Movie franchises with expanded universes: 9 shared worlds, from Star Wars to the MCU
Nine movie franchises that grew into expanded universes, from Star Wars, the View Askewniverse and the Wizarding World to Marvel, The Conjuring, the DC Extended Universe and MonsterVerse.
Some franchises are no longer just films: they are whole universes with spin-offs, series and crossovers. This list gathers nine of them, in order of the first film, with a poster of where each one begins.
How we chose
We chose franchises whose films share one fictional world and that grew through spin-offs, prequels, series or crossovers. This is not a numbered ranking, and we show only the starting film of each universe.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: a shared universe that begins here. Also: The Empire Strikes Back, Rogue One, The Mandalorian.
Clerks (1994)
View Askewniverse: a shared universe that begins here. Also: Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Wizarding World: a shared universe that begins here. Also: Fantastic Beasts, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Middle-earth: a shared universe that begins here. Also: The Hobbit, The Rings of Power.
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield: a shared universe that begins here. Also: 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Cloverfield Paradox.
Iron Man (2008)
Marvel Cinematic Universe: a shared universe that begins here. Also: The Avengers, Black Panther, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring Universe: a shared universe that begins here. Also: Annabelle, The Nun, The Conjuring 2.
Man of Steel (2013)
DC Extended Universe: a shared universe that begins here. Also: Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman.
Godzilla (2014)
MonsterVerse: a shared universe that begins here. Also: Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong.
Frequently asked questions
What is an expanded or shared movie universe?
It is a group of films, and often series, set in the same fictional world, where characters and events connect across different titles.
Which movie franchise has the largest universe?
Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe are among the largest, with dozens of films and series that share one continuity.
Where should I start with a shared universe?
Start with the first film of the universe, listed here, and then follow release order, which is the safest way to avoid spoilers.
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Sources: official studio releases, filmographies and public records.
