There’s a charm to a good tris. In a world full of film worlds & long spin-offs, a trilogy hits just right: a start, mid, & end. Three films. One grand trip. Be it big heists, grand loves, or time-hops with teens in a DeLorean, the top trilogy know-how to start big, dig deep, & end well. Here are 13 of the best film trilogies that made a deep mark on films—and our hearts.
13. Austin Powers Tris
Cool, baby! Mike Myers’ wild spoof on spy films gave us International Man of Mystery, The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Goldmember—each bolder, funnier, and more outrageous than the last. From Dr. Evil to Mini-Me to those bold one-liners, this trilogy was the height of wild fun done right.
12. The Naked Gun Trilogy
Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin is the funniest clueless cop to ever bumble through a case. These films—wild, full of puns, & crazy to see—are top marks of slapstick that still hit right. No plot summary will ever show how fun a banana peel gag can be in Drebin’s hands.
11. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy
Before film worlds took hold, Tobey Maguire swung into our hearts in a trilogy that reshaped hero films. Raimi mixed high-flying fun with real feels, big foes like Doc Ock, & a sense of awe that few hero films match now.
10. The Millennium Trilogy
Dark, sharp, & quite grim, this Swedish crime tale—The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, & The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest—showed the world Lisbeth Salander. Noomi Rapace’s act is fierce, & the air is as tense as it is grim.
9. Three Colours Trilogy
Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Blue, White, & Red are slow-burn, deep meditations on loss, love, & ties. Born from the thoughts of the French flag—freedom, same rights, brotherhood—these films are deep, full of poetry, & full of real truths.
8. The Before Trilogy
Love is not this real often. Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, & Before Midnight span nearly two decades in the lives of Jesse and Céline, played with deep, real feels by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. It’s soft, chatty, & so very gripping.
7. The Dollars Trilogy
Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Westerns—A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly—made a new type with style, grit, & Ennio Morricone’s big scores. Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name set the bar for the lone fighter.
6. Back to the Future Trilogy
Few trilogies are as fun as Marty and Doc Brown’s time trips. Be it high school in the ’50s, hoverboards in 2015, or a face-off in the Old West, Back to the Future mixes fun, sci-fi, & heart like magic in a pot—or, a flux thing.
5. The Godfather Trilogy
Francis Ford Coppola’s tale of power, kin, & dark acts is the plan for film top marks. The first two are near perfect. And while Part III is fought over, the trilogy as a whole paints a big, sad tale of the American dream turned dark.
4. The First Star Wars Trilogy
A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, & Return of the Jedi aren’t just films—they’re myth. George Lucas made a world of heroes, bad guys, & ships that grabbed hearts for years. And at its core? One farm trip to fate, and a tale of finding the good path back.
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Peter Jackson made Tolkien’s big tale into a film landmark. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, & The Return of the King brought Middle-earth to life with scale, heart, & top effects. It’s the rare dream series that feels both close & huge.
2. The Dark Knight Trilogy
Christopher Nolan gave Batman more than just a cape—he gave him mind depth. Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, & The Dark Knight Rises redid the hero type with moral twists, real grit, & Heath Ledger’s big Joker act.
1. The Toy Story Trilogy
Before the fourth film came, Pixar’s Toy Story trilogy was a show in deep tales. Seeing Woody, Buzz, & the gang grow with their owner—and each other—was fun, from the heart, & full of deep truths. It talked to kids and adults alike about love, trust, & moving on.
What makes a trilogy great is not just that it sticks—it ends. It’s not just a set of new films put out in no time. They are full tales. They let us meet folks we care about, lead us through ups & downs, & leave us changed. In an age of too many spin-offs & film swelling, a well-told trilogy is a gift: three acts, one tale, & just the right hit of magic.