The 32 greatest movie trilogies of all time

You know that old saying, "Three's a crowd?" Well, when it comes to movies, three films can make for the perfect mode of storytelling, and cinema history is full of great trilogies. Whether intended to be a multi-part story for the start or simply three movies, one after another, that feature the same characters on a new adventure (or even just have a thematic connection), a great movie trilogy is proof that the end credits don't need to be the end of a great cinematic world.

These are the 32 best movie trilogies. Some ground rules: In order for a trilogy to be eligible for this list, the most important qualifying factor is that there are three movies. That means frequently revisited franchises, like James Bond or Godzilla, aren't eligible. However, there are instances when a trilogy is part of a larger franchise; the important thing is that there must be three movies which clearly stand as a coherent trio themselves—think of the original, prequel, and sequel Star Wars trilogies as their own trilogies, for example, or the Guardians of the Galaxy or Iron Man films inside the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.

There are also a few trilogies on this list that were a seemingly complete trio of films… and then years later, they made a fourth one. Toy Story is one such example, and we're allowing it and a few others to be on this list of great trilogies because the first three films do feel like a complete story, with everything else that comes after being more of a bonus. So, with all that out of the way, buckle in and read on to discover the best trilogies to have ever hit the big screen.

32. The Hangover

The Hangover (2009), The Hangover Part II (2011), and The Hangover Part III (2013)

The first Hangover movie, which starred Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis, who needed to try to piece together what happened during a crazy night in Vegas for their buddy's bachelor party, was a comedy sensation. The sequels, less so. The first one was more or less a total retread that swapped the Vegas setting for Thailand, and while the third movie tried to mix up the formula a little bit, the result is a darker, nastier film. Much like the main characters, The Hangover probably should've stopped at one, but that one is just strong enough to carry the other two movies.

31. Fear Street

Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021), Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021), Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021)

During the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix did something fun with a trio of horror movies based on Goosebumps author R. L. Stine's slightly more grown-up horror series, Fear Street. The three movies were released on a weekly basis, telling three different stories about horrifying events across different periods of time in the town of Shadyside, all of which combined into one larger narrative. None of the three movies on their own are all-time horror classics, but they're all pretty good, and they made for a really great few weeks at a time when people really needed something to enjoy.

30. Creature From the Black Lagoon

Creature From the Back Lagoon (1954), Revenge of the Creature (1955), and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)

The Gill-Man was the last of Universal's Classic Monsters, coming more than two decades after Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster scared audiences. Unlike most of his fellow monsters, the Gill-Man was a creature of science rather than superstition; a missing link that attacked anybody who dared come to his eerie lagoon. He did this for two movies, then in the third and final film, the creature was taken from the Black Lagoon and surgically transformed into something more like a normal human, a sadistic bit of scientistic hubris that worked out poorly for everyone involved.

29. Rush Hour

Rush Hour (1998), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Rush Hour 3 (2006)

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker star as two cops, one a member of the Hong Kong Police Force and the other of the Los Angeles Police Department, who must team up to take down crooks in their respective cities. This collection of films is a blend of action, comedy, and the martial arts movies Chan was already famous for in Hong Kong. (It should surprise nobody that Chan's specialty is the comedic and impressive stunts while Tucker gets a lot of laughs from his big mouth.) They're not the highest art, but the Rush Hour movies are a great trio of buddy flicks.

28. Meet the Parents

Meet the Parents (2000), Meet the Fockers (2004), Little Fockers (2010)

Ben Stiller stars as Greg, a man who has a rough first meeting with his future father-in-law, played by Robert De Niro, in the first Meet the Parents movie. It's a wonderfully observed comedy about a classic high-stakes dating hurdle taken to the next level. The two sequels focus on Greg's parents and Greg's children, respectively. They're funny but not as sharp. A fourth film, Focker In-Law, was announced 15 years after the release of the third movie, which is more than enough time to call the first three Meet the Parents a proper trilogy.

27. Tron

Tron (1982), Tron: Legacy (2010), Tron: Ares (2025)

The first Tron movie is something of a cult classic, following Jeff Bridges's Kevin Flynn after he's sucked into the digital world and must attempt to escape, thwarting an evil program in the process. The movie was the first major production to use computer-generated imagery—a technological breakthrough, but watching it now, you can definitely tell it was the first. (The jankiness is part of the charm.) The two sequels, both of which took a long time to come, have vastly more advanced special effects, but what makes them so great isn't visuals but sound; Legacy has a score by Daft Punk while Ares boasts one from Nine Inch Nails.

26. The Naked Gun

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), The Naked Gun 2: The Smell of Fear (1991), Naked Gun 33: The Final Insult (1994)

A theatrical spin-off of the short-lived Zucker Abrahams and Zucker crime spoof TV show Police Squad, The Naked Gun movies are amongst some of the silliest movies ever made. Starring Leslie Nielsen as Detective Sergeant Frank Drebin, they're the type of comedy that's just jam-packed with gags that are so dumb they loop all the way back around to being kind of clever and very funny. A fourth movie starring Liam Neeson as Frank's son came out in 2025, though it's more than fair to call the three Nielsen movies a proper trilogy and consider the legacy sequel the start of something new.

25. Blade

Blade (1998), Blade II (2002), Blade: Trinity (2004)

Before superhero movies were all the rage and dominated the box office, a different sort of hero who originated in the pages of Marvel comics hunted down vampires, whether they were at a blood rave or trying to ice-skate uphill. Wesley Snipes starred as Blade, the "daywalker" vampire hunter with all of a vampire's strengths and almost none of their weaknesses in three movies in the late '90s and early '00s. Of these three, the middle film, directed by a young Guillermo del Toro, is probably the most celebrated, but they're all great horror-tinged action romps. Snipes would reprise the role in Deadpool & Wolverine two decades after Blade: Trinity came out, but that obviously doesn't count against the trilogy.

24. Gamera

Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995), Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996), Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (2006)

Originally created as a pretty naked attempt to cash in on the popularity of Godzilla in the '60s, Gamera was a flying, fire-breathing turtle's first film outings were not without charm, but were infamous for being especially cheap-looking. In 1995, though, Gamera got rebooted in what's known as the Heisei-era series, resulting in three of the best and most ambitious kaiju films ever made. A fourth movie, Gamera the Brave, was released in 2006, making it technically part of the Heisei era. However, it is narratively a standalone and is not directly connected to the other three movies.

23. Harold & Kumar

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008), A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

John Cho and Kal Penn star as Harold and Kumar, respectively, two friends whose attempt to get some little burgers to crave their munchies in the 2004 movie soon escalates to absurd levels. The sequels, as evidenced by the titles, escalate things even further. In addition to being great buddy comedies, the trilogy is also something of a landmark in representation, starring a part of Asian-American protagonists (Korean and Indian) who were neither racial parodies nor whitewashed into sameness.

22. Iron Man

Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Iron Man 3 (2013)

Robert Downey Jr. appeared as Tony Stark in way more than just three movies across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he got title billing as Iron Man in three distinct films. The first movie, released in 2008, was the thing that launched the whole MCU, and although you need to watch a lot of other movies to get Tony's complete arc, Iron Man 1, 2, and 3 make for a pretty great superhero trilogy on their own terms. (Iron Man 2 gets a lot of hate for being obviously pretty slapdash and over-stuffed, but it's fun, actually, and Sam Rockwell is a hoot as Justin Hammer, a villain whose whole shtick is basically "What if Tony Stark sucked?")

21. Bill & Ted

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

William "Bill" S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Keanu Reeves) go on a time-traveling adventure in order to pass a history final so they can go on to start a band whose music will unite the world in this classic, goofy '80s comedy. They'd return for a sequel, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, two years later, but it wasn't until 2020 that the franchise became a surprisingly poignant trilogy. Now all grown up with kids of their own—but having not yet fulfilled their destiny—Bill and Ted must, as the title suggests, Face the Music. Perhaps because it was released during the pandemic, the third Bill & Ted movie didn't get as much love as it deserves, but it's a great end to an excellent trilogy.

20. Austin Powers

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), Goldmember (2002)

Unquestionably the most shagadelic film trilogy ever made, Austin Powers stars Mike Myers as the titular spy, a British secret agent from the swingin' '60s who cryogenically freezes himself and wakes up in the '90s so that he can stop his archnemesis, Dr. Evil (also played by Myers). However, things have changed in the three decades, and there's some not-so-groovy culture shock. The first film is a comedy masterpiece and one that's taking on a new significance now that the '90s are becoming more distant from the present day than they were from the '60s. The sequels have no such profundity, and largely coast by on replaying or riffing on the same jokes. Are those jokes still funny? Yeah, baby!

19. Oslo Trilogy

Reprise (2006), Oslo, August 31st (2011), The Worst Person in the World (2021)

Norwegian director Joachim Trier's Oslo Trilogy is not one continued narrative nor does it share any common characters, though actor Anders Danielsen Lie stars in each one. Instead, the three drama films are united by their setting, Norway's capital city, and a theme of social unease and the agonizing process of finding how one fits in. Reprise follows two men as they struggle to become novelists, Oslo, August 31st follows a recovering addict as he tries to reconnect with old friends, and The Worst Person in the World stars Renate Reinsve as a woman trying to navigate her relationships.

18. How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon (2010), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

DreamWorks Animation made a name and a niche for itself with the irreverent parody humor of Shrek, but the studio's best franchise happens to be its most earnest. How to Train Your Dragon, based on the children's book series of the same name, is a soaring adventure series about Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), the son of a Viking chieftain who becomes the first person to befriend and ride a dragon, changing everything the Vikings thought they knew about their longtime fire-breathing foes. The How to Train Your Dragon movies are masterful and tell a great narrative full of development and growth when taken all together. The trilogy capper, The Hidden World, is admittedly probably the weakest of the three. Still, compared to some of the other highly anticipated finales of 2019, like Game of Thrones and the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it's a masterpiece.

17. Back to the Future

Back to the Future (1985), Back to the Future Part II (1989), Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly in one of the best comedies and best sci-fi movie series of the 1980s, though the third and final film did technically come out in the '90s. The first Robert Zemeckis-directed film has the teen going back in time in a souped-up DeLorean Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) created and struggling to find his way back to his own time without rewriting history. The sequel travels to the future, while the third film is an adventure to the Wild West.

16. Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

When Marvel first announced Guardians of the Galaxy, it was a big swing. Compared to some other characters who had headlined movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Guardians were C-list comic book characters at best. Turns out that was exactly the freedom James Gunn needed to create an amazing sci-fi adventure of an oddball alien found family. The three Guardians movies are among the MCU's best films, and they certainly have the best soundtrack of the entire franchise.

15. The Vengeance Trilogy

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005)

Despite the similarities between the titles of the first and last movie in this trilogy, there's no relation between the Vengeances, and indeed, South Korean director Park Chan-wook's trio of films are a thematic trilogy rather than a narrative one. But oh, what a singularly bloody and unique triple-feature of revenge they are. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance follows a well-intentioned kidnapper facing repercussions from the father of the girl he took, Oldboy is a disturbing but acclaimed classic about a man looking to get back at whoever kept him captive for 15 years, and the Lady Vengeance is about a wrongfully accused woman out to bring vigilante justice to the real person behind the crimes. The movies are not everybody's cup of tea, but if you're into them, there's nothing like Park when he's cooking.

14. The Evil Dead

The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), Army of Darkness (1992)

Sam Raimi's "groovy" horror comedy trilogy stars Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, a guy who rents a cabin in the woods with some of his friends only to accidentally unleash terrible evils like zombie-like Deadites and possessed trees. The first Evil Dead is a low-budget, highly nasty piece of indie horror filmmaking. The second is a sequel but also kind of a remake of the first one, and it's a little more polished and a more slapstick take on the same premise. The third film is a time-traveling horror comedy action epic, and it somehow manages to do all those genres justice. There have been remakes and spin-offs, but the first Evil Dead movies remain an iconic horror trilogy.

13. The Matrix

The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

The first Matrix movie, released in 1999, is a genre-redefining cyberpunk actioner and one of the greatest movies ever made. The film stars Keanu Reeves as a hacker who learns that reality is a simulation and starts fighting back against the machines, using kung-fu filmed in jaw-dropping bullet time. The two sequels, both released four years later, are not nearly as universally beloved. However, they're full of incredible action scenes and some heady, ambitious ideas and themes—even if the execution threatens to get away from the Wachowskis in a way that it didn't for the near-perfect first film. (The Matrix Resurrections, a fourth film released close to 20 years later and only directed by Lana Wachowski, stands somewhat apart from the original trilogy, which very much told a complete story.)

12. Indiana Jones

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

First things first: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull doesn't count against the wonderful 1980s Indiana Jones trilogy, and the fifth movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, certainly doesn't either, as it wasn't even directed by Steven Spielberg. (James Mangold was behind the camera for that one.) Raiders, Temple of Doom, and Last Crusade, though, are three of the finest action-adventure movies of all time, amongst Spielberg's best work, and starring Harrison Ford in his best and most iconic role, give or take a Han Solo.

11. Ocean's 11

Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Ocean's Thirteen (2007)

If people were being honest with themselves, they'd admit that Steven Soderbergh's star-studded remake of the Rat Pack 1960 flick of the same name is perhaps the best movie of all time. It's certainly among the most watchable and enjoyable, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and a host of others as they execute the most stylish heist in Vegas and cinema history. The sequels aren't as immaculate as the 2001 movie—Ocean's Twelve takes some big swings that are admirable but might not fully work, while Thirteen is a safe but not ineffective replay of the first film—they're still so cool and so much fun.

10. Spider-Man

Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Yes, the third movie with Emo Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is kind of a mess, but Sam Raimi's first two movies about the iconic Web-Slinger are among the best superhero movies ever made. Raimi perfectly understands the character, and he paints a vivid, comic book-like picture of New York City and its friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The Spider-Man movies understand that Spidey works best as an underdog, and there's just the right amount of corniness to the films to make them feel special.

9. Three Flavours Cornetto

Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), The World's End (2013)

Director Edgar Wright's three movies in the Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy—so named because characters in the films eat Cornetto ice cream cones at some point—don't have any narrative connections beyond the ice cream. Still, they do all star Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and boast clever, comedic spins on genre movies. Shaun of the Dead is a zombie spoof, Hot Fuzz parodies action flicks, and The World's End is an apocalyptic sci-fi movie. All three are side-splitting, and they all have something intelligent to say about the genres they're spoofing and themes that explore male maturity (or lack thereof).

8. Three Colors

Three Colors: Blue (1993), Three Colors: White (1994), Three Colors: Red (1994)

Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy, named after the three colors that make up the flag of France, are among the most acclaimed art-house movies of the '90s. Blue stars Juliette Binoche as a Paris woman grieving after her husband's death, White follows a hairdresser who returns home to Warsaw only to get embroiled in a darkly funny divorce-related revenge plot, and Red is about a model who forms a strange connection with a retired judge. All three films, which have various thematic and narrative connections, are masterful.

7. Toy Story

Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story 3 (2010)

Pixar's first film revolutionized animation. It also happens to be one of the studio's best movies, so it makes sense they made sequels of it, even back in Pixar's earlier days when it rarely made sequels. Starring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, two child's play-things who become unlikely friends, Toy Story is a delight, the sequel is an even better, more confident movie, and the third film is a thoughtful meditation on growing up and moving on with one tear-jerking scene. There is a fourth film, released in 2019, and Pixar announced a fifth movie a few years after that. However, the first three films feel like a distinct trilogy, especially since Toy Story 3 ends with the toys getting a new owner, moving on from Andy and on to Bonnie.

6. Dollars Trilogy

A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965)The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Clint Eastwood stars as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western trilogy, regarded as three of the finest movies the genre has to offer. Playing a roving gunslinger who is a man of few words and a crack shot, Eastwood is an iconic antihero, whether he's freeing a small town from the grips of two crime families, bounty hunting, or getting in the most famous standoff in cinema history. All three films also boast incredible scores by the one and only Ennio Morricone.

5. Before Sunrise

Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), Before Midnight (2013)

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star in one of the most emotional, beautiful, and at times devastating romances the silver screen has ever seen. The first of Richard Linklater's films stars the pair as Jesse and Céline, two young people who meet on a train and spend a magical evening together in Vienna. The second, released nine years later, takes place nine years later, too, and shows the pair meeting once again. Before Midnight shows an even more changed relationship, one that explores romance once the spark and magic might have worn off, but the love can still remain.

4. The Dark Knight

Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman movies are amongst the most important and best superhero movies ever made. The first of the Christian Bale-led films was an excellent origin story that grounded Batman and put him in a world that was just realistic enough without losing what made the hero super. The sequel, The Dark Knight, is a downright masterpiece, putting the Caped Crusader in the middle of a crime epic and pitting him against Heath Ledger's iconic performance as The Joker. The trilogy capper, The Dark Knight Rises, is the messiest of the three, but it has plenty of moments and a very meme-able villain in the form of Tom Hardy's Bane.

3. The Godfather

The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part II (1974), The Godfather Part III (1990)

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are universally recognized to be two of the greatest films ever made. You may, understandably, think that The Godfather Part III is a step down in quality, but it would have to be truly, unprecedentedly awful in order to disqualify the whole trilogy from being one of the greats. (And, for the record, there's a lot of good stuff in The Godfather Part III.) Francis Ford Coppola's crime epic, starring Al Pacino as he rises to the top of the Corleone crime family, is a dramatic, exciting, and occasionally violent story about nothing less than America.

2. Star Wars

Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983)

While the Star Wars prequel and sequel trilogies are each deeply flawed in their own unique ways, the original trilogy—retroactively given Episode IV, V, and VI monikers—are sci-fi perfection. The impact of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) had on culture cannot be overstated, and Star Wars remains an astounding work of visual craftsmanship and inventiveness paired with an excellent hero's journey and exciting adventure.

1. The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

It's easy to take The Lord of the Rings movies for granted. They're among the greatest fantasy movies ever made, and the final installment, The Return of the King, tied an Oscar's record. But Peter Jackson's incredible achievement is even more incredible when you consider the staggering challenge of bringing J. R. R. Tolkien's epic literature to the big screen. The movies nail it on almost every level, boasting perfect casting, incredible production design, visual effects that hold up decades later, amazing music, and much more. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the film trilogy to rule them all.