It can be difficult for a film franchise to be consistent. So many things go into creating a successful film, such as writing, performances, direction, visual effects, and casting. All of these elements falling into place once is impressive, but to do it in every installment is the mark of a fantastic franchise.
Many film series have ended on a disappointing note or had a lull where one installment in the middle lacked the polish of others. However, movie franchises like John Wick and Avengers have hit it out of the park repeatedly. Even if some films don't live up to the series' best efforts, most viewers agree that none of them are outright bad.
10 John Wick
4 Films
The John Wick franchise has risen to an unexpected status in cinema. The first film is a sleeper hit that has won widespread acclaim due to its excellent action, straightforward storytelling, and Keanu Reeves's perfect casting. The franchise has then gone from strength to strength, building up an entire fictional universe from an assassin revenge story.
John Wick remains a watershed moment for action films in cinema and only good movies followed it. Most fans consider John Wick: Chapter 2 a slight downgrade but still a top-tier action film. John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4 have since propelled the franchise to new heights, fleshing out the world much more and adding a surprising amount of humor.
9 Evil Dead
5 Films
Evil Dead is an unusual franchise. Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 split the difference between a sequel and a remake, as both films tell very similar stories with dubious continuity. Army of Darkness is a more conventional sequel. 2013's Evil Dead is a 'reimagining' that is largely without the iconic protagonist Ash Williams. Evil Dead Rise tells a similar story that doesn't explicitly follow any earlier film.
However, one thing the Evil Dead movies have in common is quality. Even though the franchise is disconnected and hard to follow, it's a favorite of many horror movie fans. Every Evil Dead movie has comedy, shocking scares, and pitch-perfect direction. This even extends to the franchise's spin-off TV series Ash vs. Evil Dead.
8 Mad Max
5 Films
A lengthy delay between installments of a film franchise is rarely a good thing. However, Mad Max manages to retain its quality in all four of its installments, regardless of the decade of release. The first film is an iconic piece of pre-apocalyptic police action. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a trendsetter for countless post-apocalyptic stories since.
Many fans consider Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome the strangest and weakest installment. Even then, it has beloved action setpieces, performances, and the Thunderdome itself. After a long period of dormancy, Mad Max has been able to become relevant again with Mad Max: Fury Road, which fans consider to be one of the best action movies of the modern day.
7 How To Train Your Dragon
3 Films
How to Train Your Dragon is an animated film adaptation that has almost nothing in common with its source material. This can often spell trouble for a franchise, but How to Train Your Dragon proves the exception to the rule. Its original storyline, characterization, and presentation have been met with universal acclaim.
Every single How to Train Your Dragon movie has been nominated for at least one Academy Award. All three films have a significant online fanbase and received praise from audiences and critics. Many consider the How to Train Your Dragon movies some of DreamWorks' best output in many years.
6 Avengers
4 Films
The wider Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the largest, most profitable, and most ubiquitous movie franchises ever. Although it has a reputation for quality, especially in its first three phases, few fans would call its films universally good. However, the Avengers sub-franchise was much more successful.
The Avengers truly put the MCU on the map, proving once and for all that superhero crossover movies could be successful. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame are the franchise's high point and iconic movies in their own right. Even the weakest link, Avengers: Age of Ultron, has a reputation as a decent film with many well-liked character moments.
5 Three Flavors Of Cornetto
3 Films
The Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy is a highly unconventional one. The films share some cast members, most notably Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in starring roles for all three, but not characters. They don't follow common storylines, settings, or even genres. The only links between the films are the cast and passing references to Cornetto ice cream.
However, each Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy has become beloved in its own right. Shaun of the Dead is an early example of the 2000s zombie trend and is still one of the franchise's most iconic entries. Hot Fuzz is an entertaining satire of action and police films, even if its humor lands best in its native Britain. Most fans consider The World's End less effective than the other two, but it's still a funny and emotional sci-fi action film.
4 Harry Potter
8 Films
The Harry Potter films are part of one of the largest media franchises of all time. Given the massively influential reach of the books, fans had high expectations. However, every Harry Potter movie has managed to meet those expectations.
Fans ultimately accept and enjoy each Harry Potter movie. Even films criticized for their departures from the source material, such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, have excellent casts and effective storytelling. Harry Potter has more consistent praise than the rest of the Wizarding World franchise, especially the Fantastic Beasts series.
3 The Lord Of The Rings
3 Films & 2 Prequels
Critics, fans, and casual cinemagoers all consider The Lord of the Rings to be one of the best blockbuster trilogies of all time. It adapts one of the most iconic works of fantasy ever and manages to not fall short of expectations. Fans have celebrated The Lord of the Rings for its casting, writing, genuine earnestness, action setpieces, and epic storytelling.
Every The Lord of the Rings movie is iconic in its own right. Moments like the Council of Elrond, the Battle of Helm's Deep, and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields have become pop culture touchstones. Most fans even agree that the prequel The Hobbit movies, despite being a significant step-down, are entertaining films in their own right.
2 Back To The Future
3 Films
Back to the Future has inspired countless time-travel movies and teen comedies ever since its release. Many of its elements have become pop culture phenomenons, including the iconic Delorean time machine, mechanics of time travel, and several of its jokes. Back to the Future's success spawned two sequels, both of which have won high praise in their own right.
Most fans agree that Back to the Future is the best of the trilogy. However, both Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III have their high points and defenders. The franchise never stumbles or turns in a sub-par installment.
1 The Dollars Trilogy
3 Films
Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy is another anthological series lacking direct ties between films. It's not even clear if the iconic Man with No Name protagonist is the same character between all three. However, the three films are tied together by their quality and by their iconic status among Spaghetti Westerns.
Spaghetti Western fans adore A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More. The third film, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, has proven to be the most popular and enduring of the three. All three movies have been smash hits with both critics and audiences, who still consider them as some of the best Westerns ever made.