A weekend movie marathon is a fantastic way to unwind. If you're looking for a fun, relaxing group activity or simply have some free time, consider a cinematic binge. While many marathon options exist, focusing on a single franchise offers a cohesive and satisfying experience. Below are 15 excellent franchise choices, along with their total runtimes, to help you plan your next movie marathon.
Planet of the Apes:
With the recent release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, now's the perfect time for a sci-fi marathon. The franchise boasts 10 films, offering a substantial, albeit potentially two-day, viewing experience. Alternatively, focus on the newer prequel films for a shorter, single-day binge.
X-Men:
Before the MCU, the X-Men franchise dominated. Including Deadpool and Wolverine, the franchise comprises 13 films. While the chronological order can be complex, a shorter marathon focusing solely on the Wolverine storyline is an option. Excluding Deadpool, the entire X-Men saga clocks in at just over 22 hours.
Fast and Furious:
Fast X brought the franchise to 13 films, an unexpected evolution from its racing origins. This action-packed marathon, emphasizing family, takes nearly 23.5 hours.
Lord of the Rings:
A classic marathon choice, the original Lord of the Rings trilogy remains timeless. Including The Hobbit trilogy and the Rings of Power series significantly extends the viewing time. The six feature films alone total approximately 19.5 hours.
Star Wars:
The ever-expanding Star Wars universe currently boasts 11 films, with more on the horizon. A live-action-only marathon exceeds 25 hours.
Pirates of the Caribbean:
This five-film franchise, featuring Jack Sparrow, offers a manageable, single-day marathon of just over 12 hours.
Jurassic Park:
With six feature films, the Jurassic Park franchise provides a concise dinosaur-themed marathon of slightly over 10 hours.
Indiana Jones:
Spanning four decades, the five Indiana Jones films offer a single-day marathon of just over 10 hours.
The Conjuring:
This extensive horror franchise, encompassing nine films and five shorts, provides a weekend-worthy marathon of under 14.5 hours.
Transformers:
Eight feature films offer a two-day marathon of approximately 18.5 hours of action and explosions.
Harry Potter:
Excluding Fantastic Beasts, the eight Harry Potter films offer a nearly 20-hour marathon of magic and wonder.
Alien:
Nine films, including Alien: Romulus, provide a space-horror marathon of just over 17 hours.
Scream:
Six films offer a fun, lighthearted horror marathon of just over 11.5 hours.
James Bond:
With 26 films across seven actors, a complete Bond marathon is a significant undertaking (over 54 hours). Focusing on a single Bond's films offers a more manageable experience.
The Hunger Games:
Five films, including the prequel, provide a weekend-friendly marathon of just over 11.5 hours.
