If you’re bored and looking for something to watch, movie franchises are always an option. For those who don’t know what they are, these are a series of films set in a single universe, or a continuing storyline over a number of films. While movie sequels are notorious for not living up to the quality of its first movie, there are movie franchises out there that deserve the fame it gets.
We’ve compiled some of the best and well-loved franchises that are great to binge watch to.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybji16u608U]
Whether you’re a Marvel fan or not, the MCU film franchise are always a joy to watch. Not only are the individual films great to watch, but the intertwined storylines of the movies are also fascinating. What makes the storytelling more fascinating in MCU is that the films have been planned over the years. Starting with the first film, Iron Man, in 2008 and ending (so far) with its latest installment, Spider-man: Far From Home, which was released in 2019. That’s 11 years of connected storylines, and there’s still more to come. The next film to be released is Black Widow, slated for release this 2020.
Another thing that makes MCU enjoyable to watch is that the timeline of the stories in the films are not in the order of the films’ releases. This is why every rewatch of the movie franchise, you feel like you’ll always discover something new. If you don’t know where to start watching, you can always refer to this Marvel Cinematic Universe Guide.
Harry Potter
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyHV0BRtdxo&w=640&h=360]
The Harry Potter film franchise is a classic childhood movie favorite. Whether you have read the books or not, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Harry Potter. A majority of the millenials today probably grew up with him, following his stories to the magical world of Hogwarts. The last movie for this franchise was released back in 2011, but fans of the series still continue to share their love for it. Binge watching the Harry Potter series today would probably not only transport you back to the time of magic, but it will also bring nostalgia – reminding us of our childhood.
The story is centered on three people – Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. While the movie franchises mainly follows these three, audience can’t also help but endear themselves to other characters such as Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom.
Star Wars
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qn_spdM5Zg&w=640&h=360]
If you’re a sci-fi geek, the Star Wars movie franchise should definitely be on your list. It’s been more than 40 years since the first movie of the franchise was released and it’s still a movie classic. For anyone who is in love with sci-fi, the Star Wars movie franchise was probably their starter pack. A classic struggle between good and evil, the films tells us a story from “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away”. The movie franchise will definitely keep you on your seats with their three sets of trilogy. The original trilogy consists of Episodes IV-VI, while Episodes I-III make up the prequel trilogy and lastly, the sequel trilogy are Episodes VII-IX. Moreover, there are also the anthology films of Rogue One and Solo.
Like Marvel, the release of the films are non-chronological. Some prefer to watch it in the order they were released, but if you’re looking to make a change in the way you watch, you can always try this.
Lord of the Rings
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V75dMMIW2B4&w=640&h=360]
Another movie franchise that was based on books: Lord of the Rings. Unlike the other movie franchises I’ve mentioned so far, the Lord of the Rings franchise is a trilogy. However, don’t underestimate this trilogy as the first two films run over 3 hours, while the last installment runs for over 4 hours. Combine the three of them, and you get around 11.3 hours of runtime. Good for a one-day marathon! We recommend watching the movie franchise’s extended edition since it’s so packed, you’re almost like reading the novels itself.
After finishing the LOTR trilogy, you can follow it up with the Hobbit trilogy.
Toy Story
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNk1Wi8SvNc&w=640&h=360]
If you’re on the lookout for a heartwarming story to binge watch, the Toy Story franchise’s always a good choice. A 4-part film that started in 1995 and recently ended in 2019. Following the story of the toys, specifically Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear, and their adventures when their owner, Andy, is not there. While the movies are focused on the toys, Toy Story also shows us that Andy eventually grows up and the toys have gone to a new owner.
Similar to Harry Potter, Toy Story is another film series that people have grown up with. While kids today may see it as just another set of Pixar films, the kids during the time the first Toy Story was released have a personal connection with the franchise. It’s a great kids movie that also reminds us that we eventually grow and become adults.
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