# List of multimedia franchises originating in films

Following is a list of multimedia franchises originating in films, whether animated or live-action.
In the following tables, the initial media through which the franchise characters or settings became known is shown in boldface. Only works of fiction are only considered part of the series; a book or a documentary film about the franchise is not itself an installment in the franchise.

## Franchises originating in animated films

| Franchise (Creator) | Literature | Comics | Animated films | Live action films | Animated TV series | Live action TV series | Video games | Other media |
| An American Tail (Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, Steven Spielberg) | various | no | An American Tail (1986) An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991) An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island (1998) An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster (1999) | no | Fievel's American Tails (1992) | no | various | An American Tail Theatre |
| Cars (John Lasseter and various) | various | various | Cars (2006) Cars 2 (2011) Cars 3 (2017) Planes (2013) Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) | no | Cars Toons/Cars On The Road | no | various | toy line Cars Land |
| Casper the Friendly Ghost (Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo) | various | various | The Friendly Ghost (1945) Casper's Haunted Christmas (2000) Casper's Scare School (2006) | Casper (1995) | Matty's Funday Funnies (1959–1961) The New Casper Cartoon Show (1963–1970) several others | several made-for-TV movies | various | toys |
| Despicable Me (Sergio Pablos) | children's novels | Minions comic albums | Despicable Me (2010)Despicable Me 2 (2013)Minions (2015)Despicable Me 3 (2017)Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)Despicable Me 4 (2024)Minions 3 (2026) | no | Minions Holiday Special (2020) | no | Despicable MeMinion MayhemMinion RushMinion Paradise | Despicable Me Minion Mayhem |
| Felix the Cat (Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer) | Felix the Cat comic strip | various | Theatrical Shorts series (beginning in 1919 to 1930) sound and color revival shorts from Van Beuren Studios (1936) Felix the Cat: The Movie (1988) Felix the Cat Saves Christmas (2004) | no | Felix the Cat (1958–1960) The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (1995–1997) Baby Felix (2000–2001) | no | Felix the Cat (1992/1993) Felix the Cat's Cartoon Toolbox (1994) | various merchandise |
| Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton) | yes | yes | Finding Nemo (2003) Finding Dory (2016) | Exploring the Reef with Jean-Michel Cousteau (2003) | no | no | yes | Finding Nemo the Musical Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage |
| Frozen (Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee) | numerous | Yes | Frozen (2013) Frozen II (2019) | no | LEGO Frozen Northern (2016) | Once Upon a Time (season 4; 2014) | numerous | Disney On Ice Frozen, Frozen Ever After and more |
| Hotel Transylvania (Todd Durham) | no | no | Hotel Transylvania (2012) Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022) | no | Hotel Transylvania: The Series (2017) Motel Transylvania (2025) | no | Hotel Transylvania Hotel Transylvania Dash Hotel Transylvania Social Game Hotel Transylvania BooClips Deluxe App | |
| Ice Age (Michael J. Wilson) | no | no | Ice Age (2002) The Meltdown (2006) Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) Continental Drift (2012) Collision Course (2016) The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (2022) Ice Age 6 (2026) | no | no | no | various | Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure (live arena ice show) |
| The Incredibles (Brad Bird) | yes | yes | The Incredibles (2004) Incredibles 2 (2018) | no | no | no | various | Incredicoaster |
| Inside Out(Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen) | no | no | Inside Out (2015) Inside Out 2 (2024) | no | Dream Productions (2024) | no | several | no |
| Kung Fu Panda (Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris) | no | yes | Kung Fu Panda (2008) Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) | no | Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011–2016) Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny (2018–2019) Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022-) | no | yes | numerous |
| The Land Before Time (Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, Judy Freudburg & Tony Geiss) | various | no | The Land Before Time (1988) sequels | no | The Land Before Time (2007–08) | no | List of The Land Before Time video games | no |
| Lilo & Stitch / Disney Stitch (Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois) | children's novels, including the Agent Stitch series (beginning in 2022) | Comic Zone: Lilo & Stitch (2002–c. 2006) Stitch! manga books Stitch & the Samurai (2020) Lilo & Stitch (Dynamite Entertainment; 2024–present) | Lilo & Stitch (2002) Stitch! The Movie (2003) Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) Leroy & Stitch (2006) | Lilo & Stitch (2025) | Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003–2006) Stitch! (2008–2015) Stitch & Ai (2017) | no | Disney's Lilo & Stitch (GBA; 2002) Lilo & Stitch: Trouble in Paradise (2002) Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626 (2002) various others | theme park attractions and additional merchandise |
| The Lion King (Roger Allers & Rob Minkoff) | adaption | various | The Lion King (1994) The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) The Lion King 1½ (2004) The Lion King (2019) Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) | no (though the 2019 remake was advertised as a live-action film) | The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa (1995–1999) The Lion Guard (2015–2019) | no | various | other media |
| Looney Tunes (Rudolf Ising and Hugh Harman) | yes | various | Theatrical Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies short films (beginning in 1930 to 1969 with rival shorts released in the 1990s and 2010s) various feature films The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (2025) | Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1989)(cameo only) Space Jam (1996) Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) | numerous | no | List of Looney Tunes video games | Music albums, theme park attractions |
| Madagascar (Tom McGrath, Eric Darnell) | various | various | Madagascar (2005) Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) Penguins of Madagascar (2014) | no | various | no | various | musical, theme park attractions |
| Mickey Mouse and Friends (Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks) | children's books | Mickey Mouse (comic book) various | Theatrical short films (beginning in 1928) Fantasia (1940) Saludos Amigos (1942) The Three Caballeros (1944) Fantasia 2000 (1999) | Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1989) (cameo only) | numerous | Walt Disney anthology television series | various | numerous |
| Monsters, Inc. (Pete Docter and various) | various | Monsters, Inc.: Laugh Factory | Monsters, Inc. (2001) Monsters University (2013) | no | Monsters at Work (2021–present) | no | various | numerous |
| The Secret Life of Pets (Cinco Paul Brian Lynch Ken Daurio) | yes | yes | The Secret Life of Pets (2016) The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019) | no | no | no | The Secret Life of Pets: Unleashed | The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! |
| Tangled (Nathan Greno & Byron Howard) | various | various | Tangled (2010) Tangled Ever After (2012) Tangled: Before Ever After (2017) | no | Tangled: The Series / Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017–2020) | no | Tangled: The Video Game (2010) | |
| Tom and Jerry (William Hanna & Joseph Barbera) | yes | various | Theatrical short films, (beginning in 1940 to 1967 and 2005) Tom and Jerry: The Movie (1992) various DTV animated films | Tom & Jerry (2021) | numerous | no | List of Tom and Jerry video games | Musical adaption |
| Toy Story (John Lasseter, and various) | yes | various | Toy Story (1995) Toy Story 2 (1999) Toy Story 3 (2010) Toy Story 4 (2019) Lightyear (2022) Toy Story Toons (2011–2012) Lamp Life (2020) | no | Toy Story Treats (1996) Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000–2001) Forky Asks a Question (2019–2020) two TV shorts | no | various | other media |
| Wallace & Gromit (Nick Park) | yes | various | A Grand Day Out (1989) The Wrong Trousers (1993) A Close Shave (1995) The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) A Matter of Loaf and Death(2008) Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015) A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019) Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2025) two Shaun the Sheep specials | no | Cracking Contraptions (2002) Shaun the Sheep (2007-) Timmy Time (2009–2012) Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention (2010) | no | various | Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic |
| Woody Woodpecker/Andy Panda (Walter Lantz) | yes | yes | Theatrical Andy Panda short series (starting in 1939 to 1952, with the short Knock Knock debuting the character of Woody Woodpecker) Theatrical Woody Woodpecker shorts (starting in 1940 to 1971) | Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1989) (cameo only)Woody Woodpecker (2017) Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp (2024) | The Woody Woodpecker Show (1957–1958) The New Woody Woodpecker Show (1999–2001) Woody Woodpecker (2018) | live action segments in The Woody Woodpecker Show | various | theme park attractions The Woody Woodpecker Song |

## Franchises originating in live-action films

| Franchise (Creator) | Literature | Comics | Animated films | Live action films | Animated TV series | Live action TV series | Video games | Other media |
| Alien (Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett) | Alien novel series | various | no | Alien (1979) Aliens (1986) Alien 3 (1992) Alien Resurrection (1997) | no | no | various | - |
| Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale) | novelizations of the films | several | no | Back to the Future (1985) Back to the Future Part II (1989) Back to the Future Part III (1990) | Back to the Future (1991–1992) | no | yes | Back to the Future the Musical Doc Brown Saves the World (2015) |
| Beetlejuice (Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson) | juvenile novels (1992) | yes (1991–1992) | no | Beetlejuice (1988) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) | Beetlejuice (1989–1991) | no | several | Beetlejuice musical (2018) |
| Bill & Ted (Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon) | yes | Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book (1991–1992) | no | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990–1991) | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1992) | various | cereal musical |
| Buffyverse (Joss Whedon) | List of Buffyverse novels | List of Buffyverse comics | no | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) | Animated pilot | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) Angel (1999–2004) | Buffy the Vampire Slayer video games | - |
| The Chronicles of Riddick / Pitch Black (David Twohy) | yes | no | The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004) | Pitch Black (2000) The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) Riddick (2013) | no | no | several | - |
| DC Extended Universe (DC Films) | various | various | no | Man of Steel (2013) several other films | no | various | various | - |
| Evil Dead (Sam Raimi) | no | Army of Darkness comic book various | no | The Evil Dead (1981)Evil Dead II (1987)Army of Darkness (1992)Evil Dead (2013); reboot | no | Ash vs Evil Dead | several | Evil Dead: The Musical |
| The Expendables (David Callaham) | no | several | no | The Expendables (2010) The Expendables 2 (2012) The Expendables 3 (2014) Expend4bles (2023) | no | no | several | soundtracks |
| Final Destination (Jeffrey Reddick) | numerous novels | Final Destination: Sacrifice (2006) Final Destination: Spring Break (2006) | no | Final Destination (2000)Final Destination 2 (2003)Final Destination 3 (2006)The Final Destination (2009)Final Destination 5 (2011)Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025) | no | no | no | - |
| Flipper (Arthur Weiss Ricou Browning Jack Cowden) | children's books | yes | no | Flipper (1963) Flipper's New Adventure (1964) Flipper (1996) | Flipper and Lopaka | Flipper (1964) Flipper (1995) | yes | no |
| Ghostbusters (Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis) | no | Ghostbusters (comics) | no | Ghostbusters (1984) Ghostbusters II (1989) Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) | yes | no | yes | - |
| Godzilla (Ishirō Honda) | novels by Marc Cerasini | Godzilla (comics) | Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters | Godzilla (1954) numerous others | yes | yes | yes | - |
| Gremlins (Joe Dante) | novelization of the screenplay | no | no | Gremlins (1984) Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) | Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai (2022) | - | several | - |
| Halloween (John Carpenter and Debra Hill) | list of novels | List of comics | no | Halloween List of films | no | no | Halloween | - |
| Herbie (Gordon Buford and Walt Disney Productions) | Car, Boy, Girl (1961, unpublished) film novelizations | three Gold Key Comics under the Walt Disney Showcase | no | The Love Bug (1968) Herbie Rides Again (1974) Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) | no | Herbie, the Love Bug | Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) Herbie Rescue Rally (2007) | - |
| High School Musical (Kenny Ortega and Peter Barsocchini) | High School Musical (2006–2009) | yes | no | High School Musical (2006) High School Musical 2 (2007) High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) | no | High School Musical: Get in the Picture (2008) High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–2023) | yes | High School Musical on Stage! (2006) High School Musical 2: On Stage! (2007) High School Musical: The Concert (2006–2009) |
| Highlander (Gregory Widen) | various | various | Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007) | Highlander (1986) Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) Highlander III: The Sorcerer (1994) Highlander: Endgame (2000) Highlander: The Source (2007) | Highlander: The Animated Series | Highlander: The Series Highlander: The Raven | Highlander (1986) Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods (1995) | Highlander: The Card Game |
| Indiana Jones (George Lucas and Steven Spielberg) | yes | Indiana Jones (comics) | no | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) | no | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | various | The Adventures of Indiana Jones Role-Playing Game by TSR and The World of Indiana Jones by West End Games |
| The Karate Kid (Robert Mark Kamen) | no | no | no | The Karate Kid (1984) The Karate Kid Part II (1986) The Karate Kid Part III (1989) The Next Karate Kid (1994) The Karate Kid (2010) Karate Kid: Legends (2025) | The Karate Kid (1989) | Cobra Kai (2018–2025) | The Karate Kid Part II: The Computer Game (1986) The Karate Kid (1987) Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues | |
| King Kong (Merian C. Cooper) | no | various | The Mighty Kong (1998) | King Kong (1933); numerous others | The King Kong Show (1966–1969) Kong: The Animated Series (2000) | no | various | King Kong musical (2013); amusement park rides |
| Marvel Cinematic Universe (Marvel Studios) | various | various | no | Iron Man (2008) several other films | What If...? (2021) | various | various | various |
| The Matrix (The Wachowskis) | yes | The Matrix Comics | The Animatrix (2003) | The Matrix (1999) The Matrix Reloaded (2003) The Matrix Revolutions (2003) The Matrix Resurrections (2021) | no | no | Enter the Matrix (2003) several others | - |
| The Pink Panther (Blake Edwards and Maurice Richlin) | yes | The Pink Panther and the Inspector | The Pink Phink (1964) various | The Pink Panther (1963); sequels and reboots | various | no | various | - |
| Police Academy (Paul Maslansky) | no | yes | no | Police Academy (1984) six sequels | Police Academy (1988) | Police Academy: The Series (1997) | no | Police Academy Stunt Show (1991) |
| Predator (Jim Thomas and John Thomas) | Predator novel series | List of Predator comics | no | Predator (1987) Predator 2 (1990) Predators (2010) The Predator (2018) Prey (2022) | no | no | various | - |
| RoboCop (Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner) | RoboCop 2: A Novel | RoboCop (comics) | no | RoboCop (1987) RoboCop 2 (1990) RoboCop 3 (1993) RoboCop (2014) | RoboCop: The Animated Series (1988) RoboCop: Alpha Commando (1998−1999) | RoboCop: The Series (1994) RoboCop: Prime Directives (2001) | List of RoboCop video games | RoboCop the Ride |
| Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) | yes | no | no | Rocky (1976) Numerous sequels and spin-offs | no | no | Various | Rocky the Musical |
| Saw (James Wan and Leigh Whannell) | no | yes | no | Saw (2004); numerous sequels | no | no | Saw (2009) Saw II: Flesh & Blood (2010) | various theme parks, attractions and additional merchandise |
| Stargate (Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin) | yes | List of Stargate comics | no | Stargate (1994) | Stargate Infinity | Stargate SG-1 Stargate Atlantis Stargate Universe | Stargate: Resistance | - |
| Star Wars (George Lucas) | List of Star Wars books | List of Star Wars comic books | Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) | Star Wars (1977) several other films | numerous | Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) The Mandalorian (2019-) The Book of Boba Fett (2021-) Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022-) | List of Star Wars video games | numerous |
| Terminator (James Cameron) | various | List of Terminator comics | no | The Terminator (1984) numerous sequels | no | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009) | List of Terminator video games | park attraction |
| Top Gun (Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.) | no | no | no | Top Gun (1986) Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | no | no | List of Top Gun video games | soundtracks |
| Tron (Steven Lisberger) | yes | various | no | Tron (1982) Tron: Legacy (2010) Tron: Ares (2025) | Tron: Uprising (2012-2013) | no | various | |
| Westworld (Michael Crichton) | no | no | no | Westworld (1973) Futureworld (1976) | no | Beyond Westworld (1980) Westworld (2016–2022) | Westworld 2000 (1996) various others | |