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5[[quoteright:350:[[Film/ScaryMovie https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/scary_movie_four_movies_2281066_1100_1629.jpg]]]]
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9->''"The fifth book in the increasingly inaccurately-named [[Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxyTrilogy Hitchhiker's Trilogy]]."''
10-->-- ''Literature/MostlyHarmless''
11
12The strange tendency of trilogies to expand and see more and more works added to TheVerse. This is mainly found in books, but has also happened frequently with movies, and can occur with any other type of media as well.
13
14ScienceFiction author Creator/OrsonScottCard has suggested that this is the result of ExecutiveMeddling; rather than allow an author to just write the books they want to write, publishers pressure them into producing sequel after sequel in order to take advantage of the preexisting fanbase and milk a CashCowFranchise bone-dry.
15
16TwoPartTrilogy is somewhat related, typically the result of a one-part story expanding into a trilogy. Contrast DividedForPublication, which is when a work is split into more parts than the author originally envisioned, due to excessive length, and DividedForAdaptation, which is when a work, particularly if it's the final book in the series, is split into two or more parts in an adaptation.
17
18See also FranchiseZombie and {{Sequelitis}}. CapcomSequelStagnation is a related trope for VideoGames.
19
20----
21!!Example subpages:
22
23[[index]]
24* TrilogyCreep/{{Literature}}
25[[/index]]
26
27!!Other examples:
28[[foldercontrol]]
29
30[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
31* Originally, the Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion series was to be two individual features followed by two shorts packaged together as a third "film". After the resounding success of ''2.0'', however, plans apparently changed and ''3.0'' and ''3.0+1.0'' were both expanded and made into feature-length movies themselves.
32[[/folder]]
33
34[[folder:Audio Plays]]
35* In the AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho "Companion Chronicles" series, "[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoCCS5E2EchoesOfGrey Echoes of Grey]]" and "[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoCCS6E3TheMemoryCheats The Memory Cheats]]" were supposed to be the first two parts of a trilogy. The CD notes for the third instalment, "[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoCCS7E2TheUncertaintyPrinciple The Uncertainty Principle]]," make it clear that it is not the planned final part, and the 'trilogy' is now expected to be four episodes long.
36[[/folder]]
37
38[[folder:Comic Books]]
39* ''ComicBook/KickAss'' was supposed to be three issues, which then changed to four by the second issue; then it was eight. By the time it ended the comic was now a trilogy consisting of three volumes comprising eight, seven and eight issues respectively, as well as a five-issue Hit-Girl miniseries. And then the franchise was rebooted with a black female protagonist.
40* ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' was originally going to be a single miniseries, but the series' success caused Creator/BrianKVaughan to create an ongoing, which was supposed to end with a run by Creator/JossWhedon, but instead led to a third series, a slew of guest appearances and event tie-ins, a new, InNameOnly incarnation, and Nico Minoru and Victor Mancha getting promoted to off-shoots of ComicBook/TheAvengers.
41* The Chilean comic ''Zombies en la Moneda'', by Mythica Ediciones, was originally planned as a trilogy, and the third volume presented a satisfactory ending, however its great popularity motivated to create a sequel also in the form of a trilogy, moving the action from Santiago - the capital of Chile- to Valparaíso, the main port of the country. There were plans for a sequel (where the zombies would invade TheWhiteHouse) and spin-off, but the death of Marco Rauch, founder and owner of Mythica Ediciones, has put all these plans in doubt.
42[[/folder]]
43
44[[folder:Fan Works]]
45* ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'' is an interesting case. Originally a 4-part series, the episode count increased to five when ''Part 3'' was split into two episodes via SimultaneousArcs, but with the final part still being called ''Part 4'' -- At least until ''Part 5'', the real conclusion, was confirmed via {{Cliffhanger}}.
46* ''VideoGame/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTheContemptOfCourt'' originally inverted this [[ZigZaggingTrope but ended up playing it straight.]] The game was planned as four cases: "Turnabout Scapegoat", "The Haunted Turnabout", "Turnabout Before A Fall" and "Turnabout of the Snow". "Before A Fall" ended up being cut, condensing the story to 3 cases... but "Turnabout of the Snow" ended up so long it was split into two cases, its second half becoming "The Ensnared Turnabout".
47* In the case of Fanfic/TheCalvinverse, this happened to two different trilogies at the same time - Creator/{{Swing123}} and Creator/{{garfieldodie}} both made their own separate ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' trilogies, and ultimately ''Fanfic/RetroChill'' served as a {{crossover}} between the two (cementing the series as a universe, it could be said).
48* The Fanfic/ElementalChessTrilogy of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' stories was originally exactly that, but has been expanded to include a {{Prequel}}, a DistantFinale, and a collection of side stories. Despite this, it's still called a trilogy.
49* ''FanFic/XCOMTheHadesContingency'', as well as its sequels, were originally intended to be a trilogy. However, ''[[FanFic/XCOMTheAdventDirective Advent Directive]]'', the third story, proved itself to be so big that its final acts had to be split into a fourth book..
50[[/folder]]
51
52[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
53* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' seemed like a fitting conclusion to a beloved franchise, providing the closure that every fan wanted. Everyone expected it to be the {{grand finale}} to the series. But then, nine years later... hello ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''!
54* For a long while, ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'' consisted strictly of three short films: ''WesternAnimation/AGrandDayOut'', ''WesternAnimation/TheWrongTrousers'', and ''WesternAnimation/ACloseShave''. Many years later, there would be a full-length fourth entry, ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', as well as a fifth short film, ''WesternAnimation/AMatterOfLoafAndDeath''.
55[[/folder]]
56
57[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
58* The ''Film/AmericanPie'' trilogy, direct-to-video spinoffs aside, later got a fourth movie: ''American Reunion''. A fifth movie has been stated to be likely.
59* One of the taglines for ''Film/ScaryMovie4'' was "The Fourth and Final Chapter of the Trilogy"... Then ''Film/ScaryMovie5'' came out. In France, ''Film/ScaryMovie3'' had the tagline [[CaptainObvious "Best trilogies are in three parts."]][[note]]which is probably a [[BlindIdiotTranslation mangling]] of the American tagline, "Great trilogies come in threes."[[/note]] For that matter, it wasn't even the first time they had pulled such a stunt. One of the [[{{Tagline}} taglines]] for the original ''Film/ScaryMovie'' was "No shame. No mercy. No sequel." One of the taglines for the second film was "[[ILied We lied.]]"
60* ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'' is the definitive ending for the story of Ellen Ripley, who [[spoiler: died by simultaneously falling into molten lead and giving birth to a Xenomorph queen]]. However, ''Film/AlienResurrection'' brought the character back as a clone who finally made it to Earth. Up until the release of the ''Alien Legacy'' box set in 2000, the first three movies were still packaged in one case as the "Alien Trilogy", with the fourth film packed in separately. It's also been released as a "Quadrilogy"[[note]]the correct word for a sequence of four is "tetralogy"[[/note]] and an "Anthology" (to say nothing of the spinoff ''Franchise/AlienVsPredator'' films or the prequels ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'' and ''Film/AlienCovenant'').
61* The ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' trilogy was expanded with [[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull a fourth movie]] after a nineteen-year hiatus. Justified in that the Indiana Jones series was originally intended to be five or six movies long anyway, but things just kept getting in the way of development. In the meantime, much material was added to the ExpandedUniverse. [[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny A fifth movie]] would then happen, [[BTeamSequel but with only Harrison Ford left]].
62* ''Film/SpyKids''. However, [[Film/SpyKidsAllTheTimeInTheWorld the film]] is not really a continuation of the first three, since it's centered around a new family (the family of the previously-unmentioned aunt of the original spy kids, to be exact), though the original spy kids, now grown-up, do appear.
63* Film/TheViewAskewniverse, which started out as the New Jersey Trilogy. There are eight films released as of 2023.
64* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. However, [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides the fourth film]] is an entirely new adventure featuring [[BreakoutCharacter Jack Sparrow]], rather than a continuation of the previous films' arc. [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales A fifth film]] was later made which is more connected to the original trilogy than its predecessor.
65* After a trilogy, ''Film/ParanormalActivity'' came out with a fourth film in an obvious attempt to [[CashCowFranchise get more money from the fans]], followed by Latino-focused spinoff, and apparently finished with ''The Ghost Dimension''. Then in 2019, a seventh film was announced.
66* ''Franchise/StarWars'': The Original Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI, formerly referred to as the "Star Wars Trilogy") was later expanded with a new "Prequel Trilogy" of movies (Episodes I-III), as well as [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse multiple television series, games, books and comics]] in spin-off material. Though many had believed the saga was completed with ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' in 2005, a new "''Sequel'' Trilogy" (Episodes VII-IX) went almost immediately into production following Creator/{{Disney}}'s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012 (getting finished in 2019), as well as new spin-offs. Justified in that ''Star Wars'' was not originally intended to be just a trilogy, with initial plans aiming for a '''''twelve'''''-movie saga including prequels and sequels. Then George Lucas shortened to nine following the first movie, and settled on six after the second.[[note]]Although how much of any of this was ''actually'' Lucas's original vision seems to depend on [[FlipFlopOfGod when he actually said it]].[[/note]]
67* The ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' franchise is easily one of the largest examples of this trope. To put it through: ''Film/SawI'' was originally intended to be a standalone film. Because of its astounding success, the creators decided to make [[Film/SawII two]] [[Film/SawIII sequels]] in order to finish with a trilogy. Due to ExecutiveMeddling after the larger success of those movies, they came back after the third one and just decided to flesh out a story and keep writing until they came up with the perfect ending. They came up with an additional 5 movies, but due to further meddling they had to condense the last two into ''Film/Saw3D'', which would have originally ended the franchise in 2010. However, it was revived in 2017 with ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'', with a ninth entry, ''[[Film/{{Spiral|2021}} Spiral]]'', being later released in 2021.
68** According to Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of ''Saw II'', ''III'', ''IV'' and ''Spiral'', there are currently five more movies in development, which include two direct follow-ups to ''3D'' (with the {{Working Title}}s ''Saw IX'' and ''X''), a direct sequel to ''Jigsaw'', and two sequels to ''Spiral'', which is also set to get its own TV series.
69* Creator/GeorgeARomero's ''Film/LivingDeadSeries''. The original ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' and ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' stood as a trilogy for 20 years and became a hallmark of the zombie film genre before receiving a fourth installment in ''Film/LandOfTheDead'', which got some great reviews but was viewed by some fans as a disappointment. Two more installments, ''Film/DiaryOfTheDead'' and ''Film/SurvivalOfTheDead'', came out in rapid succession, to very little cultural impact.
70* ''Film/{{Scream 4}}'', though given that this is the ''Film/{{Scream}}'' series, [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall it took a couple digs at this.]]
71* The credits for ''Film/ViolentShit III: Infantry of Doom'' read "End of Trilogy". Cue another sequel, ''Karl the Butcher vs. Axe'', eleven years later.
72* ''Deadly Dares: Truth or Dare Part IV'', made thirteen years after ''Screaming for Sanity: Truth or Dare 3''.
73* ''Film/{{Rambo|IV}}'' (2008) arrived in theaters a full two decades after the final installment in the original ''First Blood'' trilogy that introduced the character to movie audiences. The fourth film isn't really that gratuitous, however, since it allows John Rambo some closure by having him, at the film's very end, [[spoiler:finally return to his father's ranch in Arizona, which he has been away from for close to 40 years]].
74* ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' was seemingly a full-circle trilogy... until a SpinOff fourth installment, ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' came out in 2012. Then a fifth film, ''Film/JasonBourne'', came out in 2016 [[ProductionPosse by the same team as the first three films]] (minus scriptwriter Tony Gilroy).
75* ''Film/MadMax'' was a trilogy for 30 years - and then came ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', which even required a change of [[TheOtherDarrin lead actor]] and [[CaliforniaDoubling filming location]]. George Miller has stated it will start a whole trilogy.
76* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
77** Thor is the first character to headline more than three solo films, with ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' being the fourth. Though ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' found a solid ending for his arc, the HappyEndingOverride from ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' means he's at the start of a new arc.
78** A variant: ''Captain America: New World Order'' is technically the fourth Captain America movie. But [[LegacyCharacter it's not the same character]], as Sam Wilson/Falcon has taken the mantle and shield of Steve Rogers.
79* ''Film/TheOmen'' series initially ran for three films that were released between 1976 to 1981 with the third being billed as the last of the trilogy. [[Film/OmenIVTheAwakening A fourth film]] though was released in 1991 (although, unlike the previous 3, it was a tv movie).
80* J.K. Rowling's ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' was initially announced as the first in a trilogy, then bumped to five films right before it released. Rowling says the trilogy announcement was a placeholder while she was still working on the series’s outline and before she’d nailed down the firm number. Ultimately subverted, the poor performance of ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheSecretsOfDumbledore'' led to the franchise being shelved.
81* ''Film/IpMan3'' was initially intended to be a trilogy capper for the ''Film/{{Ip Man|Film Series}}'' film series, with a spinoff without the title character (''Film/MasterZIpManLegacy'') coming out after it. Then ''Film/IpMan4'' was announced, and Creator/DonnieYen was paid a hefty sum to return, seemingly for the last time.
82* ''Film/TheMatrixResurrections'':
83** ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'' concluded the ''[[Franchise/TheMatrix Matrix]]'' trilogy... then a fourth film, the rather aptly titled ''Resurrections'', was ordered over 15 years later.
84** ''Resurrections'' is also metafictional, and features Neo as a game developer whose "beloved parent company Warner Bros." is forcing him to make a sequel to his successful trilogy.
85* The 2010s ''Planet of the Apes'' trilogy (''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', ''Film/WarForThePlanetOfTheApes'') saw a fourth film that [[WhatCouldHaveBeen should have initially been]] a ContinuityReboot, ''Film/KingdomOfThePlanetOfTheApes''.
86* The ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'' met a fitting conclusion with the third film: ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'', with [[spoiler: all Decepticons dead and the Autobots accepting Earth as their new home.]] But it made so much money they ended up making ''[[Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction Age of Extinction]]'' and ''[[Film/TransformersTheLastKnight The Last Knight]]''.
87* The third ''All Night Long'' film had the subtitles ''The Final Chapter'' and ''The End.'' It was followed by ''All Night Long R'', ''All Night Long O'' and ''All Night Long 6.''
88[[/folder]]
89
90[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
91* ''Series/KamenRiderDenO'''s third movie was explicitly called "Farewell Kamen Rider Den-O: The Final Countdown", and features a PassingTheTorch aspect with the introduction of a new Den-O, and on a meta level it was believed to be the end of the series because star Takeru Satoh was moving on to other roles. Another three / five ''Den-O'' movies[[note]]depending on whether you count the Chō Den-O Trilogy movies as one big one or three smaller ones[[/note]] have come out since then. Possibly lampshaded in the DVD release of "Final Countdown", where a short extra cartoon has one character remark that, for all the talk of "final" and "conclusion", that doesn't stop them from making more sequels.
92* For some reason, CBS advertised the ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' episodes "The Cold War," "If-Then-Else," and "Control-Alt-Delete" as a trilogy, but the next episode "MIA" is a key part of the arc.
93[[/folder]]
94
95[[folder:Music]]
96* The Music/{{Rush|Band}} song "Where's My Thing?" is described as part IV of the Gangster of Boats trilogy. [[{{Uninstallment}} There kinda actually weren't any Gangster of Boats songs before it.]]
97** Played straight with "Freeze (Part IV of Fear)" from ''Music/VaporTrails''. Fear is a "trilogy" that was [[AnachronicOrder released in reverse order]] with Part III, "Witch Hunt," from ''Moving Pictures'' first and Part I, "The Enemy Within" from ''Music/GraceUnderPressure'' released third.
98* Played straight AND subverted by Music/BadReligion, where Part III received a sequel and a prequel on the album 'Suffer' in Part II (The Numbers Game) and Part IV (The Index Fossil), but no Part I. [[WordOfGod Brett Gurewitz, when asked by a fansite, cited Big Bang as the closest to Part I that he could think of.]]
99* When Secret Chiefs 3 released ''Book of Horizons'' in 2004, Trey Spruance said it was the first part of the "Book of Truth" trilogy. The very next part wound up split in two: ''Book of Souls: Folio A'' (released in 2014) and ''Book of Souls: Folio B'' (which as of June 2019 still hasn't come out). A proper third part is still planned as well, meaning the finished "trilogy" will actually be four albums, at the very least.
100[[/folder]]
101
102[[folder:Theatre]]
103* Though ''Theatre/DerRingDesNibelungen'' was not originally conceived as a trilogy, it was already four plays by the time Music/RichardWagner began composing the music, and is not commonly thought of as a trilogy, its official heading being "a stage festival play for three days and one evening before."
104* It is believed by some scholars that Creator/WilliamShakespeare wrote the three ''Theatre/HenryVI'' plays out of sequence: first [[Theatre/HenryVIPart2 Part II]], then [[Theatre/HenryVIPart3 Part III]], then finally [[Theatre/HenryVIPart1 Part I]]. Moreover, from a critical and performing standpoint, they are often lumped together with ''Theatre/RichardIII'' as an overall "UsefulNotes/WarsOfTheRoses" story.
105[[/folder]]
106
107[[folder:Video Games]]
108* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' had [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories one game]] come out between parts ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI I]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]''. [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded There]] [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 were]] [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep six]] [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance more]] [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsX complete]] [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts02BirthBySleepAFragmentaryPassage titles]] released between ''II'' in 2005 and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' in January 2019 -- and while ''III'' serves as the GrandFinale for [[StoryArc the "Dark Seeker Saga"]], [[SequelHook it still left open just as many questions as any other entry]], ensuring that [[SequelNumberSnarl this "trilogy" of eleven games wouldn't be over any time soon]], eventually resulting in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIV''.
109* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' is an interesting case, as Creator/{{Bungie}} originally planned for it to only be '''two''' games; [[ExecutiveMeddling Microsoft wanted a third game]] and development time for ''Halo 2'' ran short, so they stretched it out over ''VideoGame/Halo2'' and ''VideoGame/Halo3''. Then there's the interquel ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'' (planned, but expanded) and the prequel ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' (never planned), which roughly fit into the same "trilogy". In 2012, ''VideoGame/Halo4'' was released, stated to be the beginning of a second trilogy, called "The Reclaimer Saga", with Creator/ThreeFourThreeIndustries as the developers. The final game in the Reclaimer Saga would be ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'', before the trilogy was abandoned with the release of ''VideoGame/HaloInfinite'', which incorporated more elements from Bungie's titles.
110* ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'', the fourth game in the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series. Shu Takumi had planned the series to be a trilogy, but Capcom called for another game. The protagonist change was due to the fact that the former three games already told all the stories for Phoenix. ''VisualNovel/{{Ace Attorney Investigations|MilesEdgeworth}}'' was meant to be a GaidenGame, with a fifth game in the main series planned. ''Investigations'' ended up getting its own sequel before ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies Dual Destinies]]'' was released, though ''Investigations 2'' was [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]].
111* Both "''Hitman'' Trilogy", a boxset for the [=PS2=], and "''Hitman'' HD Trilogy", a similar set for the [=PS3=] and 360, actually feature the second, third and fourth entries in the ''Franchise/{{Hitman}}'' series (''[[VideoGame/Hitman2SilentAssassin Silent Assassin]]'', ''[[VideoGame/HitmanContracts Contracts]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/HitmanBloodMoney Blood Money]]''), skipping the original game in the entirely. The original game in the series, ''VideoGame/HitmanCodename47'', was a PC-exclusive; not to mention ''Contracts'' is, in effect, a remake of it.
112* Creator/HideoKojima did not intend to direct any of the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' sequels beyond ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''. When he was brought back to direct ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 2|SonsOfLiberty}}'', he ended the story with an inconclusive ending and then followed it up with ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 3|SnakeEater}}'', a prequel that was marketed as "the final game in the Metal Gear Solid trilogy." However, due to much demand after the open-ended nature of ''Sons of Liberty'', Kojima was brought back again for ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 4|GunsOfThePatriots}}'' to tie up all the loose ends and conclude Solid Snake's storyline. Despite this, the ''Metal Gear'' series continues on with a series of prequels starring Big Boss (such as ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'') and ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' (a spin-off starring Raiden). Then Kojima started directing ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain]]'', which he is claiming to be the final ''Metal Gear'' game he is directly working on. Kojima has went on record saying that every time he announces a game as the franchise's last, he receives a bunch of death threats from rabid fans, and it's these threats that makes him rethink ending the franchise. The PR collapse of Creator/{{Konami}} appears to have given Kojima the go-ahead from fans to pursue non-''Metal Gear'' ideas.
113* After the release of ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry3PassionatePattiInPursuitOfThePulsatingPectorals'', series creator Al Lowe insisted that there wouldn't be a ''Larry [[ExactWords 4]]'', partly thanks to how Lowe essentially wrote himself into a corner without any idea how Larry 3's ending could lead into a sequel. Instead, he chose to [[UnInstallment skip the fourth installment]] (retroactively referred to as ''Leisure Suit Larry 4: The Missing Floppies'') completely and carry on straight into ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry5PassionatePattiDoesALittleUndercoverWork'', where the absence of a fourth game is actually a ''plot point'', and both Larry has amnesia because the BigBad stole the Larry 4 disks, and weaseled out of paying Patti for her work on the score.
114* ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' was originally intended as a trilogy and thus was written as such: at the end of [[VideoGame/Jak3Wastelander the third game]], the Precursors are revealed and the BigBad is defeated. However, [[VideoGame/JakX a racing spin-off]] was released a year later, followed by [[VideoGame/{{Daxter}} a PSP game with Daxter in the lead]], and [[VideoGame/JakAndDaxterTheLostFrontier a PS2/PSP game]] [[BTeamSequel developed by a different team]] than original creator Creator/NaughtyDog.
115* After ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheTwoThrones'' wrapped up the trilogy started with ''[[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime Sands of Time]]'' and continued with ''[[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaWarriorWithin Warrior Within]]'', a handled spin-off titled ''VideoGame/BattlesOfPrinceOfPersia'' came out in the same month then a fourth game in the same continuity, titled ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheForgottenSands'', was made in order to capitalize on the release of the ''[[Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime Sands of Time]]'' movie. A ContinuityReboot [[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008 had been produced in the intervening years]].
116* After ''VideoGame/AnotherCenturysEpisode 3: The Final'' came out, many people were hoping for a new ''A.C.E.'' game would be released sometime. Lo and behold, ''Another Century's Episode: R'' for the Platform/PlayStation3. Note, however, that it is more or less a new continuity as opposed to an actual story continuation. Incidentally, [[WordOfGod Director Terada more or less said]], "I don't know why we called ''A.C.E.3: The Final'' (due to them apparently having every intention of making a new game). So, let's just say that ''A.C.E.3'' was "The Final Platform/PlayStation2 ''A.C.E.'' game."
117* When ''Franchise/{{Fabula Nova Crystallis|FinalFantasy}}'' was conceived, it was originally meant to consist of [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII three]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV self-contained]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0 games]] that shared one mythology. Nine years later, and it jumped to six games and about three or four short stories, with possibly more coming along the way.
118* The ''VideoGame/{{Onimusha}}'' series was originally conceived as a trilogy, with ''VideoGame/Onimusha3DemonSiege'' initially advertised as the final installment of the series. It didn't take long for Capcom to produce a fourth game afterward, with ''VideoGame/OnimushaDawnOfDreams'' (aka ''Shin Onimusha'').
119* From 1988 to 2015, ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'' was accurately known as "The Bard's Tale Trilogy." Then [=InXile=] announced that work had begun on ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV''.
120* While there was never really a stated number of games planned in the ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' series, ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys3'' seemed like it was being built up as the end of the series, what with the game being set [[TimeSkip thirty years after the first one]], featuring only a single surviving animatronic ([[RealAfterAll maybe]]), and ending with [[GreaterScopeVillain the Purple Guy]] [[LaserGuidedKarma finally being killed off by the spirits of the very children he murdered and then forced to haunt a robot like them]], [[spoiler:the kids' spirits moving on to the afterlife, and the pizzeria burning down at the end, seemingly putting an end to the Fazbear nightmare]]. Then [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4 a fourth game]] was confirmed, and was definitively billed as "The Final Chapter"; the game itself supported this, ending by [[AmbiguousSituation what seemed to be]] [[spoiler:The Bite of '87]]. After this, no further games seemed incoming (aside from [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysWorld the largely non-canon spin-off]]), and Scott was absolutely adamant that the series was over and there would be no further sequels... until [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSisterLocation a fifth game was announced]], with Scott explaining on Platform/{{Steam}} that "[[TrollingCreator I never said I couldn't change my mind.]]" He trolled even further by disguising [[VideoGame/FreddyFazbearsPizzeriaSimulator the sixth game]] as another spin-off, but also made ''that'' look like the GrandFinale [[spoiler:by having the main villain and a number of animatronics burned alive]]. But then ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysVRHelpWanted'' and ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSecurityBreach'' came out... And that's not counting all the novels.
121* A very particular case of this occurs in Rocksteady Studios' ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries''. The series was originally intended to be a trilogy. The first game being ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', the second game being ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', and the third and final game being ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight''. However, Warner Bros. Montreal (who developed the Wii U port of ''Arkham City'') [[BTeamSequel released]] a prequel to ''Asylum'' called ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'' between ''City'' and ''Knight'' to hold fans over until ''Knight'' was released. And that's not counting the various spin-off mobile games or ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOriginsBlackgate''.
122* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' actually manages to invert this (by also using a variation of TwoPartTrilogy): you've got ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand'', ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'', ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' and ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards''. The twist is that the trilogy here would be the latter three games, thanks to all of them having several elements in common and an overarching story arc (mostly surrounding EldritchAbomination Dark Matter, who {{Fanon}} named the trilogy after). Thus, the first game ends up being more of a set up for this entire trilogy (and also ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'', which is narratively unrelated) instead of part of it.
123* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'':
124** Despite being called the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' prior to the announcement of a fourth numbered entry, a SpinOff multiplayer-focused game called ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' was released between ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes Prime 2: Echoes]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption Prime 3: Corruption]]'' that was entirely disconnected from the Phazon plot at the center of the first three numbered installments. Oh, and a [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimePinball a digital pinball version]] of the first ''Prime'' game. Then nearly 10 years after ''Corruption'', Nintendo released another multiplayer spin-off in the form of ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce Federation Force]]'', though this one did concern the overarching plot and tackled the aftermath of the original trilogy's events.
125** Series co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto originally intended the original ''VideoGame/Metroid1'', ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' to be a trilogy, with ''Super'' being the conclusion of a clear narrative structure (Samus defeats Mother Brain and the Space Pirates, Metroids start becoming a galactic threat so Samus terminates all but one, Space Pirates and a revived Mother Brain steal the last Metroid for their plans and get defeated for good). Cue ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' happened, which featured almost none of the previous plot threads, instead having Samus face off against a new threat that [[NiceJobBreakingItHero justified the existence of the aforementioned Metroids]]. This was followed by ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', which had Samus manage to defeat said threat for good while also [[spoiler:developing the powers of a Metroid herself]], with Sakamoto labeling these five games as a pentalogy revolving around Samus and her relationship with the Metroids.
126* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
127** The ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' series was originally going to end with [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork3WhiteAndBlue the third game]], but ended up going on for six games (not counting the ''Network Transmission'' and ''Battle Chip Challenge'' spin-off games).
128** The ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' series and plot threads were supposed to end with [[VideoGame/MegaManZero3 the third episode]]. However, the fate of one specific villain was left unresolved; this spiraled into ''VideoGame/MegaManZero4'' and the true GrandFinale for the series.
129* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank''... Hoo boy. To start, when the series jumped to the Platform/PlayStation3, developer Creator/InsomniacGames began developing a storyline dubbed "''Ratchet & Clank [[TheNewAdventures Future]]''" that would expand on the backstory of the duo as well as their lineages as a whole, eventually taking the form of 2007's ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Future: Tools of Destruction]]'' and 2009's ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime Future: A Crack in Time]]'' (the latter of which was also intended as the GrandFinale for the series as a whole). Once it became clear that ''A Crack in Time'' needed an additional year of development, Insomniac released ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureQuestForBooty'', a short MissionPackSequel to ''Tools'' that served to both tide fans over as well as set up ''A Crack in Time''. This also led the studio to start referring to these games as the "''Future'' Trilogy." [[ExecutiveMeddling Once PlayStation decided]] to keep the franchise going, [[ComicBook/RatchetAndClankComic a six-issue comic miniseries]] released which acted as an epilogue that bridged the ending of ''A Crack in Time'' into the then-upcoming entry ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAll4One All 4 One]]'' (which was not a part of the ''Future'' storyline). However after the less-than-stellar reception of that title and its follow-up ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFullFrontalAssault Full Frontal Assault]]'', Insomniac decided to go back to the ''Future'' games' storyline with 2013's ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankIntoTheNexus'', which was explicitly advertised as an epilogue despite not carrying the "''Future''" label. Then, after [[SequelGap eight years]], that game would receive a direct follow-up with 2021's ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankRiftApart'', which once again continued the storyline and further expanded on the backstory introduced in the [=PS3=] titles. This means that the ''Future'' trilogy (which, may we remind you, started as ''two'' games) is comprised of six entries, and even then it's currently unknown if ''Rift Apart'' is the true conclusion as its ending leaves open the possibility of another direct continuation. Insomniac themselves seemed to be aware of this trope and attempted to [[DownplayedTrope downplay]] it, as once ''Into the Nexus'' rolled around they stopped calling it the ''Future'' '''trilogy''' and instead began referring to it as the ''Future'' '''saga'''.
130* ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries'':
131** In 2009, ''VideoGame/AtelierRoronaTheAlchemistOfArland'' was released. The next year, its sequel, ''VideoGame/AtelierTotoriTheAdventurerOfArland'', came out, followed by ''VideoGame/AtelierMeruruTheApprenticeOfArland'' to finish the trilogy. The next ''Atelier'' game to be released was ''VideoGame/AtelierAyeshaTheAlchemistOfDusk'', which is set in a new continuity. Once the ''Dusk'' and ''Mysterious'' trilogies had concluded, a fourth game set in the Arland continuity was announced: ''VideoGame/AtelierLuluaTheScionOfArland''.
132** And again in 2022 with the release of the fourth game in the ''Mysterious'' trilogy (after two games in the ''Ryza''/''Secret'' series): ''VideoGame/AtelierSophie2TheAlchemistOfTheMysteriousDream''.
133* The [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel Erebonia Arc]] of Creator/{{Falcom}}'s ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'' of games serves as a variation of this trope. It was supposed to only have two installments, but the first one ended up getting split into two games, allegedly due to hardware limitations. Afterwards, fans were hoping that the third game would wrap things up, only for Falcom to suddenly announce a fourth installment due to the third game not being big enough to cover everything the staff wanted. And just when fans were breathing a sigh of relief, thinking that it was finally over... Falcom announced that the next game, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsIntoReverie Trals into Reverie]]'', would be an epilogue-esque game meant to tie up loose ends from both the Erebonia and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure Crossbell]] arcs. It wouldn't be until [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsThroughDaybreak the next game]] that the much-anticipated "Calvard Arc" would finally begin.
134[[/folder]]
135
136[[folder:Web Animation]]
137* The ''WebAnimation/AnimatorVsAnimation'' series was originally supposed to end with ''Animator vs. Animation III'', which ended with [[BigBad the Animator]]'s computer being destroyed, taking the stick figures down with it. Two years later, the fourth installment was announced, and a year after that, ''Animator vs. Animation IV'' was released, and since then the series remains alive with new installments coming out.
138* ''WebAnimation/FallenKingdom'': Or rather, Tetralogy Creep. "Dragonhearted" was released in November 2016, and everyone thought it was the end of the story... until "Rising Kingdom", a prequel, was released in December 2022. Lampshaded in the latter video's description:
139-->After 6 years, we revisit the not yet Fallen Kingdom.
140* WebAnimation/TheLazerCollection was originally only going to be three parts long, but when requests for a fourth part were continuously made, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aLIP94KBlw the author eventually made it]], but it's a case of StylisticSuck with a subtext of "[[ArtistDisillusionment Now Shut Up]]." There's also a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws4UVguoZjM Part Five]].
141[[/folder]]
142
143[[folder:Web Original]]
144* {{Parodied|Trope}} by WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick: her three-part review of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' ended with her talking about how a lot of the material got pushed into the Extended Edition... and then ends by announcing that the reviews will have an "Extended Cut," i.e., a fourth episode.
145** Creator/LindsayEllis does it again with her two-part review of ''Film/TheHobbit'' suddenly getting a third part, parodying how the films were expanded from a planned duology to [[PacingProblems an overly long]] trilogy.
146* The [[WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay Super Best Friends Zaibatsu]] coined the term 'Sadness Trilogy' for the David Cage games ''VideoGame/IndigoProphecy'', ''VideoGame/HeavyRain'' and ''VideoGame/BeyondTwoSouls'' when the latter came out. A few years later, they played ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', which became 'Episode Zero' of the Trilogy. Then ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman'' came out, and the term was largely phased out by them (also as recognition of the fact that Detroit was a game they actually enjoyed and there wasn't much to be sad about in its case).
147[[/folder]]
148
149[[folder:Western Animation]]
150* Parodied and {{exaggerated|Trope}} in the first act of the ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' episode "[[Recap/LiloAndStitchTheSeriesS2E6Skip Skip]]". Lilo and Stitch want to go watch ''[[ShowWithinAShow Wasp Mummies III]]''. After they skip ten years in the future so Lilo would be old enough to watch the film, they find that the Kokaua Town Cinema (or now Cinema''s'') is now showing the '''ninth''' ''Wasp Mummies'' film, ''Wasp Mummies IX: Return of Another Final Chapter – [[ColonCancer Part 2]]''.
151-->'''Lilo:''' I guess [[{{Understatement}} we missed a few sequels]].
152[[/folder]]

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