Best 80’s Movie Trilogy?

The Best 80s Movie Trilogy?

Some trilogies are tight. Clean. Wrapped up like a mixtape.

Others? They go off the rails by Part III. But in the 1980s — the golden era of VHS glory and Saturday afternoon marathons — movie trilogies were something else.

So here’s the big question: Which one ruled the decade?

Let’s break it down.

Back to the Future (1985, 1989, 1990)

Time travel, a DeLorean, and a guitar solo that could wake the dead. The first film is damn near perfect. The sequels? Weird in the best ways.

Alternate timelines. Future hoverboards. Wild West standoffs.

Verdict: This trilogy is the ’80s — even when it’s not set there.

Indiana Jones (1981, 1984, 1989)

Whips, fedoras, snakes, and ancient booby traps. Raiders set the tone, Temple of Doom went full chaos, and Last Crusade brought it home with Sean freakin’ Connery.

Verdict: Pure adventure. One of the few trilogies where Part III might be the best.

Star Wars Original Trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983)

Yeah, it started in the ‘70s. But let’s not kid ourselves — Empire and Jedi defined ’80s sci-fi.

Verdict: Space opera perfection. Just try not to hum the theme. You can’t.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984, 1987, 1994)

Eddie Murphy in his prime. Detroit edge meets LA ridiculousness. The third one’s kinda rough, but the soundtrack alone earns it a mention.

Verdict: Not the strongest trilogy, but damn if that laugh didn’t carry a decade.

The Karate Kid (1984, 1986, 1989)

Wax on, crane kick, sweep the leg. Three movies. One headband.

Verdict: An underdog story that aged into a full-blown saga. Cobra Kai owes it everything.

What About the Other “Trilogies”?

Let’s be real — some franchises started in the ’70s, bled into the ’90s, or just flat-out refused to stop. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t leave a hell of a mark on the ’80s trilogy landscape.

The Godfather Trilogy

Started strong in ’72, kept it going in ’74, and then… dragged back in ’90 with a Part III that even Coppola seemed unsure about.

Verdict: Technically a trilogy. Spiritually? Should’ve quit while the cannoli was fresh.

Bill & Ted (1989–2020)

One true ’80s entry (Excellent Adventure), one solid sequel (Bogus Journey in ’91), and one time-warp of a revival (Face the Music in 2020).

Verdict: Not a pure ’80s trilogy — but the spirit of the decade? Unquestionable. Be excellent to them.

Jaws (1975–1987)

Only one masterpiece here (the original), followed by diminishing returns and increasingly angry fish.

Verdict: First one’s art. The rest? Shark sequels that forgot they’re supposed to be scary.

Rambo (1982–1988)

First Blood was a searing survival story. By Part III, it was just Stallone, explosions, and a headband.

Verdict: If we’re counting pure testosterone as plot, Rambo’s got a case.

Rocky (1976–1985)

The first was a Best Picture winner. The second was heart. The third and fourth? Pure ’80s spectacle (hello, Mr. T and Ivan Drago). The fifth… let’s pretend we didn’t see it.

Verdict: This might be the working-class trilogy of the ’80s. Even when it got weird, it punched back.

The Terminator (1984–1991)

Only one Terminator movie dropped in the ’80s, but what a movie. The franchise didn’t go full trilogy until the ’90s, but the seeds were planted with a shotgun and a leather jacket.

Verdict: An ’80s beginning to a time-loop saga that never really ended. We’ll allow it.

Final Thought

Some trilogies were sharp. Others were messy. But they all gave us something unforgettable.

Because in the ’80s, even Part III came with a killer theme song.

Got a favorite? Cue up the VHS and hit rewind.

Keep it loud,

Sam