The term ‘movie franchise’ can be enough to make many a film snob turn up their nose, or issue some other dismissive sign of contempt. More fool them, we say.
It’s true there’s often a sense of cynicism about the Hollywood machine, churning out ill-advised sequels at the first sign of box office success. The case for diminishing returns is pretty watertight, too, with most franchises experiencing a marked drop-off in quality from around the third iteration onwards.
Even so, there’s something to be said for a sprawling, tightly interconnected movie franchise, or a ‘cinematic universe’ as the kids might say. If the characters are memorable, audiences are going to want to spend more than a couple of hours in their company, so why not give them what they want?
The following franchises aren’t all packed full of wall-to-wall excellence. Precious few of them have been able to sustain a consistent level of quality right across their extended runs.
But each of these movie franchises has become more than the sum of its parts, creating a strong sense of audience connection across the years. It’s a feeling that no stand-alone film can engender, regardless of quality.
So which movie franchise is your favourite? Make sure to vote below.
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