Crazy Max
After watching Furiosa last week, my vote goes to Mad Max.
Most franchises obey the law of diminishing returns. I’d love to live in a parallel universe where The Godfather, Alien, Terminator, and Star Wars all ended after two episodes, and there was no sequel to The Matrix or Back to the Future. Going out on a high level doesn’t seem like an option these days, right? (Dune and Blade Runner, take note.)
But what George Miller is doing is admirable. Thirty-one years after Road Warrior, he amazed me again with Fury Road, completely restored my faith in the Mad Max franchise and gave me a completely new protagonist to root for. I stood in line the first day to watch the prequel and all I can say is, keep them coming, George. And thanks. zurnalista
Zatoichi
Twenty-six films, almost all starring the same incredible actor. A wide variety of tones and styles, yet all centered around an endearing and fascinating character, offering an interesting overview of a turbulent period in Japanese history. Strongly recommended. tafkapao
Star Wars
The original trilogy and the daddy of them all. Conceived as a franchise, complete with action figures and toys, ready to go.
And today, men of a certain age (Simon Pegg) still can’t get over it. CordTrousers
James Bond
I am unapologetically a Bond fan. A while ago I decided to read the books and then rewatch the movies. The books were great, a little dated, but very entertaining. In fact, when I watched the movies afterward, they were better than ever because I now had the extra backstory and character background. Autvincam
All other franchises suffer the same fate; pressed until the kernels squeak and then pushed into a grinder to extract that little bit more.
With Bond, they at least tried to keep it as original as possible throughout its lifespan, even if they did a soft reboot with Casino Royale. Granted, there are some stinkers on the list, but overall they’re all at least watchable on a drizzly Sunday afternoon with a big bowl of popcorn and the heating on a bit. Crossfather
For longevity and success, look no further than James Bond; virtually everything else pales into insignificance. Still grizzly
Planet of the Apes
Not having seen the most recent one, and Tim Burton aside, it’s a pretty damn good run and the three reboots are brilliantly constructed. Shanghaidiver
Jason Bourne
Assuming we can completely ignore the completely bad entries into a franchise (AvP, Alien Resurrection etc.), then I vote for the Bourne trilogy.
One hill I will die on is that the first three Bourne films are pound for pound the best trilogy ever made – strong competition from Toy Story, but that comes down to personal taste.
Yes yes, The Godfather or Aliens are individually better films than any of the Bournes, but the final part of their trilogies is weak and divisive.
Each Bourne is better than the last, and the whole story hangs together beautifully. OldDirtyBAStart
I like how Bourne is smart; that it is not because he has bigger weapons than the other. Using a Bic pen or a thick magazine to fend off a killer was never going to be a choice, but it solved the problem and survived another day.
I would actually choose the first one as best. Franka Potente gives it real humanity and her demise in the second is a kicker. Paul Greengrass’ technique is sometimes derided as “shaki-cam,” but it’s more dishonest blizzard editing to manipulate the under-wire ferocity to a 12A/PG-13 rating. George Miller’s big-budget Mad Max masterpieces didn’t care, and the difference is there for all to see: keeping the action comprehensible; it is easy to understand who is doing what to whom. Haigin88
Lord of the Rings
In any size [popular acclaim – box office; critical acclaim – Oscars] Lord of the Rings wipes the floor with them all. It has an unfair advantage in that it has source material written by a giant, yet it could easily have been lost in translation – but it wasn’t. Qattus
The Muppets
There can only be one choice as the greatest franchise in movie history and that’s the Muppets! Anyone who disagrees is uncivilized, brainless, and total morons! Tom Cruise doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Kermit the Frog. Does a Hollywood goddess have even half the allure of Mrs. Piggy? Can anyone name a comedian who matches the comedic genius of Fozzie Bear?
So it’s the Muppets, end of debate. jon55
Batman
Yes, there have been some duds (I still believe I had a guardian angel watching me when I went to see Batman and Robin at the theater, just because there was a power outage), but there are plenty of excellent films.
And like some of the ones mentioned here, lots of reinventions, different takes (Lego Batman!) to compare and contrast. Swiss cheese
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Easy to make a franchise if you focus on stunts and explosions, hard to make one if you focus ambiguities and comedic cameos. davidabsalom