Top 10 Movie Franchises That Got Better Over Time
#10: “Star Trek” franchise (1979-91; 1994-2002; 2009-)
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This is a contentious one, but hear us out. Since this beloved franchise first ventured onto the big screen in 1979 with “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, we’ve gotten over a dozen films - many of them great. With that being said, from 1989 to 2002, the franchise saw more misfires than cinematic successes. 2002’s “Nemesis” felt like a nail in the coffin. But J.J. Abrams’s reboot has given us three solid films back to back. They may not all be equal, but operating at this level of quality, it's hard to imagine the franchise ever truly backsliding into overtly rotten territory.
#9: “X-Men” franchise (2000-)
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Here we’re going to be talking about not just the core X-Men films, but the solo character spin-offs as well, because, like Marvel, Fox developed their franchise into a cinematic universe. There’s no denying that the X-Men franchise started strong with both 2000’s “X-Men” and “X2: X-Men United”, delighting fans and casual cinema goers alike. Unfortunately, the franchise took a nosedive with the threequel and first solo Wolverine film. Thankfully, starting with “First Class” in 2011, the property rebounded, nailing their solo efforts for characters like “Deadpool” and “Logan”. It’s just a shame about the misfires “X-Men-Apocalypse” and “Dark Phoenix”, or we would have been able to give this a higher ranking.
#7: “James Bond” franchise (1962-)
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It’s nigh impossible to speak in broad strokes about a property that’s spanned over half a century. The James Bond franchise has seen its ups and downs, but across its colorful and diverse history, there have been few low points lower than during the tenure of Pierce Brosnan post-GoldenEye, and few more consistently high than that of Daniel Craig. To be clear, we’re not blaming or crediting either actor – just using them as timestamps. Even the so-called misfires like “Quantum of Solace” and “Spectre” are far above the franchise average, making this most recent chapter in James Bond’s history a real standout.
#7: “The Fast and the Furious” franchise (2001-)
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When “The Fast and the Furious” hit theaters in 2001, critically reception was lukewarm, but it was a massive hit with moviegoers. Without Vin Diesel however, the sequel felt empty, while “Tokyo Drift” felt like a last lap DNF. 2009’s “Fast & Furious” was another critical flop, but a necessary stepping stone in getting the gang back together to embark on bigger and better cinematic adventures. From “Fast Five” on, it’s been one high-octane edge of your seat ride after another. Though Paul Walker’s absence was felt in “The Fate of the Furious”, this franchise appears to still have plenty of fuel in the tank.
#6: DC Extended Universe (2013-)
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When the DC launched their own cinematic universe in 2013, they had some serious catching up to do. After all, the MCU was already seven films in, including their first Avengers crossover. Unfortunately, Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” proved divisive, and 2016’s releases “Batman v Superman” and “Suicide Squad” did NOT salvage the situation. Thank goodness, then, that the following year Patty Jenkins brought us the excellent “Wonder Woman”. While reception to “Justice League” and “Aquaman” was mixed, “Shazam!” and “Birds of Prey” were a whole lot of fun and established a clear upward trend for the franchise.
#5: “Toy Story” franchise (1995-)
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“Toy Story” was a film without precedent. It set the bar impossibly high with a tight narrative that is hard to match and near impossible to best, and yet Pixar pulled it off twice. “Toy Story 3” was the first film in the franchise to drop from 100% to 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, but many outlets called it the best yet – much like how “Toy Story 2” was called an improvement on the original. This franchise is a testament to what filmmakers can do when they use each sequel to dive deeper into characters and themes rather than just roll out another story.
#4: “Mad Max” franchise (1979-)
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When George Miller unleashed “Mad Max” in 1979, it was unlike anything people had seen. It polarized critics and cinema goers alike. With the sequel, “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior”, Miller refined his craft as a filmmaker and storyteller to deliver a sequel that was met with universal acclaim. The third installment however... well, some called it the best film to date, others, the worst. Either way, few could have predicted that the series would reach even greater heights 30 years later with a fourth film, “Mad Max: Fury Road”, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
#3: “Planet of the Apes” franchise (1968-73; 2001; 2011-17)
Planet Of The Apes: Original Vs New Franchise!
The first Planet of the Apes film is iconic. With the exception of “Escape...” however, the sequels only tarnished its reputation... including the 2001 reboot. In 2011, we were treated to yet another reboot, and what we got was a serious departure from the original narrative. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” told an intimate story about an intelligent ape named Caesar. Though not flawless, it was fresh and compelling, and over the next two films director Matt Reeves would expertly improve upon the groundwork it laid and with “War For the Planet of the Apes” closed the trilogy on a triumphant high note.
#2: Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
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So many films… so few missteps. As of 2018, the MCU is 20 films deep and not a single one to date has dipped into the realm of “rotten”. That being said, the early MCU had a habit of pitting heroes against skill-set copycats with little character development. In more recent years however, the villains have become just as fleshed out as the heroes. Even better, is the manner in which recent films have used the rich foundation laid by the movies before them to tell more nuanced stories. Like a fine wine, the MCU is only getting better and more satisfyingly complex with age.
#1: “Mission: Impossible” franchise (1996-)
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The first three “Mission: Impossible” films feel like a trilogy with a star but no sense of identity. The first was a convoluted spy thriller, the sequel was all action without substance, and the third was grounded but lacking in the wows. It’s only with 2011’s “Ghost Protocol” that “MI” found its stride. By embracing the big set pieces and stunts of adventure films and pairing them with intrigue and quick pacing, they'd found a winning recipe. As proven by the success of 2018’s “Fallout”, which has been called “one of the best action films ever”, the franchise has only fine-tuned that formula since.
