December 16, 2010
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How to Release a Movie Trilogy
Step 1 - Release the original
This is the most important step for releasing a trilogy. The biggest thing to remember is to make the first film as if you aren't making a trilogy! I know it's difficult to separate the creation away from your grand plan, but this is important. You must have your audience demand a sequel. Only then will they willingly accept it.The original is to be your magnum opus. You should put everything you have in it. If you screw this up, then no one will pay for the sequels. Remember, only the first one has to be good. Once you hook a fanbase, they will spend ridiculous amounts of money on anything else, so long as it's related to the original.
Step 2 - Release a crappy sequel
So the first movie is a huge success. You have made ridiculous amounts of money and have a sizeable fanbase. You can put your feet up now; the hard part is over.The plot of the sequel should follow directly from the original. Even if the ending of the first isn't conducive to a sequel, you should do whatever you can to make it fit. It really doesn't matter what you do with the sequel, so just go nuts. Critics will roundly lambast it, but they would do that no matter what you do. Just go nuts! Add in some cheesy dialogue. Add in some ridiculously over-the-top action. Add in some awkward attempts at humor. It doesn't matter! Your new fanbase will flock to see it, regardless of the mountains of poor reviews.
Step 3 - Release third movie
There are two options here:(A) Release a prequel to the first movie - Go through the first movie and pick some completely arbitrary aspect of it. It doesn't matter too much what you pick. The point is to take this one event that no one really cares about and expand upon it. It could be how two characters met or the childhood of another character. It really doesn't matter much. The important part is that it distances itself from the second movie as much as possible.
(B) Release a sequel to the sequel - Again, this sequel should follow immediately from the film preceding it. Again, it doesn’t matter what you do with it. Fans and reviewers will just be so grateful that it isn't the second movie that they will be more forgiving to its faults. Unless, of course, you really screw up.
Direct sources:
Spiderman trilogy
Underworld trilogy
Austin Powers trilogy
Toy Story trilogy
Star Wars trilogies (both of them)Honourable Mentions: (not strictly trilogies)
X-Men films
Transformers films
Shrek films
