Top 10 Greatest Movie Trilogies of All Time Ranked
- shaunalexandercraw
- Jul 15
- 13 min read
A definitive ranking of the most iconic three-part film sagas ever made
Ah, the trilogy. First coming to prominence in the 1980s, the trilogy once marked that rare world or character that was so engrossing, enchanting, and epic that it demanded the cosmically recognized rule of three entries. Few films ascended to such status. Others were simply too good to dilute. It was a rare Goldilocks zone where an excellent movie could grow into an excellent trilogy. By the 21st century, this had turned into a way for studios to make more money off their IPs. Everything was turned into a trilogy. Trilogies were marred by franchise expansion. And then movie universes eclipsed (for good and ill) what was once sacred territory. But we remember. And you’ll find the originals within the top entries of this interesting list.
We’re looking at trilogies. Take a hike, Disney Star Wars and Disney Indiana Jones. We liked you Toy Story 4, but you have no place on this list. Everyone forget that anything outside the purity of these trilogies exists. And with that, the Venus Fry Cook presents his Top 10 greatest movie trilogies of all time.
10. AUSTIN POWERS TRILOGY
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers in Goldmember
There was a time when Austin Powers was a cultural giant. Throughout the 90s and into the 2000s, Austin Powers was as popular as any franchise on the planet. Everyone was saying “Yeah baby yeah” and talking about shagging everything. Everyone was pretending to be Doctor Evil with their pinky fingers, stroking an imaginary Mr. Bigglesworth, and asking for one million dollars. And don’t get us started on Fat Bastard. All three of these movies were hilarious in what is arguably Mike Myers' most iconic role (he did do Wayne’s World and Shrek as well remember). Some of you may never have even seen them. Others are going, oh yeah. Honestly, we haven’t seen them in a while, and we’re not sure if they even hold up or how many politically incorrect landmines there are. But for sheer pop culture dominance in their time and wall-to-wall laughs, Austin Powers kicks off the list. Oh behave.
9. THE BOURNE TRILOGY
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum
Remember this? Matt Damon quietly went about his business making one of the best action trilogies we’ve ever seen. Each entry has its own stylistic presentation while still adhering to an overall aesthetic, voice, and story. Matt Damon shines as the amnesic action star — especially with his first turn as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity, easily the best of the bunch. But each film continues to carry on the quality as the depths of Bourne’s backstory are illuminated in his paradoxical mission for both answers and peace.
Watching a guy with no memory just naturally kick ass and understand all the ins and outs of being a spy is such a fantasy-driven thrill. Who wouldn’t want to just wake up one day with no past but a suite of iconic skills? The mystery supports the action with some really solid supporting roles from the likes of Chris Cooper, David Strathairn, Joan Allen, and even a pre-fame Clive Owen, who gives a profound performance as the Professor, a rival assassin super spy. Despite all the odds, Jason Bourne comes out on top again and again in one elite action sequence or fight scene after another.
8. THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Rises
Here’s a hot take: The Venus Fry Cook likes The Dark Knight Rises more than The Dark Knight. We know we know! Settle down and let us explain. The Joker is, without a doubt, the best part of the entire trilogy. But it’s a Batman trilogy. The Dark Knight is all about Heath Ledger’s Joker. The Dark Knight Rises is about Batman. Of all three movies in this most excellent trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises is the best Batman story, arc, and movie. There, we said it. Let’s move on.
The Dark Knight trilogy transcends the superhero genre. It’s more than a superhero movie. It’s cinema. And Christopher Nolan builds a dark, gothic world that pushes an obsessive but morally strict hero to his absolute limit. Before superhero movies took over the box office, these guys snuck in a Batman portrayed by Christian Bale with sleekness and stoicism, taking him from a spoiled brat to a man so broken and possessive that he must choose between his personas. He’s ready to give his life. Which life is up to him. In the end, the Batman dies saving Gotham, as Bruce Wayne goes on to find some measure of happiness. Right, Arthur? It’s a cohesive story that had a vision and stuck to it. And what we got was one of the best trilogies of the century.
7. THE GODFATHER TRILOGY
The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part III
This is tough to rank. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are two of the greatest films ever made, and were released only a couple of years apart. The Godfather Part III hit theaters over 15 years after the original two and didn’t even come close to living up to their legacy. The greatness of The Godfather franchise isn’t necessarily thought of in regards to its trilogy-ness. But as a trilogy, it simply doesn’t rank as high because of its disjointed nature and the shortcomings of the third installment. That being said…
It’s The Godfather. And two out of the three movies are all-time greats. This simultaneously epic and grounded look at family through the lens of the gangster genre (which it revolutionized in the process) is elite filmmaking on such a grand scale that we’ve rarely, if ever, since its like since. From Marlon Brando and Al Pacino to Talia Shire, Robert Duvall, Scott Caan, Robert De Niro, Eli Wallach, Diane Keaton, and the great John Cazale, the trilogy boasts the most elite actors of their generation. Even in the lesser-loved The Godfather Part III, Andy Garcia gives an incendiary performance. (Also, if you haven’t seen it yet, the released director’s cut, The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, corrects a lot of the problems from the original The Godfather Part III).
Regardless of the third film’s shortcomings, we’re given a complete story about Michael Corleone, a man drawn into a world he tried to reject, who does everything possible to protect his family — including losing them. Watching him spend three movies trying to stay out of the mafia life, and then trying to get out of the mafia life, while simultaneously becoming the greatest mafia don of all time, is a staggering level of masterful writing and filmmaking from Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo.
6. TOY STORY TRILOGY
Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 3
The only animated trilogy on this list, the three Toy Story movies are all exceptionally excellent on their own, and somehow string together a solid overarching narrative with a picture-perfect ending packed with so much emotion, it’s hard to tease apart what you’re actually feeling. Happiness, sadness, nostalgia, hope, and so much more are all woven throughout the entire trilogy with such cohesion that you’re barely aware you’re feeling them, simply enjoying the hijinks and humor, until the emotion pops like fireworks, leaving you spellbound at the lives of a bunch of toys.
But they’re toys that love so strongly. Feel so deeply. And they all fight so freaking hard for what they believe in. It’s absolutely inspiring. And it’s no wonder why the Toy Story trilogy has been peak Pixar at every turn. Who would have thought toys have so much to grapple with as the years go on? Yet, their struggles are somehow universally relatable. The idea of purpose. Of mattering. Of drifting apart from those you love most. And loving them enough to let them go. But then also loving yourself enough to move on. When it comes to the universal human experience, few characters have done it as well and as bravely as Andy’s toys. And it’s a joy to share the journey with them.
5. BEFORE TRILOGY
Before Sunrise
Before Sunset
Before Midnight
All three of these movies are a crystal clear, no questions asked, 10 out of 10. Looking at love at 20-something, love at 30-something, and love at 40-something through the mystifying theme of time doesn’t sound like the makings for one of the greatest trilogies of all time, and yet, every nine years, right on time, Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke have delivered rich, unique, and completely perfect romantic dramas that make viewers flame with the desire to feel, think, talk, and love like Jesse and Celine.
Each film asks a simple question about these two people. Can two strangers fall in love? Will they get together? Will they stay together? And each film ends on varying notes of ambiguity. Although Before Midnight, the final entry, certainly leans more toward a clear indication that they’ll stay together (thank Zeus). But their explorations of these questions are simply the two of them walking around, sitting around, and talking. You will never find a collection of three more engaging dialogue-centric films. They perfectly encapsulate what it’s like to meet someone. The excitement and the intangible, soulful certainty that this person is special. And then, when separated from them, how large that yearning can grow — how deeply it looms. But the third film pushes beyond that! Even if you are lucky enough to find them again, being together forces the magic to vanish, giving way to a reality that’s far more problematic and plagued by our flawed human nature.
The Before Trilogy is such a quiet and profound exploration of love. These three films are so beautiful, and work as a trilogy in a way that no other trilogy can compare. But time and time — and time again — you filled our hearts. We would’ve missed the plane too.
4. BACK TO THE FUTURE
Back to the Future
Back to the Future Part II
Back to the Future Part III
This is the point where any of the trilogies on the rest of this list could be a respectable number one. They’re hard to rank because any one of them could arguably be declared the best trilogy ever made. And we start these GOAT contenders with Back to the Future.
The oddest pairing has the best chemistry. A quack scientist and smart aleck embark on a series of time-travelling adventures that — while potentially creating a paradox that could unravel the fabric of the universe — feel more important because of the personal stakes of the iconic Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Ah, Doc and Marty. What the hell? How do you two exist? How does this work? You made a time machine out of a DeLorean? It’s been said a million times, but the Venus Fry Cook will say it again. Back to the Future is a perfect movie.
But with what seems like a clear vision from day one, Robert Zemeckis follows the first, perfect film up with two more that blend so well into an overarching story that it could be viewed as one, epic 6-hour film. The cliffhanger endings are unparalleled, setting adventurous trips back and forth across the last century in the small town of Hill Valley. The centerpiece clock tower is brilliant, if not obvious, and continues to feature throughout the story of Marty and Doc. Crystal clear problems like finding 1.21 gigawatts or getting the DeLorean up to 88 miles are layered with personal subplots that put the existence of heroes on the line. Forget the fact that Marty tries to make out with his mom. It didn’t seem weird to us in the 80s, so why should we question it now? And can we just say — how good is the title, Back to the Future. Come on, that's brilliant.
Back to the Future is a perfect trilogy that shows how, even when history repeats itself, it can continue to rivet audiences every time. Thank you, Back to the Future. You’re the only trilogy that could take us to a place where we don’t need roads.
3. INDIANA JONES
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The whip. The fedora. The epic score. The Indiana Jones trilogy is the epitome of the hero adventure film. And Indiana Jones himself is the quintessential hero. We know, we’re being a bit cliche. Here, we’ll just say it straight up. Indiana Jones is the manliest man’s man, coolest, most badass action hero of all time. No one else comes close. Not even James Bond (the inspiration for the Indy franchise) can compare. A whip and fedora? What even is that?! Sorry, we’re having trouble getting across the greatness of this trilogy. Indy often leaves us stumbling over our words.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (we know Raiders was originally released simply as Raiders of the Lost Ark and the “Indiana Jones and the…” has been retroactively assigned) opened with the most iconic action sequence in the history of movies. And from that point on, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Harrison Ford delivered one banger after another, each following a familiar pattern while each being tonally distinct. Raiders was pure action. Doom went dark. And then Crusade compensated with humor. They all delivered exciting openers, phobia scenes, supernatural macguffins, and elite set pieces (the tank chase in The Last Crusade is an all-timer).
Yes, parts of them are dated (especially Doom), but let’s acknowledge that and continue to admire their greatness. The character of Indiana Jones goes through the slightest of character arcs in every film, each with barely three touchstones throughout the story. But it’s enough to justify the greatest action-adventure franchise of all time. Beginning with the boulder scene, through snakes, bugs and rats — and from fortune and glory to belief and illumination — Indiana Jones maintains its incomparable quality all the way up until Indy and his friends rode off into the sunset for the perfect ending. And the Venus Fry Cook will leave it at that.
2. THE LORD OF THE RINGS
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
For nearly two decades, the unquestionable kings of the trilogy were Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars. And then the Lord of the Rings came along and took a legitimate run at the top spot. And it almost made it. But the Venus Fry Cook just couldn’t quite move it above number two. But not only is The Lord of the Rings the most recent great trilogy, and the only truly great, epic trilogy of the 21st century, it’s secure in its place as one of the greatest of all time.
Peter Jackson just kind of went and made the perfect Lord of the Rings trilogy. Of all the source material a filmmaker could adapt, Tolkien has gotta be right up there near the top. The amount of depth, world-building, history, characters, sidequests (yeah, we said it — Tom Bombadil’s great and all…), and ambiguous representation in the text should be impossible to adapt. And yet, Peter Jackson did it.
The characters are perfectly cast and, in turn, purely performed. Things that should be cheesy and not work, like an army of ghosts, are some of the strongest sequences in the film. There are so many different character arcs to resolve and subplots to tie up that you have to forgive Peter Jackson for having six endings to The Return of the King.
There are so many chill-inducing moments that the VFC could make countless lists about this trilogy alone. And maybe he will one day. But for now, in an era of cinema when the magic seems lost, and the past heights unscalable, remember that there was a time not too long ago, when a filmmaker could be trusted to do right by an idea that wasn’t his, for fans that existed long before the movies, and for the annals of history to look back on with pride. You may be number two on the Venus Fry Cook’s list, LOTR, but my friends, you bow to no one.
1. STAR WARS
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
When Luke Skywalker accepts his call to action in the original 1977 Star Wars, he says, “I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father.” And in the climactic lightsaber battle of 1983’s Return of the Jedi, after sparing his father, Darth Vader’s life, Luke declares, “I’m a Jedi. Like my father before me.” Now that is storytelling.
The original Star Wars trilogy is pure cinema at its finest. And as a trilogy, it’s near-perfect (and Ewok or two aside). Each film spectacularly stands on its own, but each also works brilliantly within the grander narrative. This is ultimately a story about Luke Skywalker becoming a Jedi knight. He says it clear as day at the pivotal points on either end of the trilogy, acting as the inciting incident and climax of Luke Skywalker’s story across all three films.
Of course, the trilogy goes beyond Luke Skywalker, giving movie fans the most iconic cast of characters of all time. Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, C-3PO and R2D2, Lando Calrissian, Yoda, Chewbacca, and the absolutely iconic Princess Leia. George Lucas brilliantly took the classic fantasy archetypes of knights, wizards, and princesses and applied them to a Dune-inspired space opera for the ages.
The trilogy is structurally sound. Emotionally resonate. Exciting beyond words. And emotive in ways a story, a long time ago in a galaxy far far away has no business being. Nothing else can compare to its greatness. And though it’s tragically been watered down, betrayed, and tainted by Disney’s efforts to capitalize on its genius, all it takes is a momentary effort to step back, look closely, and remember that there was a time when this was Star Wars. These three movies. This trilogy to start and end all trilogies. The Star Wars trilogy, at its most pure, is one of the greatest storytelling achievements in the history of the world.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
THE SAM RAIMI SPIDER-MAN TRILOGY — A strong start and a superhero GOAT contender second outing, but this just didn’t even come close to sticking the landing.
THE HANGOVER TRILOGY — It’s not exactly Shakespeare, but these movies are a riot. The first outing was an unexpected classic with a premise so obviously brilliant, it’s shocking it had never been done before. The sequels brought diminishing returns, but the wolfpack was so fun, we were happy to go along for the ride.
OCEAN’S TRILOGY — This was the toughest trilogy for the Venus Fry Cook to leave off the list. Despite how excellent all three movies are (especially the iconic first outing), it’s just not known for its trilogy-ness. And the second two movies are more or less forgotten — even though the VFC is still an all-in fan of the franchise.
THE MARIACHI TRILOGY — This trilogy isn’t talked about nearly enough. Starting with the breakthrough El Mariarchi, hitting theaters hard and blowing audiences’ minds with Desperado, and then concluding with the underappreciated epic, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, this Robert Rodriguez trilogy is an absolute blast.
LETHAL WEAPON — Here’s the thing… we love Lethal Weapon 3 and 4 more than 1 and 2, and that’s really clouding our ability to rank it. But let it be known, the VFC loves Riggs and Murtagh and the Lethal Weapon franchise.
Disclaimers
The Venus Fry Cook has never seen every movie from the following trilogies, which could arguably be contenders: Mad Max, Evil Dead, The Dollars Trilogy, Three Colors
Many of these trilogies expanded their franchise beyond the original trilogy. We’re not considering those expansions in our rankings.
