10 Franchises That Made It To Episode 7 Before Star Wars

7. The Pink Panther

What's the story?

Suave jewel thief David Niven steals the titular diamond, but slapstick detective Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) steals the film from under him. Sellers (and, briefly, Alan Arkin) returned again and again for more slapstick and bizarre 'French' accent antics as Clouseau deals with murderers, organised crime and the occasional reappearance of the original Pink Panther diamond.

What's in Part 7?

1982's Trail Of The Pink Panther has the diamond stolen again and Clouseau once more investigating David Niven's Sir Charles Lytton, but mostly having lots of flashbacks to past events.

How does it compare with the previous six?

Sellers died in 1980, two years after the pretty bad sixth film Revenge Of The Pink Panther, meaning that this movie was just a collection of outtakes and scenes shot with body doubles. Marketed as a tribute to the troubled comedy star, it was so bad that Sellers' widow sued the studio for tarnishing his memory.

Did it go beyond seven?

Remarkably, yes. 

Despite a dead star and appalling reviews, the series limped on to Curse Of The Pink Panther, with Roger Moore weirdly cast as Clouseau, and Son Of The Pink Panther, with Roberto Benigni (as the son of Clouseau, not the diamond, despite what the title might suggest). 

A recent reboot with Steve Martin wasn't much better.