7 Major Movie Franchises That’ve Been Running for Over 40 Years & Are Still Going Strong

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When a truly original film becomes a hit, studios often rush to make sequels and spin-offs to profit from the initial idea. While this can bring quick money, the excitement usually fades quickly, and most franchises don’t last more than a few years, either running out of good stories or losing their way creatively. That’s why it’s incredibly impressive when a movie launches a franchise that thrives for over forty years – it shows both exceptional storytelling and smart business decisions.

When a film series stays popular for many years, even as technology and movie tastes change, it shows a remarkable staying power that most stories don’t have. These franchises have successfully attracted new fans with things like well-received reboots or extended TV series, all while still pleasing the people who loved them from the beginning.

7) Evil Dead

The Evil Dead story began in 1981 with Sam Raimi’s low-budget horror film, which quickly became known for its mix of intense gore and over-the-top humor, following the character Ash Williams (played by Bruce Campbell). Although the original series of three movies finished in the early 1990s, the franchise stayed popular with the Ash vs Evil Dead TV show and a successful reboot in 2013. Recently, Evil Dead has seen a big increase in popularity, especially with the 2023 release of Evil Dead Rise. This film moved the story to a city setting and earned over $147 million worldwide. Because of this success, work on future movies has sped up. Evil Dead Burn, directed by Sébastien Vaniček, is scheduled for release in July 2026, and production has already begun on Evil Dead Wrath, an anthology sequel directed by Francis Galluppi, which is planned for release in 2027.

6) Alien

The Alien franchise began in 1979 with Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking film, which uniquely combined science fiction and horror with its realistic spaceship setting and the iconic character of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Over the years, the series has evolved through different styles, from the action focus of James Cameron’s 1986 sequel to Ridley Scott’s more thought-provoking prequels in the 2010s. In 2024, Alien: Romulus brought the franchise back to success, earning over $350 million and reigniting excitement for the Xenomorph. This continued with Alien: Earth, an eight-episode TV series created by Noah Hawley that premiered in 2025 and showed how the creature first arrived on Earth, two years before the original movie. The future looks bright for the series: the script for a sequel to Alien: Romulus is finished, and it’s expected to bring back stars Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and Andy (David Jonsson). Plus, Alien: Earth has been renewed for a second season, with creator Noah Hawley planning a five-season arc.

5) Star Wars

Since George Lucas first launched Star Wars in 1977, it’s become a major part of our culture. What started as one hit movie has grown into a huge, connected world of films, cartoons, and TV shows. Although the main story arc finished with the sequel trilogy, the franchise stayed popular thanks to Disney+ and shows like The Mandalorian, which introduced the character Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). Now, Star Wars is focusing on returning to theaters with a new film, The Mandalorian & Grogu, set to release on May 22, 2026. This movie will kick off a new wave of theatrical releases, including a film based on the New Jedi Order and a spin-off starring Ryan Gosling called Starfighter. This shows that Lucasfilm is going back to creating big cinematic experiences alongside its streaming content.

4) Rocky

The Rocky saga started in 1976 as a realistic and intimate portrayal of Rocky Balboa, created by and starring Sylvester Stallone. The series has stayed fresh in recent years by centering on Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of Rocky’s former opponent, through the Creed films. This change has allowed the story to tackle contemporary issues of heritage and self-discovery while preserving the original films’ inspiring underdog story. Creed III, released in 2023, proved Michael B. Jordan’s talent as both an actor and director, receiving excellent reviews and becoming a box office hit for the series. In 2026, to celebrate the franchise’s 50th anniversary, I Play Rocky, a biographical film directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Anthony Ippolito as a young Stallone, will depict the challenging making of the first Rocky movie. Stallone is also working on a Rocky prequel TV series, which will explore Rocky and Adriana’s (Talia Shire) teenage years in the 1960s. With Creed IV and a separate film focusing on the Drago family also in the works, the Rocky universe is set to continue for years to come.

3) Planet of the Apes

Beginning in 1968, the Planet of the Apes series has remained popular for over 50 years by cleverly using social commentary and impressive visual effects to explore what happens when human civilization falls apart. The first five movies established the series’ thoughtful themes, but the 2011 reboot trilogy, particularly Andy Serkis’s performance as Caesar, brought it even more critical acclaim. The recent 2024 film, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, continued this success, jumping the story ahead hundreds of years and introducing a new main character, Noa (Owen Teague). The film’s strong performance at the box office proves that audiences are still interested in the story of ape society, even without Caesar. Because of this, 20th Century Studios is already planning a sequel to Kingdom, with a projected release in 2027.

2) James Bond

The James Bond films have remarkably remained popular for over 60 years, starting with Dr. No in 1962 and now totaling 25 movies. The series has stayed fresh by regularly casting new actors in the lead role and updating the storylines to reflect current world events. The most recent actor, Daniel Craig, finished his 15-year run with No Time to Die in 2021. Now, after Amazon bought MGM, the franchise is being completely revamped, setting the stage for the next ten years of spy adventures. Steven Knight is writing the script for the 26th film, and Denis Villeneuve will direct. While the next James Bond hasn’t been chosen, there’s talk that Jacob Elordi or Callum Turner might get the part, with the studio looking for a younger actor who can play 007 for many films to come. Amazon MGM hopes to release the next Bond movie in 2028, aiming to build a modern franchise that respects the series’ history while also embracing new trends and potentially expanding into television.

1) Godzilla

Godzilla is the longest-running movie franchise in history, starting in 1954 and now encompassing 38 films made in both Japan and the United States. Originally created as a symbol of the dangers of nuclear weapons, Godzilla has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon, thanks to continued production by Toho in Japan and Legendary’s big-budget MonsterVerse films. The franchise recently reached a new high with 2023’s Godzilla Minus One, which won an Academy Award and proved the character can still be at the center of a compelling, character-driven story. A direct sequel, Godzilla Minus Zero, is already in the works from director Takashi Yamazaki, with a planned release date of November 6, 2026. Meanwhile, the MonsterVerse is continuing to grow with the second season of the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters TV series. With Godzilla x Kong: Supernova scheduled for 2027, the franchise is more active than ever, successfully balancing two separate Godzilla storylines to appeal to fans around the world.

As a movie critic, I’m always fascinated by franchises that can stick around for decades. It really takes something special to stay relevant with changing tastes. So, I’m curious: which long-running series do you think has adapted best to today’s audiences? I’d love to hear your thoughts – head over to the ComicBook Forum and let’s discuss!

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2026-03-01 21:15