2. Harry Potter (2001-2011)
Warner Bros.Its easy to forget given its status as the most lucrative franchise in history with over $7.7bn in box office takings, but the Harry Potter series was a mammoth undertaking. Eight big-budget fantasy epics based on seven books released over ten years, starring three young leads that grew up on screen and a sprawling ensemble of respected British thespians posed a daunting challenge for the filmmakers, which makes the consistent quality of the movies all the more remarkable. Chris Columbus' plodding first two installments remain the weakest, but the director still deserves immense credit for the world-building despite remaining far too slavish to the source material. The appointment of Alfonso Cuaron for Prisoner of Azkaban was a masterstroke, with the Mexican director's darker and more complex take on the material inspiring the rest of the movies both visually and emotionally. David Newell's Goblet of Fire continued the maturation of the franchise, while having David Yates direct the final four chapters established a stylistic and thematic continuity as the story neared its conclusion. Splitting the Deathly Hallows into two movies seemed like a commercial decision, but it worked as the subtler, more introspective Part 1 paved the way for the non-stop action of Part 2, a fitting final entry that largely played out as a war movie with wands instead of guns. The trio of young leads gave performances of increasing depth with every movie after a shaky (and often cringeworthy) start, providing the real heart of the franchise in amongst the stunning production design and cutting-edge CGI.