Ten film trilogies the writer judges classics across all three films

Collider compiled a list of ten film trilogies that the writer argues qualify as classics in which every installment matters. The piece sets a high bar: the middle chapter must not coast and the finale must not betray the promise, with each film contributing a distinct narrative and emotional beat.

The writer explains the list reflects personal favorites and highlights why individual trilogies work. Examples include Richard Linklater’s Before films, which move from chance romance to the strains of long-term partnership; Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight set, praised for grounding Gotham and making consequences stick; and the Toy Story and Planet of the Apes reboot trilogies, both praised for growing stakes and emotional depth across their three films.

At the top of the list sits The Godfather trilogy, which the writer calls "hands down the greatest movie trilogy to exist," and the article supplies The Godfather’s basic release details — March 24, 1972, a 175‑minute runtime, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. The piece also notes timely context, such as a suggestion to rewatch the Captain America trilogy with Chris Evans reportedly set to return as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, underscoring that the selections are the writer’s evaluations rather than an objective ranking.

Key Topics

Culture, Francis Ford Coppola, Christopher Nolan, Richard Linklater, Toy Story, The Godfather