Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Everett Collection (Jasin Boland/Warner Bros., MCA Universal, Walt Disney Studios, MGM)
This list was originally published on June 7, 2024. It has been updated to include new movies including Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
There’s something really comforting about a movie trilogy, the idea that there’s a natural beginning, middle, and end to an epic story that you can rewatch in just an afternoon. The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and The Godfather all thrive on this formula, but for many franchises — including two of the ones we just mentioned — three movies was never going to be enough.
For some franchises, tacking a fourth film onto a trilogy is the final card that topples the whole…
