10 Most Consistent Hollywood Franchises That Are Great In Both Movies And TV

In today’s modern media landscape, countless Hollywood franchises have expanded into both movies and television, but unfortunately, the quality between releases can vary and there are very few that manage to be consistently great. As franchises branch out across sequels, spin-offs, and reboots on both movies and television, it can be difficult to maintain that initial spark of what made them successful in the first place. Certain franchises can keep the quality consistent and release projects that ensure viewers stay engaged and excited about their upcoming releases.

There are some franchises, like the Buffyverse, that started in the world of film before finding major success on the small screen through series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Other franchises, such as the British stop-motion animation series Wallace and Gromit, have managed to gain critical acclaim in all of their releases and are just as viable across all media. During a time when audiences are feeling franchise fatigue and some series are releasing disappointing new entries, the franchises that are consistently great in both movies and TV are more vital than ever.

10 Buffyverse

The Buffyverse includes one film and two television series

The Buffyverse started with the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie written by Joss Whedon and starring Kirsty Swanson. That film was a modest success, but the concept failed to make much of an impact until five years later, when Whedon created the darker and more mature television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy was a major success and helped spearhead a wave of strong, powerful women on television in the 1990s and 2000s. Buffy even had a spin-off series, Angel, starring David Boreanaz. The Buffyverse has continued in comic book form and while a television reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer had been planned, its future is uncertain.

9 Wallace and Gromit

The Wallace and Gromit franchise includes three films and five television series

The stop-motion franchise Wallace and Gromit includes numerous films, television series, and even the spin-off Shaun the Sheep. Focusing on the eccentric cheese-loving Wallace and his loyal and intelligent dog Gromit, the characters, who were created by Nick Park, are cultural icons of British media and their films have received universal critical acclaim. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is the second highest-grossing stop-motion movie of all time, only outgrossed by Chicken Run, another Park movie. The adventures of Wallace and Gromit have also continued on television with the series Wallace and Gromit’s Cracking Contraptions and Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention.

8 The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid franchise includes five films and two television series

The success of the original 1984 Karate Kid movie led to three sequels and a remake. The coming-of-age story about teenagers mentored in the ways of martial arts struck a chord with audiences and is one of the best martial arts franchises of all time. The development of a sequel television series, Cobra Kai, on Netflix was a major success that showcased the series’ viability on the small screen. Cobra Kai received universal acclaim and expertly blends nostalgia with compelling characters and emotional resonance.

7 Back to the Future

The Back to the Future franchise includes three films and one television series

Back to the Future was the highest-grossing film of 1985 and its success continued with two well-received sequels. Following the adventures of high-school student Marty McFly and the eccentric scientist Doc Brown as they traveled through time in the DeLorean time machine, the series was a clever and fun experience for both kids and adults alike. While director Robert Zemeckis has been firm that a Back to the Future reboot should not happen, the franchise did continue with the Back to the Future animated series, which ran for two seasons in the early 1990s. The cartoon was a lot of fun and featured the first television appearance of scientist Bill Nye.

6 MonsterVerse

The MonsterVerse includes five films and two television series

The MonsterVerse is a shared universe featuring Godzilla, King Kong, and other Toho Co., Ltd characters. The series started strong with the release of the 2014 Godzilla film, which made up for the failure of the 1990s GodzIlla remake. The MonsterVerse turned into a shared universe when Kong: Skull Island came out in 2017. Since then, the characters have clashed in Godzilla vs. Kong and will team up in the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The MonsterVerse also extends to the acclaimed television series Skull Island and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, whose success showcases this franchise’s ability to triumph on both film and television.

5 Evil Dead

The Evil Dead franchise includes five films and two television series

What started as director Sam Rami’s low-budget feature debut has become one of the most consistent franchises ever made. Evil Dead is a supernatural comedy horror series that includes five films and a TV series. The original trilogy follows Ash Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, facing off against “Deadites” possessed by an ancient evil. The film series was given a soft reboot in 2013 and Ash’s story continued with the TV show Ash vs. Evil Dead, which ran for three seasons on Starz. Evil Dead has received consistently strong reviews across all media and has expanded into comics, video games, and even an off-Broadway musical.

4 Highlander

The Highlander franchise includes six films and three television series

The British fantasy series Highlander has seen success in both film and television. The original 1986 movie Highlander, starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery, was a minor success when it was released but has since gained a cult following that has led to the development of a sprawling franchise across film, TV, anime, comics, novels, and more. Highlander: The Series ran for six seasons and added unique depth and contributed to the worldbuilding of the Highlander universe, particularly in relation to the ageless, immoral existence of the series’ leads, who cannot die unless they are beheaded.

3 Star Trek

The Star Trek franchise includes 13 films and 11 television series

A worldwide pop culture phenomenon, Star Trek: The Original Series pushed the boundaries of what could be depicted on television in the 1960s when it came to race representation, social commentary, and progressive characterization. From here the Star Trek franchise expanded to include eight live-action shows, three animated series, and 13 spin-off films. Throughout its almost 60-year history, Star Trek has remained consistently popular, and its cultural influence has extended far beyond the world of science fiction as Star Trek actors embraced the series’ vision for a better future and influenced the real world.

2 Blade Runner

The Blade Runner franchise includes two films and one television series

The Blade Runner franchise was based on the science-fiction novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. While the 1982 original movie Blade Runner did underperform at the box office, Blade Runner became a cult classic and has since been rated among the best sci-fi movies of all time. After 35 years, a sequel titled Blade Runner 2049 starring Ryan Gosling and the return of the original star, Harrison Ford, was released to universal acclaim. The franchise also includes several short films and a CGI animated series called Blade Runner: Black Lotus that expertly captures the neo-noir futurist aesthetic of the series.

1 Star Wars

The Star Wars franchise includes 12 films and 16 television series

While the Star Wars franchise has received its fair share of criticism over the years, it’s impossible to deny that it is one of the most beloved series ever made. The Star Wars trilogy is truly iconic and despite the mixed reception to both the prequel and sequel trilogies, they are still some of the most successful movies ever released. However, Star Wars truly excelled on the small screen as animated series like Star Wars: The Clone Wars showcased the wealth of material there is to be explored outside of the main series. This legacy was continued in incredible live-action shows like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka.