This thread was inspired by a post in the Plot Hole movie thread, in which a discussion about plot holes in the Back to the Future films led to fidstar-poker claiming that in any case, BTTF was still the GOAT trilogy. I responded that depending upon how you define trilogy for purposes of this discussion, I don't even think it would be in my top 5.

For example, I would consider The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, along with Fistful of Dollars, and For A Few Dollars More, to be a movie trilogy even though it wasn't originally envisioned to be. In fact, some may consider that to be the GOAT movie trilogy.

I would also consider the original Star Wars movies, now labeled as Episodes IV-VI, as a better trilogy, even though there are now 8 (or 9 if you consider Rogue One).

I would also call Christopher Nolan's three Batman films a trilogy and would put that above BTTF.

Godfather I-III would also be in my top five, even though III came much later and wasn't nearly as good as the first two.

My final pick in my top 5 would be the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And there can be no argument at all as whether it counts as a trilogy considering all three parts were filmed at the same time and tell a continuing story.

And although I didn't include it in my top 5, I'm sure that there is at least one poster on this forum who would consider the original Bourne films as the GOAT trilogy, ainec.

So after posting my response, I thought that such a discussion might warrant its own thread rather than be lost at the bottom of the plot hole thread.

Anyone else want to weigh in with their Top Five?

Sure I'll try my top 5

5. Indiana Jones (first 3)
4. The Naked Gun
3. Star Wars
2. Rocky (1,2,3)
1. Back to the Future

Does Kieslowski's colors trilogy count?

Indiana Jones is the only trilogy where I enjoyed the third in the series the most.

just going off personal attachment and not necessarily the level of film making (obv godfather 1-2 are on another level hard to really compare them to BTTF etc)

1) DUH wtf do u think is #1
2) Indiana Jones (tho really only love 1 n 3)
3) BTTF (3 is ok but 1-2 are amazing)
4) toy story (should probably be higher but doesn't have as much personal significance)
5) don't really have a #5 so gonna cheat and say: band of brothers, the pacific, and saving private ryan.

haven't seen rocky or star wars so can't comment on them.

Mine would be:

1) Star Wars 4-6
2) Indiana Jones 1-3
3) Alien 1-3
4) Lord of the Rings
5) Quatermass trilogy


Honourable mentions:
Romero's original Living Dead trilogy
Frankenstein (31), Bride of Frankenstein (35), Son of Frankenstein (39)
Back to the Future
'Before' Trilogy
Hellraiser 1-3
James Bond 1-3 (Dr No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger)
Dark Knight Trilogy
Vengeance Trilogy
Die Hard Trilogy
Hammer's Karnstein Trilogy

oh ya good call on die hard that's probably my number 5

The first three Thin Man movies (there were six in all).

Trilogy narrows the possibilities - Go suggest Movie Series, whether a duo to upwards of six or seven or more. What's the Fast and Furious Series up to now - Eight movies? How many Godzilla movies - upwards of thirty I think. Franchise, Series, Trilogy, etc its just movies that are connected, purposely by necessity (length of story) or as an on going story with the same theme/characters (e.g. Star Trek movies) and so on, and so on........

Yeah, there has to be some sort of parameters placed on it. For example, I don't think you can just pick the first three of a series of 4+ movies with characters and call it a trilogy. The Fast & Furious franchise is a good example of the type of series that should be excluded. I would put Star Trek, Rocky, and James Bond in that category as well. There is absolutely nothing that separates out any three movies in those series as a trilogy. Conversely, Christopher Nolan's three Dark Night movies easily qualifies as a trilogy even though there have been numerous Batman movies over the decades. And of course, Star Wars has not one, but three, separate and distinct trilogies incorporated into its series.

Agreed. I would consider Ep1-3 of these series valid trilogies as well even though there are 4+ entries: Alien, Die Hard, Indiana Jones, Terminator. In each case ep3 has ties to ep1 and closes the loop on many/all plot arcs.

Well, if they never made any more after the first 3 it would be a trilogy. But if they are successful they will always go for the money grab. I took some of these "trilogies". If Rocky stopped after 3 it was a great trilogy. 4 and 5 weren't so good but Rocky Balboa and Creed were both great. But the first 3 is still a great trilogy. Same with Indiana Jones. A great 3 movie trilogy then years later they made the dreadful fourth. That disqualifies it? Star Wars same deal. A great trilogy then a bunch of add on crapola.

I have an issue with the Clint Eastwood or Alien movies being called a "trilogy," talking about a James Bond trilogy seems right out imo.

I'm a big fan of the Whit Stillman trilogy. Not a lot happens but sharp dialogue and good acting.

Indiana Jones
Nolans Batman
Lethal Weapon
Die Hard
Rocky

I could watch these pretty much anytime.

I can't see how 1-3 are a self-contained arc and 4 is just some outlier.

So when it's four what is it called? A quadrilogy.

If so, it's a very entertaining quadrilogy with number one being the best.

L'Avventura
La Notte
L'Eclisse

man the 1st 3 bourne films are so much more elite than anything mentioned so far i don't understand how im the only person who has them ranked #1.

I thought the first Bourne was awesome. But after that I just didn't care anymore. I watched them and they were pretty good but they just never moved the needle for me or really got me invested.

I agree, but this thread is specifically about trilogies not series in general, and it seemed odd to carve out 1-3 as their own closed arc.

Top 3 LDO

1.The Godfather
2.Bourne
3.Star Wars 4-6

HM.Indiana Jones/Back to the Future

Me too.

Of course, not a trilogy strictly defined, but I'll take these over almost anything.

for me:

1, Star Wars
2. Godfather
3. Indiana Jones
4. Bourne Trilogy
5. Dollars Trilogy


knocking godfather 3 because it's so different in tone and engagement than the first two. still not a bad movie though. The first three bourne movies are really something though. they invented (perfected?) a genre and form a very cohesive set of three movies in tone and story. each time I walked out of a bourne showing I was floored and had no complaints or criticisms. Dollars gets the 5th spot. two pretty good (albeit slow) westerns paired with a GOAT-level movie. Greatest ending I've ever seen

honorable mention 1 : die hard. have to dock points though because each movie is without a doubt worse than the one before (a trend that continues today). the first one is electric, thoguh
honorable mention 2: Batman. they are really really good and I like to watch them but for some reason I never loved any of the movies in this trilogy. I liked Batman begins the most.
dishonorable mention: Back to the Future (the first is basically a perfect movie, the next two suck)

Can't believe no-one has mentioned Before Sunrise, Sunset, Midnight yet. Unlike a lot of the other trilogies mentioned, there isn't a bad or even average movie among the three. They are all very good to excellent.

I did.