Best Threequel

[Morrus]

People often discuss the best sequels to movies. Terminator 2, Empire, Aliens, etc.

Less frequently they talk about the best threequels. Which movies have had a strong third instalment?

(For shared universes, count the individuals — eg Iron Man 1, 2, 3)

I’m thinking —

Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade
Return of the Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok

 

[aco175]

Matrix 3 was a good conclusion to the trilogy along with John Wick 3, but that was less story and more same killing. Then there is LotR Return of the King and even the Hobbit3. Battle of 5 armies which could have been shorter set of movies if they had gone by the books, but a bunch of other stuff was thrown in. They were good for movies and not for comparing to the books.

 

[Nikosandros]

Avengers: Infinity War

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Hard to argue with Thor: Ragnarok or Return of the Jedi. I'd add George Romero's Day of the Dead. The Return of the King springs to mind as well, though admittedly it fumbled a few spots.

I'm tempted to mention Halloween III: Season of the Witch - I think it deserves more credit than it gets, and the series would've be stronger had it gone with an anthology format rather than focusing solely on Michael Myers.

 

[MarkB]

I always thought Star Trek III was a lot better than the old "all odd-numbered Trek movies are bad" adage gave it credit for. Star Trek II, III and IV make a very solid trilogy.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Star Trek?

 

[TwoSix]

Avengers: Infinity War (my 2nd favorite MCU movie)
Iron Man 3 (the MCU movie that's most grown in my estimation upon rewatch)
Thor: Ragnarok (redefined the whole series for the better)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Toy Story 3
Logan (if you count X-Men Origins and The Wolverine to make a loose trilogy)

 

[Morrus]

I always thought Star Trek III was a lot better than the old "all odd-numbered Trek movies are bad" adage gave it credit for. Star Trek II, III and IV make a very solid trilogy.

Truth.

 

[Ulfgeir]

I always thought Star Trek III was a lot better than the old "all odd-numbered Trek movies are bad" adage gave it credit for. Star Trek II, III and IV make a very solid trilogy.

Wasn't IV the one where they went back in time to collect a whale? Personally I thought that was the weakest of the old movies.

 

[Arilyn]

Captain America--Civil War.
I'll also throw in my vote for Toy Story 3
Back to the Future 3--Has its critics, but I always enjoy it.