Franchises have been the go-to for film studios for decades. Most studios are lucky enough to have one good film let alone an entire series. While it’s difficult for lightning to strike twice in Hollywood, it’s often struck three times. It isn’t easy to make a good trilogy but some have prevailed in doing so. Some stories are just too epic to be told in one film. Whether it’s a crime epic or the story of a masked vigilante with personal issues, the trilogy has been able to tell a long-weaving story.
Each notable trilogy has shared the same basic layout that has led to success. The first film introduces the audience to the world and characters that they’ll be following for three films. The second, often regarded as the best in the series, escalates the hero’s struggles. It tends to leave the hero in a world unrecognizable from the previous film. Typically, the third film in the trilogy culminates in a giant (and hopefully satisfying) way. These are the five trilogies we just couldn’t live without.
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5 The Back to The Future Trilogy
Back to the Future is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. Naturally, it’s status as a major financial and commercial success launched an unforgettable trilogy. The series stands out against most franchises due to the fact that it wasn’t based on an existing property. With so many adapations of comics, video games, and books, The Back to The Future trilogy was a cinematic win for director Robert Zemeckis. Moreso, it catapulted the career of Michael J. Fox. The series remains a beloved trilogy and an inspiration to countless time-travel themed films.
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4 The Dark Knight Trilogy
The character of Batman had already shown up in five different films yet he was never given a proper trilogy. Tim Burton came one film short of completing his story but was denied the chance after Batman Returns. It wouldn’t be until 2005 that Christopher Nolan took over iconic character with Batman Begins. Few could have predicted the impact of the film, especially after the disaster that was Batman & Robin.
Nolan’s take on the character was a hit with the audience, and he was able to tell a fully fleshed out story that spanned three films, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight,andThe Dark Knight Rises. The series was filled with countless standout moments and performances from A-list actors that perfectly captured the spirit of each character that they portrayed. Christian Bale’s performance as Batman was praised for being fleshed out in comparison to previous iterations of the character. Meanwhile, Heath Ledger’s iconic turn as The Joker is looked at as one of the greatest performances of all time, a performance that earned him a posthomous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actro. Each film provided something new to the Batman mythos and Nolan was able to do something that no other director had been able to do at the time: finish a superhero trilogy.
3 The Godfather Trilogy
The Godfather trilogy is notable in that it is the only trilogy to include two of the greatest films ever made. The first film in the trilogy is typically regarded as perhaps the greatest film ever made while The Godfather Part II is looked at as the greatest sequel of all time. Some may even argue that the sequel is in fact better than the first film in the iconic trilogy. Francis Ford Coppola crafted a crime epic that has virtually gone unmatched in quality. The story of the Corleone Family remains one of the most compelling and influential stories ever told on film. Even The Godfather Part III, despite all of its flaws is a solid, rewatchable film that concludes The Godfather Saga.
2 The Lord of The Rings Trilogy
It may not be structured as a trilogy in the traditional sense, but The Lord of The Rings trilogy remains one of the most successful and iconic trilogies of all time. Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the Lord of The Rings novels were essentially one long story divided into three volumes however each film had its own identity. It was no easy task to adapt such an iconic story, but Jackson developed a story that was faithful to the original books and brought his own directorial flair to the production. Most impressive was the handling of the ensemble cast. Actors like Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood brought the books to life in incredible fashion, bringing nuance to their characters.
The films weren’t just a hit with audiences but with critics as well. While most genre films as action heavy as the Lord of The Rings remain largely ignored by Oscar voters, Jackson’s films were given their due by the Academy. This all culminated with The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King which received a record 11 Oscar wins including Best Picture and Best Director.
1 The Original Star Wars Trilogy
Image via 20th Century Fox
When fans speak of the trilogy it’s likely that they are talking about the original Star Wars original trilogy. The prequels and sequels each stood out on their own for various reasons but George Lucas’ original films remain a classic, indeblible trilogy that has most trilogies aspire to live up to. Few could have predicted the impact of the first three films. Lucas didn’t just craft three entertaining science fantasy films, he created an entire universe. The lore of Star Wars has produced a massive amount of content that has spun out of the original films.
While the story continued with Episodes 7 thru 9, the original three films expertly told a complete story that had, at the time, a satisfying conclusion. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of The Jedimay not have the same reception as Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope and especially Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, but it was still a classic film that cemented the series as the most unforgettable trilogy of all time.
