Explore the longest-running movie franchises still capturing audiences worldwide
2025-07-10T16:33:15Z
- Two of the longest-running franchises in movie history have recently released films.
- In theaters right now, you can catch the 10th “Superman” film or the seventh “Jurassic” installment.
- Those franchises are 84 and 32 years old, respectively.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … another sequel dominating the box office.
Movie franchises have been the backbone of the movie industry for over 100 years. Some of our favorite, most enduring characters have been gracing the silver screen since the silent movie era.
There are two long-running franchises with movies in theaters right now, with more on the way later this year.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” is the seventh movie in 32 years that takes place in a universe where dinosaurs have been brought back from extinction. On the other hand, James Gunn’s “Superman” is the first in a new universe, but it’s far from the first film to feature the Man of Steel. He’s been flying across movie screens since 1941.
In honor of these films, we’ve compiled a list of the longest-running active movie franchises. We’ve limited this list to live-action films (sorry, “Shrek” and “Toy Story), and implemented a few other ground rules.
To be considered “active,” a film franchise needed to have released a film in the last 10 years and shown signs that the story will continue, which eliminates things like “The Terminator,” which seems to be definitively over.
A franchise also needs to have at least three films to make this list. Otherwise, a “series” like “Top Gun” would be on here, even though “Maverick,” for now, is just a legacy sequel.
We also aren’t counting TV series, which is why things like “Star Trek” and “Mission: Impossible” aren’t as high up.
So without further ado, here are some of the longest-running movie franchises in Hollywood right now.
The Universal Monsters — 117 years
Universal Pictures
“King Kong” — 92 years
Paramount Pictures
“Superman” — 84 years
Warner Bros.
“Batman” — 82 years
Warner Bros. Pictures
“Godzilla” — 71 years
That Co. Ltd
“James Bond” — 63 years
Sony
“Planet of the Apes” — 57 years
20th Century Studios
“The Exorcist” — 52 years
Warner Bros. Pictures
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” — 51 years
Netflix.
“Rocky” — 49 years
MGM
“Star Wars” — 48 years
Lucasfilm
“Halloween” — 47 years
Ryan Green/Universal Pictures
“Star Trek” — 46 years
Paramount Pictures
“Alien” — 46 years
20th Century Fox
“Tron” — 43 years
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
“Beverly Hills Cop” — 41 years
Getty Images
“Predator” — 38 years
David Bukach / 20th Century Studios
“Child’s Play” — 37 years
MGM/UA Communications Co.
“The Naked Gun” — 37 years
Paramount Pictures
“Home Alone” — 35 years
20th Century Fox
“Jurassic World” — 32 years
Jasin Boland / Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
“Bad Boys” — 30 years
Columbia Pictures
“Jumanji” — 30 years
Sony Pictures Releasing
“Mission: Impossible” — 29 years
Paramount Pictures
“Scream” — 29 years
Paramount Pictures
