Comedy Franchises With The Most Movies

Summary

• The Austin Powers trilogy is a vulgar, satirical goldmine inspired by James Bond and full of absurd humor.
• Scary Movie franchise flips horrors into hilarious spoofs, with 5 films and growing.
• Police Academy series offers slapstick comedy, underdog stories, and 7 films of entertaining hijinks.

The comedy genre is filled with era-defining series’, cinema masterpieces, and timeless classics that have made viewers laugh for decades. Many comedy movies are one and done, coming out with a miss and not pursuing a sequel or keeping it as a single success to go down in history.

However, many characters, ideas, or plots have been adapted into long-running franchises spanning a large number of mainline titles, spin-offs, and a generation’s worth of content in the same universe. Some films are still in the process of adding extra titles to the catalogue and some will go down in the history books as making waves with their laughter and enjoyment for years to come.

9

Austin Powers

Filthy And Outrageous In All The Right Ways

• Number Of Movies: 3
• First Release: International Man of Mystery (1997)
• Latest Release: Goldmember (2002)

The perfect satire franchise, Austin Powers stars Mike Myers as the titular character and takes many influences from pop culture, specifically the James Bond films, to create a satirical, innuendo-filled comedy ride that is as vulgar as it is memorable.

With three films in the series, it is on the lower end in terms of franchise numbers, but the trilogy is jam-packed with absurd references and hilarious characters that are universally recognizable even today. Though some of the jokes may be slightly dated, they are still worth revisiting for older fans or checking out as a first-time viewer to appreciate the genius writing and comedy gold.

8

Scary Movie

Mocking The Genre That Should Be Feared

• Number Of Movies: 5
• First Release: Scary Movie (2000)
• Latest Release: Scary Movie 5 (2013)

The first movie that comes to everyone’s mind when the term “spoof” is mentioned, the Scary Movie franchise, comes from the minds of the Wayans brothers, who created one of the most ridiculous and funny comedy movies of all time. It takes the horror genre and completely flips it on its head, turning scary villains like Ghost Face into jokes and removing all fear from the viewer in place of hilarity.

With five movies in the series and a sixth on the horizon, each one builds upon the comedy of the last, upping the insanity and sexual references, whilst bringing in a growing list of references to popular horror films and media, keeping a lot of the same characters around who have grown to be fan favorites. It is the perfect Halloween binge, a lot less scary and a lot more funny, and for sure a series to add to the list.

7

National Lampoon’s Vacation

A Family Road Trip Gone Completely Mad

• Number Of Movies: 6
• First Release: National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
• Latest Release: Vacation (2015)

Chevy Chase is truly a national treasure and, thanks to National Lampoon, the world was graced with the amazing Vacation series that follows the Griswold family and their less-than-conventional escapades on several trips across the globe. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong, and each subsequent entry feels distinct and even the reboot is worth a watch, keeping a lot of the DNA of the originals with a few new faces to add to the canon.

The focus is primarily on slapstick comedy and a number of increasingly absurd misunderstandings that get the characters in plenty of trouble with law enforcement and the locals. But at its core, it is a series about family and togetherness, despite any dysfunction and struggles that may be encountered along the way.

6

Police Academy

Worthy Despite The Odds

• Number Of Movies: 7
• First Release: Police Academy (1984)
• Latest Release: Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)

Thanks to the talents of Steve Guttenberg and the rest of the ensemble cast, Police Academy was brought into the world with a wildly entertaining series full of slapstick comedy, larger-than-life characters, and some absolutely ludicrous scenarios in each movie. Following a group of unconventional misfits who are looking to join the forces, each character isn’t exactly equipped for the police life, struggling through basic training exercises and causing plenty of problems for themselves and the people around them.

A story of underdogs and proof that unlikely heroes can succeed, the physical comedy and consistent jokes throughout the series make it the pinnacle of 80s comedy and a lighthearted ride for ay comedy fans of all ages. While the series might have ended over 30 years ago, it still stands up and each film has a unique feel and flavor and plays an important part in the story and adventures of the main characters.

5

The Muppets

It’s Time To Play The Music

• Number Of Movies: 8
• First Release: The Muppet Movie (1979)
• Latest Release: Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Having possibly some of the most recognizable protagonists in all of cinema, The Muppets franchise is the gift that has kept on giving for over 50 years, bringing the raggedy bunch of puppets through adventures across the globe, into the past and right at the heart of classic novels with some hilarious results.

With eight distinct movies, several TV shows, and other pieces of media, the world has never been short of Muppet content. The charm is the unique character design and simply wonderful voice acting, with Kermit serving as the forerunner and poster boy for the group and the rest being full of life and energy. Each movie entry places the characters in a new setting, with new challenges and difficulties to overcome, with some beautiful set pieces and comedy that oozes from every action of the characters.

4

American Pie

The Cult Classic

• Number Of Movies: 9
• First Release: American Pie (1999)
• Latest Release: American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules (2020)

R-rated comedy at its finest, American Pie is the best example of an early 2000s comedy that focuses on sexual encounters, teenage life and irredeemable characters who are just as flawed as they are funny. The main series of movies follows a group of four friends and their journey through high school, college, and adulthood, with all the awkward and hilarious struggles that go along with them.

The series also spawned a set of spin-offs that take similar elements, like the focus on vulgarity and sexuality, and bring in a new set of characters and settings, whilst still sticking to the same tried and true formula of the originals. It is fun, gross, and hysterical in every scene, having some incredibly iconic moments and scenes that have entered pop culture and become staples in internet memes and online chatter.

3

Pink Panther

An Intro As Iconic As The Name

• Number Of Movies: 11
• First Release: The Pink Panther (1963)
• Latest Release: The Pink Panther 2 (2009)

A 60-year-old name and a timeless classic of the comedy genre, The Pink Panther is one of the longest-running comedy universes there is, with 11 mainline movies, several animated shows, and a number of other shorts that take the name into new and exciting directions, with a heavy sprinkling of comedy to go with it.

Starting out as a simple pink diamond, the series has grown into a favorite among comedy/crime fans, for its unique style, excellent writing, and of course a killer soundtrack that perfectly illustrates the kind of movie the viewer is about to watch.

2

Madea

As Mad As She Is Motherly

• Number Of Movies: 13
• First Release: Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)
• Latest Release: A Madea Homecoming (2022)

The perfect character placed into an insane variety of settings and plots, Madea is a hilarious yet sincere character created by Tyler Perry, and a woman who pops up in more movies than can be counted on a pair of hands. She has seen the insides of prison, the joy of a happy family, and everything in between, as each film tells a different story and arc with her as a recurring protagonist.

Drama, action, and even some horror comedy in the mix, Madea is a perfectly flawed character who shows sincerity towards those around her and is not afraid to fight for what she believes in. And the movies reflect that, each bringing a new aspect and layer to the character, with no two feeling alike, especially when one minute she is singing in a church and the next she is shooting guys and swinging axes at heads.

1

Carry On

The British Comedy Titan

• Number Of Movies: 31
• First Release: Carry On Sergeant (1958)
• Latest Release: Carry On Columbus (1992)

With a near-endless list of titles and spin-offs, the Carry On series is a British comedy masterpiece, full of physical laughs, complex characters, and a boatload of fun. 31 films is a ludicrous number, especially considering that they were all released within 34 years and each one brings some familiar and new characters in an array of ridiculous scenarios and comedy sequences that belong in a museum.

Iconic names like Carry On up the Khyber and Carry On Sergeant are all-time classics in the comedy world, but each film has its own flair and amazing set of jokes that keep the laughs coming until the credits roll. It’s no mystery why they made so many, as the series is full of perfect comedic beats and character icons that represent not only the comedy world but cinema as a whole.