Top 10 Movie Franchises

Ever since Star Wars came out with it's trilogy, it seems the staple for successful blockbuster films is to release sequels (or prequels or spin-offs). The standard is often a 3 movie trilogy however there are also many examples of movies that have exceeded the trilogy format. In this post I simply want to rank my favorite movie series and franchises. These are mostly fictional universes that have been created in film or books, and are extended over multiple great movies. What they may lack in dramatic/cinematic quality they make up in creative/special effect quality. I'm a big fan of the fiction/fantasy genre, and many of these blockbuster action movies have become iconic film franchises and are some of my all time favorite movies. 

Honorable Mention

Oceans Eleven

• Movies: (3 movies)
• Oceans Eleven (2001)
• Oceans Twelve (2004)
• Oceans Thirteen (2007)
• Universe: Present day Las Vegas and Europe
• Heroes: Danny Ocean, Rusty Ryan, Linus Caldwell
• Villains: Terry Benedict, Francois Toulour (Night-Fox), Willy Bank
• Premise: Set in modern day Las Vegas, this movie series pertaining to professional con-artists is the epitome of cool. With it's all-star cast of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts the movie is loaded with top quality dialogue and dramatic scenes. Oceans' team of thieves are not your typical villains, yet rather presented as anti-heroes in this series. They are stealing from ruthless casino owners and competitors. It's their heist-planning and suave tactics that make this such an entertaining film series. 

Thor 

• Movies: (4 movies)
• Thor (2011) 
• Thor: The Dark World (2013)
• Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) 
• Universe: Marvel Universe (Asgard) 
• Heroes: Thor
• Villains: Loki, Dark Elves, Hela
• Premise: This is one of my favorites of the Marvel Superhero films, mostly because it pertains to Norse Mythology. This character of Thor is a modernized version of the mythological Norse god who journeys to earth to help humanity. The son of Odin, Thor is often at odds with his mischievous brother, Loki. Thor later helps establish the Avengers superhero team based on earth. Thor is a very powerful hero with super strength and his iconic hammer of mjolnir. However the character is also presented as very egotistical, dim-witted, and very humorous. 

Spiderman

• 
  Movies: (8 movies; 3 different series)
• Spiderman (2002)
• Spiderman 2 (2004)
• Spiderman 3 (2007)
• The Amazing Spiderman (2012)
• The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)
• Spiderman: Homecoming (2017)
• Spiderman: Far From Home (2019)
• Spiderman: No Way Home (2021)
• Universe: Marvel Universe (New York City present day) 
• Heroes: Spiderman
• Villains: Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Sandman, Venom, The Lizard, Electro, The Vulture, Mysterio
• Premise: In present day New York City, a young teenage nerd named Peter Parker is bitten by a very unique spider that gives him superpowers. He has the ability to shoot web from his hands, climb buildings, and very fast reactions thus becomes the superhero known as Spiderman. The first trilogy was my favorite with Tobey Maguire. The 2nd series I didn't care so much for with Andrew Garfield. The third series with Tom Holland merged the character into the ongoing Marvel Series, and was loaded with great action yet also great humor. Spiderman is one of my favorites of the Marvel heroes much thanks to these movies. 

Pirates of the Caribbean

• Movies: (5 movies)
  
• The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
• Dead Man's Chest (2006)
• At Worlds Ends (2007)
• On Stranger Tides (2011)
• Dead Men Tell No Lies (2017)
• Universe: Set during the 1720s (The Golden Age of Piracy) 
• Heroes: Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swanson
• Villains: Captain Barbossa, Davy Jones, Blackbeard, Captain Salazar  
• Premise: Set during the Golden Age of Piracy this series is without question the most iconic of pirate films. Just as with Oceans Eleven it once again pertains to antiheroes (semi-villains) who are at odds against even worse villains. The first movie is by far the best of the 5 and really set the bar for the famous character of Jack Sparrow and his ship known as the Black Pearl. The sequels were overly complicated yet still very fun and entertaining. The series is loaded with great humor, characters, action, musical composition, and special effects. 

Rocky

• Movies: (6 movies)
  
• Rocky (1976)
• Rocky II (1979)
• Rocky III (1982)
• Rocky IV (1985)
• Rocky V (1990)
• Rocky Balboa (2006)
• Universe: Present day Philadelphia 
• Heroes: Rocky Balboa
• Villains: Apollo Creed, James Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago
• Premise: One of the best sports film series of all time, Rocky is the epitome of the underdog story. It pertains to a down-and-out/small-time boxer in Philadelphia who is able to seize his chance at glory in facing the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Thru the training of Mickey Goldmill and his courtship of Adrian, Rocky is able to reach the pinnacle of boxing by defeating Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, and an epic fight against the Soviet Champion Ivan Drago. The four movies are all very entertaining sports drama, while part 5 and 6 don't quite compare. The movie series also provided an incredible musical score and soundtrack, with it's iconic song "Eye of the Tiger". 

Top Ten

10. The Avengers

• Movies: (4 movies)
  
• The Avengers (2012)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
• Avengers: Endgame (2019)
• Universe: Marvel Universe (Earth and Space)
• Heroes: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye
• Villains: Loki, Ultron, Thanos
• Premise: The culmination of the many Marvel superhero movies are best presented in these four grand-scale blockbusters. While each of these heroes have their own film series, it is in this epic series that they all come together. The movies are loaded with an all-star cast, humor, action, iconic music, and great special effects. The team of superheroes continues to grow throughout the series, and by the final film of Endgame they have amassed a total of 36 superheroes. While I was not a fan of the final plot in Endgame (in which they resolved everything by going back in time), the final battle of the series was top notch epic movie drama. The scale of action and special effects in these films are up there with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and should come as no surprise that it was the most expensive movies ever made (also the most profitable). 

9. Indiana Jones

• Movies: (4 movies)
  
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• Temple of Doom (1984)
• The Last Crusade (1989)
• Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
• Universe: 1930s-1940s
• Heroes: Indiana Jones
• Villains: Mola Ram, Walter Donovan, Rene Belloq  
• Premise: Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg teamed-up to create this iconic adventure hero. Indiana Jones is a charming archeology professor who travels the world searching for ancient treasures. He is best represented with his brown leather jacket, fedora hat, satchel, and bullwhip. In each of the films he does battle with the Nazis and Soviet communists of the 1930s-1940s as he searches for ancient relics such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. This film series is loaded with historical references, great action, and a very iconic musical score composed by the great John Williams. 

8. The Matrix

• Movies: (4 movies)
  
• The Matrix (1999)
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
• The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
• Universe: Virtual world known as the Matrix
• Heroes: Neo, Trinity, Morpheus
• Villains: Agent Smith
• Premise: Set in a futuristic world where artificial intelligent machines have conquered humanity. The machines however have not eliminated humans, yet rather fertilize them as a means of energy source. Humans thus dwell in chamber fields in a state of simulated reality which is known as the Matrix. However there are some humans who have managed to escape this virtual reality and fight against their machine oppressors. Morpheus and Trinity help liberate Neo who leads a war against the machines. The 3 films are loaded with great sci-fi action, fighting, car chases, and special effects. Perhaps the most iconic feature of this film was the slow-motion camera sequences in which Neo performs incredible martial art tactics. Although I was somewhat disappointed with the 3rd film and it's ending, the trilogy was very entertaining with an original premise. 

7. James Bond

• Movies: (25 movies)
  
• Dr. No (1962)
• From Russia with Love (1963)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Thunderball (1965)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
• Diamonds are Forever (1971)
• Live and Let Die (1973)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Spy who Loved Me (1977)
• Moonraker (1979)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• A View to Kill (1985)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• License to Kill (1989)
• GoldenEye (1995)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World is Not Enough (1999)
• Die Another Day (2002)
• Casino Royale (2006)
• Quantam of Solace (2008)
• Skyfall (2012)
• Spectre (2015)
• No Time to Die (2021)
• Universe: Britain and various other locations 
• Heroes: James Bond
• Villains: Goldfinger, Jaws, Oddjob, Ernst Blofeld, Dr. No, Francisco Scaramanga, Le Chiffre
• Premise: One of the longest standing movie series, James Bond is the epitome of the suave sophisticated killers. He works for the British Secret Service and has the charm to match his fighting skills. Known as agent 007, James Bond is an iconic character who enjoys martinis, driving Aston Martins, gambling, and hooking up with beautiful models (known as "Bond girls). The 25 films have undergone 6 different actors in the title role starting with Sean Connery (6 films), George Lazenby (1 film), Roger Moore (7 films), Timothy Dalton (2 films), Pierce Brosnan (4 films), and Daniel Craig (5 films). Sean Connery provides the best most classic portrayal of James Bond, however Daniel Craig has provided a more modern-day physical portrayal. The movie series is loaded with iconic villains, weapons, gadgetry, love interests, musical composition, and exhilarating action. 

6. The Godfather

• Movies: (3 movies)
  
• The Godfather (1972)
• The Godfather II (1974)
• The Godfather III (1990)
• Universe: 1945 New York City, 1901 New York City, 1979 New York City
• Heroes: Michael Corleone, Vito Corleone, Sonny, Tom Hagen
• Villains: Sollozzo, Hyman Roth 
• Premise: Francis Ford Coppola directed two of the greatest films of all time here, and this trilogy may be ranked higher for me if the 3rd movie was a little better. The premise pertains yet again to anti-hero villains taking on worse villains in the world of organized crime. The film series is unique from all the other iconic movie franchises on this list, in that it is not a blockbuster action movie yet rather an epic drama. It pertains to the fictional Corleone family and their ascension to becoming one of the strongest mafia families in New York City. The series is loaded with top quality acting, dialogue and a very iconic musical score composed by Nino Rota. It has an all star cast in it from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Michael Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, and Andy Garcia. 

5. The Dark Knight Series

• Movies: (3 movies)
  
• Batman Begins (2005)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Universe: Gotham City
• Heroes: Batman
• Villains: Ra's al Ghul, Scarecrow, The Joker, Two-Face, Bane, Catwoman
• Premise: This series directed by Christopher Nolan was a complete reboot of the previous 4 films directed by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher. Christian Bale takes on the title role as Batman in this much darker adaptation of the popular comic series. These films were unlike most superhero movies and rather presented a more realistic world of criminals. Of all the three films, none of the heroes or villains had any real superpowers. Perhaps what made these films so popular were the psychotic portrayal of the villains, especially The Joker (played by Heath Ledger) and Bane (played by Tom Hardy). It is believed that Heath Ledger dedicated himself so much to the lunatic portrayal of the Joker, that it cost his life in an overdose (he posthumously won the Oscar for this role). Aside from the complex villains, Batman is portrayed as a much more physical hero that previous versions where he relies more on his weaponry. Each of the stories in these films are top quality, with great acting, great action, great music, and great settings. 

4. Back to the Future

• Movies: (3 movies)
  
• Back to the Future (1985)
• Back to the Future II (1989)
• Back to the Future III (1990)
• Universe: Fictional town of Hill Valley, California presented in 1885, 1955, 1985, and 2015.
• Heroes: Marty McFly, Doc Emmitt Brown
• Villains: Biff Tanen
• Premise: This was a great sci-fi story pertaining to time-travel and loaded with so much interlaced content. Beginning in 1985, Doc Emmitt Brown invents a time-traveling machine with a flux capacitor within a Delorean vehicle. He has a strange association with the teenager Marty McFly who accidently drives the car back into time in 1955. From this point on Marty must re-unite with the much younger Doc Emmit Brown to return to his present day. Each event within the movie however further complicates the timeline. In the later movies Marty travels to the future of 2015 to help his children and later to the past of 1885 to save Doc Brown. The movie is loaded with reoccurring themes and catch-phrases and is arguably one of the most complete trilogies ever. It is the type of movie you can watch again and again and pick up on some new reference. Aside from it's great dramatic story, the movie offers one of the most iconic movie scores composed yet again by Alan Silvestri. 

3. Harry Potter

• Movies: (8 movies)
  
• Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone (2001)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 1 (2010)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2 (2011)
• Universe: Wizarding World
• Heroes: Harry Potter, Hermoine Grainger, Ron Weasley, Dumbeldore
• Villains: Voldemort
• Premise: This fictional universe created by author JK Rowling pertains to a secret magical world of witches and wizards, living in secrecy among regular human beings (known as muggles). The hero of this great fictional story is the young Harry Potter, whose parents were savagely killed by the wicked Voldemort. Harry Potter enrolls in Hogwarts the school of magic, where he befriends Hagrid the groundskeeper, as well as classmates Hermoine Grainger and Ron Weasley. Together they stand up to the return of the dark lord Voldermort and his many evil followers. Each movie gets darker and more mature as the story progresses. What made these films so special for me was that I read each of the books before the movie was released. The movie is loaded with great creativity, special effects, humor, drama, action, music, and settings. It has become an annual watch for me usually around fall time. 

2. Lord of the Rings

• Movies: (6 movies)
  
• The Fellowship of the Rings (2001)
• The Two Towers (2002)
• The Return of the King (2003)
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
• Universe: Middle Earth
• Heroes: Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Samwise Gamgee
• Villains: Sauron, Saruman, Gollum
• Premise: From the classic fantasy writings of JR Tolkien, comes this great epic film series directed by Peter Jackson. The filming is grand scale, with vast elaborate settings throughout Middle Earth such as The Shire, Gondor, Mordor, Rivendale, Lothlorien, Rohan, Isengard, and Minis Tirath. The acting is top notch with an all star cast of heroes and villains. The writing is downright poetry much ado to JR Tolkein's creation yet perfectly adapted to the screen. The special effects are groundbreaking, depicting trolls, dragons, and the infamous creature known as Gollum. The score by Howard Shore is also one of the best of all movie scores, with great songs by Enya and Annie Lennox. This is a movie series I watch annually usually around wintertime or New Years. 

1. Star Wars

• Movies: (11 movies)
  
• A New Hope (1977)
• Empire Strikes Back (1981)
• Return of the Jedi (1983)
• The Phantom Menace (1999)
• Attack of the Clones (2002)
• Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• The Force Awakens (2015)
• Rogue One (2016)
• The Last Jedi (2017)
• Solo (2018)
• The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
• Universe: Star Wars Universe
• Heroes: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rey
• Villains: Darth Vader, The Emperor, Kylo Ren
• Premise: George Lucas' epic space opera has without question become the most famous and popular of all fictional universes. This movie series first introduced in 1977 with it's groundbreaking special effects has snowballed into a multimedia pop-culture phenomenon. It's reach far exceeds the string of 11 movies, branching off into books, television shows, merchandise, games, and even theme parks. Disney has further expanded the universe with many more projects to come both on the film screen and on the television screen. These films were my favorite growing up as a kid and to this day always strike a warm nostalgic feeling when I watch anything that has to do with Star Wars. Although they do not compare to the artistic quality of Lord of the Rings; the action, characters music, and special effects of Star Wars are superior. Furthermore it has a much vaster universe of content, rivaled only by the Marvel superhero universe. Star Wars is one of the most profitable movie franchise of all time and in my opinion one of the most iconic.

Historical Study: The Outlaw Jesse James

I'm finding there were many iconic characters and personalities in regards to the Old West. Not so much political or military leaders yet rather iconic free-riders who paved the way for order in the chaotic west. These personalities lived outside the law, taking matters into their own hands in what was a very unsettled territory. They included famous names such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Calamity Jane, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Wild Bill Hickok. As well as many gangs and outlaws such as Ike Clayton, Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Robert Ford. Many of these names have become the stuff of folk legend today included in countless movies, songs, and stories. For now I would like to focus on the infamous outlaw Jesse James. 

I think I first became familiar with the life of Jesse James from the 2007 film, The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford. Despite it's unusually long title, the movie was a great period piece set in the 1880s pertaining to the later years and death of Jesse James. Brad Pitt portrayed the iconic gang leader as rather subdued and at the twilight of his long years as an outlaw. Casey Affleck portrayed the cowardly character of Robert Ford, who was obsessed with Jesse James and seeking for his own glory. Robert Ford achieves his goal of becoming famous as the man who killed Jesse James, however his reputation is quickly tarnished for the betrayal of his fellow gang member. Robert Ford is killed 10 years later, in a similar act of cold blood by a person seeking fame by killing a famous outlaw. 

As good and detailed as the film was however it only focused on the final years of Jesse James. What I would like to further understand is his path from Confederate soldier to his rise to becoming one of the most famous bank robber/outlaws in the country (known globally before his death). It's quite easy to understand that he was one of many bitter Confederate soldiers on par with the KKK, not ready to accept defeat after the Civil War. For Jesse James, a life of bank and train robberies was his way at getting back at the union government. Many considered him a courageous hero on par with Robin Hood, however it's very unlikely that he gave any of his stolen money to the poor. The fact of the matter is that Jesse James was a criminal that had reached a scale that no criminal ever had before, thus the legacy. 

James "Bushwacking" Civil War Years

Born in Clay County, Missouri 1847 Jesse James was brought up in a border state, yet his family was heavily in support of the southern cause in the region of Little Dixie. His father was a farmer and Baptist and died during the California Gold Rush when Jesse was 3 years old. Jesse grew up on a farm with his elder brother James, younger sister Susanna, and several other in-laws. Growing up on a farm ran by slaves, the James family was firmly in support of slavery as the needed it to run their business. The region of Little Dixie was a center stage for the Bleeding Kansas conflict regarding slavery. 

At the age of 14, James was proud to assist the confederate army at the onset of the Civil War in 1861. Since Missouri was a neutral state it consisted of many guerilla factions known as "bushwhackers". He later joined the Quantrill Raiders led by William C. Qauntrill, and coordinated various massacres on abolition towns and unarmed soldiers such as the Lawrence Massacre and the Centralia Massacre. It was during these guerilla raids that James acquired the skills necessary in his future endeavors as a train and bank robber. Although James did not fight in a major battle he got in many skirmishes and was shot twice in the chest throughout his years as a bushwhacker. 

Post Civil War

Jesse James was only a teenager during the Civil War yet his involvement no doubt made him very bitter as a young man returning to Missouri. The Reconstruction Age was very hard on former Confederates and disallowed them from voting or becoming officers. Jesse returned to his mother's farm and began a relationship with his cousin Zerelda. In Feb of 1866 it is believed that James and Frank joined Archie Clement in robbing the Clay County bank, which was the first peacetime bank robbery in American history. From this point on the James brothers began a series of bank robberies throughout the Missouri region and quickly rose to infamy. 

The guerilla activity was quite prevalent at the time and after the death of Archie Clement and the James brothers became some of the leading figures. At first they claimed their robberies were against the bank not the people, however in 1867 they killed the mayor and two other city officials who opposed them in Richmond, Missouri. In 1868 the James brothers began working with Cole Younger and his brothers in robbing banks. By 1869 Jesse James had become well known across the west and into the east as the leader of the James-Young Gang. 

The James-Younger Gang

Jesse James was able to quickly ascertain public support for various reasons. First was many within Missouri and the west who were still in favor of the southern cause and saw him as the defiant hero of the south. Second was because he represented total freedom, opposing and outwitting the law. Yet third was because of his association with news editors who provided his appeals to the public regarding his innocence and cause. Newspapers such as the Kansas City Times quickly elevated Jesse James and his Younger Gang to celebrity status. They committed robberies from Iowa to Texas with a cordial and entertaining approach to the cashiers and bystanders. Very seldomly were they confronted or resisted during their robberies. 

In 1874 Jesse James married his cousin Zee, and later had two children with her. By this point Jesse James had become a household name, and was hunted by many authorities. One of these included the Pinkterton National Detective Agency based out of Chicago, which is often considered precursor to the FBI. The head of the organization Allen Pinkerton took on the case personally as he was a proud abolitionist and union supporter. He led a raid on the James household in 1875, which resulted in the death of Jesse's younger half brother Archie and severely injured his wife Zee. This lead to further sympathy towards the Jesse James gang and even considerations of amnesty. 

By Sept of 1876 Jesse's luck began to turn after a bank robbery went terribly wrong. In the town of Northfield, Minnesota the townspeople stood up to the robbery and fired shots at the gang. Several of the gang members were shot dead, and the James brothers were just barely able to escape the scene. The Younger brothers were taken prisoner by the local milita which brought an abrupt end to the James-Younger gang. For the next few years Jesse kept a low profile and committed smaller robberies at local general stores in order to get by. By 1881 they had settled in St. Joseph, Missouri and Jesse's elder brother decided to retire from the criminal life and relocate to Virginia. 

Final Years and Assassination

By 1881 Jesse hardly had any more gang members and recruited Charley and his younger brother Robert Ford to join him. Charley had already worked with Jesse on previous jobs, but Robert was an avid admirer of Jesse and eager for action. However it did not take long for the authorities to pinch Robert as an inside man. Soon Robert was coordinating secret negotiations with the governor of Missouri, Thomas Crittenden. Charley Ford was well aware of Robert's plans but both were conflicted with the act since they thought of Jesse as a friend. After many days of confliction the Ford brothers finally performed the execution on April 3rd of 1882. Robert shot Jesse James in the head from behind, while Jesse was adjusting a photo. 

Years after the assassination of Jesse James, Charley and Robert Ford worked as stage actors recreating the death of Jesse James. Public opinion however quickly became to turn on the Fords, especially Robert who was considered cowardly for betraying his friend. Charley Ford eventually got sick of tuberculosis and committed suicide in 1884. Robert Ford was shot dead in a saloon in 1892 by a random stranger seeking his own personal fame. By the late1880s the story of Jesse James grew into a folk legend celebrated in books, comics, and eventually movies. Despite his controversial and criminal lifestyle, he became the iconic embodiment of the American outlaw during the age of the Old West.