M-Net Movies looks at the franchises and trilogies that managed to lure us in and captivate us. These worlds are filled with action, fantasy, and wonder. Their characters, stories and locations have sparked our imaginations through the years to give us a breath-taking cinematic experience.
We kick off the list with theย Godzillaย franchise. A franchise spanning from the '50s to the 2000s,ย Godzillaย introduced the world to monster movies. A world where gigantic creatures rose up and destroyed our cities. Notย tornadoesย or earthquakesโฆno, giant reptiles. With over ten movies that range from the light-hearted to the bleak, the one constant is that there is destruction on a monumental scale. Whether he was fighting King Kong or Mantis, the monster entertained generations of moviegoers.
Then we have theย Pirates of the Caribbeanย franchise. This franchise brought the swag back to pirates. Set in the era of swashbucklers, epic battles at sea and the occasional giant sea monster,ย Pirates of the Caribbeanย introduces us to Captain Jack Sparrow and his epic adventures. Whether he was fighting undead pirates, the Kraken or Blackbeard you were never left un-entertained. In fact, if anything, the franchise made living in a universe of swashbuckling pirates seem pretty cool.
Next isย The Chronicles of Narniaย franchise. The books written by C. S. Lewis managed to translate magically onto the big screen. It brought both a gripping story and magical visuals that wowed audiences worldwide. The story follows the Pevensie siblings as they escape the confines of their home through a magical wardrobe and a transported to wonderful and scary world of magic and conflict. With memorable characters like the White Witch and the lion Aslan, this is a world you do not want to leave anytime soon.
This is followed byย The Matrixย trilogy. This franchise created by the Wachowskis introduced the world to killer programmes, bullet time and The ONE. In a universe where machines have turned on humans, they keep the human population in perpetual slavery inside an artificial dream world called The Matrix.
Itโs a world filled with philosophy on the concepts of science and faith, dazzling fights, and amazing visual effects. Even though some might argue that the final instalment was lacklustre, there is no denying the excitement we felt when we saw Neo bend the rules of reality for the first time, in this universe that completely blew our minds.
There are two heavy-hitters in the sci-fi world: theย Alienย andย Predatorย franchise. These two iconic aliens put fear in the hearts of moviesgoers. Even though these are separate films, they belong to the same universe, and have faced off with each other on more than one occasion. From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Sigourney Weaver these beasts have created legendary protagonists that will go down in cinema history.
To go where no man has gone before, that was the tagline for one of the biggest franchises in movie history,ย Star Trek. Expanding on the TV series, this space odyssey introduces us to unforgettable characters and epic space battles. Whether it is the original crew,ย The Next Generationย or the reboot, this franchise has never stopped entertaining and left millions of fans the world over wishing they could hop aboard the Starship Enterprise and explore the far reaches of the galaxy.
A new introduction, but one that has taken the world by storm, is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When one hero isnโt enough, why not get a bunch of them? Marvel has been pretty active in bringing us a plethora of movies that finally brings their universe to life in a way that we always imagined it could be. With films likeย Guardians Of The Galaxyย coming out, they too add to the depth of this universe.
Next is theย Harry Potterย franchise. Wizards went mainstream when this franchise, led by a group of children, came out. J. K. Rowlingโs tale of the boy who lived took the world by storm when it was adapted into a series of films. Following his adventures as he attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, we are taken through the dangers, action, evil and light of the world of wizarding, as told through the eyes of three children over seven years. We couldnโt think of anyone who wouldnโt want to live in Harry Potterโs world.
Fantasy does not get any more epic than Middle Earth inย The Lord Of The Ringsย franchise. Following Frodo and his fellowshipโs perilous journey to destroy the one ring of power,ย The Lord Of The Ringsย is the ultimate tale of good and evil. Peter Jacksonโs vision of J. R. R. Tolkienโs work is both beautiful and breath-taking. From the Shire to Rivendell, Middle Earth is an awe-inspiring place.
You might have guessed it, but at the top of the list is theย Star Warsย franchise. When it comes to the ultimate film experience nothing comes close to the lure of George Lucasโ space opera. Saturated with amazing characters, worlds, visuals, and dialogue, it is one of the franchises out there that is unforgettable and instantly recognisable. The story of Luke Skywalker and his battle against Darth Vader and the empire will not be forgotten for a long time.
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