15 Biggest movie franchises, ranked

Above everything else, Hollywood is an industry. And like any other industry, it needs revenue to flourish. Over the years, a few franchises have earned over billions of dollars and have used their pop culture power to create further hype through action figures, comics, animated shows, and spin-offs. Here is a list of 15 of the biggest movie franchises in terms of their worldwide revenue and their lasting pop culture impression. The revenue insights have been taken from 'The Numbers'.

**Disclaimer: The article is entirely based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.**

15. Avatar

One of the most mind-boggling visuals seen on film, the Avatar franchise has only two films till date and has already grossed over $5.2 billion dollars. Created from the genius of James Cameron, he made sure that each installment was perfect in terms of animation, style, action, and vision. The original Avatar alone earned $2.9 billion dollars. The movie’s third instalment releases this year and fans are still fascinated by the world of Na’vi.

14. Transformers

The franchise that has built itself upon the action-packed world of automobile-turned-superheroes is also a massive franchise. With seven films to its credit, the circuit has earned over $5.4 billion dollars. Even though most of the movies have failed to garner critical approval, audiences have always loved the series for its visuals and action and it has spawned a number of toys and other media franchises.

13. Despicable Me

One of the most successful animated franchises till date, the Despicable Me series of movies have pulled a combined total of $5.6 billion dollars. The story of a former supervillain turned secret agent, Gru, his family, and his obedient minions, has been highly popular. The franchise currently has six movies that combine the Despicable Me and the Minions movies and the films’ popularity has led to an equally popular Minions merchandise.

12. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings

Based on the fantasy novels of J.R.R. Tolkien, which tells the tales about the fantastical Middle Earth, the mammoth franchise has grossed over $5.8 billion in collections and is a timeless part of pop culture. The franchise encompasses The Lord of the Rings trilogy. And even The Hobbit trilogy. TV series are still being made and it shows how influential the fantasy franchise continues to be. Costumes, dialogues, scenes—every part of the movie series is memorable.

11. Jurassic Park

When the first movie directed by Steven Spielberg was released in 1993, it broke box office records and became the first movie to reach the billion-dollar mark. Since then, the continuing legacy of the franchise has endured and has six films in the circuit. The enigmatic series about a group of people escaping the famed dinosaur under various settings has spawned video games, comics, and even a theme park ride. It has earned over $6 billion dollars.

10. Batman

The tale of a reclusive businessman who turns into a black-capped superhero to save the city of Gotham from villains has been one of the most enigmatic superheroes of DC Comics. Batman has a long list of movies, starting from the 1960s to the 1989 version by Tim Burton and the famous trilogy by Christopher Nolan. With over 18 movies that also include the titles of Catwoman and the Joker, Batman is a classic earning over $7 billion dollars.

9. DC Extended Universe

DC studios wanted to recreate the same magic that MCU had spun over the box office and thus, DCEU or DC Extended Universe was born. While some of the movies like Aquaman and Wonder Woman have been a great hit, others have been lukewarm. But the franchise is still a top earner as viewers have always supported the franchise in droves. It has earned over $7.1 billion dollars.

8. The Fast and the Furious

The movie franchise began as a street racing movie series that had high-octane cars and beautiful actresses. But the successful franchise has grown into an international espionage action series that now has over 10 movies, a spin-off, and is a popular part of pop culture media. The series has a combined earnings of $7.3 billion dollars and people still go gaga over the stellar stunts and breakneck car chases.

7. X-Men

Based on the Marvel Comics superhero team, this highly rated movie franchise turned the stars for Marvel. Before there was the phenomenon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Marvel did not fare well with its movies. But when the first X-Men debuted, things changed and the franchise now has 13 movies and two TV series that include the successful titles of Deadpool and Wolverine. The circuit has earned $7.4 billion dollars and is a part of pop culture history.

6. Avengers

MCU came into its own when it started the story arc of Iron Man and his superhero-assembled team of Avengers. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero team that fights against various villains, the franchise within the MCU franchise has only four movies but each of them has grossed over a billion dollars. Each installment of the franchise generated mind-boggling hype and the circuit has earned over $7.7 billion dollars

5. James Bond

The dashing British secret agent who goes by the codename of 007 has one of the most successful franchises. James Bond is an enigma that has enjoyed success since the 1960s. The action sequences, thrilling plots, and Bond’s panache make it a franchise that is revisited repeatedly by fans. The franchise has about 25 films and though various actors from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig have portrayed the superspy, its charm remains intact. The circuit has earned over $7.8 billion dollars.

4. Spider-Man

The web-slinging superhero is now the most successful single-character franchise and with over 10 films and three different actors portraying the role of the red-suited masked hero, its box office figures stand at $8.9 billion dollars. From Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man to Tom Holland’s—the franchise within the MCU has taken the world by storm. The pop culture behemoth has comics, animated movies, and figurines as well.

3. Harry Potter

Based on the novels by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, is a fantasy film franchise that became the cynosure of everyone’s eyes. The tale of a young boy, destined to take down an evil lord, as he goes through his training as a magician in a faraway land, became instantly popular. The franchise has eight successful films. Like other pop culture behemoths, it has a spin-off, and loads of media, and has acquired over $9.5 billion dollars.

2. Star Wars

The brainchild of George Lucas, Star Wars, is an epic space adventure franchise that took the world by storm with its dazzling visuals, stellar action, and the story of a humble man, Luke Skywalker, who must fight against the tyrannical intergalactic Empire. The franchise has over ten films, video games, comics, and more. Standalone movies are still being made and it is an integral part of pop culture history. The franchise has accumulated over $10 billion dollars.

1. Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

The rise of the MCU and its total control over Hollywood needs to be studied. There was a time when the studio was not known for quality movies and it is now a billions-making industry. Its model of creating story arcs for each comic book superhero and then joining them all has led to bumper success. With different phases, TV series, and over 33 movies, the circuit has earned a mind-boggling $31 billion dollars! And people still cannot get enough.