Many global movie franchises have achieved tremendous fame, topping box office charts and gaining worldwide recognition over the decades. These franchises span genres such as superhero, sci-fi, espionage, and adventure.
Movie franchises are series of films connected by a shared fictional universe or storyline. Also known as "film franchises," they usually span multiple installments, sharing characters, events, or settings, but each film is marketed as part of a unified series.
Here are ten of the most famous international movie franchises:
1. Harry Potter
The Harry Potter film series is an American-British fantasy franchise consisting of eight films based on J.K. Rowling's novels. The story follows Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as they battle the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
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Produced by Warner Bros (2001–2011)
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Stars: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)
2. James Bond
The James Bond franchise is a long-running British spy series that began in 1962 with Dr. No. It features the secret agent 007 created by Ian Fleming, known for luxury cars, high-tech gadgets, and iconic theme songs.
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Produced by Eon Productions (25 official films)
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Actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig
3. Spider-Man
The Spider-Man franchise includes live-action films, animated movies, and multiple versions of the character.
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Tobey Maguire (2002), Andrew Garfield (2012), Tom Holland (2016)
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Includes Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and crossovers with the Marvel Cinematic Universe
4. Batman
Batman films revolve around Bruce Wayne fighting crime in Gotham after witnessing his parents’ murder. The series explores his physical and mental training, confrontations with villains like the Joker, and the evolution of his persona.
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13 films, total box office: $5.72 billion
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Highest-grossing: The Dark Knight Rises
5. The Fast and the Furious
This franchise follows undercover cop Brian O’Conner and Dominic Toretto’s crew, blending street racing with high-stakes crime adventures. Themes include family, loyalty, and adrenaline-fueled action.
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11 films, total box office: $7.32 billion
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Highest-grossing: Furious 7
6. X-Men
The X-Men series (2000–2020) features mutants with superpowers striving for acceptance. It includes spin-offs like Deadpool and Logan.
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11 films, total box office: $6.08 billion
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Highest-grossing: Deadpool 2
7. The Lord of the Rings
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, this epic fantasy trilogy follows Frodo Baggins’ quest to destroy the One Ring in Mordor.
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Films: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003)
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Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett
8. Star Wars
Created by George Lucas, Star Wars began in 1977 and spans nine main films, plus spin-offs. It depicts the galactic conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire, focusing on Luke Skywalker and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.
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12 films, total box office: $10.42 billion
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Highest-grossing: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
9. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
The MCU is a shared universe of films and series based on Marvel Comics characters. It includes multiple interconnected stories across phases like the Infinity Saga and Multiverse Saga.
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36 films, total box office: $31.98 billion
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Highest-grossing: Avengers: Endgame
10. Jurassic Park
This sci-fi franchise centers on a dinosaur theme park created using cloned DNA. The first film (Jurassic Park, 1993) was directed by Steven Spielberg and sparked several sequels, including Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025).
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7 films, total box office: $6.39 billion
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Highest-grossing: Jurassic World
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