35 Best Movie Franchises to Binge Watch

Film franchises have become a defining pillar of blockbuster entertainment in the 21st century, with the growing and ongoing interest in, and commercial viability of direct sequels coinciding with the financial juggernaut that is expanded cinematic universes like the MCU and the Star Wars saga. In addition to being major box office drawcards, the rising popularity of such extended cinematic stories allows for fans to develop deeper bonds with the characters they love as they evolve over the course of such franchises.

Ranging from the annals of 80s horror to spy movie mayhem, fantasy adventure, and some of the definitive blockbuster titles of the modern era, these cinematic series have kept fans coming back for more time and time again. Some are great trilogies that have become enduring classics, others are ongoing odysseys that have weathered their fair share of ups and downs. All of them make for enticing binge-watching experiences for movie lovers looking for their next marathon.

35

‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ Trilogy

Three Movies

Image via Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

While it was somewhat dismissed for a time, The Chronicles of Narnia films released from 2005 to 2010 have started to come back into relevance, not least of all because of Netflix’s announcement of a new adaptation helmed by Greta Gerwig being in the works. It is a glorious thing that the movies are getting plenty of retrospective praise, as their adaptation of the first three books of C. S. Lewis’s famed fantasy series strikes a beautiful balance between the enchanting scope of epic storytelling and the accessible wonder of family entertainment.

Transpiring as the young Pevensie siblings as their relocation to a country home during the Blitz introduces them to the magical realm of Narnia, the films depict their ventures into the fantasy world and the impact their presence has on the social structure of the land. With an infectious appetite for adventure strongly supported by magnificent production value, astute special effects, and a marvelous ensemble cast, The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy offers a captivating viewing experience defined by its warmth, creativity, and inviting curiosity.

34

The Bourne Franchise

Five Movies

Image via Universal Pictures

Imbuing the spy genre with the grit and intensity that is desperately needed at the turn of the century, the Jason Bourne movies stand as some of the most defining action thrillers of the 21st century so far. Following discarded amnesiac spy Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) as he strives to remember his past while being hunted by corrupt CIA operatives, the initial trilogy is particularly outstanding, offering grounded suspense and visceral thrills while maintaining spy cinema’s trademark globe-trotting energy.

Granted, the distant sequel Jason Bourne and spin-offs like The Bourne Legacy and USA Network’s Treadstone series haven’t quite matched the high-octane brilliance of the original three films, but they still offer a pulsating brand of action that is incredibly easy to indulge in. In essence, the Bourne franchise combines bruising action intensity with an intrinsic web of government conspiracy and a sharply realized story of identity and persecution to offer an engrossing spectacle from start to finish.

33

The ‘Paddington’ Trilogy

Three Movies

Image via StudioCanal

Offering an infectious dose of warmth, charm, and gentle humanity, the Paddington movies have become an instant classic of family entertainment that audiences of all ages can be enchanted by. Following the titular Peruvian bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) as he travels to London and finds his place with the Brown family, each film in the trilogy is a dazzling masterpiece of comedy-adventure fun that, through its adorable lead character, emphasizes the importance of curiosity, kindness, and good manners.

Bolstered by its astonishing marriage of CGI animation and picturesque live-action visuals, the trilogy absorbs viewers into its world of whimsical fun and profound moral purity with a rich decadence that is as heartwarming as it is artistically inspired. While the much-lauded Paddington 2 may be the trilogy’s standout sensation, all three Paddington films provide an uplifting and magically endearing spectacle. Watching the three films back-to-back is not only wonderfully rewarding but also gleefully easy.

32

‘The Godfather’ Trilogy

Three Movies

Image via Paramount Pictures

As a binge-watching experience, The Godfather trilogy is obviously hindered by the unrewarding nature of The Godfather Part III, but that doesn’t overshadow the brilliance of the first two films. It is frankly amazing how two such dramatic, violent, and intense crime epics can be so effortlessly easy to revisit and watch back-to-back. There are a plethora of reasons why this is the case (and why they stand as two of the greatest films ever made), but their most defining qualities are their challenging yet resonant moral journeys, complex characters, breathtaking cinematography, and their authentic and textured look at the inner workings of a mafia crime family.

The Godfather trilogy at large offers a decadent display of crime in America across the 20th century, ranging from a young Vito Corleone’s (Robert De Niro) rise in the 1920s, to his son Michael’s (Al Pacino) succession and tumultuous efforts to expand through the 50s and 60s, and even to the state of the family towards the end of the century in The Godfather Part III. While the last movie is definitely optional, the astonishing portrait of how crime and moral corruption interweave with the American Dream makes for an entrancing, defining masterpiece of crime cinema.

31

The ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ Franchise

Nine Movies

Image via New Line Cinema

When it comes to the pioneering slasher horror icons of the ’70s and ’80s, it is difficult to determine which ones are best to binge-watch as an entire series. However, with its innovative brilliance, its ceaseless appetite for experimentation, and its constant undercurrent of twisted fun, A Nightmare on Elm Street is truly one of the best picks for both horror lovers and general movie fans looking to dabble in the genre.

It revolves around the exploits of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), once a child murderer, now an undead spirit that plagues the minds of his victims by stalking their dreams and killing them as they sleep. Spawned from the marvelous and macabre mind of Wes Craven, the saga uses the medium of dreams as a playground for striking horror visuals and great suspense. While it is propped up by its 1984 original film, installments such as A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare ensure the whole franchise offers plenty of horror fun and vibrant flourishes of creative enthusiasm.

30

The ‘Shrek’ Franchise

Six Movies

Image via DreamWorks Animation

One of the defining titles in animated cinema, Shrek enchanted adults and children alike with its subversive fairy-tale story that sees the titular ghastly ogre sent to rescue a princess for a fable-hating lord so he can be left unbothered in his swamp. As the franchise goes on, Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona’s (Cameron Diaz) love story becomes the core focus, as well as the many misadventures they embark on with their litany of friends, including Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas).

The first film is a shining light of inspired brilliance that remains as absorbing and fun-loving today as it was upon release in 2001. Additionally, Shrek 2 stands as one of the most hilarious and enjoyable animated movies of this century, while the two Puss in Boots spin-off films bolster the franchise’s status as well, with 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish one of the more noteworthy highlights of animated cinema in recent years.

29

The ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Trilogy

Three Movies

Image via DreamWorks

DreamWorks Animation could easily lay claim to being the greatest production house of animated cinema so far this century. In addition to the hilarious glory of the aforementioned Shrek movies, they also presented another magnificent movie series in the form of How to Train Your Dragon and its sequels. The animated trilogy follows the bond between Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a young Viking prince, and Toothless, a dragon he befriends despite being tasked with killing it. Their friendship leads to many magical adventures while also reshaping the culture of Berk.

Combining stunning animation, brilliant character development, and a mature depth surrounding important themes of acceptance, friendship, and belonging, the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is a modern marvel of animated cinema. With DreamWorks’ live-action remake also proving to be a triumph—one with a sequel on the way—the franchise could continue to evolve and expand in interesting ways for many years to come.

28

The ‘X-Men’ & ‘Deadpool’ Series

14 Movies

Image via Marvel Studios

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may be the biggest superhero entity in film at the moment, and the DCEU probably stands as its major rival, but no one can forget the ignition point of such an idea that came in the form of the X-Men movies. While they started as a simple film series following the exploits of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and the rest of Charles Xavier’s (Patrick Stewart) mutants in their fight against oppression from both fellow mutants and human extremists, they soon evolved to be so much more.

X-Men: First Class saw the franchise expand exponentially, though, while installments like The Wolverine and Logan introduced exceptional grit, and the recent release of Deadpool & Wolverine saw the Deadpool films incorporated into the grander vision. The end result is a sprawling display of superhero action that ranges from the thematically rich and brilliantly intense to the hysterical, resulting in a versatile binge experience that all lovers of superhero storytelling can enjoy.

27

The ‘Star Trek’ Series

13 Movies

Image via Paramount Pictures

Running for three seasons through the latter half of the 1960s, Star Trek transfixed audiences as a spellbinding science-fiction adventure voyaging to new worlds in an enchanting, expansive future. Ten years after the series concluded, the cast returned to make Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and while that film was a bit of a misfire, it still launched a new filmic saga that continues to inspire wonder even today.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is widely regarded to be one of the best sci-fi blockbusters of all time, while the Star Trek: The Next Generation movies held a certain intrigue as well. With a new reboot launching in 2009 starring Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, the wider franchise spans across five decades, presenting a total of 13 movies that make for an enticing binge-watch for all sci-fi film lovers.

26

The ‘Rocky’ & ‘Creed’ Movies

Nine Movies

Image via United Artists

While the franchise has never returned to the sensational heights of its first installment way back in 1976, the Rocky movies remain a largely entertaining spectacle of high sporting drama and inspiring triumph. The Rocky movies document the rise of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), an old-school brawler from working-class Philadelphia who becomes a phenomenon—and eventually a world champion—when Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) offers him a novelty shot at the title.

While the Rocky movies span from the scintillating to the shocking, the spin-off series Creed—focusing on Apollo’s son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) and his boxing aspirations—has found a greater consistency even if it hasn’t reached the same illustrious heights. The films remain the gold standard of sports cinema, and the journey from Rocky’s humble beginnings to his mentoring his old adversary’s son is terrific to watch unfold in quick succession.