History Main / TrilogyToneShift

* In the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse, the three films of Creator/ZackSnyder about ComicBook/{{Superman}}, ''Film/ManOfSteel'' (a balanced FirstContact story with the origins of Superman and his rise against dark remnants of his civilization), ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' (a darker story marked by much misunderstandings, {{tragedy}} and [[TheHeroDies Superman's death]]) and ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' (a more hopeful third chapter with the formation of the SuperTeam, including some humor and Superman's [[BackFromTheDead resurrection]]) fit that model quite well (although more installments were planned and never saw the light of day).

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' and ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' both feature a mix of humor and dark themes, starting off generally lighthearted but delving into more serious territory once the main antagonists (Sid and Stinky Pete, respectively) come into play later on, with the main conflict usually revolving around the toys' efforts to get along and make it back to Andy. ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', by contrast, raises the stakes and has a much more serious tone, with the toys ending up in a prison-like daycare run by CompleteMonster Lotso, then winding up at the dump where they are nearly incinerated in arguably ''the'' darkest moment of the franchise. ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'' returns to LighterAndSofter fare, but also becomes DenserAndWackier with many toys being hit by {{Flanderization}} or DemotedToExtra.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': The three games of the New Aughts--''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]''--fall into this pattern. At first, ''Wind Waker'' seems like the "kiddiest" of the bunch, especially given its CelShading art style, slapstick humor, and youthful-looking protagonists. Midway through the game, though, things become much more serious, and the plot takes a turn for the philosophical, with both [[BigBad Ganondorf]] and [[BigGood the King of Hyrule]] meditating on grief and their obsession with the past; the art style never stops being light and friendly, but it's balanced against the heavy subject matter. ''Twilight Princess'' takes the series firmly into DarkerAndEdgier territory--it's [[RealIsBrown dimly colored]], the AnnoyingVideoGameHelper has a downright cruel streak until she pulls a HeelFaceTurn, and the plot kicks off with the abduction of a large group of children. Add in a series of [[NightmareFuel truly terrifying bosses]] and a BittersweetEnding and you have what's arguably the darkest game in the series (at least until ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' came along). Then ''Skyward Sword'' turns the mood up--literally, as the game takes place in the sky above the ancient land of Hyrule. The art style goes back to CelShading (albeit with the more realistic proportions of ''Twilight Princess''), there's a much greater emphasis on humor and fun, and even TheDragon, though a KnightOfCerebus, is a {{Bishonen}} DramaQueen and FountainOfMemes. There's even an element of ForegoneConclusion to the game--since it's the first one in the series' timeline, we know that the protagonists are going to live. The fanbase is still heavily divided as to which of these three is the best of the group.

* ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'': The first game focuses more on stopping Yo-kai and doing mundane tasks such as buying a bike or giving your father his forgotten paperwork; with the plot coming in much later around the Massiface fight, which is about stopping Squiddilius [=McKracken=] from ruling over both the Yo-kai World and the Human World with his own white-colored Yo-kai. While he and his enforcer Dr. Maddiman are each a KnightOfCerebus on their own, he's still very goofy and is prone to making squid-related puns very often, at least in the English dub. The sequel: ''Fleshy Souls, Bony Spirits, and Psychic Specters'' focuses on a time travel plot to stop the Wicked tribe Yo-kai and the more menacing villains; Kin and Gin, and Dame Dedtime from [[MindRape brainwashing all Yo-kai and humans]]. This also has a much darker tone behind it compared to the first game, with very few jokey moments and it goes into the story rather quickly the moment Nate enters Harrisvile and meets Hovernyan. The third game has ''more'' mundane tasks than the first and second games, and focuses more on its adventurous side as Nate goes to BBQ and makes friends with Buck; with the [[TwoLinesNoWaiting B-Plot]] focusing on new characters; Hailey Anne and Usapyon building a rocket for Dr. Hughley to see, then later running a detective agency for Yo-kai. It only gains more of a story later after Nate and Hailey meet each other and find out about The Goulfather, whose goals, while destructive, are much less horrifying than his two predeccessors. Speaking of them, they've been forced to work in community service for their heinous crimes, seemingly [[{{Retcon}} retconning]] [=McKracken's=] apparent death in the first game[[labelnote:*]]You can technically resurrect him through Mircle in the second game. Still, community service seems rather light for instigating a race war.[[/labelnote]]. The world in general is a lot more colourful too due to taking place in BBQ and New Yo-kai City. The fourth game, however, would, [[Anime/YokaiWatchShadowside fittingly for the anime it's based on]] be much darker in tone than even the second.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_20230928_185947.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:As you can see, ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' has gone through ''quite'' the evolution.]]

* ''Creator/DreamworksAnimation'' is well-known for doing this; their first films usually mix the themes and balance the plot out to be entertaining and intriguing. In their sequels, it's much darker and focuses on the main character's past and/or flaws; with a brand new KnightOfCerebus villain who turns the plot on its head, and a DenserAndWackier third movie that focuses more on the comedic aspects of their films. However, in a unique case that they get a fourth film (such as ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}''), they're quite similar to how their first films turned out.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' and ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' both feature a mix of humor and dark themes, starting off generally lighthearted but delving into more serious territory once the main antagonists (Sid and Stinky Pete, respectively) come into play later on, with the main conflict usually revolving around the toys' efforts to get along and make it back to Andy. ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', by contrast, raises the stakes and has a much more serious tone, with the toys ending up in a prison-like daycare run by CompleteMonster Lotso, then winding up at the dump where they are nearly incinerated in arguably ''the'' darkest moment of the franchise. ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'' returns to LighterAndSofter fare, but also becomes DenserAndWackier with many toys being hit by {{Flanderization}} or DemotedToExtra.

* Inverted by ''Franchise/WatchDogs'': ''VideoGame/WatchDogs'' is a dark story of a violent vigilante stalking the streets of Chicago, seeking revenge on the criminals who tried to kill him, getting his niece killed in the process, going deeper into the criminal underworld, including infiltrating a human trafficking ring. ''VideoGame/WatchDogs2'' takes things to the more bright and colourful streets of San Fransisco and depicts a group of eccentric hacktivists more focusing on CorruptCorporateExecutives rather than organsied crime. ''VideoGame/WatchDogsLegion'' meanwhile, continues with some of the humour of Watch Dogs 2, but has the darkest setting of the franchise; London occupied by a corrupt PMC after a terrorist attack.

* While the ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' film trilogy already runs on this, special mention should be given to the three animated spinoff shows in the franchise which are also subject to major tone shifts. ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness'', the first show, is firmly focused on kung fu and comedy, with Po going on day-to-day adventures as the Dragon Warrior fighting LaughablyEvil villains. While there are a few darker stories here and there involving Fenghuang, Ke-Pa, or Pai Mei, ''Legends'' for the most part is focused on light hearted adventures. ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaThePawsOfDestiny'', the second show, is the DarkerAndEdgier show, with a heavier focus on serialized storytelling, Po graduating to the rank of Dragon Master, and the two main ArcVillain antagonists are monstrous, demonic threats with nothing comical to them. Meanwhile, the third animated show ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaTheDragonKnight'' is the most balanced mix of comedy, story arcs, and more serious world-ending threats. Po gets to go on fresh globe-trotting adventures with his new friend Luthera and they gain colorful, kid-friendly allies like Akna to their party. At the same time, while the show is lighter than ''Paws Of Destiny'', it also focuses on story arcs, with the Tianshang weapons taking center stage, and the ending gets darker with the heroes facing a world-wide cataclysm. And finally, the main ArcVillain antagonists are serious threats but they're not so dark as to be demonic forces of evil like Jindiao or Baigujing, considering all of them are empowered mortals who either have loved ones (Veruca and Sir Alfred), possess a few light-hearted and fun traits (Zuma), or can be talked out of causing a world-ending apocalypse by their loved ones in the final act (Sir Alfred).

* ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'': The first three games. ''[[VideoGame/TheSecretOfMonkeyIsland Secret]]'' is a filled with goofy adventuring and puzzles but still has it's serious moments. The sequel, ''[[VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge LeChuck's Revenge]]'', is much darker in tone, making the main character of Guybrush much less heroic and making the villain, [[BigBad The undead pirate LeChuck]] far more intimidating. The game also has a lot of themes surrounding death and the [[AllJustADream reality of the game's world]]. The third game, ''[[VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland Curse]]'', made without the input of the series' original creators, shifts much closer to the first game in the series, putting in way more jokes, straight humor moments, and even [[{{Retcon}} retconning]] parts of the previous game's ending which weren't initially received well. There is still debate over which game is the best, though many would point to the second.
* Seemingly played straight with the first three ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games, but actually inverted - while all three games heavily parody RPG and anime tropes, the original had the most balance between comedic and serious moments. ''2'' seems at first like it will be darker than the original, with a human-raised protagonist whose world was conquered by an Overlord and converted into a Netherworld, his family being turned into demons in the process, and having to also contend with [[RogueProtagonist the previous game's considerably stronger heroes]] on his way to defeat said Overlord, but the seriousness quickly gets toned down by a large number of comic relief party members, more RPGMechanicsVerse humor than in the previous game, and a ''much'' more persistent GoldfishPoopGang than in the previous game or any installment since. ''3'', on the other hand, seems as if it will be even goofier, taking place in a HighSchool setting where BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad, the game mechanics play a pivotal role in the main story, and Mao's stated goal is... [[EvilIsPetty revenge on his dad for accidentally stepping on one of his game consoles]]. Things turn out much darker than they initially seem though, when [[spoiler:Mao's true motivation turns out to be guilt over inadvertently getting his father killed by a FallenHero, and wanting to lay his father's lingering spirit to rest]], and the bad ending involves Mao snapping and [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds destroying literally all of existence]], a far cry from Laharl disappearing in his bad ending, or Adell becoming possessed by Overlord Zenon in his.