Some film franchises keep cranking out sequels and reboots. These are the ones that do it best.

'Shrek 5' is upon us. What other movie series have deserved this many follow-ups?

Sigourney Weaver stars in James Cameron's "Aliens" (1986)
The first four 'Alien' movies starred Sigourney Weaver as the heroic Ellen Ripley
(Image credit: AJ Pics / 20th Century Fox / Alamy)

It feels like only yesterday that a grumpy green ogre changed the landscape of animation. But "Shrek" arrived 24 years ago, and DreamWorks recently announced that "Shrek 5" will be released next year, starring Zendaya as the titular ogre's teenage daughter. The news is another reminder of how fervently studios believe that audiences love a franchise.

There's sound logic behind releasing a slew of consistent IP: Studios know the movies will put loyal butts in seats. Some franchises are clear money grabs, churning out nothing but uninspiring sequels. In other cases, the story or characters of a series are well served by additional movies. Here are five film franchises with at least five installments that warranted an extended narrative.

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Anya Jaremko-Greenwold has worked as a story editor at The Week since 2024. She previously worked at FLOOD Magazine, Woman's World, First for Women, DGO Magazine and BOMB Magazine. Anya's culture writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Jezebel, Vice and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among others.