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Trilogies are cool, but the real magic happens when a series goes beyond three movies and still delivers a knockout punch. Welcome to the era of tetralogies—four-film franchises that keep getting better!
Hollywood loves making sequels. If a movie is a hit, studios jump at the chance to continue the story, turning successful films into full-blown franchises. It’s a win-win: fans get more of their favorite characters, and the industry keeps thriving.
While some franchises stretch beyond four films, tetralogies often go unnoticed. A tetralogy is a set of four movies, though they don’t always follow one continuous storyline. Some focus on standalone adventures, while others build upon past events. Either way, a great tetralogy proves that sometimes, the fourth time’s the charm!
TheThormovies are not Marvel Studios’ best works. The first two are rather flimsy and lackluster.Thor 1is considered one of the blandest Marvel movies ever made.Thor: The Dark Worldgets a lot of hatred online from Marvel fans. And rightfully so. But withThor: Ragnarok,Taika Waititihit the ball out of the park.Ragnarokwas a home run by any standard imaginable.
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It may have used the source material rather clumsily, jumbling a lot of iconic story arcs in the process. But at the end of the day,Thor: Ragnarokonly got better with age, like fine wine. While the first two movies in the Thor franchise did not do as well,Ragnarokwas way better. Movie Tetralogies like Thor have a long way to go.Thor: Love and Thundercame outin the year 2022, and as usual, we were treated with the MCU magic again.
Back whenToy Story1 came in the 90s, it was considered a revolution in the animated filmmaking industry. Then, in 1999,Toy Story 2came, and we were relieved that 3D CGI Magic all over again. If that was not enough, Pixar releasedToy Story 3in 2010, and the world would never know what hit them. With every successive entry,Toy Story makesa style statement.
Pixar is the absolute, undefeated king of the Western animated genre. No one comes even close.Toy Story 4came in 2019, and it was just as, if not more, successful asToy Story 3. We cannot get enough of movie tetralogies likeToy Story.They just keep getting better with each subsequent entry. Soon, this tetralogy will turn into a pentalogy, as Toy Story 5 has confirmed.
Not many are aware of this legendary franchise. TheIp Manfranchise is one of the most underrated movie tetralogies to ever exist. The firstIp Manmovie came out in 2008. The sequel to the 2008 film,Ip Man 2, came in 2010.Ip Man 3followed a few years later, in the year 2015. The latestIp Manmovie –Ip Man 4: The Finale– completed the tetralogy in 2019 with a bang. The movie even has a sequel franchise –Master Z: Ip Man Legacy.
The first movie came out in 2018. In 2019, reports surfaced that anotherMaster Zmovie is being made with the same lead star – Max Zheng.Ip ManstarsDonnie Yen as the eponymous Chinese martial arts masterof the Wing Chun style. If you have not watched this movie, we suggest you give it a shot because it is totally worth it.
EveryJohn Wickmovie is full of top-notch action choreography and Keanu Reeves. And you can never go wrong with having too much of either.John Wick, first titledScorn, was a movie franchise that not even the studio had that much faith in. The franchise has become an iconic piece of Hollywood ever since it appeared back in 2014.
In a span of just a few years,John Wickhas dethroned all other action franchises to become the greatest action blockbuster of the 21st century. Movie tetralogies may come and go all they want, butJohn Wickremains timeless.The latest movie,John Wick: Chapter 4, released in 2023, was a big hit with the audience as well.
The Avengers
That’s right – we have two Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises here. AfterThor, we have the belovedAvengersmovies. And you just know you cannot go wrong with theAvengers. The firstAvengersmovie came in 2012 and set the benchmark for how superhero team-up movies should be made (take notes, DCU!!) And then we gotAge of Ultron.
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The sequel did not live up to the hype but still earned billions for the studio. Thereal home run was Avengers:Infinity War. 2018 saw a movie come to the theaters that was a decade in the making.Infinity Warwas succeeded byEndgame.The rest, ladies and gentlemen, is history. As far as movie tetralogies go, the Avengers remain the undefeated kings of that arena.
Kung Fu Panda
Po’s transformation from a goofy but hapless noodle-wielding panda to the legendary Dragon Warrior has been nothing less than spectacular.Kung Fu Pandawas released in theaters in the year 2008. DreamWorks Animation actually hit the jackpot with the film’s blend of humor, heart, and jaw-dropping action scenes. The second film, in 2011, raised the bar with an emotional plot and high-octane martial arts action, and the third, which came out in 2016, tied up Po’s family saga in a lovely way.
Just when fans thought the story was over,Kung Fu Panda 4arrived in 2024. While it might not have packed the same emotional punch as the first two, it kept the fun rolling with new challenges and more Po being his lovable, clumsy self. The franchise’s stunning animation, well-choreographed fights, and heartfelt storytelling make it one of the best-animated tetralogies out there. And let’s be honest—Po is just too much fun to say goodbye to.
TheMad Maxuniverse is a desert wasteland where every day is a fight to survive, and individuals will stop at nothing for water and fuel. The series was launched in 1979 in the form of a budget action film starring Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, a solitary fighter in a decaying world. The follow-up,The Road Warrior(1981), cranked everything up a notch with adrenaline-fueled chases and octane-boasting action.Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome(1985) had some good moments but failed to equal the first two in intensity.
Then,Mad Max: Fury Roadcame in the year 2015, and it completely reignited the franchise. With Tom Hardy replacing Max and Charlize Theron owning the screen as Furiosa, the fourth installment became an instant action classic. The cinematography, CGI effects, and relentless pace made it an absolutely jaw-dropping experience.The franchise even got a spin-off,Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, in 2024, but although it got raving reviews, it flopped at the box office. However,Fury Roadshowed us how a tetralogy can peak at its fourth installment and set a new gold standard for action films.
TheBad Boysfilms are all about speeding cars, massive explosions, and the sort of buddy-cop mayhem that never wears off. It all began in 1995when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence joined forcesas two Miami detectives who did things their way. Always loud, fast, and with lots of attitude, which wowed fans.
By 2003,Bad Boys IIdialed up the craziness with more out-of-control car chases and outlandish action. Some people found it excessive, but let’s be honest—that’s the idea! Over-the-top action is what we needed. Then, in 2020,Bad Boys for Lifeshowed the pair still had it in them to balance high-intensity action with an unexpected emotional bite to the plot.
Now, in June 2024,Bad Boys: Ride or Diehas maintained the heat with crazy stunts, amazing humor, and that irresistible Smith-Lawrence chemistry. So long as these two are making bullets dance and trading quips,Bad Boysisn’t going to slow down!
The Matrix
Back in 1999,The Matrixwas released with a bang. The movie was like a bug in the system and had people questioning what was real. Mind you, this wasn’t another science fiction movie, but more of a wacky mash-up of cyberpunk ambiance with gravity-defying martial arts and mind-bending philosophy. The whole idea was that we’re all stuck in this massive simulation created by machines, and only a few people can get out. Sort of trippy, right?
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Then came alongThe Matrix Reloaded and Revolutionsin 2003, and the plot went completely bananas. The action was off the charts. World-building was even richer than before. Some individuals were totally bought into it, while others sensed the storyline went a bit too knotty itself.
Cut to 2021, andThe Matrix Resurrectionsfell, and it wasn’t another sequel by any means. Folks embraced the new approach. Love it or hate it,The Matrixfranchise continues to make us think long after the credits roll.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching a well-executed heist, and few movies do it better thanOcean’s Eleven. The 2001 film was a stylish, slick, and endlessly entertaining caper that assembled an all-star cast led byGeorge Clooney,Brad Pitt, andMatt Damon. Its sequels,Ocean’s TwelveandOcean’s Thirteen, followed in 2004 and 2007, keeping up the franchise’s signature charm, humor, and high-stakes heists.
Then cameOcean’s 8in 2018, a fresh spin on the franchise with an all-female crew led by Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, and Anne Hathaway. While some fans missed the original team, the film kept the spirit alive with clever twists and a stylish execution. It proved that the Ocean’s formula still works, making this one of the most effortlessly cool tetralogies around. If they ever decide to pull off another heist, fans will be ready to join the crew.
