Some things are so timeless that they never go out of style, like mullets and moustaches… right? Well, the fickle world of fashion might discard trends more quickly than the Golden Snitch, but classic franchises in the realm of cinema and literature tend to have more longevity. Though some of these have been around for donkeys’ years, the following four franchises are still growing in popularity with every passing year.
The Lord of the Rings
It’s hard to believe that J. R. R. Tolkien first penned The Lord of the Rings trilogy almost a century ago. For much of that time, the dense tomes were only devoured by geeky students in dimly-lit rooms, but nevertheless, they enjoyed a cult status which guaranteed their ongoing popularity.
Cue the 21st century and the release of the Tolkien saga as a film franchise, and the world of Middle Earth was opened up to a mainstream crowd. Such was the intense popularity of the films that creators decided to milk the cash cow with three more offerings of The Hobbit – and don’t be surprised if further spin-offs surface in the coming years.
Harry Potter
Back in the mid-90s, J. K. Rowling was living off state benefits and doggedly pursuing a career as an author. Seven books and eight films later, Rowling is the highest-selling author in UK history.
Though the final book was penned in 2007 and the last movie polished off four years later, the series is enjoying just as much popularity as ever. Earlier this year, the franchise made the successful leap from page to stage with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, while those wishing to fully immerse themselves in Pottermania can do so by taking the Harry Potter Studio Tour at Warner Brothers Studio in London.
Star Wars
The ground-breaking special effects used in the first Star Wars trilogy took the world by storm when it was released in the late 70s and early 80s. Audiences had simply never seen such imagination and vision grace the silver screen before, and within 20 years a follow-up trilogy was filmed. Though the prequel movies didn’t garner quite as much critical acclaim as their predecessors, they were still loved enough by fans to generate quite a stir at the box office.
Fast forward to the present day and 2015 saw the release of the first in a new trio of movies set long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. If initial takings and reviews are anything to go by, the next two films in the series will break all kinds of records in the cinematic world, while a fourth trilogy in the future can’t be ruled out, either.
Game of Thrones
Like The Lord of the Rings, George R. R. Martin’s series A Song of Ice and Fire was initially an underground affair, enjoyed only by those “in the know”. However, HBO’s decision to pluck the story from the realms of niche obscurity and throw bajillions of dollars at it has resulted in bringing the saga to a much wider audience and making it the most popular TV show in the world. With two books and two seasons left to tie up all of the loose ends in Westeros, don’t expect the Starks or the Lannisters’ stock to be falling any time soon.
This is a collaborative post.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
