Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
Standalone movies are a rarity these days. Most movies, if they’ve performed well at box office, result in a sequel, which inevitability spawns into a full-fledged franchise.
As the northern hemisphere starts to head into the warmer months, the box office prepares itself for an onslaught of summer blockbusters, which, this year, are including new instalments in long-running franchises. Looking past the summer, as Halloween approaches, the horror genre is also preparing to reboot a few franchises of its own.
Seeing Fast X drifting into Australian cinemas last week, it got me thinking. What are some of the greatest movie franchises of all time? To be considered for this Top 13, I’ll be assessing the quality of the films as well as their cultural impact, financial success, and longevity.
Does your favourite movie franchise make this list? Sound off in the comments.
13: Back to the Future (1985-1990)
Great Scott!
There are not many people who haven’t seen this franchise at some point in their life. And let’s be real, most of us at some point has wanted to put the pedal to the metal in a DeLorean just to see what happens when we reach 88 miles.
While you could argue that Back to the Future is a trilogy, the cultural impact of the franchise has extended beyond time itself. Movies, video games, merchandise, and even parodies within other television shows and films. Even now, 33 years since the last movie hit cinemas, the stars of the movies are still approached for their roles. Thomas F. Wilson who was Biff Tannen still gets requests from fans to call them a “Butthead” while Christopher Lloyd has embraced his inner Doc Brown, reprising the role frequently at conventions, reunions, and in guest appearances on other shows.
The legacy of this franchise continues as it gains new fans with each passing year. And even though we are well beyond the year 2015, and there is no hoverboard in sight, it’s great to relive the adventures of Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and the other residents of Hill Valley.
12: Fast & Furious (2001-)
The original Fast and Furious made a splash with its cool cars and solid action sequences. But the mediocrity of the first few sequels wouldn’t have had anyone calling the franchise great.
Enter Fast 5. This is the moment where everything changed.
With the fifth film of the series, they brought in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and went from neat drag races to ridiculous, over-the-top, amazing set pieces that would become staples of the franchise.
While the first four films had been successful, they have hit new levels since with two of the films breaking the billion-dollar mark at box office. They’ve even expanded the Fast universe with spin-off, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw. And there are more on the way.
With Fast X roaring into cinemas this year, there’s no signs that this turbo-induced film franchise is going to slow down.
11: Scream (1996-)
The horror genre has a long legacy of creating franchises and, in doing so, have created some of the most iconic characters in cinematic history.
While there are more iconic franchises than the Scream series within the horror genre, when it comes to commercial success, legacy, and overall quality, nothing really can compare to the six instalments that bestowed Ghostface on the world.
With his signature hunting knife and ghost-like mask, Ghostface has terrorized the screen since 1996. While it can be argued that the original film is the most superior film in the franchise, its sequels have proven that audiences want more Ghostface.
The 2022 reboot of the franchise simply titled Scream (but for my own sanity, I still refer to as Scream 5) dominated box office, giving audiences something new while providing much nostalgia for the original film.
I guess that only leaves one question; “What your favourite scary movie?”
10: Planet of the Apes (1968-)
Over the years the Planet of the Apes franchise has created a lasting legacy, unfolding into its own world containing a rich history, characters, and exciting storylines.
The film that started it all, 1968’s Planet of the Apes is a classic science-fiction film that still holds up well today. While the four sequels couldn’t match the commercial and critical success of the first film, they enjoy a cult status, which, upon rewatching, are often better than they get credit for.
Themes of racial inequality, morality, corporate greed, and technology are all on display within this franchise. It is these themes that make the franchise relatable to modern audiences. This was no more apparent than in the reboot of the franchise in 2011.
9: Rocky (1976-)
The lasting impact of the original Rocky movie has spanned the globe, infiltrating all cultures. Who hasn’t, after a long run, climbed stairs with their last bit of energy and done the famous Rocky pose?
Starting with Sylvester Stallone’s original screenplay, which won the star an Academy Award, Rocky has morphed into the classic underdog story. Even as the franchise progressed, his opponents often grew bigger, meaner, and crueller.
Since Rocky Balboa in 2006, the franchise has passed the torch onto Adonis Creed, son of Rocky’s friend and former training partner, Apollo.
Though Sly has reprised his role as Rocky in the first two Creed instalments, he was notably absent from the Creed III, but that didn’t make the film any less successful.
The Rocky franchise has proven its worth, giving audiences quotable lines, memorable characters, and has hit us harder than Apollo’s right hook.
8: Mission: Impossible (1996-)
Creating an action movie franchise that would span six films (with the seventh instalment due for release in the coming month) without a total dud in the bunch sounds like an impossible mission. But apparently, it isn’t because that’s what the MI series has done so far.
Brian DePalma set the foundation with the first movie while John Woo left his mark, beautifying the action in the second, and according to Rotten Tomatoes, things have only gotten better. The first three films scored within the 57-71% range, while the next three films have all scored above 90%.
Let’s be real, we keep coming back to see what insane stunt star Tom Cruise is going to do next, but we stick around for the solid writing, characters, jaw-dropping visuals, and engaging storytelling.
7: Harry Potter – The Wizarding World (2001-)
When it comes to great movie franchises, The Wizarding World is definitely one that shall be named.
Given the phenomenal success of the book series, some might have feared the movies would not live up to the hype. Not only did they do this, but in some cases, the films surpassed expectations.
Just like the books the movies became a worldwide phenomenon, spawning a Broadway show as well as its own themed area at Universal Studios in Florida.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 came out in 2011, but the mania remains. Merchandise is still available and donning your house colours during Halloween is still a popular choice (and a cheap one for parents on a budget).
The Fantastic Beasts prequels are also included in this, as they only came about due to the success of Harry Potter. And while they were cut short when the third film underperformed, but there’s no doubt the Potterverse will be back.
6: Batman (1943-)
The overarching DC extended universe has had some big hits and even bigger misses. Even now, it’s still trying to find its footing.
Superman has the nostalgia for the Christopher Reeve films, but their attempts at reboots have largely underwhelmed thus far.
The one standout in the DC world that has maintained its overall popularity and a high quality throughout, bar a quick side tangent into the Joel Schumacher era, is Batman.
Tim Burton and Michael Keaton set a high standard for the dark knight with Batman and Batman Returns, a standard that some would argue Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale surpassed with their trilogy. And if The Batman is any indication, then Matt Reeves and Robert Patterson are going to leave their own quality mark on the character as well.
Batman has conquered all mediums from television and film, both live action and animation, as well as setting a new standard for video games with the release of the Arkham universe back in 2009.
No matter how inconsistent the DC world becomes, we can always rely on the Dark Knight.
5: The Lord of the Rings - Middle Earth (2001-)
From 2001 to 2003 there was one movie franchise to rule them all. One franchise that brought us all into the darkness of our local cinema and bound us together.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was what everyone was talking about and watching. And as financially successful as it was it was similarly acclaimed by critics and managed to garner 30 Academy Award nominations, winning 17 of them.
The reviews for The Hobbit prequel trilogy were more mixed, but the films were still a huge success raking in over $2.93 billion at box office, which is just slightly under the $2.99 billion take of the three The Lord of the Rings films.
4: Indiana Jones (1981-)
The Indiana Jones movie franchise is a beloved classic that has captivated audiences since its debut in 1981 with Raiders of the Lost Arc. Through the thrilling adventures of the fedora-wearing, whip-wielding Dr. Indiana Jones this series of films has earned a special place in the hearts of movie fans around the world.
While the fourth film in the series was a little more divisive, the first three are classic, inspiring future video game franchises Tomb Raider and Uncharted. Both Raiders of the Lost Arc and The Last Crusade up there with the greatest action movies of all time.
The films have a wonderful ability to mix comedy, action, and story. We can only hope that the fifth film due out this year can maintain the franchises dedication to quality and crowd-pleasing fun.
3: Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
With the release of the 30th movie in the series, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022, the MCU closed out phase 4 of its timeline and once again proved its status as a truly great film franchise.
Since Iron Man stormed cinemas in 2008, the MCU has been putting out one hit after another at a rate and quality that we’ve never seen before. In a world where box office numbers are declining, we all seem to return to the theatre for a Marvel movie.
And with the foreseeable future lined up, the MCU not slowing down.
I feel like I also need to give a special mention to both Spider-man and X-Men, two Marvel entities with very successful franchises that began before the MCU was even a thing.
2: James Bond (1962-)
It’s been over 60 years since Sean Connery brought James Bond to life on the big screen in Dr. No in 1962. Audiences are still as enthralled with the character as ever. Maybe even more so.
Given all the media attention surrounding probable casting, audiences seem to care more about who will be the titular super spy than current world events.
007, shaken martinis, and the instant coolness of saying your last name first have all become engrained in popular culture thanks to Mr. Bond.
As of 2023, the 25-movie long franchise has grossed $7.6 billion or roughly $19.2 billion, adjusted for inflation.
There doesn’t appear to be an end in sight to our love for these action and cool gadget packed films.
1: Star Wars (1977-)
Was this really a surprise? Sure, the franchise has had its missteps, but none of that really matters because this is still Star Wars.
When the first film premiered back in 1977 it was like nothing audiences had ever seen before. A Shakespearian space opera filled with great action, quotable dialogue, and special effects that were second to none and that have still held up well to this day.
George Lucas’ creation was a truly seminal moment in the history of the movies. While the quality of the various films can be argued, the fact that the franchise elicits such strong emotions from fans all these decades later is a true testament to its intrenchment in pop culture.
While I might not be the biggest fan of this particular franchise, I cannot help but bow down to the supremacy that is Star Wars.
Honourable Mentions
Jurassic Park
Mad Max
Rambo
John Wick
The Godfather
Alien
Halloween
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