7 Sci-Fi Franchises With Multiple Movies That Are Great From Beginning to End

Over time, the sci-fi genre’s success in film has largely come from the creation of franchises. This trend has transformed many excellent sci-fi movie sequels into long-running franchises, gaining them widespread popularity and strong ticket sales. The draw of a franchise is easy to understand – it lets audiences revisit beloved characters and stories. Specifically within sci-fi, this often allows for richer world-building, letting a franchise expand a movie’s story into a detailed and connected continuity, offering fans a more immersive experience. Franchises provide a consistent experience that viewers enjoy.

Some science fiction series should have ended after a single film, but others brilliantly used the franchise model, with each new movie contributing positively to the overall story. The most successful franchises consistently achieve this, providing their loyal fans with one amazing experience after another. This consistency has resulted in several hugely popular sci-fi franchises, though only the truly exceptional ones remain consistently excellent throughout their entire run.

7) The Star Trek Kelvin Timeline Trilogy

Star Trek: The Original Series is widely celebrated for its impact on science fiction, but the movies that followed weren’t always consistent in continuing the story. Fortunately, in 2009, the crew of the Enterprise was brought back to life with a fresh cast and a new series of films, eventually becoming a trilogy. These three rebooted Star Trek movies were fantastic, capturing the spirit of the original show while benefiting from modern visual effects. The movies of the Kelvin Timeline are a truly impressive and exciting reinvention of the characters and storylines that launched the franchise.

6) The Matrix

The Matrix is widely hailed as a standout sci-fi film from the 1990s, and its impact on pop culture is huge. Although the sequels didn’t quite live up to the original, the four-film series remains consistently enjoyable. The Matrix films feature a remarkably creative sci-fi storyline, and with all the exciting action it allows for, the franchise is truly special throughout its many installments.

5) Blade Runner

The Blade Runner series might not have as many installments as other sci-fi franchises, but it’s definitely among the very best. The first movie, released in 1982, showcased one of the greatest villains in sci-fi film history, and the 2017 sequel-which took 35 years to create-only solidified the series’ impressive standing. Throughout, Blade Runner is consistently visually stunning and thought-provoking. Though it’s shorter than some other franchises, it remains a prime example of outstanding science fiction cinema.

4) Star Wars

Few movie series are as well-loved and impactful as Star Wars. Starting in 1977, it has expanded to include numerous films, television programs, comics, and video games. Although the quality of Star Wars films isn’t always consistent, the entire cinematic experience is generally very strong. Even the films considered the weakest are impressively made science fiction adventures, and even harsh critics can find enjoyable aspects. Despite not being flawless, the Star Wars movie franchise remains exceptional from start to finish.

3) Alien

The Alien franchise is mainly known as sci-fi horror, but it also includes fantastic action sequences. It’s famous for its unique combination of disturbing horror and large-scale action. Similar to many popular series, some Alien movies are better received than others, but overall, the films are outstanding. The dark and frightening stories of humans fighting a dangerous and tough alien enemy are consistently enjoyable and are often considered some of the best examples of science fiction.

2) Planet of the Apes

The Planet of the Apes franchise has become one of the greatest sci-fi series ever made, especially with its strong entries from the 2010s. Starting in 1968 with the original film, the series began as a collection of fun, but often overlooked, sci-fi movies. However, the newer prequel films have revitalized the franchise, offering stunning visuals and compelling narratives. Because of this, the Planet of the Apes series stands out as exceptionally entertaining, with each film offering something unique to enjoy.

1) Back to the Future

The Back to the Future trilogy is often considered the perfect example of 1980s science fiction. Its story about time travel and its unforgettable characters created one of the greatest three-movie series ever made in the genre, and it’s known for being consistently good throughout all three films. Because the stories in each movie continue directly from the last, the trilogy feels particularly well-connected compared to other sci-fi series. It’s hard to find sci-fi fans who wouldn’t agree that Back to the Future is one of the most consistently excellent franchises, which really highlights the quality of all three movies.

2025-09-29 22:12