Movie trilogies come in all shapes and sizes. Some trilogies are only connected thematically, such as Ingmar Bergman's "Silence of God" trilogy. Then there are trilogies critics and audiences have lumped together despite the director never intending their films to be connected – like with Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy. Most commonly, there are just plain old movie trilogies that are narratively connected.
Movie trilogies have a bad habit of nosedive in quality right at the finish line. For every Spider-Man 2, there's a Spider-Man 3 right around the corner. That said, there are a select few movie trilogies that kept the quality alive all the way to the very end.
9 The Austin Powers Trilogy Perfectly Parodies James Bond
The Austin Powers trilogy is a laugh-out-loud parody of espionage films, with a particular emphasis on poking fun at the clichés, outrageous plots, and corny screenplays that make up the James Bond franchise. The trilogy stars Mike Myers, who not only plays the eponymous Austin Powers but several other characters within the trilogy, including Dr. Evil.
The Austin Powers trilogy was widely successful, grossing nearly $700 million at the box office. The first film in the trilogy, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, was nominated by the American Film Institute for their lists of the greatest films and the greatest comedies.
8 The Samurai Trilogy Is A Seminal Trilogy Of Japanese Cinema
Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai trilogy depicts the life of Musashi Miyamoto, from his time as a brazen young man to his maturing into an introspective samurai. Mushashi Miyamoto is portrayed by legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune.
The Samurai trilogy played a pivotal role in the reemergence of Japanese cinema in the aftermath of World War II. The first film in the trilogy, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, was one of the first Japanese films shot in Eastmancolor. The film also took home the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
7 The Original Bourne Trilogy Is A Masterclass In High-Octane Action
Although there are now five Bourne films, the original trilogy are the only movies based on novels by the series' original author, Robert Ludlum. The Bourne trilogy revolves around the exploits of Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin with amnesia who must rediscover who he is.
Starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, the Bourne trilogy captivated audiences with its insistence on real stunt work, which was in sharp contrast to the emergence of CGI during the 2000s. The original Bourne trilogy is one of the extremely rare film series where each successive movie in the franchise gained more critical acclaim, culminating in three Academy Award wins for The Bourne Ultimatum.
6 The Original Star Wars Trilogy Helped Bring Hollywood Into The Blockbuster Era
One of the most commercially successful and influential trilogies of all time, the original Star Wars trilogy helped bring Hollywood into the blockbuster era. A pop culture phenomenon, the Original Trilogy received widespread acclaim for its engaging narrative, iconic characters, brilliant score, and groundbreaking special effects.
The first two moview in the original trilogy, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, are widely considered two of the greatest films of all time. The third film, Return of the Jedi, is often regarded as the weakest of the three, but RotJ's ending is iconic and all three original Star Wars films have been inducted into the National Film Registry for their cultural significance.
5 The Dark Knight Trilogy Is The Pinnacle Of The Superhero Genre
Arguably the greatest superhero films ever made, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy redefined the way superhero films could be made. More than just action spectacle, the Dark Knight trilogy contains brilliant performances, nuanced character development, tangible themes, gorgeous cinematography, a fantastic score, and world-renown practical effects over CGI.
The Dark Knight trilogy was one of the most commercially successful trilogies of all time, grossing nearly $2.5 billion. Critically, all three films in the trilogy rank among the greatest films of all time. Batman Begins was included on Empire's list of the greatest films, The Dark Knight was inducted into the National Film Registry, and The Dark Knight Rises was named one of the greatest films of all time by The Daily Telegraph.
4 The Human Condition Is One Of Cinema's Grimmest Depictions Of World War II
Masaki Kobayashi's The Human Condition is a landmark work of Japanese cinema despite its highly critical stance on the role the Japanese government played during World War II. The Human Condition follows Kaji, a pacifist whose journey takes him from the POW camps in Manchuria to the battlefront and ultimately a Soviet POW camp over the course of three films. Although controversial in Japan upon its release, The Human Condition was praised internationally. Famed film critic David Shipman proclaimed The Human Condition to be the greatest film ever made.
3 The Lord Of The Rings Is The Most Impressive Blockbuster Trilogy Of All Time
Based on J. R. R. Tolkien's iconic novels, The Lord of the Rings trilogy is arguably the greatest blockbuster trilogy ever made. The series follows Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship in their attempts to destroy the One Ring. One of the most ambitious film projects ever produced, all three The Lord of the Rings movies were shot simultaneously, with a combined budget of nearly $300 million.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a massive box office success, with the films grossing a total of $3 billion. All three movies also rank among the greatest films ever made. The Fellowship of the Ring was inducted into the National Film Registry, The Two Towers won over 125 awards out of over 250 nominations, and The Return of the King won an Academy Award record of eleven Oscars.
2 The Before Trilogy Offers An Incredibly Realistic Depiction Of Romance
Richard Linklater's Before trilogy stands out as one of the greatest achievements in the history of the romance genre. Each made nine years apart, the Before trilogy focuses on a romance between Jesse and Céline, played respectively by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, over the course of nearly twenty years.
The Before trilogy was commercially successful for an independent series, grossing over $60 million on a combined budget of $7.5 million. Each film in the trilogy has received substantial critical praise. Before Sunrise was named to Empire's greatest films list, Before Sunset was named to both The Guardian's and the BBC's list of the greatest films of the century, and Before Midnight received over 80 award nominations.
1 The Three Colors Trilogy Is Nothing Short Of Outstanding
Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy consists of three separate yet interconnected stories revolving around the French Revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. All three films in the Three Colors trilogy are among the most critically acclaimed movies of the past thirty years. Three Colors: Blue won seven awards at Venice Film Festival including the Golden Lion and was named by both The Guardian and the BBC as one of the greatest foreign films of all time.
For Three Colors: White, Kieślowski won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival. Three Colors: Red was included on the New York Times' list of the greatest films of all time. Roger Ebert included all three films on his "Great Movies" list and for good reason.