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, after Alien and Aliens shook up the sci-fi genre, Alien 3 was 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.
10 The 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's The Lord of the Rings represent 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.
The Lord of the Rings franchise has expanded since Jackson's initial trilogy, with an adaptation of The Hobbit and Prime Video's The 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 future Lord of the Rings projects or any other movie trilogy.
9 Back To The Future
The Time-Travel Trilogy Is A Nostalgic Classic
Back to the Future is 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.
If Back to the Future is an exploration of one's origins, Back to the Future Part II can 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, the Back to the Future movies have plenty of rewatch value.
8 The 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 iration. Wright shows that he's capable of delivering thrilling action and terrifying horror while simultaneously poking fun at the genres.
How The Next Nick Frost & Simon Pegg Collaboration Would Be Very Different From The Cornetto Trilogy Explained By Stars: "We Will Do It, I Promise You"
EXCLUSIVE: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost tease their next collaboration, revealing that the movie would be very different from the Cornetto Trilogy.
The Cornetto 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.
7 The Original Indiana Jones Trilogy
Indy's First Three Adventures Tell Their Own Story
It's fair to separate the first three Indiana Jones movies from The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and The Dial of Destiny. Not only did these later entries come out after a lengthy break, but The Last Crusade ends 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 three Indiana Jones movies are almost flawless. After revitalizing the adventure genre by referring back to old action serials, Spielberg took a darker turn with Temple of Doom, before Sean Connery ed the cast for The Last Crusade to 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.
6 The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan Set The Agenda For The Superhero Genre
Many of Christopher Nolan's best movies are cerebral sci-fi blockbusters like Inception, Interstellar and even The Prestige. However, the director has often shown a willingness to surprise people. His Dark Knight trilogy 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 chapters to create a series of gritty and intense thrillers, with Christian Bale aided by an outstanding ing cast.
5 The Dollars Trilogy
Leone's Trilogy Gets Better And Better
Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy gets better with each entry, culminating in The 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".
10 Obscure And Underappreciated Movie Trilogies
Despite their many awards and stellar reviews, some of the best film trilogies of all time remain severely underappreciated by mainstream audiences.
Leone blurred the lines of morality with his Dollars trilogy, 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.
4 Caesar's Planet Of The Apes Prequel Trilogy
Caesar's Arc Is Beautifully Written
The Planet of the Apes franchise never got close to recapturing the magic of the first movie until the prequel series over 40 years later. While 2024's Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes looks 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.
3 The Godfather Trilogy
The Corleone Saga Adds New Layers With Each Movie
Francis Ford Coppola refuses to describe The Godfather as 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 III does stick out, but it might not deserve the critical lashings that it has taken over the years.
The Godfather Part III is 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 Godfather also has a legendary cast, and that goes for all three movies.
2 Toy 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 with Toy Story, it's also much more rewarding for older viewers when the first three movies are understood in context.
10 Movie Trilogies Where The First Movie Is The Worst
Many movie series falter with each additional installment, but some actually get better after the first film in the series. Here are 10 examples.
Toy Story 3 is 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 two Toy Story movies also had to bid farewell. Nevertheless, the franchise continues to rumble on, although Toy Story 4 isn't a vital continuation to the story, and it's hard to know what to expect from Toy Story 5.
1 The Original Star Wars Trilogy
Star Wars Is A Cultural Phenomenon For Good Reason
Although the Star Wars prequel 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 original Star Wars movies from their cultural impact, but their quality shouldn't be ignored.
It can be hard to separate the original Star Wars movies 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. The Star Wars movies may never reach the same high standards.
