9 Times a Movie Franchise Saved the Best for Much Later

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a rare Part 4 that is the best entry yet, but it's not alone. Here are a few other times a movie series has peaked long into its run.

It’s generally assumed that the original is the best movie in a franchise and when it’s not, it’s almost always the second one that’s the favorite, as the filmmakers perfect the recipe and build upon what was initially established. And Part 3s? Well, those are usually the ones most likely to drop the ball in some capacity - though there are the exceptions, of course, where a trilogy ends on a high note. 

But what about the truly long-running franchises that go beyond three entries - sometimes way beyond? It’s really not expected that you’re firing on all cylinders as you get to Part 4, 5, or 6, having likely already tackled your best ideas. And yet sometimes a movie series surprises fans by suddenly delivering the best installment years after it began.

This past week, I reviewed Bad Boys: Ride or Die for IGN and noted in my review that I was surprised to find that four films and 29 years in, this series suddenly had a new best entry. Granted, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Bad Boys films – and boy have I pissed off a passionate Bad Boys II fanbase with my negative feelings on that one of late – but still, Bad Boys: Ride or Die has way more energy to it than it has any right to have. 

But it’s not alone. So below is a round up of nine times a movie series delivered its best installment notably far into its run.