Fictional trilogies can be traced back to the Dionysia, an Ancient Greek theatre festival circa the 5th century BCE. The first movie trilogy — Bab's Diary, Bab's Burglar, and Bab's Matinee Idol — was made and released during the Silent Era. Starring Marguerite Clark as the titular protagonist, the so-called Babs Trilogy is an early example of the rom-com genre.
Three-part films have been around for a long time, although they are becoming more common with each passing decade. Several movie studios have attempted to capitalize on their most successful movies by releasing direct-to-video sequels, many of which turned out to be notoriously unpopular. On the other end of the spectrum are movie trilogies that are true benchmarks of cinema, at least according to IMDb voters.
10 Peter Jackson's The Hobbit Trilogy Is A Delightfully Nostalgic Trip To Middle-Earth — 7.66
Peter Jackson's The Hobbit Trilogy was a massive hit on the financial front, amassing nearly $3 billion at the box office. An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) borrow the bulk of their respective storylines from Tolkien's 1937 novel.
The films also incorporate several elements from The Lord of the Rings, as well as movie-only storylines written solely for The Hobbit. Most reviewers praised the luscious Middle-earth aesthetic but complained about prolonged runtimes and superfluous story padding. The Hobbit Trilogy's average IMDb score is 7.66, a half-decent achievement given the critical backlash.
9 Alejandro Iñárritu's Trilogy Of Death Isn't Meant For Viewers With Tough Stomachs, But Rather Open Hearts — 7.76
With an average IMDb score of 7.76, Alejandro Iñárritu's Trilogy of Death blends three loosely interlaced plots into a philosophically profound saga. Amores Perros (2000) won the Critics' Week Grand Prize at the Cannes, 21 Grams (2003) obtained two Oscar nominations, and Babel (2006) earned Iñárritu the Cannes Award for Best Director.
The Trilogy of Death examines the human condition under a sociopolitical microscope, drawing unmistakable parallels between cultures and traditions from around the world. Despite its ominous atmosphere, the Trilogy of Death isn't meant for viewers with the toughest stomachs, but for those with open hearts.
8 Park Chan-Wook's Vengeance Trilogy Is Woven Around A Deeply Poignant Narrative Center — 7.8
Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), and Lady Vengeance (2005), unofficially clubbed under the Vengeance Trilogy, have an average IMDb score of 7.8. All three movies are built on similar foundations and contain strikingly analogous themes, even if their storylines are essentially unrelated.
The Vengeance Trilogy can be interpreted as an analytical exploration of modern South Korea, a morbid social commentary that doubles as a hallucinatory action-thriller series. Park Chan-wook's directorial vision is nothing short of innovative, forging layers of suspense, tension, and dramatic flair around a deeply poignant narrative center.
7 Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors Is Intriguing, Challenging, And Thoroughly Graceful — 7.86
One of the most pre-eminent filmmakers of the 20th century, Krzysztof Kieślowski has an array of prestigious awards and accomplishments under his belt. His Three Colors Trilogy is widely noted as his best work, earning near-universal praise from critics and audiences alike.
With an average IMDb score of 7.86, Three Colors: Blue (1993), Three Colors: White (1994), and Three Colors: Red (1994) garnered multiple nominations at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. Although White is significantly lighter in tenor, all three installments in Kieślowski's iconic trilogy are intriguing, challenging, and thoroughly graceful.
6 Robert Zemeckis' Back To The Future Will Maintain Its Pop-Cultural Influence For A Long Time — 7.9
The Back to the Future trilogy's average IMDb score is 7.9, a shockingly low rating given the franchise's era-defining impact on Hollywood. Roger Ebert claimed that the first "movie's surprises are [...] its great pleasures," but criticized the sequels as "an exercise in goofiness."
Nevertheless, this time-travel adventure works best in trilogy form, pushing the boundaries of the comedy, coming-of-age, and sci-fi genres to their farthest extents. Back to the Future has since become a cinematic landmark, a trilogy that will undoubtedly maintain its pop-cultural influence for a long time. Countless TV programs, movies, video games, novels, and even rock band names contain recognizable references to Back to the Future.
5 Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy Is A Tenderly Sculpted Character Study — 8.0
Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in the lead roles, has an average IMDb score of 8.0. Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013) follows the romantic history of Jesse and Céline — a pair of star-crossed lovers who walk the blurred line between quixotic whimsy and the anguish of separation.
The films are wonderfully minimalistic in their approach, eschewing action and melodrama in favor of pure dialogue. The Before Trilogy is essentially a character study, but Jesse and Céline somehow don't feel like pawns in Linklater's hands. On the contrary, they express themselves with as much candor and passion as physically possible through the cinematic medium.
4 Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy Effectively Transformed The Filmmaking Landscape — 8.3
Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy views the Western genre through the optics of European filmmaking. Each film in the trilogy is equally central to the development of the Spaghetti Western. With an average IMDb score of 8.3, A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) effectively transformed the cinematic landscape of their time.
Clint Eastwood's performance as the "Man with No Name" received widespread acclaim, turning him into one of the most memorable action movie stars in Hollywood history. Although initially panned by critics, the Dollars Trilogy earned its justly deserved fame after retrospective reviews began praising the films' radical approach to cinematography and direction.
3 George Lucas' Star Wars Original Trilogy Established Several Cinematic Benchmarks — 8.53
Marketed as an American space opera, the original Star Wars Trilogy has an average IMDb score of 8.53. Director George Lucas' attempt to combine the sci-fi, western, and fantasy genres was incredibly successful, not to mention profitable. Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983) established several filmmaking benchmarks, particularly in visual effects and sound design.
In fact, the Star Wars Trilogy further cemented the blockbuster concept formulated by Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975). The aptly named Skywalker Saga eventually incorporated a prequel and a sequel trilogy, earning over nine billion dollars at the box office in total.
2 Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Went On To Inspire A Global Array Of Filmmakers — 8.6
Inspired by Mario Puzo's eponymous novel, the three installments in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy were released in 1972, 1974, and 1990. The first two movies are generally considered cinematic masterpieces, whereas The Godfather Part III has been criticized for its disorganized tone and flimsy performances.
Nevertheless, the average IMDb score for the trilogy is an impressive 8.6. In a review for The New Yorker, Pauline Kael summarized The Godfather as "a great example of how the best popular movies come out of a merger of commerce and art." This trilogy went on to inspire a global array of auteurs, such as Brian de Palma, Martin Scorsese, Bong Joon-ho, and Guy Ritchie.
1 Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings Remains Incredibly Popular To This Day — 8.86
Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings boasts an average IMDb score of 8.86, making it the highest-rated film trilogy on the website. Adapted from the high fantasy novel series by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings is everything that The Hobbit could (or should) have been. The trilogy won 17 Oscars from 30 nominations, including a whopping eleven wins for The Return of the King (2003).
Writing for Variety, Todd McCarthy classified the trilogy as "one of the most ambitious and phenomenally successful dream projects of all time," a description that is both accurate and compelling. The Lord of the Rings franchise remains incredibly popular to this day, spawning a range of media products from Middle-Earth-based video games to the recent Amazon series subtitled The Rings of Power.