Even in today’s day and age, making a memorable movie is quite a tremendous task. You can only imagine the level of determination and consistency it takes to create a trilogy of movies. As you might’ve guessed, we are talking about the best movie trilogies today.
The concept of trilogies is actually great. The filmmaker can tie loose ends related to the same character and storyline through multiple movies. Three movies are actually the sweet spot. You can notice that making more than three movies on the same subject can get a little tedious.
If you are a fan of watching movie trilogies, then you’ve come to the right place. Today we are counting down the top 25+ best movie trilogies of all time. These trilogies are a must-watch for all movie fans.
Table of Contents
Best Movie Trilogies
Not all three movies in a trilogy are of the same quality. However, these trilogies are quite popular overall. So when we talk about the best movie trilogies, we are talking about the trilogy as a whole and not a single movie.
With that said, let’s jump right into it.
28. Mexico Trilogy
Starting off our list of the best movie trilogies, we have the Mexico Trilogy, AKA the Desperado Trilogy. The series’s premise follows the story of El Mariachi, a guy who lives alone after losing all his loved ones.
Robert Rodriguez directed The Mexico Trilogy. It features El Mariachi (1992), Desperado (1995), and Once Upon A Time In Mexico (2003). These action-packed westerns movies left their mark on pop culture.
The first film in the trilogy, El Mariachi, was made on an extremely low budget of 7,000 dollars. These 7,000 dollars weren’t easy to earn for Robert as well. He had to undergo medical experimentation to earn money. This shows the level of dedication he had for this project, and it paid off. Now, this trilogy is a cult classic.
27. Hannibal Lecter Trilogy
The Hannibal Lecter Trilogy is actually a little weak in terms of trilogies. However, these movies reached cult status, so we have included them on this list. The Hannibal Lecter Trilogy consists of The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Hannibal (2001), and Red Dragon (2002).
Multiple directors directed this trilogy. The first film was directed by Jonathan Demme, the second by Ridley Scott, and the third by Brett Ratner. The best one is definitely The Silence of the Lambs.
Anthony Hopkins’ performance stays consistent throughout this trilogy. It might surprise you, but Hopkins was on screen for only 16 minutes throughout the first movie. Despite his short performance, he won an academy award. This movie ranked among the best movie trilogies of all time because of Hopkin’s performance.
26. The Blade Trilogy
Not many people are aware that The Blade Trilogy is the one that kicked off the trend of comic book movies. The Blade Trilogy features Wesley Snipes as a half-human/half-vampire who becomes a vampire slayer to protect humanity.
The movies in The Blade Trilogy are directed by Stephen Norrington, Guillermo del Toro, and David Goyer, respectively. All the movies in the Blade Trilogy are quite entertaining. However, the last one is quite weak in terms of writing.
Overall, this is one of the best movie trilogies for comic book movies. Even though the trilogy ended on a bitter note, it is still worth watching. Plus, Wesley Snipes’s performance makes it all worthwhile.
25. Trilogy Of The Dead
Trilogy of the Dead features Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985). George A Romero directed all of these movies. Anyone who loves horror movies knows how brilliant Romero is.
Romero essentially invented zombies for the mainstream. No similar creatures were in any form of entertainment before Night of the Living Dead (1968). Even though the first film is ultra low budget as compared to modern horror movies, it still holds up as one of the best zombie movies ever made.
You are missing out on horror movie history if you haven’t watched the Trilogy of the Dead. It is one of the best movie trilogies in terms of horror. These movies are timeless classics. Moreover, the movies do not have a long runtime, and you can watch them all in a single sitting.
24. Austin Powers Trilogy
Austin Powers Trilogy is a series of comedy movies starring comedic genius Mike Myers in a dual role. All the Austin Powers Trilogy movies were co-written by Mike Myers as well. This trilogy consists of Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Austin Powers in Goldmember.
The Austin Powers trilogy is a spoof of 60s spy movies and tv shows. The primary theme of these movies is that the arch-villain Dr. Evil plans to extort money from governments or international entities but is repeatedly foiled by Austin Powers.
Austin Powers is one of the finest spoofs in movie history. All the movies are thoroughly entertaining and humorous. This is one of the best movie trilogies if you want to watch something funny and lift up your spirits.
23. Kung Fu Panda Trilogy
The Kung Fu Panda Trilogy revolves around the story of Po Ping, a panda who is unexpectedly chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior and becomes a kung fu master. Multiple directors have directed these movies.
This trilogy is one of the highest-grossing animated film franchises. Kung Fu Panda is an incredible example of how to keep the characters fresh and relatable. There are no bad films in this trilogy, and all of them are good in their own way.
In terms of animated movies, Kung Fu Panda is definitely one of the best movie trilogies. These films feature great voice acting, smooth animations, and brilliant action scenes. Unlike some other martial arts movies, Kung Fu Panda embraces the culture instead of following stereotypes. It is a great trilogy for all ages.
22. The Infernal Affairs Trilogy
Next up on our list of best movie trilogies is The Internal Affairs Trilogy. Infernal Affairs is a trilogy of Chinese criminal thrillers directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak and starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung.
It tells a story of a cop who penetrates the triads and another cop who secretly works for the same gang. The plot isn’t something super unique. However, what makes these movies stand out is the character development. Both characters are portrayed as humans with their own flaws.
There are a lot of twists and turns throughout the Infernal Affairs trilogy. The third movie in this series is quite different from the others. It uses time skips for effective storytelling, but that didn’t go too well with the audience. Despite that, the movie isn’t bad and serves as a satisfying conclusion.
21. The Millenium Trilogy
The Millenium Trilogy features The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. All of these movies have been adapted from Stieg Larsson’s novels.
Noomi Rapace is an excellent lead in all of these movies. Her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander will go down in history as one of the best female performances. In addition, the movies are filmed quite beautifully. The cold and harrowing tone of the film really enhances your experience.
It is a fantastic trilogy and one of the few book-to-film adaptations that respect its source material. It doesn’t get much better than this in terms of Swedish thrillers. I would highly recommend you to watch this interesting trilogy.
20. Aliens Trilogy
Aliens is a sci-fi horror movie franchise. Yes, it has become a franchise, but the first three movies in the series are considered a trilogy. All of the first three movies explore different horror sub-genres, which is why we have decided to put this on our list of best movie trilogies.
The first Aliens movie (titled Alien) was directed by Ridley Scott. There’s no doubt about its greatness. It works out as a psychological thriller. James Cameron directs the second movie, and he takes the film towards an action genre.
The third movie, however, was a bit of a hot mess. It was directed by David Fincher. There was a lot of studio meddling, and we know how it all works out. Anyhow, the film was mediocre but still watchable.
19. Mad Max Trilogy
Next up on our list of best movie trilogies is Mad Max. The Mad Max movies are directed by George Miller. The story of these movies is set in a post-apocalyptic future. It revolves around Max; a police officer turned vigilante as he wanders the wasteland in search of retribution.
Mad Max is an extremely stylish trilogy. The series has evolved ever since the first movie. However, Mel Gibson’s performance stays consistent.
Moreover, this trilogy has a classic case where the sequel is better than the first film. Mad Max 2 was a step-up from the previous movie. Even the third entry in this trilogy was not as bad as people paint it to be. The creators may have underestimated the scale. All in all, Mad Max is an all-time classic.
18. The Naked Gun Trilogy
The Naked Gun is another comedy franchise making its way on our list of the best movie trilogies. Police Squad was an American comedy crime show. Despite its short span, the show turned out to be a gold mine, and The Naked Gun trilogy was part of the harvested gold.
This trilogy is a comedic masterpiece. The first movie especially will leave you in fits, thanks to its silliness. The second and third movies were also funny but not on the same level. Don’t worry; Leslie Nielsen’s timeless performance will leave you giggling.
Overall, The Naked Gun trilogy is one of the better comedy trilogies that time has seen. As old people say, they don’t make it like this anymore. We can always rewatch this trilogy and laugh till our rib cages hurt.
17. Iron Man Trilogy
Without Iron Man, we wouldn’t have an MCU. The Iron Man trilogy, despite its shortcomings, is an important milestone in terms of superhero movies. The movies have been directed by Jon Favreau and Shane Black.
The Iron Man trilogy laid the groundwork for the MCU. Robert Downey Jr. is the ideal Tony Stark, and his charisma and charm were key to the film’s success. His performance is iconic, and it is hard to imagine anyone else in this role.
Apart from RDJ, the Iron Man movies featured good storylines (except the sequel, which suffered from choppy writing). However, it won’t be wrong to call Iron Man one of the best movie trilogies in terms of comic book movies.
16. The Matrix Trilogy
The Matrix Trilogy is probably one of the most well-known trilogies on this list. Even though it recently got the 4th installment, the first three movies are still considered part of a trilogy. All of the Matrix movies are directed by The Wachowskis.
The Matrix’s storyline revolves around Neo, who gets dragged into a quest to save mankind. He discovers that the world he has been living in is a computer simulation. This storyline jump-started a lot of conspiracy theories that show how good this concept was.
Not only were The Matrix movies entertaining, but they also changed Hollywood forever, especially in the VFX field. The first movie in this series was a balls-to-wall sci-fi action movie. However, the sequels were a bit more “philosophical.” But they did have enough action and bullet time to keep you cheering.
15. The Vengeance Trilogy
The Vengeance Trilogy features 3 Korean movies. These movies are Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance. All of these movies were directed by Park Chan-Wook. He’s considered one of the best South Korean filmmakers.
International critics termed the films a trilogy even though they are not narratively related. However, these movies are similar in terms of their themes because each film in this trilogy revolves around vengeance.
The Vengeance Trilogy is not everyone’s cup of tea. These movies are extremely violent and even disturbing at some point. But if you don’t mind a little blood and gore, then you should definitely watch this as it is one of the best movie trilogies coming out of South Korea.
14. Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Next up on our list of the best movie trilogies, we have the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. As you know, the Star Wars movie franchise is divided into multiple trilogies. Let’s discuss the Prequel Trilogy first, which gets undeserving hate.
The Star Wars prequel movies were directed by George Lucas. The movies told the story of the Star Wars universe prior to Episode IV. These movies mostly revolved around a young Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker. I am going to contradict myself and say that not all the Star Wars prequels get undeserving hate.
The Phantom Menace was the first installment in the prequel trilogy, and it left a bad taste in our mouths. However, things only improved from there, as the next two movies were quite good. So if you haven’t tried these movies, go ahead and watch them. They’re quite enjoyable.
13. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy brought the beloved Web Head on the big screen by giving him the live-action adaptation he deserved. This trilogy featured many big-name actors such as Tobey Maguire, William Dafoe, Kristen Dunst, and James Franco.
Tobey Maguire is, to this day, praised for his role as Spider-Man. The light-hearted yet realistic nature of this trilogy made it stand out. Moreover, Raimi’s iconic direction took this project to new heights. The third entry in this trilogy did suffer a bit, but it provided a good conclusion to this Spider-Man.
Many modern superhero movies often follow the blueprint created by Sam Raimi for this Spider-Man trilogy. It was simply perfect, and this trilogy actually saved Marvel from bankruptcy. All the movies in Sam Raimi’s trilogy were box office successes. This trilogy proved that people could accept superhero movies if done correctly.
12. Pirates Of The Caribbean
The Pirates of The Caribbean series has evolved past just a trilogy. However, we’re including the first three movies on our list of the best movie trilogies. These movies were directed by Gore Verbinski.
The first three movies in the Pirates of The Caribbean series are the best. Johnny Depp gives his best performance and proves that even a single good character can carry an entire franchise. In addition to Depp’s performance, the visual style of these movies was also quite unique.
Overall, the Pirates of The Caribbean Trilogy has no right to be as good as it is. The whole franchise is literally inspired by a theme park ride. However, it just works somehow. Depp, Bloom, and Knightley provided one of the most lovable main characters ever assembled, and the chemistry between the three was exceptional.
11. Die Hard (1-3)
The first three movies of the Die Hard franchise are considered a trilogy. These movies have been directed by John McTiernan, Renny Harlin, and John McTiernan, respectively. Die Hard ranks among the best 80s action movies.
The Die Hard Trilogy is a perfect action movie trilogy. It sometimes doesn’t make sense. However, that doesn’t matter because it is a freaking action movie. That was the charm of 80s action movies. The first entry in the series was quite badass.
If you’re looking for fast-paced action with enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat, then the Die Hard franchise is the right choice for you. Each entry in this trilogy ups the stake from the previous installment, and that’s the beauty of it.
10. Three Colours Trilogy
The Three Colours Trilogy is a series of French movies. The name of this trilogy is inspired by the three colors on the French flag. These movies were directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski (good luck pronouncing that).
Each film is based loosely on one of the three political ideas inherent in France’s motto: liberty, equality, and fraternity. These movies play with the psychology of audiences. The movies are different from each other yet have a tonal similarity.
Overall, these movies are a little hard to watch if you’re unfamiliar with foreign cinema. However, if you’re able to endure foreign movies, then you should give this a watch as it is one of the best movie trilogies.
9. The Evil Dead Trilogy
Another trilogy directed by Sam Raimi has made its way on our list of the best movie trilogies. The Evil Dead trilogy is a series of horror movies revolving around Ash, who tries to fight off zombies that are part of the Army of Darkness.
The Evil Dead franchise features the perfect blend of comedy and horror. The movies aren’t too comedy and aren’t too scary, but they are 100% gory and disgusting. Sam Raimi made the first movie on a measly 350K USD. However, the finished product allowed the studio to increase the sequel’s budget up to a hundred percent.
Horror fans adore the Evil Dead franchise all around the world. These movies have become cult classics and probed into other mediums, such as TV Shows and Video Games. The Evil Dead franchise is one of the most quotable movie franchises ever.
8. The Dollars Trilogy
The Dollars Trilogy is a series of western movies directed by Sergio Leone. This trilogy includes A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. All of these movies starred Clint Eastwood in the leading role.
Even though these movies weren’t originally considered a trilogy, the mannerisms of the character played by Clint Eastwood and the overall tone of the movies were consistent across them. Hence the distributor decided to sell the movies as a trilogy.
The Dollars Trilogy is credited for reinventing the “Spaghetti Western” subgenre. Before this trilogy, this genre was looked down upon. However, now The Dollars trilogy is a must-watch for fans of western films.
7. Indiana Jones (1-3)
We are including the first three Indiana Jones movies on our list of the best movie trilogies of all time. The Indiana Jones Trilogy is directed by Steven Spielberg. The movies revolve around an archeologist named Indiana Jones, who goes on various adventures to discover historic and mystical artifacts.
Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Phillip Kaufman are the creative geniuses who teamed up together to create one of the most iconic characters in movie history. This character was brought to real-life by none other than Harrison Ford.
The Indiana Jones movies raise the bar when it comes to action-adventure movies. Even with all the modern technology, no movie can come close to the brilliance of the first Indiana Jones movies. The movies have barely any dull moments and are very enjoyable to watch. This is why it is called one of the best movie trilogies.
6. The Bourne Trilogy
The Bourne Trilogy features three movies, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum. The first movie of this trilogy is directed by Doug Liman, while the other two are directed by Paul Greengrass.
The Bourne Trilogy gave rise to Matt Damon’s career once again. Damon shocked the film world with his portrayal of Jason Bourne. He essentially became an action hero after the success of these movies.
This trilogy is one of the best movie trilogies thanks to its stylistic storytelling and fast-paced action sequences. There are minimum VFX scenes throughout the franchise. The visuals are quite unique as compared to other spy movies. Overall, this is kind of an underrated trilogy and deserves more love.
5. The Original Star Wars Trilogy
The very first three movies of Star Wars (Episode IV-VI) are considered the original and the best Star Wars movies. These movies were directed by George Lucas. They kickstarted the Star Wars franchise, and reinvented the sci-fi genre.
It’s mind-boggling to consider that the Star Wars movie universe now comprises a trilogy of trilogies. However, the original Star Wars Trilogy remains a FORCE to be reckoned with (get it?). This trilogy mainly focuses on Luke Skywalker’s quest from a nobody to the most powerful Jedi.
The practical effects utilized throughout the trilogy were groundbreaking for their day, and many of them are still effective today. The tale is still as entertaining as ever, with both the prequel and sequel trilogies simply highlighting how unique the original films are. All of these elements have blended together to cement Star Wars’ name among the best movie trilogies of all time.
4. Back To The Future Trilogy
Speaking of sci-fi trilogies, we can not compile a list of the best movie trilogies without mentioning the Back to the Future trilogy. These movies were directed by Robert Zemeckis. The Back to the Future trilogy is truly iconic.
These movies are the perfect sci-fi movies for people who do not like complicated concepts like Tenant or Predestination. Moreover, the on-screen duo of Jamie Fox and Christopher Lloyd is simply unmatchable.
I personally have a very special connection to these movies as I have a very nostalgic feeling attached to them. Robert Zemeckis shows filmmakers how to create a trilogy that almost everyone loves. These movies are so iconic that any time-travel movie is incomplete without a reference to this movie.
3. The Dark Knight Trilogy
Christopher Nolan restored Batman’s glory on the big screen with his genre-defining The Dark Knight Trilogy. These movies featured Christian Bale as Batman. Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises are all part of this trilogy.
The Dark Knight grounds the character of Batman into the real world, and the results are truly incredible. Each film gave us a different antagonist. However, nobody can match the sheer brilliance of Heath Ledger’s Joker. His performance in The Dark Knight will go down as one of the most menacing on-screen villains, especially in a comic book movie.
Christian Bale also deserves special praise, as the actor delivers one of the strongest Batman performances to date.
2. The Godfather Trilogy
The Godfather Trilogy has been adapted from the written work of Mario Puzo. Francis Ford Coppola brings the vision of the famed author to the big screen with great success. The Godfather Trilogy is arguably one of the most iconic and well-known trilogies.
Coppola, who grew up in a big Italian-American family, understood the novel’s themes of family, immigration, and the American ideal on a deep level. He understood the assignment. Pair Coppola’s brilliant direction with Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Rober De Niro; you’ve got yourself a masterpiece.
In addition, the soulful yet harrowing soundtrack of The Godfather Trilogy transports you to that era. Undoubtedly, The Godfather Trilogy is one of the best movie trilogies of all time. It inspired many other filmmakers to pick a similar subject matter.
1. The Lord Of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings takes the top spot on our list of the best movie trilogies. Even though this list isn’t ranked in any particular order, we just had to put it at the very top. Peter Jackson brought J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy world to the big screen with near perfection.
Name one trilogy that has no weak entries apart from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This franchise is a masterclass on adapting ambitious novels to the big screen. Each fellowship member is well cast and does an outstanding job of bringing their roles to life.
Despite the trilogy’s ridiculous length, the pacing is good throughout, and each battle sequence is very well-shot. I can talk on and on about the greatness of this trilogy, but it is better to experience it by yourself. So if you haven’t watched the LOTR trilogy, then make sure to press the play button whenever you’ve got a long weekend. You’ll agree that it is the best movie trilogy ever made.
Conclusion
So this was our list of the best movie trilogies of all time. Again, I would like to clarify that this list isn’t ranked in any particular order. These are some of the best movies ever made, and I highly urge you to watch them all.
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