25 of the longest-running movie franchises that are still active today

Explore the longest-running movie franchises like "Superman" and "Jurassic World," which have been entertaining audiences for decades.

  • 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

a still of jonathan, evie, and rick from the mummy

"The Mummy."

First film: "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" in 1908

Most recent film: "Wolf Man" in 2025

"King Kong" — 92 years

a still of king kong and jessica lange in the 1976 film king kong

Jessica Lange in "King Kong."

First film: "King Kong" in 1933

Most recent film: "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" in 2024 — though "Godzilla x Kong: Supernova" is coming in 2027

"Superman" — 84 years

Superman putting on his boots

David Corenswet in "Superman."

First film: "Superman" in 1941

Most recent film: "Superman" in 2025

"Batman" — 82 years

Robert Pattinson as Batman, standing in a crime scene.

Robert Pattinson in "The Batman."

First film: "Batman" in 1943

Most recent film: "The Batman" in 2022 — though "The Batman: Part II" is set for a 2027 release

"Godzilla" — 71 years

Godzilla charging up his atomic breath in "Godzilla Minus One."

Godzilla in "Godzilla Minus One."

First film: "Godzilla" in 1954

Most recent films: "Godzilla Minus One" in 2023 and "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" — though "Godzilla x Kong: Supernova" is coming in 2027

"James Bond" — 63 years

daniel craig james bond

Daniel Craig in "Spectre."

First film: "Dr. No" in 1962

Most recent film: "No Time to Die" in 2021

"Planet of the Apes" — 57 years

Proximus in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."

Proximus in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."

First film: "Planet of the Apes" in 1968

Most recent film: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" in 2024

"The Exorcist" — 52 years

Linda Blair as Reagan in "The Exorcist II: Heretic."

Linda Blair in "The Exorcist II: Heretic."

First film: "The Exorcist" in 1973

Most recent film: "The Exorcist: Believer" in 2023

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" — 51 years

A still from Netflix's Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The cast of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

First film: "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" in 1974

Most recent film: "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" in 2022

"Rocky" — 49 years

Sylvester Stallone sweaty with a red head band

Sylvester Stallone in "Rocky."

First film: "Rocky" in 1976

Most recent film: "Creed III" in 2023

"Star Wars" — 48 years

luke skywalker yoda star wars empire strikes back

Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz) and Mark Hamill in "The Empire Strikes Back."

First film: "Star Wars" in 1977

Most recent film: "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019 — though "Star Wars: Starfighter" is expected in 2027

"Halloween" — 47 years

Michael Myers standing in the entrance of a home with a knife in "Halloween Ends."

Michael Myers in "Halloween Ends."

First film: "Halloween" in 1978

Most recent film: "Halloween Ends" in 2022

"Star Trek" — 46 years

star trek 2009

Chris Pine in "Star Trek."

First film: "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1979

Most recent film: "Star Trek Into Darkness" in 2016

"Alien" — 46 years

xenomorph from aliens

A xenomorph in "Alien."

First film: "Alien" in 1979

Most recent film: "Alien: Romulus" in 2024

"Tron" — 43 years

tron legacy

"Tron: Legacy."

First film: "Tron" in 1982

Most recent film: "Tron: Ares" in 2025

"Beverly Hills Cop" — 41 years

Eddie Murphy appeared in several hit movies in the 1980s including Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop.

Eddie Murphy in "Beverly Hills Cop."

First film: "Beverly Hills Cop" in 1984

Most recent film: "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" in 2024

"Predator" — 38 years

A still from "Prey" showing a Predator alien.

The Predator in "Prey."

First film: "Predator" in 1987

Most recent film: "Predator: Badlands" in 2025

"Child's Play" — 37 years

chuckie child's play

Chucky in "Child's Play."

First film: "Child's Play" in 1988

Most recent film: "Child's Play" in 2019

"The Naked Gun"— 37 years

the naked gun

Leslie Nielsen in "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!"

First film: "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" in 1988

Most recent film: "The Naked Gun" in 2025

"Home Alone" — 35 years

Kevin McCallister wears a white cable-knit sweater and lies on his stomach under a bed with a red bedskirt in a still from the original "Home Alone" movie.

Macauley Culkin in "Home Alone."

First film: "Home Alone" in 1990

Most recent film: "Home Sweet Home Alone" in 2021

"Jurassic World" — 32 years

A still from "Jurassic World Rebirth" featuring Jonathan Bailey wearing glasses and a brown shirt and Scarlett Johansson in a plaid shirt crouching in a field of high grass.

Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson in "Jurassic World Rebirth."

First film: "Jurassic Park" in 1993

Most recent film: "Jurassic World Rebirth" in 2025

"Bad Boys" — 30 years

Will Smith wearing an unbuttoned shirt and running in "Bad Boys."

Will Smith in "Bad Boys."

First film: "Bad Boys" in 1995

Most recent film: "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" in 2024

"Jumanji" — 30 years

kevin hart and dwayne johnson in jumanji the next levle

Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson in "Jumanji: The Next Level."

First film: "Jumanji" in 1995

Most recent film: "Jumanji: The Next Level" in 2019, though an unnamed sequel is set for a 2026 release

"Mission: Impossible" — 29 years

Tom Cruise hanging on the side of the Burj Khalifa in "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."

Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol."

First film: "Mission: Impossible" in 1996

Most recent film: "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" in 2025

"Scream" — 29 years

neve campbell as sidney prescott in scream (2022)

Neve Campbell in "Scream."

First film: "Scream" in 1996

Most recent film: "Scream VI" in 2023 — though "Scream 7" is coming in 2026

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