# List of feature film series with more than thirty entries
A feature film series with more than thirty entries is a sequence of theatrically released feature-length films, continuing a common story or set of characters, that has reached at least 31 installments. Only a small number of series meet this threshold, and which ones qualify depends on how the counting is done: whether re-releases, spin-offs, and alternate-country productions are treated as entries of the same series.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Longest running series | The Huang Fei-Hong (Wong Fei-Hung) series: 103 features made in Hong Kong, from *The True Story of Huang Fei-Hong* (1949) to *Huang Fei-hong zhi xi yu xiong shi* (1997), spanning 48 years[1](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/69813-longest-running-film-series) |
| Largest Western series | The Roy Rogers Westerns, 72 films released from 1938 to 1951, described by SlashFilm as likely the longest-running American film series[2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/) |
| Godzilla | 38 feature films in both Japan and America as of the SlashFilm count[2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/) |
| Marvel Cinematic Universe | 38 films reported in October 2026; Box Office Mojo lists 46 releases and a $14,102,753,485 lifetime gross[3](https://thesecondangle.com/most-successful-film-franchises/) • [4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/) |
| Harry Potter / Wizarding World | Box Office Mojo lists J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World at 40 releases and Harry Potter at 37 releases[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/) |
| Common cutoff | Most famous American series fall below the threshold; Star Wars and James Bond each have 26 releases on Box Office Mojo[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/) |
## What counts as an entry
The threshold of thirty assumes a workable definition of "entry". Database practice treats a sequel as a film which centers on the same main characters and continues the story of an earlier film, and groups sequel series within a single collection entry, while remakes, reboots, and spin-offs are usually not grouped with their predecessors[5](https://www.themoviedb.org/bible/collection?language=en-CA). While a sequel carries on a story that came before, a remake retells the plot of a film that already exists, and a reboot relaunches a series with altered continuity or a new direction[6](https://geekchamp.com/soft-reboot-vs-sequel-vs-remake-whats-the-difference/).
These distinctions matter at the thirty-entry scale. The Wong Fei-Hung count of 103 features, for example, covers productions across nearly five decades of Hong Kong cinema with changing casts and studios[1](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/69813-longest-running-film-series), while the [Roy Rogers](https://www.edgepedia.org/roy-rogers) total of 72 comes from the B-movie Western production system of 1938 to 1951, when series Westerns were made rapidly and cheaply[2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/). A ranking project that excludes remakes, spin-offs, direct-to-video entries, or television extensions will produce a different total for the same brand than one that includes them[7](https://www.popwatcher.net/movie-franchise-ranking-criteria/).
## Series that reach the threshold
**Wong Fei-Hung (Huang Fei-Hong).** Guinness World Records recognizes the series of 103 Hong Kong features about the 19th-century martial arts hero as the longest running film series, beginning with *The True Story of Huang Fei-Hong* (1949) and ending with *Huang Fei-hong zhi xi yu xiong shi* (1997)[1](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/69813-longest-running-film-series). SlashFilm separately describes the Wong Fei-Hung films as starting in 1940; the two accounts differ on the start date, and both agree that the series as a whole is the longest-running in cinema history[1](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/69813-longest-running-film-series) • [2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/).
**Roy Rogers Westerns.** The 72-film series starring Roy Rogers ran from 1938 to 1951, and *The Roy Rogers Show* was one of the most popular of its day[2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/).
**Godzilla.** The kaiju series has reached 38 feature films across Japanese and American productions[2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/). A 2026 industry roundup gives the same count of 38 for both Godzilla and the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-cinematic-universe)[3](https://thesecondangle.com/most-successful-film-franchises/).
**Marvel Cinematic Universe.** The MCU reached 38 films after 20 years, and [Marvel Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-studios) president [Kevin Feige](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-feige) has said he still has "a lot of movies" to make[3](https://thesecondangle.com/most-successful-film-franchises/). [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo)'s franchise table shows 46 releases and a lifetime US and Canada gross above $14.1 billion, the largest in its listing[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/). The difference between the 38-film and 46-release figures reflects what each counter includes, since Box Office Mojo's release counts can include multiple releases of related entries rather than only distinct numbered films.
**Harry Potter and the Wizarding World.** Box Office Mojo counts 37 releases for the [Harry Potter](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-potter) franchise and 40 for the combined [Wizarding World](https://www.edgepedia.org/wizarding-world) brand, which includes the [Fantastic Beasts](https://www.edgepedia.org/fantastic-beasts) entries[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/).
## Series that fall short
The threshold separates these long runners from famous franchises one tier below. [Star Wars](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars) and [James Bond](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-bond) each show 26 releases on Box Office Mojo, Batman 26, and the [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) series, which Fandango places among the longest-running franchises, stands at 14 releases and $367 million worldwide in its account[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/) • [8](https://www.fandango.com/movie-photos/the-12-longest-running-film-franchises-1219). Fandango also credits the original five *Planet of the Apes* films, starting with *Planet of the Apes* (1968), with inventing the modern franchise template of telling one large-scale story over several movies[8](https://www.fandango.com/movie-photos/the-12-longest-running-film-franchises-1219), a model that produces trilogies and mid-length series rather than thirty-plus installments.
## Why so few series cross thirty
Three structural reasons appear in the sources. First, the pre-television B-movie economy that produced the Roy Rogers Westerns at high volume ended decades ago, so modern series are built on fewer, more expensive films[2](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/). Second, franchise quality is judged across the whole body of work, and consistency is difficult to maintain; one commentary notes that a six-film series with five strong entries differs from a ten-film series with two classics and long stretches of mediocrity[7](https://www.popwatcher.net/movie-franchise-ranking-criteria/). Third, contemporary franchises increasingly expand sideways into shared universes, comics, and games rather than vertically through dozens of numbered sequels[9](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/sci-fi-stories-never-really-end-anymore-and-thats-a-problem).
## References
1. [Longest running film series, Guinness World Records](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/69813-longest-running-film-series)
2. [The Longest Movie Franchise Of All Time, SlashFilm](https://www.slashfilm.com/1793194/longest-movie-franchise-all-time/)
3. [14 Most Successful Film Franchises Of All Time, Updated For 2026, TheSecondAngle](https://thesecondangle.com/most-successful-film-franchises/)
4. [Franchises (US & Canada), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/)
5. [Overview – Collection Bible, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/bible/collection?language=en-CA)
6. [Soft Reboot vs Sequel vs Remake: Clear Definitions and Examples, GeekChamp](https://geekchamp.com/soft-reboot-vs-sequel-vs-remake-whats-the-difference/)
7. [Movie Franchise Ranking Criteria Explained, PopWatcher](https://www.popwatcher.net/movie-franchise-ranking-criteria/)
8. [The 12 Longest Running Film Franchises, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/movie-photos/the-12-longest-running-film-franchises-1219)
9. [Sci-fi stories never really end anymore, and that's a problem, Space.com](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/sci-fi-stories-never-really-end-anymore-and-thats-a-problem)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Collective, character, and franchise filmographies › Franchise and series filmographies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license