The 21st century has seen the rise of some of the most successful and lucrative film franchises in history. From superhero epics to high-octane action-adventures, these franchises have dominated the box office and become entrenched in popular culture. Here, we take a look at the highest-grossing franchises of the 21st century. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the highest-grossing franchise of the 21st century, with over $18.5 billion in worldwide box office sales. The franchise has released 23 films since its inception in 2008, with the most successful being Avengers: Endgame (2019), which made over $2.7 billion. The franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning spin-offs, television shows, and merchandise. The Harry Potter franchise is the second highest-grossing franchise of the 21st century. With eight films released between 2001 and 2011, the franchise has amassed over $7.7 billion in worldwide box office sales. The franchise has also spawned a successful spin-off franchise, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which has so far released three films. The Fast & Furious franchise is the third highest-grossing franchise of the 21st century, with over $5.9 billion in worldwide box office sales. The franchise began in 2001 and has now released nine films, with the most successful being Fast & Furious 7 (2015). The franchise has spawned a range of merchandise and spin-offs, including the animated series Fast & Furious: Spy Racers. The Star Wars franchise is the fourth highest-grossing franchise of the 21st century, with over $5.3 billion in worldwide box office sales. The franchise began in 1977, but its success has been greatly bolstered by the release of three new films since
1. The franchise has also spawned a range of spin-offs, including television shows, video games, and comic books. Finally, the Transformers franchise is the fifth highest-grossing franchise of the 21st century, with over $4.8 billion in worldwide box office sales. The franchise began in 2007 and has since released five films, with the most successful being Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). The franchise has also spawned a range of merchandise, television shows, and video games. These five franchises have dominated the box office in the 21st century, becoming entrenched in popular culture. Their success has not only spawned a range of merchandise and spin-offs, but also proved that a film franchise can be a long-term success.