Trilogies are quite popular in Hollywood, and can be very lucrative for movie studios when done right. Trilogy series follow the traditional three-act structure—setup, confrontation, and resolution (in other words beginning, middle, and end). This basic structure leaves plenty of room for the story onscreen to build upon itself and keep an audience hooked. However, not all film trilogies are created equal. In most cases, the third and final leg of the film series ends up being worse than the first two entries.
According to the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, about 64% of all high-grossing trilogies in the US had their third movie rated as their worst. There are many possible reasons why a trilogy conclusion often flops, but the most common hypothesis is that the first two films use all the compelling plot points and storylines, so by the time the third sequel rolls around the series is already dry. With that being said, there are certain trilogies where the third and final installment is a cut above the first two, as is the case with the following movie franchises.
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5 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Lucasfilm Ltd.
The Star Wars prequels The Phantom Menace (1999) and Attack of the Clones (2002) saw a tumultuous ride with fans critiquing their annoying character changes (think Jar Jar, for example), questionable dialogue, and the CGI. But Lucas’ departure from Star Wars made fans value his presence. Almost two decades later, Revenge of the Sith, the sixth film in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, wrapped up the story on the highest note. The film was generally praised for its mature tone, action sequences, emotional weight, and stellar performances by McGregor, Oz, and Jimmy Smits. Revenge of the Sith earned upward of US $800 million during its opening week and ultimately went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies of 2005.
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4 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
New Line Cinema
The Lord of the Rings still stands out as Peter Jackson’s best adaptations to this day. Although each of The Lord of the Rings movies triumphs in its own way, the last installment, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, is the most beloved of them all. Return of the King brings J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy journey to an end in an epic fashion. Having followed Sam and Frodo for six or so hours on end, we’re thrilled to finally see them arrive at Mount Doom to drop the poisonous One Ring and end the devil’s reign. From breathtaking New Zealand scenery to incredible CGI and the power of J.R.R. Tolkien’s most compassionate characters, Jackson truly made this movie a stunner of a finale. It’s no wonder that it was met with positive reviews and became the highest-grossing Best Picture Academy Award winner.
3 Captain America: Civil War
Marvel Studios
A lot of Captain America fans maintain the belief that Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier are the greatest films the franchise has to offer. Although this might be true, it’s indisputable that Chris Evan’s third movie is packed with action and adventure. With Captain America: Civil War, Marvel Cinematic Universe brings together everyone’s favorite heroes (including Spider-Man and Black Panther) for a major crossover. But that’s not all. The final battle between Bucky, Steve and Tony marks one of the most intense fight scenes in the MCU history. Now that Captain America 4 is in the works and Anthony Mackie has replaced Chris Evans, fans can’t wait to see how the story unfolds. Who knows? We could be treated to another larger than life battle. Until then, Civil War remains the best film in the Captain America sequel.
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2 Spider-Man: No Way Home
It’s no secret that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy is one of the most adorable trilogies ever created. However, the Spider-Man trilogy wouldn’t be the same without the amazing capper in Spider-Man: No Way Home. This movie was such an instant hit with audiences that it ended up being re-released in U.S. theaters soon after its initial run. Spider-Man: No Way Home specially made a phenomenal impact in pop culture as it connected all three generations of Spider-Men, bringing together different generations of audiences in a manner that hadn’t been done before. It’s also in this movie that audiences get to see an emphatic and distressful end to Peter’s struggles with his responsibilities and superpowers, as well as Tobey Macguire and Andrew Garfield in their Spidey suits once again. Rumor has it that more Spider-Man films are set to be unveiled in the future. Hopefully, Marvel isn’t planning on dropping Tom Holland just yet.
1 Descendants 3
Disney Channel Original Productions
It’s not every day we see made-for-television movies on a list like this. However, given Descendants 3’s massive success in the Descendants trilogy, we couldn’t help but feature it here. A Disney Channel Original Movie’s sequel to Descendants and Descendants 2, Descendants 3 raised the entire franchise so high that it garnered a cool 78% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and rightly so. In the film, we see the teenage kids of Disney’s legendary villains (the Evil Queen, Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and Jafar) return to the Isle of the Lost to recruit new villainous children into Auradon Prep. It’s especially emotional to watch Mal and her friends come face to face with an unfathomable dark force seeking to destroy the people of Auradon.
