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Sometimes, you just want to grab some popcorn and watch a great one-and-done adventure. Movies, after all, bring people together as you’re transported to another place and time for the ride of your life. But for those who don’t want to commit to binging an entire television series but aren’t simply satisfied with a standalone film entry, look no further than the best movie trilogies around.
From action films and space operas to high-fantasy epics and Western adventures, there’s something for everyone if you look hard enough. Of course, you’ve come here so that you don’t have to look at all… Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with these remarkable movie trilogies that you’ll want to rewatch over and over again. Who knows, maybe you’ll love them more this time around than you did the last!
10
The ‘Bourne’ Trilogy (2002-2007)
If you weren’t paying attention in the early 2000s, then you might not understand the hype surrounding the original Bourne trilogy. From Doug Liman‘s original The Bourne Identity to Paul Greengrass‘ immediate follow-ups, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, this was the action movie trilogy that folks couldn’t get enough of. Matt Damon shines here as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac with mysterious connections to the CIA who is being followed by men who want him dead. Talk about a killer premise.
Those first three Bourne movies are a complete saga that honors Robert Ludlum‘s original novels and pushes the action to the limit with the frenetic shaky camera movements and quick-cut editing that would come to characterize this era of action flicks. Although a standalone sequel, The Bourne Legacy, came out after, it didn’t follow Bourne himself, and so we won’t consider it a part of this trilogy. If you find yourself still craving more afterward, Damon and Greengrass reunited for Jason Bourne in 2016.
9
‘Planet of the Apes’ Reboot Trilogy (2011-2017)
After Tim Burton‘s failed Planet of the Apes reboot, director Rupert Wyatt took the franchise in a new direction with a prequel titled Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The new take follows the ape Caesar (Andy Serkis) as he becomes intelligent due to a drug called ALZ-112. But as this experimental concoction is released, the rest of the world’s apes follow suit, eventually taking over in the Matt Reeves-directed sequels Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes.
These three films single-handedly proved that Planet of the Apes wasn’t dead, but more than that, they showed us that non-human protagonists in live-action films have more potential than we thought. This surprisingly heartfelt trilogy is simply excellent, with each installment getting better than the last. While War was followed up by a sequel, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, set generations later, it’s not required viewing. If anything, consider revisiting the original 1968 film once you’re done with all three.
8
Taylor Sheridan’s ‘American Frontier’ Trilogy (2015-2017)
It’s not often that the creative vision of a screenwriter spread across three separate (and non-related) films by three separate directors is considered a trilogy, but in the case of Taylor Sheridan we’ll make an exception. Sheridan’s American Frontier trilogy consists of Denis Villeneuve‘s Sicario, David Mackenzie‘s Hell or High Water, and Sheridan’s own Wind River. All three neo-Western films are gritty explorations of the modern American West — and each one is superb.
With similar themes of fatherhood, poverty, corruption, and violence, Sheridan paints a damning picture of contemporary America that rivals the Old West era itself. Sure, there is some levity involved, but this is a thematic trilogy that is not for the faint of heart. Of all three of these films, only Sicario has thus far gotten a sequel, though a Wind River follow-up is also pending release.
7
Gore Verbinski’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Trilogy (2003-2007)
Okay, yes, there are technically five Pirates of the Caribbean movies. However, if you’re just looking to be entertained by a complete trilogy that closes out the saga with style, then stick to only the first three films directed by Gore Verbinski. Subtitled The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest, and At World’s End, respectively, Verbinski’s swashbuckling Pirates saga is among the most charming and entertaining trilogies on this list. From daring swordplay to high-stakes supernatural flair, it’s got everything.
As Disney’s first venture into PG-13 territory, Pirates of the Caribbean resurrected the swashbuckling adventure by proving that younger audiences could handle dark and thematic material (and that such material did not have to be overly explicit to entertain older viewers). It’s a near-perfect four-quadrant trilogy that is best remembered by the phenomenal performances by Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swan. And, to this day, the effects still hold up.
6
Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’ Trilogy (2002-2007)
Speaking of movies that appeal to audiences of literally all ages, Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man trilogy — consisting of the original 2002 film, Spider-Man 2, and the controversial Spider-Man 3 — is a masterclass in how to bring superheroes to life on the big screen. After Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically enhanced super-spider, he learns the hard way that “with great power comes great responsibility.” Struggling to balance being a superhero with his normal life, Peter fights for his friends and family the only way he knows how.
Whichever entry in the ultra-bingeable three-part saga you prefer, there’s no denying that Raimi knew the character better than any other single director to tackle the wall-crawler. Whether he’s going up against the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), or Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), we know that Spidey will give it all he’s got. This trilogy has been considered by many to be the greatest superhero movie saga, and for good reason. Of course, if you’re hungry for more, you can always jump into Spider-Man: No Way Home.
5
‘Back to the Future’ Trilogy (1985-1989)
For something that seamlessly blends science fiction with comedy, there is arguably no better adventure than Back to the Future. From producer Steven Spielberg, director Robert Zemeckis, and co-writer Bob Gale, this trilogy contains all the wacky ’80s-style coming-of-age thrills that you could ask for. A fun, nostalgic zap to the past turns into an alternate hellscape in Back to the Future Part II before jumping further back to the Wild West for Back to the Future Part III. Talk about a wild ride.
Michael J. Fox stars as teenage “slacker” Marty McFly opposite Christopher Lloyd‘s Emmett “Doc” Brown as the pair find themselves changing the space-time continuum with every new ride in the DeLorean. The Back to the Future trilogy is endlessly rewatchable, and although the second part’s depiction of 2015 is a bit, well, dated, it sounds like the type of future worth embracing. For loads of laughs and adventure, Back to the Future may just be the perfect trilogy for you.
4
‘The Dollars Trilogy’ (1964-1966)
While the previous trilogy only touches on the Western genre, The Dollars Trilogy is all about the Old West — at least, as told through the eyes of Italian director Sergio Leone. Clint Eastwood stars as the Spaghetti Western icon known best as “The Man With No Name” in A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Released a year apart, the Dollars films kickstarted Eastwood’s popularity on a global scale, solidifying him as a bankable star.
Of course, what’s unique about The Dollars Trilogy is that it’s told a bit out of order. While the plots themselves don’t overlap, Eastwood’s leading character (called either “Joe,” “Manco,” or “Blondie” depending on the film) does, with the most famous installment — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly — being the first chronologically. But however you choose to view it, you can’t go wrong with these pulse-pounding shoot-’em-ups that paint a fascinating and violent picture of the Old American West.
3
‘The Dark Knight’ Trilogy (2005-2012)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
While Raimi’s Spider-Man could be argued as the best superhero trilogy put to screen, there’s no doubt that The Dark Knight Trilogy is the best comic book trilogy ever made — and one of the best trilogies period. Visionary director Christopher Nolan saved the live-action Batman franchise with Batman Begins, which introduced Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader in an updated Gotham City, exploring the psychology behind the DC Comics icon through a breathtaking origin story. But that was only the start.
The Dark Knight changed movies forever, and as Batman faced off against the Joker (Heath Ledger), audiences felt as if these characters had been translated to the real-world. The Dark Knight Rises ends the trilogy with a definite close, and though a bit controversial in some circles, it is one of the few Batman stories that contains a real ending. For a superhero story a bit more grounded in our world, Nolan’s take on the Dark Knight should be your first pick.
2
The Original ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy (1977-1983)
George Lucas likely had no idea the kind of pop culture phenomenon he would create with Star Wars, but once the franchise hit lightspeed, that was it. What began with the original film (now known as A New Hope) in 1977 only became more significant as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and his allies aboard the Millennium Falcon pushed forward against Darth Vader (James Earl Jones, David Prowse) in The Empire Strikes Back and later Return of the Jedi. Today, these are some of the most beloved films in all cinema.
The original Star Wars trilogy cannot be beat as far as science fiction or space operas go. It has everything from intergalactic warfare, the battle between pure good and evil, and all new alien worlds to explore. There’s a reason that so many flock back to these films all these years later, and why current franchise installments still pull directly from them. Truthfully, the original trilogy is all you need, but if you’re dying for more, you could always revisit Lucas’ prequel trilogy for his complete vision regarding the Skywalker family.
1
‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy (2001-2003)
Easily the greatest motion picture trilogy of all time, The Lord of the Rings is an innovative and unprecedented adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s high-fantasy novels by director Peter Jackson that not only holds up but thrives by today’s blockbuster standards. Upon recieving the Dark Lord Sauron’s One Ring, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is tasked with destroying the weapon in the fires of Mount Doom. Joined by the Fellowship, he travels across Middle-earth to see the task completed, at grave risk to his own life.
The trilogy — consisting of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King — is simply exquisite. From the costuming and action sequences to the worldbuilding, cinematography, miniatures, and overall technical quality, we can understand why it walked away with 17 out of its 30 Oscar nominations. Folks who can’t quite leave Middle-earth behind may also enjoy The Hobbit trilogy, though it is admittedly not as grand as Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.
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Michael John Petty
Almontather Rassoul
