targo's adventures. He later did a direct sequel to ''Aquaman'' #56 in the pages of ''ComicBook/SubMariner'' over at Marvel, with the set-up involving a BroadStrokes recap of #56 and a LawyerFriendlyCameo from Aquaman himself.
* ''ComicBook/ShangChi'' exists because Jim Starlin and Steve Englehart wanted to do a licensed ''Series/KungFu1972'' comic book, but had to replace Kwai Chang with an original character after learning that the show was made by Warner Brothers, the parent company of DC, Marvel’s biggest rival. The character of Shang-Chi himself has since been divorced from his origin as the son of Literature/FuManchu, after Marvel lost the license to adapt the novels. His evil genius father has been retconned to be an original character named Zheng Zu.
* Goldrush, a one-shot character from Creator/GeoffJohns' ''Comicbook/{{Justice League|Of America}}'' run, was originally supposed to be the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] heroine Lady Luck.
* ''ComicBook/TomorrowStories'' was intended to have a Cobweb "story" which consisted of Cobweb narrating a comic biography of the real-world rocket scientist and occultist Jack Parsons. DC refused to print it because it described the alleged involvement of Creator/LRonHubbard in ritual magic and questionable financial dealings in the years before he founded the Church of Scientology, which they feared would get them in trouble with the Scientologists. The item was eventually printed in a Top Shelf anthology called Top Shelf Asks The Big Questions, with the Cobweb transparently renamed as La Toile, a French translation that had already been used in the main series as the alias of an earlier Cobweb who lived in France. However, the incident heavily contributed to Creator/AlanMoore's second break with DC. In addition, Moore's wife and Cobweb co-creator Melinda Gebbie stopped drawing the comic.
* Willoughby Kipling of ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' and Creator/AmbroseBierce in ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster'' were both meant to be [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]], but Creator/DCComics wouldn't allow it, the former due to not wanting Constantine's realism to be undermined by interacting with superheroes and the latter due to not wanting the Vertigo-associated characters to appear in kid-friendly titles.
* John Wagner and Alan Grant's ''Franchise/{{Lobo}}'' story, ''Bob The Galactic Bum'' was reprinted in ''[[ComicBook/TwoThousandAD The Judge Dredd Megazine]]'' and for copyright reasons, Lobo had to be replaced with a female Bounty Hunter called "Asbo".
* Creator/{{Moebius}}' ''Airtight Garage'' originally had Jerry Cornelius from ''Literature/TheCorneliusChronicles'' as a protagonist but Cornelius was renamed "Lewis Carnelian" in reprints after his original author, Creator/MichaelMoorcock complained about him being out of character.
* ''ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel'' was originally pitched as ''Fury Force'', starring the son of ComicBook/NickFury leading a ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} team against Baron Zemo and ComicBook/{{Hydra}}. When Creator/LarryHama has been picked to write comics based on the ''Franchise/GIJoe'' license, he used what he had from that pitch as a basis.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuers'' was originally going to be sort of a sequel to ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians'', with Cruella [=DeVil=] as the villain, but they decided to replace Cruella with an original villain.
* Likewise, ''WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany'' got some of the way through production with the intent that the little girl would be none other than Penny from ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuers'', post-being adopted by rich parents. This was changed due to Disney not being ''quite'' ready to make direct sequels of any stripe to their past theatrical features ([[WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder yet]]). In the finished film, the girl's name was changed from Penny to ''J''enny, she's eight years old instead of six, and she has auburn hair in a ponytail instead of blonde hair in pigtails, but she is otherwise a perfect twin of Penny.

* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'' was going to be a film adaptation of the comic book Rex Havoc but became completely rewritten during pre-production.

* ''Armored Police Metal Jack'' was going to be a sequel to the live-action tokusatsu show ''Series/DennouKeisatsuCybercop'', but due to certain difficulties in the show's production, it was made into an anime series instead and had no ties to the tokusatsu series.

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}:'' Originally written by Creator/AlanMoore to make use of Creator/CharltonComics's superheroes after DC Comics acquired the rights to them, but because they wanted to incorporate said heroes into the mainstream DC Universe, the characters were [[SerialNumbersFiledOff changed into original characters in a reality of their own]], e. g. Comicbook/CaptainAtom to Doctor Manhattan, ComicBook/TheQuestion to Rorschach, ComicBook/BlueBeetle to Nite-Owl, ComicBook/PhantomLady to Silk Spectre, ComicBook/{{Peacemaker}} to The Comedian, etc.
* Also in the 1980s, ''ComicBook/KravensLastHunt:'' Based on a storyline involving ComicBook/WonderMan and the Grim Reaper that J. M. [=DeMatteis=] submitted to Marvel and was rejected. He then reworked it into a Franchise/{{Batman}} vs. ComicBook/TheJoker project that got nixed because ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' was already in production. Next [=DeMatteis=] developed the "return from the grave" story into one about Batman and Hugo Strange, but that also was rejected by DC. Finally, he reworked and expanded the story for Marvel into the epic we know today featuring ComicBook/SpiderMan, his wife Mary Jane, Kraven the Hunter, and Vermin, which was published in 1987.
* ''ComicBook/ContestOfChampions1982'' was originally written and drawn as a tie-in to the 1980 [[UsefulNotes/OlympicGames Summer Olympics]], following a similar tie-in that featured ComicBook/SpiderMan and Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk at the Winter Games. Unexpectedly, UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter decided to boycott the Summer Games that year, resulting in the crossover being shelved. It was eventually revived two years later, with the plot heavily {{ReTool}}ed to omit all references to the Olympics.

* Creator/RobLiefeld's ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}'' was originally a proposed ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' spin-off, explaining Shaft's "[[{{Expy}} coincidental similarities]]" to ComicBook/GreenArrow's sidekick Arsenal. In addition to Shaft being an obvious Arsenal stand-in, Diehard was supposed to have been a S.T.A.R. Labs android, and Vogue would have been a new version of the Harlequin. Additionally, the characters Brahma, Photon, Combat, and Cougar were recycled from a rejected ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' pitch Liefeld created with Jim Valentino during the 90's.
* Liefeld's ''Fighting American'' series started off as a way for the artist to reuse some unfinished artwork and plots from his short-lived tenure on the ComicBook/HeroesReborn ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' series. This resulted in the Fighting American becoming even ''more'' of an {{Expy}} of Cap, which in turn led to Marvel taking legal action against Liefeld.
* Liefeld also created a character for the ComicBook/New52 ''ComicBook/Grifter2011'' series named Niko, who was originally supposed to have been Cheshire from the ''Teen Titans''. The name was changed, but her Asian ethnicity and green costume were kept.
* Creator/JackKirby's character ''Captain Glory'' began as an unused ComicBook/CaptainAmerica design Marvel had asked him to create in the event that the company lost ownership of the character.
* Duncan, the main protagonist of ''ComicBook/{{Firebreather}}'', originated in a pitch for a Marvel series called ''The Crew'', which would have starred a ComicBook/YoungAvengers-like group of teen heroes. When that plan fell through, the character was simply {{Retool}}ed for use at Creator/ImageComics. Had he been published at Marvel, the Firebreather would have been the son of Fin Fang Foom.

* Storm and Nightcrawler from ''ComicBook/XMen'' were recycled from a pitch Dave Cockrum had for a ''Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' SpinOff called ''The Outsiders''. Nightcrawler ended up being the same, while Storm was created as a CompositeCharacter of a few different unused characters: Trio (cape and headdress), Quetzal (long flowing hair), and Typhoon (weather powers), as well as a prototype X-Men character, called Black Cat (costume and basic physical appearance). Silkie from ''The Futurians'' was also conceived as a member of the X-Men before rights issues got in the way.
* Many of the characters and plots from ''ComicBook/Hardware1993'' were originally part of a ComicBook/LukeCage series Creator/DwayneMcDuffie had unsuccessfully pitched to Marvel Comics.
* Likewise, [=McDuffie=]'s ''ComicBook/{{Deathlok}}'' series was originally supposed to be a licensed ''Franchise/RoboCop'' comic book.
* Creator/GrantMorrison originally envisioned ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'' as a ''ComicBook/{{Justice League|Of America}}'' SpinOff focusing on some of Franchise/TheDCU's lesser-known heroes.
* Creator/FrankMiller's graphic novel ''ComicBook/HolyTerror'' was originally going to be a ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' story in which Batman fights Islamic terrorists, but Miller decided that it would work better with an original character. Or, alternatively, Creator/DCComics read his proposal and told him there was no way they were going to let him do this with their most valuable property.
* ''ComicBook/{{DEMO}}'' was spawned from unused ideas Creator/BrianWood came up with for ''ComicBook/{{NYX}}'' back when he was going to be the writer for that book, as well as stuff he wasn't allowed to do when he was writing ''Comicbook/GenerationX''.
* Creator/PeterDavid originally created the characters ComicBook/SachsAndViolens for his landmark run on ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk''. Concerns about the content led to David instead giving the characters their own limited series at Epic Comics, and later using them in ''Comicbook/FallenAngel''.
* The short-lived DC series ''Takion'' was originally pitched as a revamp of the Will Payton version of ''ComicBook/StarmanDCComics'', who'd seemingly died at the end of the ''Darkness Within'' crossover.

* Likewise, the Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} series ''Scarab'' was conceived as a DarkerAndEdgier take on ''ComicBook/DoctorFate''.
* Creator/AlejandroJodorowsky turned his unproduced script for ''[[Film/JodorowskysDune Dune]]'' into ''ComicBook/TheMetabarons'': elements such as the Hooker-Nuns Shabda-Oud are a clear {{Expy}} for the Bene Gesserit, with the same kind of genetic agenda.
* Creator/NeilGaiman originally pitched ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' to Creator/GeorgeRRMartin as part of the ''Literature/{{Wildcards}}'' universe. Martin passed because of Gaiman's lack of writing credits, and the idea was eventually revived at Creator/VertigoComics.
* Similar to the ''Watchmen'' example above, ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}'' was originally going to be a reboot of DC's Secret Society of Supervillains, but was converted into a stand-alone work when Creator/{{Mark Millar}} decided he wanted to go {{Darker and Edgier}}.
* ''Comicbook/TheOrder2007'' was supposed to be a revival of ''ComicBook/Champions1975'', a Marvel team book that starred ComicBook/BlackWidow, ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules, [[ComicBook/XMen the Angel, Iceman]] and ComicBook/GhostRider. Unfortunately, Marvel had lost the trademark to the name "Champions", so the series had to be named something else.
* ''ComicBook/{{Kamandi}}'' was created after DC tried and failed to get the license to publish a ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'' comic book.

* Creator/JohnByrne's ''2112'' was originally a pilot of sorts for the project that eventually became the ''ComicBook/Marvel2099'' line. When he parted ways with Marvel, he simply excised the Marvel-exclusive parts of the story and published what was left as a graphic novel.

* The third ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' show, ''Series/BattleFeverJ'', was originally planned to star a Japanese counterpart of Marvel's ComicBook/CaptainAmerica character named "Captain Japan", following up on the success of Creator/{{Toei}}'s live-action ''[[Series/SpiderManJapan Spider-Man]]'' series.

Subtrope of WhatCouldHaveBeen. Compare SerialNumbersFiledOff, SpiritualSuccessor, AscendedFanfic. Sometimes overlaps with MarketBasedTitle. A SubTrope of DerivativeDifferentiation.

* Creator/GuillermoDelToro originally wrote ''Film/TheShapeOfWater'' as a script for a potential remake of ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon''. Once Creator/{{Universal}} turned down his script, Del Toro completely rewrote his script as an original story.

** ''Film/EbirahHorrorOfTheDeep'' was originally written as a Franchise/KingKong film, but it was scrapped after Creator/RankinBassProductions thought it was too different from ''WesternAnimation/TheKingKongShow'', which it was supposed to adapt. So a new script was written and made into ''Film/KingKongEscapes'', while Toho retooled the initial script by replacing Kong with Godzilla.

* ''Film/TheNightHouse'' was originally conceived as a ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' reboot told from the perspective of Julia from [[Film/{{Hellraiser}} the original movie]]. The film was to follow Julia's descent into occultism as she grieved the loss of her lover Frank, which came to form the basis of ''Night House'' after Creator/DimensionFilms passed on the pitch.

* ''Film/TheNightHouse'' was originally conceived as a ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' reboot told from the perspective of Julia from [[Film/{{Hellraiser}} the original movie]]. The film was to follow Julia's descent into occultism as she grieved the loss of her lover Frank, the basic premise of which can still be felt in ''Night House''.

* One of the original concepts for ''Fighting Force'' was to make it a 3D sequel to the ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage'' series (and indeed, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySus04u7sRo leaked Saturn prototype]] has much more overt similarities to SOR, such as Hawk looking like Axel), but Sega pulled the deal after disagreements with the developers over what platforms the game would be released on, and it became its own thing.

* The Australian university drama ''[=headLand=]'' was originally planned as a ''Series/HomeAndAway'' spin off (under the WorkingTitle ''Away From Home''), but when British Creator/Channel5 (which shows ''Home and Away'' in the UK) weren't interested in co-0funding it, it became its own thing.

* The ''Franchise/BerniceSummerfield'' series began as a spinoff of Virgin Books' ''Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures''. When Virgin lost the Doctor Who license in 1997, Benny continued on her own, no longer able to meet or make references to the Doctor himself -- but still allowed to fight Daleks and Cybermen, oddly enough.

* ''WesternAnimaton/HappilyNEverAfter'' was originally going to be a BigDamnMovie of the fairy tale TV series ''WesternAnimation/SimsalaGrimm''. But a year after it was greenlit, the show's production company backed out, and the characters of Yoyo and Doc Croc were rewritten as [[{{Expy}} Expies]] Mambo and Munk.

* ''WesternAnimaton/HappilyNeverAfter'' was originally going to be a BigDamnMovie of the fairy tale TV series ''WesternAnimation/SimsalaGrimm''. But a year after it was greenlit, the show's production company backed out, and the characters of Yoyo and Doc Croc were rewritten as [[{{Expy}} Expies]] Mambo and Munk.

* Willoughby Kipling of ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' and Creator/AmbroseBierce in ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster'' were both meant to be [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]], but Creator/DCComics wouldn't let the character be used in child-friendly comics.