Movie series

A **film series** or **movie series** (which is also referred to as a **film franchise** or **movie franchise**)  is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series.

## Description

Sometimes the work is conceived from the beginning as a multiple-film work – for example, the _Three Colours_ series – but in most cases the success of the original film inspires further films to be made. Individual sequels are relatively common, but are not always successful enough to spawn further installments.

The 25 films (as of 2021) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe form the highest grossing film series even when adjusted for inflation, surpassing J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World (10 films) _Star Wars_ (11 films), Ian Fleming's James Bond (25 films), and J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth (6 films) series.

### asia

The following list is ordered by the highest-grossing film franchises (minimum $500 million gross) based upon box office gross in the U.S. and Canada. Updated to October 13, 2019.

|#|Franchise|Total gross|Movie count|Highest-grossing film|Gross|First|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1|Marvel Cinematic Universe|$8,942.9|25|_Avengers: Endgame_|$858,3|2008|
|2|James Bond|$7,446.6|26|_Skyfall_|$943.5|1962|
|3|_Star Wars_|$5,081.2|11|_Star Wars: The Force Awakens_|$936,6|1977|
|4|Batman|$3,015.8|18|_The Dark Knight_|$535.2|1943|
|5|Wizarding World|$2,786,9|10|_Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2_|$381.4|2001|
|6|_Avengers_|$2,619.5|4|_Avengers: Endgame_|$858,3|2012|
|7|_Spider-Man_|$2,496.9|8|_Spider-Man_|$407.0|1977|
|8|_X-Men_|$2,458.4|13|_Deadpool_|$363.0|2000|
|9|_Harry Potter_|$2,393.3|8|_Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2_|$381.4|2001|
|10|DC Extended Universe|$2,250.0|10|_Aquaman_|$335.0|2013|
|11|_Jurassic Park_|$1,884.5|5|_Jurassic World_|$652.3|1993|
|12|Middle-earth|$1,882.9|6|_The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King_|$377.8|2001|
|13|_Fast & Furious_|$1,816.6|10|_Furious 7_|$353.0|2001|
|14|_Transformers_|$1,582.4|6|_Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen_|$402.1|2007|
|15|_Pirates of the Caribbean_|$1,451.7|5|_Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest_|$423.3|2003|
|16|_The Hunger Games_|$1,451.5|4|_The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_|$424.6|2012|
|17|_Shrek_|$1,419.6|5|_Shrek 2_|$441.2|2001|
|18|_Star Trek_|$1,400.9|13|_Star Trek_|$257.7|1979|
|19|Superman|$1,397.1|9|_Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice_|$330.3|1978|
|20|_The Twilight Saga_|$1,365.9|5|_The Twilight Saga: Eclipse_|$300.5|2008|
|21|_Toy Story_|$1,317.3|4|_Toy Story 4_|$434.0|1995|
|22|_Despicable Me_|$1,220.2|4|_Despicable Me 2_|$368.0|2010|
|23|_The Dark Knight Trilogy_|$1,190.2|3|_The Dark Knight_|$535.2|2005|
|24|_Mission: Impossible_|$1,155.0|6|_Mission: Impossible – Fallout_|$220.1|1996|
|25|_The Lord of the Rings_|$1,036.1|3|_The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King_|$377.8|2001|
|26|_The Lion King_|$966.4|2|_The Lion King_|$543.6|1994|
|27|_Indiana Jones_|$942.3|4|_Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull_|$317.1|1981|
|28|_Frozen_|$878.1|2|_Frozen II_|$477.3|2013|
|29|_The Incredibles_|$870.0|2|_Incredibles 2_|$608.5|2004|
|30|_Finding Nemo_|$867.1|2|_Finding Dory_|$486.2|2003|
|31|_Jumanji_|$853.4|4|_Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle_|$404.5|1995|
|32|_Captain America_|$844.5|3|_Captain America: Civil War_|$408.1|2011|
|33|_Iron Man_|$844.5|3|_Iron Man 3_|$408.0|2008|
|34|_The Hobbit_|$816.4|3|_The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey_|$303.0|2012|
|35|_Bourne_|$801.0|5|_The Bourne Ultimatum_|$227.4|2002|
|36|_Planet of the Apes_|$794.0|9|_Dawn of the Planet of the Apes_|$208.5|1968|
|37|_Ice Age_|$793.6|5|_Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs_|$196.5|2002|
|38|_Rocky_|$788.4|8|_Rocky IV_|$127.8|1976|
|39|_Cars_|$787.3|5|_Cars_|$244.0|2006|
|40|_Star Wars Anthology_ series|$745.9|2|_Rogue One_|$532,1|2016|
|41|_The Conjuring_|$738.0|8|_The Conjuring_|$137.4|2013|
|42|_Guardians of the Galaxy_|$723.5|2|_Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2_|$389.8|2014|
|43|_Thor_|$702.4|3|_Thor: Ragnarok_|$315.0|2011|
|44|_Men in Black_|$700.1|4|_Men in Black_|$250.6|1997|
|45|_Deadpool_|$687.6|2|_Deadpool_|$363.0|2016|
|46|_Terminator_|$671.9|6|_Terminator 2: Judgment Day_|$205.8|1984|
|47|_Alvin and the Chipmunks_|$661.9|4|_Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel_|$219.6|1987|
|48|_Madagascar_|$656.2|4|_Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted_|$216.3|2005|
|49|_The Hangover_|$643.9|3|_The Hangover_|$277.3|2009|
|50|_The Lego Movie_|$598.5|4|_The Lego Movie_|$257.7|2014|
|51|_Meet the Parents_|$593.9|3|_Meet the Fockers_|$279.2|2000|
|52|_The Matrix_|$592.3|3|_The Matrix Reloaded_|$281.5|1999|
|53|_Alien_|$590.2|8|_Prometheus_|$126.5|1979|
|54|_MonsterVerse_|$579.7|4|_Godzilla_|$200.6|2014|
|55|_Madea_|?|9|_Madea Goes to Jail_|?|2005|
|56|_Ocean's_|$566.3|4|_Ocean's Eleven_|$183.4|2001|
|57|_Monsters, Inc._|$558.1|2|_Monsters, Inc._|$289.9|2001|
|58|_How to Train Your Dragon_|$555.3|3|_How to Train Your Dragon_|$217.5|2010|
|59|_The Mummy_|$550.9?|19|_The Mummy Returns_|$202?|1932|
|60|_Night at the Museum_|$541.9|3|_Night at the Museum_|$250.9|2006|
|61|_Wolverine_|$538.7|3|_Logan_|$226.2|2009|
|62|_The Chronicles of Narnia_|$537.7|3|_The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_|$291.7|2005|
|63|_Planet of the Apes_ (2011-2017)|$532.1|3|_Dawn of the Planet of the Apes_|$208.5|2011|
|64|_The Secret Life of Pets_|$526.4|2|_The Secret Life of Pets_|$368.3|2016|
|65|_Kung Fu Panda_|$524.0|3|_Kung Fu Panda_|$215.4|2008|
|66|_Rush Hour_|$507.4|3|_Rush Hour 2_|$226.1|1998|
|67|_Die Hard_|$502.4|5|_Live Free or Die Hard_|$383.5|1988|

## Related pages

- Media franchise