History Main / TwoPartTrilogy

* Given the cliffhanger ending to ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'' involving [[spoiler: the dinosaurs being set loose into civilization]] it is clear that the ''Jurassic World Trilogy'' is an in-progress example of this. The first film had an ending that could have stood on its own.

* This is what happened with the ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' trilogy. Still, the number of plot threads linking ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'' and ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'' is significantly higher than connections ''MOTHER'' has with its two sequels combined. As Shigesato Itoi [[DoingItForTheArt only really did it for a chance to make a compelling story in a different medium]], this wasn't a case of {{Sequelitis}}; most of the threads between ''[=EarthBound=]'' and ''MOTHER 3'' were established by ''MOTHER 3'', with ''[=EarthBound=]'' leaving only [[spoiler:Porky's disappearance]] open.

** According to WordOfGod via directors Anthony and Joe Russo, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' were both envisioned as a "two-part story" from the beginning. This makes sense since the original movie, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' is a PeriodPiece set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII that sets up [[SuperHeroOrigin Cap's character and relationships]], while the two sequels are modern day political thrillers that deal with him trying to cope with the being a FishOutOfTemporalWater.

* The first book of the ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' series was written as a standalone story without much of a SequelHook, but it became so popular that ''ten sequels'' (and counting) were produced. The sequels are literally intertwined: most contain several different story arcs [[AnachronicOrder occurring some random amount of time]] after the events of the first book, which has become more like a giant prologue and character introduction than an actual installment. The fourth book lampshades its own giant prologue, probably partly as a reference to the first book's transformation.

* Until 2021, ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' consisted of the original film ''Film/TheMatrix'', released in 1999, followed by the second and third films ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'' and the tie-in video game ''VideoGame/EnterTheMatrix'', all released in 2003 within months of each other. The sequel movies and video game all tell one long story set six months after the first film, about the invasion of Zion; both movies and the cutscenes for the video game were filmed simultaneously, using all the same actors and crew. Features a Required Cliffhanger at the end of ''Reloaded'', with the Nebuchadnezzar being destroyed and both Neo and Bane being in comas. The DirectToVideo series of animated shorts ''Anime/TheAnimatrix'', which was made and released in between the first and second films, goes some way towards bridging the gap between the first film and its sequels. Many shorts are prequels to the first film, covering the rise of the machines and the fall of man, while others are set between the first and second films. Also, promotional art of all the 2003 installments was consistently putting emphasis on the green color, it wasn't so much the case for the first film outside the coding lines.
* The ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' trilogy also does this. The first film, ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', was made and can be seen as a stand-alone film. Then, after seeing its box office performance, two sequels were scheduled to be filmed back to back. In fact, they had a chance to have some form of resolution or miniature denouement at the end of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'', while also preparing the audience for the nature of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'', and building excitement for the coming adventure. Instead, for their CliffHanger, they ended with all of the threads dangling. And there already was a completely formed resolution for the second movie, [[SpannerInTheWorks Norrington just snatched it away at the last minute]]. The two sequels also form a MythArc around Davy Jones.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' was released as a mostly stand-alone film with a post-credits SequelHook. Rather than one sequel, however, the film was granted two sequels made back-to-back that split a single storyline: ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'' and ''Spider Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse''. While ''Across'' gives both Miles and Gwen complete character arcs, the movie ends on a cliffhanger regarding the main plot, with said plot actually being in-part the result of a throwaway gag from the first movie.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' was released as a mostly stand-alone film with a post-credits SequelHook. Rather than one sequel, however, the film was granted two sequels made back-to-back that split a single storyline: ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'' and ''Spider Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse''.

->''"To be concluded...which if this was always meant to be a trilogy we would've ended the first film saying that, too...just saying."''
-->-- "Part 2" of '''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's''' ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' review

* ''Film/{{Unbreakable}}'' was originally released as a completely standalone film. ''Film/{{Split}}'' is a StealthSequel made many years later, after which [[Film/{{Glass}} the concluding follow-up]] was made immediately.

* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' all take place in a rebooted timeline separated from previous entries. However, ''9'' is a [[AlternateContinuity re-telling]] of [[VideoGame/MortalKombat1 the]] [[VideoGame/MortalKombatII first]] [[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 three]] ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' games that simultaneously deals with the fallout of ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'', while ''X'' and ''11'' are separated from ''9'' [[TimeSkip by 25 years]] and have an original story. [[spoiler:Though ''11'' twists this a bit with its TimeCrash narrative bringing in younger versions of various characters from the original trilogy era and a lategame reveal that the BigBad has been orchestrating events across various timelines for her own means, ArcWelding the underlying SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong conflict behind ''9'' and the events of the entire first timeline by proxy.]]

A SubTrope of MovieMultipack, this happens primarily with films and video games. Compare StillbornFranchise, where a work intended to be the first of many fails to get sequels.

** In the prequel trilogy, it was obvious to all that all three movies were going to be made, so all are incorporated together more tightly as a trilogy, but even still, ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' could be a stand-alone movie, ending on a happy note and also being chronologically older than all other movies (Anakin Skywalker is a child), while ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' and ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' are more tightly linked as the beginning and end of the Clone Wars respectively (said wars canonically lasted three years). The events of ''The Phantom Menace'' happened ten years before ''Attack of the Clones''.

* The ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' games apply to this for the third. After ''VideoGame/MaxPayne2'' ended with almost everyone dead and everything tied up, the writing team was forced to suddenly shift Max from [[FilmNoir gritty New York]] to [[CrapsaccharineWorld sunny Brazil]] and surround him with an entirely new cast, despite the fact he [[ExcusePlot has no motivation for revenge anymore]]. If the plot didn't feel forced enough, the writer of the first two ''Max Payne'' games (Sam Lake) not only declined to write the third, but even wrote a cameo scene in [[VideoGame/AlanWake his next game]] where Max [[{{Retcon}} ends up dying]].

* This is the case with the ''Franchise/JohnWick'' movies. While [[Film/JohnWick the first movie]] can be watched standalone on its own, [[Film/JohnWickChapter2 the second movie]] ends on a very clear cliffhanger that leads directly into [[Film/JohnWickChapter3Parabellum the third]]. [[spoiler:As the third film ends in ''another'' cliffhanger leading into a fourth, it ends up being a two-part tetralogy.]]

* ''Literature/RendezvousWithRama'' and sequels is a literary example of a two-part tetralogy. The original book is self-contained (although the last line is a very nice SequelHook), while the next three books tell a single story and suffer from severe {{Sequelitis}}.

* The ''Franchise/ToyStory'' series is not quite a trilogy, but it's still an interesting example of this. While all four of the films are standalone to a degree, the [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory2 second,]] [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory3 third]] and [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory4 fourth]] movies share a more thematic continuity with each other than they do with the [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory1 first]]:

* ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'' and ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome'' help to make a loose trilogy from where ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' left off. ''Star Trek II'' ended with Spock's HeroicSacrifice; ''Star Trek III'' has the surviving TOS crew discover that Spock's body is regenerated and [[OurSoulsAreDifferent his spirit or katra]] was transferred into [=McCoy=]'s mind prior to his sacrifice, and defy Starfleet orders to bring them together; ''Star Trek IV'' has the crew set off for Earth to face the consequences of their actions before traveling to the past to retrieve two humpback whales to communicate with an alien probe threatening the Earth in the 23rd century.

* The "Spock trilogy" of ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'' and ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome''. ''Wrath of Khan'' was originally supposed to be the final Star Trek film involving the original cast due to how tepid the reaction was towards ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', hence why the screenwriters chose to kill off Spock. ''Wrath Of Khan'' turned out to be a success that revived interest in more films and, even more surprisingly, Creator/LeonardNimoy enjoyed the movie so much he was interested in returning. The entire plot of ''The Search for Spock'' revolved around bringing him back and was resolved, leaving some dangling plot threads surrounding the serious laws that were broken to make it possible. ''The Voyage Home'' concludes those plot threads, but the primary story of the film was something unrelated to Spock or their legal problems (except in as much as it gave them a chance to save the world and thus return home heroes instead of just criminals). Overall, the "trilogy" was more accidental than anything else.

* Interestingly, ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' is a unique variant of a Two-Part Tetralogy (or Three-Part Tetralogy depending on how you look at it). The first two films and especially the first one are more faithful to the [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion original TV series]] (though the second film does go OffTheRails near the end), in contrast to the latter two movies which are in completely new territory [[spoiler:after a 14-year time skip]]. The first two films are also in a [=VistaVision=] 16:9 aspect ratio while the latter two films are the only films to get Creator/{{IMAX}} and 4K Ultra HD releases while being made in a [=CinemaScope=] 21:9 aspect ratio, bringing with these new technologies massive [[AnimationBump Animation Bumps]] over the already top-tier first two films. In what can be interpreted as {{Lampshading}}, the title of the final film is even ''3.0+1.0'', suggesting it is an expansion to the third film.

* Lev Grossman said that ''Literature/TheMagicians'' wasn't supposed to have any sequels until he started imagining Quentin having ''Literature/VoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' style adventures on Fillory's seas and wrote two sequels.

* Interestingly, ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' is a Two-Part Tetralogy (or Three-Part Tetralogy depending on how you look at it). The first two films and especially the first one are more faithful to the [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion original TV series]] (though the second film does go OffTheRails near the end), in contrast to the latter two movies which are in completely new territory [[spoiler:after a 14-year time skip]]. The first two films are also in a [=VistaVision=] 16:9 aspect ratio while the latter two films are the only films to get Creator/{{IMAX}} and 4K Ultra HD releases while being made in a [=CinemaScope=] 21:9 aspect ratio, bringing with these new technologies massive [[AnimationBump Animation Bumps]] over the already top-tier first two films. In what can be interpreted as {{Lampshading}}, the title of the final film is even ''3.0+1.0'', suggesting it is an expansion to the third film.

* ''The False Prince'', the first book of The''Literature/AscendanceSeries'' is basically a stand-alone story with a SequelHook tagged on to the very end. While there is some foreshadowing of future conflicts, and a few things are left uncertain, almost all of the conflicts and questions are resolved to a degree that if a few paragraphs were taken out of the last five pages, readers might not even expect a sequel. ''The Runaway King'' introduces a looming war with another country, several characters, and establishes new relationship dynamics between several characters, which all continue on into ''The Shadow Throne.'' ''The Runaway King'' also ends with a massive cliffhanger which directly plays into the beginning of ''The Shadow Throne,'' although several months lapse between them.

* ''The False Prince'', the first book of The''Literature/AscendanceTrilogy'' is basically a stand-alone story with a SequelHook tagged on to the very end. While there is some foreshadowing of future conflicts, and a few things are left uncertain, almost all of the conflicts and questions are resolved to a degree that if a few paragraphs were taken out of the last five pages, readers might not even expect a sequel. ''The Runaway King'' introduces a looming war with another country, several characters, and establishes new relationship dynamics between several characters, which all continue on into ''The Shadow Throne.'' ''The Runaway King'' also ends with a massive cliffhanger which directly plays into the beginning of ''The Shadow Throne,'' although several months lapse between them.

* A similar case happened with the first three ''Franchise/SilentHill'' games. The third game ends up being a StealthSequel to the first, while the second had no connentions to the first other than the setting. A form of TrilogyCreep also happened with the release of ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'', a prequel to the first game.

* ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' and ''VideoGame/DeusExMankindDivided'' was ''supposed'' to be part of this. The first game, ''Human Revolution'', is a self-contained prequel with open-ended endings, with all the endings plausibly leading up to the events of ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', [[spoiler:and one ending even ends with [[KillEmAll most of the major prequel characters dead]]]]. ''Mankind Divided'' [[CuttingOffTheBranches cuts off the branches]] and begins a new arc where Jensen has to go for a new threat created by the GreaterScopeVillain, and ends on a blatant cliffhanger. However, the third game is either {{Vaporware}} or was QuietlyCancelled as far back as 2017.

* The sixth, seventh and eighth seasons of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' make up the ''Recollections Saga'', named in order: ''Reconstruction'', ''Recreation'' and ''Revelation''. ''Reconstruction'' leaves a few plot points open ended, [[spoiler: such as the fate of Church, Wash and the Meta, as well as a cameo by Tucker acting as a SequelHook]], but for most part, it was a stand alone piece. ''Recreation'' however, ends on a dual cliffhanger of [[spoiler: Washington shooting Donut and Lopez, while Sarge, Grif, Caboose, Tucker and Epsilon have to contend with a squadron of aliens]].

* This is what happened with the ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' trilogy. Still, the number of plot threads linking ''VideoGame/EarthBound'' and ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'' is significantly higher than connections ''MOTHER'' has with its two sequels combined. As Shigesato Itoi [[DoingItForTheArt only really did it for a chance to make a compelling story in a different medium]], this wasn't a case of {{Sequelitis}}; most of the threads between ''[=EarthBound=]'' and ''MOTHER 3'' were established by ''MOTHER 3'', with ''[=EarthBound=]'' leaving only [[spoiler:Porky's disappearance]] open.
* The ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series is an interesting variation on this trope, in which the standalone piece comes ''last'' rather than first. The first ''Golden Sun'' and its sequel, ''Golden Sun: The Lost Age'', were originally intended to be one game, but [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo had to be separated due to the space limitations]] on the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance. The Two-Part Trilogy is rounded out with ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'' (for the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS). This was not however the intended plan -- ''Dark Dawn'' sets up its own plot rather than being part of a trilogy with the first two games (the final scene ended on a cliffhanger), but a continuation has yet been announced.

* The ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' games apply to this for the third. After ''Max Payne 2'' ended with almost everyone dead and everything tied up, the writing team was forced to suddenly shift Max from [[FilmNoir gritty New York]] to [[CrapsaccharineWorld sunny Brazil]] and surround him with an entirely new cast, despite the fact he [[ExcusePlot has no motivation for revenge anymore]]. If the plot didn't feel forced enough, the writer of the first two ''Max Payne'' games (Sam Lake) not only declined to write the third, but even wrote a cameo scene in [[VideoGame/AlanWake his next game]] where Max [[{{Retcon}} ends up dying]].

* The sixth, seventh and eighth seasons of Machinima/RedVsBlue make up the ''Recollections Saga'', named in order: ''Reconstruction'', ''Recreation'' and ''Revelation''. ''Reconstruction'' leaves a few plot points open ended, [[spoiler: such as the fate of Church, Wash and the Meta, as well as a cameo by Tucker acting as a SequelHook]], but for most part, it was a stand alone piece. ''Recreation'' however, ends on a dual cliffhanger of [[spoiler: Washington shooting Donut and Lopez, while Sarge, Grif, Caboose, Tucker and Epsilon have to contend with a squadron of aliens]].
* The Stick figure series Shock is an inversion of this trope. The first two are a two-part episode and the third one basically stands on its own.

* The "Who REALLY Shot Mr. Burns?" episode of WebOriginal/TheRealJims' ''Simpsons Mysteries'' originally came in three parts: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SALl4HnX2pw the first part]] [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructing the official solution that Maggie was the shooter]] and the other two parts offering alternate solutions in which [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIeQ3Ym8f00 Marge]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za9IVKmbb-E Lisa]] were the real culprits. All three parts were released in 2014. Since then, three additional parts presenting more alternate solutions were released, making cases for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIQzAJLKmUA Grampa]] in 2016, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma3BBsZSPMs Bart]] in 2017, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2KrchonqP0 Homer]] in 2019.