5 Movie Franchises That Got Better Over Time (And 5 That Got A Whole Lot Worse)

Pixar have been relying more heavily on sequels in recent years than they ever have during their entire existence, with seven of the animation studio's last twelve movies being follow-ups. While that shouldn't come as a surprise given that they operate under the all-conquering Disney banner, more than a few fans were concerned that Toy Story 4 would only end up diluting the near-perfect conclusion of the third installment almost a decade earlier.

After enduring the sort of tortured production that's come to be Toy Story's hallmark, all doubts were dispelled when Woody and Buzz's fourth outing turned out to be yet another home run for what could very well be the most universally-acclaimed movie series in history, as the sentient playthings confirmed themselves once again as Pixar's crown jewel.

Arriving almost a quarter of a century after the original, Toy Story 4 now had the kids that had loved the first movie bringing their own children to the theater to see the same characters, which is the kind of generation-spanning emotional connection that very few franchises outside of Star Wars have ever been able to accomplish. And Toy Story managed to do it without generating even the slightest hint of backlash from fans.