新湖畔网 （随信APP) | 20部标志性电影系列的影星：首部电影首映时vs.最后一部.

Stacker found photos of 20 famous movie franchises' lead actors when the first film premiered and when the last or most recent movie premiered. - Dave Hogan // Getty Images and John Furniss // Getty Images

Cu Fleshman

When it comes to movie franchises, most people think of the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe, or perhaps the still-enchanting “Harry Potter” series. These days, franchises comprise most ticket sales at American movie theaters, but the movie franchise is hardly a new phenomenon.

Franchises, which include movie series that share titles, characters, and/or a fictional universe, have been around since the dawn of cinema. Take the 1931 hit “Frankenstein,” for instance. Universal Pictures’ early horror flick spawned “The Bride of Frankenstein,” “The Son of Frankenstein,” “The Ghost of Frankenstein,” and several other Frankenstein pics over more than a decade.

The origins of successful franchises vary widely. Some film series stemmed from a single, unexpected hit, like “The Terminator.” Other franchises made it big based on their characters or fascinating storylines. Then there are franchises that rely on the strength of their preexisting intellectual property (looking at you, Marvel).

No matter what led to a franchise’s success, chances are the films had the support of a strong, dare we say legendary, cast. These actors banded together to put their respective movies on the map, and while many casts have changed significantly over the years, certain central actors still return to the screen time and again to reprise their older roles.

To celebrate these stars, Stacker combed through cinematic history to find photos of the casts of 20 popular movie franchises, then compared images from the original movie premieres to photos from the most recent release. Read on to find out where your favorite film franchises started, and learn how the years have impacted these hit series.

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The ‘Rocky’ franchise: 1976

This rags-to-riches tale about a Philadelphia boxer’s shot at the big time parallels a real-life underdog story. Sylvester Stallone, who starred as Rocky Balboa and wrote the script, worked odd jobs for years—including a stint in adult entertainment—before he gathered enough financial and studio backing to make the film. “Rocky” became a near-instant classic and won three Academy Awards, including the Best Picture Oscar.

Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage // Getty Images

The ‘Rocky’ franchise: 2018

Stallone starred in seven more “Rocky” movies and most recently appeared in the 2018 release “Creed II,” which saw Rocky coaching new champ Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan). Though the franchise continues, Stallone bowed out of 2023’s “Creed III” due to creative differences and longstanding tensions with producer Irwin Winkler, who also helped create the earlier “Rocky” movies.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

The ‘Star Wars’ franchise: 1977

At the request of Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), a young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) teams up with a ragtag group of rebels to save the galaxy from a powerful threat. Though some critics—in particular, those at The Wall Street Journal and New York Magazine—did not initially appreciate “Star Wars,” the movie launched director George Lucas and the rest of the cast into the spotlight. The first “Star Wars” remains a pioneering sci-fi classic, defining multiple generations of pop culture.

Rich Fury // Getty Images

The ‘Star Wars’ franchise: 2019

No less than 11 more movies and 17 TV shows followed “Star Wars,” which has been retitled “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.” Disney acquired rights to the franchise in 2012 after purchasing George Lucas’ production company, Lucasfilm, and new installments continue to be released. Few of these follow-ups feature the original movies’ stars. Aside from motion-capture appearances, Hamill last played Luke Skywalker in 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” while Fisher made her final appearance as Princess Leia in 2017’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” filmed before she died in 2016.

Compass International Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

The ‘Halloween’ franchise: 1978

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis in one of her most memorable roles, “Halloween” revolutionized the slasher movie genre and has become a long-lasting horror favorite. The original John Carpenter film sees Michael Myers (Tony Moran) don his now-famous mask to terrorize several teenage girls, among them Curtis’ Laurie Strode. Ruthlessly economical in its storytelling, which offers no motivations for Myers’ killing spree, the movie still frightens many viewers today.

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Jon Kopaloff // Getty Images

The ‘Halloween’ franchise: 2022

The “Halloween” franchise now consists of 13 movies, many of which star original cast member Curtis. The franchise has also featured a rotating assortment of newer stars, including actors Andi Matichak and Rohan Campbell, who appeared in 2022’s “Halloween Ends.” Still, as Carpenter did not return to direct any of the sequels, many die-hard (no pun intended) “Halloween” fans say the follow-ups can’t hold a candle to the original.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

The ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise: 1981

Director Steven Spielberg introduced audiences to daredevil archeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) for the first time in 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” On his 1936 quest to find the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, Jones faces off against a group of Nazis and kindles a romance with Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), the daughter of a fellow archaeologist. Jones’ escapades won over audiences to the tune of $168 million at the domestic box office, making “Raiders of the Lost Ark” the top-grossing film of 1981.

Vittorio Zunino Celotto // Getty Images

The ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise: 2023

Spielberg ultimately directed three more “Indiana Jones” films, including the divisive “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” However, James Mangold took the reins for the franchise’s fifth installment, 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Ford has returned for all subsequent sequels and starred alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Boyd Holbrook, and Mads Mikkelsen in “Dial of Destiny,” featuring a cameo from Allen.

Frederic meylan/Sygma via Getty Images

The ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ franchise: 1984

Though Eddie Murphy’s career had been gathering steam for years before the 1984 premiere of “Beverly Hills Cop,” the film all but ensured his movie-star status. Murphy stars as streetwise Detroit cop Axel Foley, who dives into the glitz and glam of Beverly Hills to investigate his best friend’s murder. Both critics and audiences raved about “Beverly Hills Cop,” and the movie earned more than $316 million globally.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

The ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ franchise: 2024

Forty years and three more movies later, Murphy has continued to turn in winning performance after winning performance as Axel, who has evolved from a devil-may-care youngster to a protective parent (without losing his signature sense of humor, of course). Murphy last played Axel in 2024’s “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” and says plans for a fifth film with producer Jerry Bruckheimer are moving ahead; however, longtime franchise star John Ashton passed away in September 2024.

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Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

The ‘Terminator’ franchise: 1984

Killer robot movies featuring abundant CGI are nothing new these days, but when “The Terminator” premiered in 1984, James Cameron’s film took theaters by storm. The movie owes at least some of its success to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s unparalleled performance as the titular cyborg. To prepare for the role, Schwarzenegger taught himself how to expertly handle firearms… and took out an insurance policy on his eyebrows.

Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

The ‘Terminator’ franchise: 2019

Though the first movie became a modest box-office hit, grossing around $78 million globally, there was little indication at the time that “The Terminator” would give rise to a massive franchise. The series now includes a TV show and six films, the latest of which, “Terminator: Dark Fate,” premiered in 2019. Schwarzenegger continues to return as the Terminator—perhaps appropriate for an actor who so famously uttered the words, “I’ll be back.”