Top 10 Longest Running Movie Franchises

Top 10 Longest Running Movie Franchises

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Another one? Seriously? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 longest running movie franchises. For this list, we’ve picked those film franchises with at least five movie entries and based our choices on a mix of their popularity, ability to keep the movies fresh, and overall box office sales.

#10: “Rocky” (1976-)

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This has to be one of the most iconic American franchises of all time. These movies celebrate the underdog and overcoming obstacles, but they’re also an ode to Philadelphia. Some of “Rocky”’s most memorable images are landmarks of the city, like when the pro boxer runs up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Even though some of the later films weren’t met with critical acclaim, with the low point being “Rocky V,” there’s still so much heart in this boxing saga that viewers can’t resist re-watching and wanting more.

#9: “Friday the 13th” (1980-)

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The name Jason Voorhees has been striking fear into the hearts of moviegoers for over thirty years now. The horror franchise originated after fellow slasher film “Halloween” found success, but “Friday the 13th” has certainly become a legend in its own right. Jason’s hockey mask is a well-known image in pop culture, while the franchise itself has spawned a dozen movies and counting, a TV program, books and more. This has led it to become one of the highest grossing American horror franchises ever, with more than $465 million earned at the box office alone.

#8: “The Muppets” (1979-)

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The Muppets have been stealing the hearts of kids and adults alike since their creation in 1955 by Jim Henson. They’ve been stars on the small screen for years but they’ve taken over the big screen as well. Why are they so beloved? Their movies are always a mixture of a big adventure and celebrity cameos, with some light-hearted social commentary thrown-in. Several years after Disney purchased the rights to the characters in the early 2000s, the 2011 musical comedy, simply titled “The Muppets,” became the most commercially successful film of the series, and also earned much fan love as well.

#7: “The Fast and the Furious” (2001-)

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This action franchise was built on a pretty simple premise—driving cars real fast! “The Fast and the Furious” movies are fun, visually pleasing and action packed. They’ve also made a staggering $2.3 billion at the box office, becoming Universal Studios’ most successful franchise ever. Four different directors have helmed the project; with director Justin Lin having the most under his belt with movies 3-6. While the series faced a temporary setback with film number 7 following the 2013 death of one of its leads, Paul Walker, there has already been an eighth film announced with the actor’s younger brother, Cody, set to star.

#6: “Star Trek” (1979-)

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With twelve movies already under its belt, this sci-fi franchise has shown no signs of slowing down. Starting as a TV show that began in the 1960s, the first “Star Trek” feature film was originally cancelled. But, thanks to the demands of die-hard Trekkers, smash ratings of the television series and the success of other science fiction films, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” came into being. Over the years, the franchise has played with its reputation for camp-meets-serious. Cast member William Shatner even directed the franchise’s fifth installment, though it was probably the most poorly received of them all. Of course, it's still going strong with the latest 21st century reboots.

#5: “Star Wars” (1977-)

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As the brainchild of George Lucas, this epic space opera franchise seems to have no end in sight. Beginning in the late 1970s, the director sold his rights to the iconic film series to Disney in 2012, and as a result, audiences will have new movies set in the “Star Wars” universe to look forward to in the 2010s and beyond. Thus far, the franchise has grossed over $4.3 billion from the movies alone, making it a Hollywood cash cow. With so much mythology and lore existing around this property, as well as other related media, “Star Wars” is truly a pop culture mainstay and will be for years to come.

#4: “Harry Potter” (2001-11)

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Based off the wildly popular books by J.K. Rowling, it’s no wonder the “Harry Potter” films were such a cultural event. Aside from audiences being able to watch the actors grow up on camera, the films of this fantasy franchise were so rich in design and world-building that every kid who watched them grew up wanting to go to Hogwarts. And while the author does seem to still be dabbling in the “Harry Potter” universe on paper, there aren’t any additional movies planned with the cast just yet. The final installment, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” also set records as the highest grossing midnight premiere, making $43.5 million.

#3: “Batman” (1989-)

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The caped crusader has been around in comic form since 1939, so it’s not a surprise that on-screen adaptations of him continue to pop-up. This franchise has been able to reinvent itself with many Hollywood greats, such as Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale all donning the Batsuit. The series reached a low with the laughable “Batman & Robin” in 1997. But luckily for movie fans and Dark Knight fan boys, director Christopher Nolan took away the camp and re-booted the franchise as a dark tale in the new millennium that attained much critical and commercial success.

#2: “Godzilla” (1954-)

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As the oldest movie franchise on our list, “Godzilla” has been re-imagined many times, first by Japan and then by the U.S. Despite being a monster movie, the films are actually an allegory for nuclear weapons, which was a new invention at the time of the first flick. Among the Japanese renditions, the movies have been separated into three distinct series depending on what era of monster movies it fell into. No matter how many times this prehistoric monster appears on the big screen, we just never seem to get enough – and the fact that they keep making movies for the franchise proves it. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “Halloween” (1978-) - “The Pink Panther” (1963-) - “Planet of the Apes” (1968-) - “Superman” (1978-) - “The Living Dead” (1968-)

#1: “James Bond” (1962-)

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With over 20 films and several different actors portraying 007 so far, this spy film franchise has thrived on change. Based on Ian Fleming’s popular book series, the movies have transcended their source material and cemented in our minds the ever-iconic image of James Bond as a suave, debonair Englishman. Everyone has their favorite Bond actor and it’s quite fun to discuss the merits of each reincarnation. Two notable commercial successes include 1965’s “Thunderball” and 2012’s “Skyfall.” But no matter who’s playing the talented secret agent and ladies’ man, there’s no doubt that the movies of this franchise will be sleek, sexy, and inspirational. Do you agree with our list? Which movie franchise do you want to continue? For more can’t miss Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.