Kung Fu Panda 4‘s box office haul ($268 million) has helped the franchise top $2 billion cumulatively.
However, it's far from the first franchise to reach that milestone. From the MCU to Star Wars to Mission: Impossible, there have been several $2 billion franchises.
But not all are created equally. We ranked the five best franchises that have grossed over $2 billion at the box office.
Kung Fu Panda (2008-present; $2 billion)
The Kung Fu Panda franchise just released its fourth installment. Say what you want, the franchise has been one of the steadiest in Hollywood. Families seem to go in droves any time a new installment in the franchise is released.
I can appreciate that the fourth film — which looks gorgeous — also advanced Po's (Jack Black) story. It'd be easy to continue a copy-and-paste formula where the Dragon Warrior continued to kick butt in each film.
However, Kung Fu Panda 4 forces Po to choose a new Dragon Warrior. He becomes the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace by the end of the film. That effort helped Kung Fu Panda 4 excel past the third film, which was middling at best, and get back on track with the first two films.
Now, let's hope the Furious Five come back in Kung Fu Panda 5.
The MCU (2008-present; $29 billion)
I know, I know — the MCU has been on a skid recently. We're long removed from the glory days of the franchise.
However, post-Endgame blunders aside, the MCU's impact on Hollywood and pop culture alike cannot be ignored.
And let's be real — the MCU was great in its heyday. 2017-19 in particular were filled with hits like Spider-Man: Homecoming; Black Panther; Avengers Infinity War and Endgame.
Even post-Endgame, the MCU has had its moments. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; Spider-Man: No Way Home; Thor: Love and Thunder; and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all had their moments.
Hopefully, Deadpool and Wolverine and Fantastic Four can help get the MCU back on track. The franchise has seemingly lost its magic since Endgame was released.
Planet of the Apes (1968-present; $2.1 billion)
Granted, I'm talking about the recent remake trilogy that was released between 2011-17. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth film in the series, will be released in 2024.
While the old films are classics, the recent trilogy of films are all great. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was by far the best film in the series, with a heart-wrenching Lion King-like story that propels it above the rest. The religious imagery in War for the Planet of the Apes also added a new twist to the franchise.
Mission: Impossible (1996-present; $4.4 billion)
The Mission: Impossible franchise has aged like a fine wine like the Kung Fu Panda series. Somehow, the Tom Cruise-led series has continued upping the stakes with each film.
While Rogue Nation was a bit of a misfire. Christopher McQuarrie has otherwise had a nearly perfect track record. Both Fallout and Dead Reckoning are great installments in the franchise. From Henry Cavill's bicep reload to the train sequence in Dead Reckoning, the last two films are amongst the best in the entire series.
The adrenaline-fueled sequences are what capture the minds of viewers. But the Mission: Impossible films need to be applauded for how well they are made. Sure, their stories are occasionally bloated and confusing, but there is not another major tentpole franchise that looks better.
Fast and Furious (2001-present; $7.3 billion)
Call me crazy, but the Fast and Furious franchise is the best of the bunch. It's not about the quality of the films, frankly, but rather the ridiculousness of them.
I've never not been entertained seeing Vin Diesel leap across a bridge to save Michelle Rodriguez. And with each passing installment, more A-listers are added to the list of shameless cash-grabbing actors in the series like Charlize Theron, Jason Momoa, and John Cena.
Again, the films aren't meant to be taken seriously. The more you allow yourself to laugh at the stupidity, the better the ride is. That's what movies are about.
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