The past decade of movies has shown that franchises are the biggest thing in Hollywood, and that trend does not seem to be going away anytime soon. But while some franchises continue to go strong and others don’t know when to quit, the 2010s saw some major film series come to an end.
While the absence of these big franchises is certainly noticeable, there are plenty more ready to fill the void. In the next year in cinema alone, we will see the latest films that hope to kickoff long and successful series of their own. Here are some of the movie franchises that ended in the last decade and some that are just about to begin.
Ended: How To Train Your Dragon
The How to Train Your Dragon films might not have always garnered the same attention as some of the other franchises of the decade, but after three films, it has become one of the most critically acclaimed trilogies of all time.
The animated adventures follow a young Viking named Hiccup who forms a special bond with an adorable dragon named Toothless, and help bring their two species together. The movies told fun and powerful stories with amazing visuals. While we could have watched this story continue, they decided to cap off the trilogy in 2019.
Beginning: Jungle Cruise
Though we’ve only recently gotten the first trailer for the Disney adventure Jungle Cruise, with Dwayne Johnson involved, it’s safe to say it is a franchise in the making. Johnson stars alongside Emily Blunt as explorers taking a riverboat journey into a dangerous and supernatural jungle.
The movie looks to take a bit from Johnson’s other successful family adventure franchise Jumanji, which is still going strong. It could also follow in the footsteps of Pirates of the Caribbean and become a massive franchise based on a Disney theme park ride.
Ended: Harry Potter
For a decade, Harry Potter was one of the biggest pop culture phenomena. Based on the wildly successful books from J.K. Rowling, the movies brought to life the adventure of the titular boy wizard as he and his friends protected Hogwarts from the forces of evil.
The world of Hogwarts continues in film with the less popular Fantastic Beasts series, but the adventures of Harry Potter ended in 2011. The franchise managed to extend the fun a little with a two-part finale, but movies followed the books and wrapped things up after a long, epic series.
Beginning: Uncharted
Video game movies have had a rough track record over the years, but many fans are hoping Uncharted will change things around for the genre. The games, which follow treasure hunter Nathan Drake, are cinematic themselves, so it feels like an easy transition.
While Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg are set to bring the prequel story of Nathan Drake to life, securing a director hasn’t been easy. The film has already gone through half a dozen directors, but with a 2020 release date looming, the Uncharted series could finally take off for real.
Ended: Hunger Games
Hunger Games is another huge franchise that is based on an equally popular book series. The films also helped to make Jennifer Lawrence a star as she plays Katniss, a heroic young girl who is forced to fight in a deadly battle royale put on by the powerful elite in her dystopian society.
The movies followed Katniss’s growth from a child, to a warrior, to a leader of the rebellion. It was a complex and challenging series about power. Lawrence became a superstar as the series continued, so it makes sense that she would move on following the two-part finale in 2015.
Beginning: Without Remorse
Michael B. Jordan is one of the most exciting actors working in Hollywood today, and seems destined to headline a huge franchise before too long. While his Creed franchise might not be over and there are still talks of Superman, Without Remorse looks like it has a lot of potential to start something big.
Based on the Tom Clancy novels, Jordan will play John Clark, a CIA operative who goes on dangerous missions around the globe. The character has appeared in several Clancy novels, and the plan for Without Remorse is to launch a new Jason Bourne-life spy franchise.
Ended: Iron Man
The MCU might be the bigger umbrella franchise, and that is showing no signs of slowing down, but they did have to retire one of their biggest franchises recently. Iron Man was the hero who kicked off the entire MCU with his 2008 solo film.
Since then, Tony Stark has become the most central character in the MCU. His final solo film was 2013’s Iron Man 3 and the character’s arc eventually came to an end in Avengers: Endgame. While other retired heroes like Captain America could see their franchises continue with someone else taking up the mantel, it seems like Iron Man has truly ended.
Beginning: Eternals
Though some of their biggest heroes are gone, the MCU has plenty of new heroes to fill the void. One of the most exciting new projects in the cinematic universe is Eternals. This adventure based on the little-known superhero team is said to span thousands of years within the MCU in one of their most ambitious films yet.
Though it sounds like a risky project, the Marvel brand and a stellar cast should make this another huge hit, which means we’re likely to see plenty more of the Eternals in the future of the MCU.
Ended: Dark Knight Trilogy
Following Batman and Robin, the iconic Caped Crusader’s reputation in films was not great. However, in 2005, director Christopher Nolan decided to reinvent the character in a more serious and grounded way with Batman Begins. Then came The Dark Knight, which set a new standard for superhero films.
Nolan certainly had ambitions outside of the superhero genre, so it’s not surprising that he was keen to end with a classic trilogy. The result is one of the definitive and most popular versions of Batman ever.
Beginning: The Batman
The first actor to don the cape and cowl following Nolan’s trilogy was Ben Affleck. Despite general praise for his performance, Affleck’s Batman had the misfortune of being featured in a few poorly regarded films, so DC decided to go for a younger take.
Robert Pattinson will take over the role in The Batman, which will be directed by Matt Reeves. The movie has already assembled a stellar cast and Pattinson promises to have an interesting take on the role. It will be fun to see where this new version of Batman is taken in years to come.
