10 Movie Franchises That Actually Ended On A High

Lord Of The Rings is more than a franchise, it is an institution.

What was once an experiment that all involved probably believed to be the end of their careers, instead turned everyone who worked on the project into household names around the world. And a lot of that has to do with its fantastic final film.

A film so beloved, that it was not only nominated for best picture (unheard of at the time for a fantasy film), but was then rereleased - even longer than it already was - and people practically got on their knees thanking Peter Jackson for killing their bladders even further.

It helps that Jackson was adapting one of the best fantasy trilogies in the written word, and that Jackson is one of the most talented genre directors of our time. Make no mistake, these movies were lightning in a bottle, once in a lifetime things that aren't happening again anytime soon, if at all. And if you want proof of this, look no further than The Hobbit trilogy.

This trilogy of films knew exactly what to include, what to cut out, and how to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien's seminal work. And the world is a slightly better place for it existing.