Good movie trilogies are hard to pull off, since keeping the quality high for all three movies can be difficult. There are plenty of examples of franchises which made positive starts but lost their way by the second or third entry. For example, afterAlienandAliensshook up the sci-fi genre,Alien 3was seen as a flop.
The best trilogies are often those which are planned out from the very beginning, so that filmmakers know how to structure the three movies to point toward a satisfying ending. This is relatively rare, since it’s much more often that trilogies come about by accident.
10The Lord Of The Rings
Peter Jackson’s Trilogy Might Be The Best Ever
Referred to by some fans as simply “The Trilogy”, Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Ringsrepresent a landmark in the fantasy genre. Tolkien’s novel was split into three parts, so Jackson made three films to give the epic saga the room that it needed, with its enormous cast of characters, interwoven storylines and rich lore.
Such a finally crafted balance of action, high fantasy worldbuilding and fascinating characters may never be beaten.
TheLord of the Ringsfranchisehas expanded since Jackson’s initial trilogy, with an adaptation ofThe Hobbitand Prime Video’sThe Rings of Power,but the originals are yet to be eclipsed. Such a finally crafted balance of action, high fantasy worldbuilding and fascinating characters may never be beaten by futureLord of the Ringsprojects or any other movie trilogy.
9Back To The Future
The Time-Travel Trilogy Is A Nostalgic Classic
Back to the Futureis one of the best sci-fi comedies ever made, since it doesn’t neglect the interesting aspects of its time-travel premise. The two sequels continue in the same vein, but they don’t try to simply repeat the original. They each bring something new to the table.
IfBack to the Futureis an exploration of one’s origins,Back to the Future Part IIcan be seen as a meditation on one’s legacy. The Wild West excursion of the third film might seem thematically lightweight by comparison, but it’s so entertaining that it barely matters. All in all,theBack to the Futuremovies have plenty of rewatch value.
8The Cornetto Trilogy
Edgar Wright’s Genre Satires Have A Cult Following
There’s a plucky spirit to the Cornetto trilogy, as Edgar Wright uses his relatively quaint British surroundings to lampoon the ludicrous excesses of big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. This satire only works because it clearly comes from a place of admiration. Wright shows that he’s capable of delivering thrilling action and terrifying horror while simultaneously poking fun at the genres.
TheCornetto trilogy is packed with great jokes, which are made even funnier by the talents of a great ensemble cast. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s infectious dynamic lies at the heart of the comedy, but others like Martin Freeman, Dylan Moran and Timothy Dalton also get plenty of laughs. Wright gets in on the action too, with plenty of eye-catching directorial choices that are just as funny as punch lines.
7The Original Indiana Jones Trilogy
Indy’s First Three Adventures Tell Their Own Story
It’s fair to separate the first threeIndiana Jonesmovies fromThe Kingdom of the Crystal SkullandThe Dial of Destiny.Not only did these later entries come out after a lengthy break, butThe Last Crusadeends with Indy and his friends riding off into the sunset. There can’t be many more conclusive endings to a story than that.
When viewed as a trilogy, Steven Spielberg’s first threeIndiana Jonesmovies are almost flawless. After revitalizing the adventure genre by referring back to old action serials, Spielberg took a darker turn withTemple of Doom,before Sean Connery joined the cast forThe Last Crusadeto make a more comedic movie.The three movies have their own distinct flavors, but they’re united by adventure, romance and some of Spielberg’s most exhilarating action sequences.
6The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan Set The Agenda For The Superhero Genre
Many ofChristopher Nolan’s best moviesare cerebral sci-fi blockbusters likeInception, Interstellarand evenThe Prestige.However, the director has often shown a willingness to surprise people. HisDark Knighttrilogy now looks a little out of place in his filmography, but it’s some of his best work.
By incorporating more elements of crime drama into the story and the atmosphere of his movies, Nolan breathed new life into the superhero genre.He rejected some of Batman’s campier chaptersto create a series of gritty and intense thrillers, with Christian Bale aided by an outstanding supporting cast.
5The Dollars Trilogy
Leone’s Trilogy Gets Better And Better
Sergio Leone’sDollarstrilogy gets better with each entry, culminating inThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly,which could be the best Western ever made. It’s the climax of Leone’s process of tearing the genre apart and rebuilding it from the ground up, starting with Clint Eastwood’s “Man With No Name”.
Leone blurred the lines of morality with hisDollarstrilogy, focusing on anti-heroes, crooked lawmen, and villains always willing to strike a deal. The result of this gives Leone’s world a rough, disordered spirit, as if all the characters are merely trying to survive by playing the hands that they’ve been dealt.
4Caesar’s Planet Of The Apes Prequel Trilogy
Caesar’s Arc Is Beautifully Written
ThePlanet of the Apesfranchise never got close to recapturing the magic of the first movie until the prequel series over 40 years later. While 2024’sKingdom of the Planet of the Apeslooks likely to set up the next era, the first three prequel movies should be viewed as a trilogy, since they follow Caesar’s story from birth to death.
Caesar’s character arc touches on the fundamentals of politics and revolution, with his nascent ape society acting as a mirror for human civilization.The trilogy’s intelligent thematic exploration comes with some unique action sequences, and some of the most jaw-dropping visual effects of recent years.
3The Godfather Trilogy
The Corleone Saga Adds New Layers With Each Movie
Francis Ford Coppola refuses to describeThe Godfatheras a trilogy, since he sees the third movie as an addendum to the story of the first two. Made 16 years later,The Godfather Part IIIdoes stick out, but it might not deserve the critical lashings that it has taken over the years.
The Godfather Part IIIis a victim of tough comparisons, since it had to follow two of the best movies ever made. When it’s viewed as a coda, however, it offers a lot of food for thought, and there are still glimpses of Coppola’s towering talent.The Godfatheralso has a legendary cast, and that goes for all three movies.
2Toy Story 1-3
Pixar’s Biggest Franchise Shows That Children’s Movies Don’t Have To Exist In Isolation
Most children’s movies are designed to be enjoyed in isolation, because studios don’t want to burden their young audiences with too much information. While this is still the case withToy Story,it’s also much more rewarding for older viewers when the first three movies are understood in context.
Toy Story 3is the perfect finale, with Andy finally parting ways with his toys and moving on. It reflects the way that children who grew up with the first twoToy Storymovies also had to bid farewell. Nevertheless, the franchise continues to rumble on, althoughToy Story 4isn’t a vital continuation to the story, and it’s hard to know what to expect fromToy Story 5.
1The Original Star Wars Trilogy
Star Wars Is A Cultural Phenomenon For Good Reason
Although theStar Warsprequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy have both been more controversial,the originals are unimpeachable classics. It’s no wonder that they set up a franchise that has spanned decades in various different media, since George Lucas introduces his audiences to a fascinating galaxy from the very beginning.
It can be hard to separate the originalStar Warsmovies from their cultural impact, but their quality shouldn’t be ignored.
It can be hard to separate the originalStar Warsmovies from their cultural impact, but their quality shouldn’t be ignored. Aside from being some of the most relentlessly entertaining movies ever made, they’re also laden with interesting takes on history, mythology and politics. TheupcomingStar Warsmovies may never reach the same high standards.
