History Main / TwoPartTrilogy

* The ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series is an interesting variation on this trope, in which the standalone piece comes ''last'' rather than first. The first ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1'' and its sequel, ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge'', 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 classic [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Genesis]] Sonic trilogy is probably the earliest video game example. While ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 Sonic 1]]'' is self-contained, ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Sonic 2]]'' and ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' are directly linked to each other, with the latter being a direct sequel that chronicles the immediate consequences of the events that took place in the former, to the point that the two entries are collectively referred to as "the Death Egg saga" by fans. What makes this an especially interesting case is the fact that ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'' was actually [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo split into two games]] due to time and technical constraints[[note]]Aside from the issue of longer games taking longer to make and release, the full game was also ''far'' too large to release on a single cartridge without it becoming absurdly expensive[[/note]], yet it's possible to combine them into one, thanks to the second part's unique feature that allows it to be physically attached to the previous game and become an ExpansionPack. So you could also call it a two-part tetralogy, or even ''a three-part tetralogy''. And that's without incorporating ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD Sonic CD]]'' for UsefulNotes/SegaCD into the mix, as ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Origins]]'' did. ''Sonic CD'' canonically takes place before ''Sonic 2'' and, like ''Sonic 1'' before it, stands on its own, so its inclusion makes this '''a three-or-four-part pentalogy'''.

* The original ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'' was intended to be a standalone film, with its SequelHook meant as a joke. WordOfGod says it was inserted in the spirit of the heroes metaphorically RidingIntoTheSunset. ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'' and ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'' were filmed back-to-back, and were originally written as a single movie with the WorkingTitle ''Paradox''. The movie had four compressed acts,[[note]]2015, the alternate 1985, back to 1955, then 1885[[/note]] resulting in serious over-length. Instead of cramming it all into one movie, they split the fourth act off and made it ''Part III'', allowing them to introduce, define, and develop the totally new characters and plot. The finished films are all fairly equally connected to each other and each have mostly separate main plots.

* ''Film/{{Unbreakable}}'' was originally released as a completely standalone film. ''Film/{{Split}}'' is a StealthSequel made many years later, after which [[Film/Glass2019 the concluding follow-up]] was made immediately.

** Interestingly this was never supposed to happen, as Halo 2 was supposed to wrap up the series, but because of its infamous TroubledProduction, Halo 2 ended up on an equally infamous {{Cliffhanger}}, and what was to be the final act of Halo 2 ended up being the first act of Halo 3.

* ''The Indian in the Cupboard''. Only the first part was adapted to film.

* The ''Literature/CompleteWorldKnowledge'' trilogy. While ''Literature/TheAreasOfMyExpertise'' and ''Literature/MoreInformationThanYouRequire'' are absurdist takes on American life and ''Literature/ThatIsAll'' instead pivots to talking about the apocalypse, all three are intended to be read as standalone.

* The ''Literature/CompleteWorldKnowledge'' trilogy. Only the first two volumes are out so far, but it looks like all three will share an equal degree of cohesion.

->''"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."''

* The film adaptations of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' fall under this, with [[Film/RurouniKenshin the first film]] being mostly standalone while the [[Film/RurouniKenshinKyotoInferno second]] and [[Film/RurouniKenshinTheLegendEnds third]] films were shot back-to-back and flow almost seamlessly between each other. As of the time of writing this, a fourth and fifth movie are currently in development, potentially making this a case of "''three-part pentalogy''."''

* The ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' sequels deliberately subverted this trope. Director Creator/MichaelBay has gone on record saying that he hates this form of movie-making and doesn't want to hold back on the current movie because he wants to save something for the sequel, "Let's go for broke on this one." Each movie aims to tell a complete story, although it has plenty of [[SequelHook hints towards future movies]].

* ''Literature/AgentPendergast'': The ''Diogenes Trilogy'' contains ''Literature/{{Brimstone}}'' which is mostly self-contained and the more directly-related ''Literature/DanceOfDeath'' and ''Literature/BookOfTheDead''. However, ''Brimstone'' winds up subverting this in the end as it ends in a clear cliffhanger that leads into ''Dance of Death''.

* The "Who REALLY Shot Mr. Burns?" episode of WebVideo/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.

This can lead to an interesting situation wherein the second and third movies in the trilogy share more direct relation to each other than they do with the original. The story seems to flow more from 2 to 3 while 1 remains standalone. More characters transfer over from 2 to 3. Cinematography is more consistent from 2 to 3. The story beats themselves often emulate the pattern set by 2 (such as the first film having a standing opening, the second has a VillainOpeningScene and the third also has one). When applied to video games, the sequel will make certain gameplay refinements from the first game, and the third installment is just a mild refinement from the second.

** ''Apollo Justice'' ultimately acts as this for the trilogy of games marketed under his name. While many of his supporting cast members show up in ''Dual Destinies'' and ''Spirit of Justice'', all of them are DemotedToExtra and their character arcs are either [[AbortedArc abandoned]] or glossed over, with very few exceptions. Apollo himself, while introduced as the protagonist and still being a prominent character, ends up taking a backseat to Phoenix and sharing his role with him. Starting with ''Dual Destinies'', more call backs to previous installments start showing up and a continuity is established, Athena Cykes takes the primary heroine role in favor of Trucy Wright, and while the overall plot of the game establishes the "Dark Age of Law" that hangs over the whole trilogy, certain elements like [[spoiler:the experimental Jurist system]] are left out entirely in the later two games.

** Speaking of that fourth game, ''Apollo Justice'' ultimately acts as this for the trilogy of games undee his name. While many of his supporting cast members show up in the remaining two games,all of them are DemotedToExtra and their character arcs are either [[AbortedArc abandoned]] or glossed over, with very few exceptions. Starting with ''Dual Destinies'', more call backs to previous installments start showing up and a continuity is established, Athena Cykes takes the primary heroine role in favor of Trucy Wright, and while the overall plot of the game is referenced, certain elements like [[spoiler:the experimental Jurist system]] are left out entirely in the later two games.

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': The first three ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' games fit this trope, though with an odd twist -- 1 and 3 have more connections to each other than 2 has to either of them, though this came about in much the same manner as any other Two-Part Trilogy. And of course, the fourth game was going to be completely unconnected until the ExecutiveMeddling.

* The ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' movie trilogy actually inverts this trope; the first two films are a CompilationMovie of the anime - and they were released one week apart. [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion The third film]] is a continuation of the anime's story. [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieWalpurgisnachtRising The fourth film]] being a continuation of Rebellion turns it into a two-part tetralogy (or, if one were to view the first two films, being a compilation of the first season, as a single installment, this would actually *double-invert* the trope back into being a proper two-part trilogy).

* The ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' movie trilogy actually inverts this trope; the first two films are a CompilationMovie of the anime - and they were released one week apart. [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion The third film]] is a continuation of the anime's story.

* ''Film/TheEvilDead1981'' was a standalone horror film. ''Film/EvilDead2'', meanwhile, ends on a {{cliffhanger}} that had previously been foreshadowed when the main characters read [[TomeOfEldritchLore the Necronomicon]] and see a drawing of a figure resembling Ash. What's more, the first ten minutes are an abbreviated and [[AdaptationDistillation distilled]] remake of the first film such that it's hard to reconcile the first two films existing in one continuity. (Numerous fan-made edits of [[Franchise/TheEvilDead all three movies]] back-to-back have been made, but they require some fiddling to get the pieces to fit.) That cliffhanger ending, and the foreshadowing, would be resolved by the third film, ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness''. The [[Theatre/EvilDeadTheMusical musical adaptation]] manages to connect the first two films by having Act One adapt the first and Act Two the second, with a couple of scenes in the former foreshadowing that Annie and Eddie will enter the plot. The original run ignored the third film completely, but the Off-Broadway version uses ''Army of Darkness'''s ending.

* The numbered ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'' games have its own take on the trope. [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 The first game]] was conceived and developed as a standalone story with a definite end. However even before proper development of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' began, Creator/MonolithSoft created a visual where the defining landmarks of ''1'' and ''2'' appeared in the same world, as ''2'' was set in different universe altogether with its own cast and story but ''2'''s world would be revealed at the end to have its creation rooted in the same event that create the world of ''1''. That visual would become the basis of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'' as it is set in a fusion of both worlds of ''1'' and ''2''. ''3'' would be stand alone in the sense of cast and plot, but a DLC sidestory campaign for ''3'' would reveal how the heroes and elements from the first two games played a role in the world of ''3''.

* The original ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' was intended to be a standalone film, with its SequelHook meant as a joke. WordOfGod says it was inserted in the spirit of the heroes metaphorically RidingIntoTheSunset. ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'' and ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'' were filmed back-to-back, and were originally written as a single movie with the WorkingTitle ''Paradox''. The movie had four compressed acts,[[note]]2015, the alternate 1985, back to 1955, then 1885[[/note]] resulting in serious over-length. Instead of cramming it all into one movie, they split the fourth act off and made it ''Part III'', allowing them to introduce, define, and develop the totally new characters and plot. The finished films are all fairly equally connected to each other and each have mostly separate main plots.

* The numbered ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'' games have its own take on the trope. [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 The first game]] was conceived and developed as a standalone story with a definite end. However even before proper development of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' began, they created a visual where the defining landmarks of ''1'' and ''2'' appeared in the same world, as ''2'' was set in different universe altogether with its own cast and story but ''2'''s world would be revealed at the end to have its creation rooted in the same event that create the world of ''1''. That visual would become the basis of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'' as it is set in a fusion of both worlds of ''1'' and ''2''. ''3'' would be stand alone in the sense of cast and plot, but a DLC sidestory campaign for ''3'' would reveal how the heroes and elements from the first two games played a role in the world of ''3''.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{LISA}}'' trilogy, ''The First'' plays out much differently than the games that succeeded it. Whereas ''The Painful'' and ''The Joyful'' were sidescrolling [=RPGs=] set in the apocalypse, ''The First'' is an adventure game about abstracted representations of its protagonist's trauma. It's also the only part where the title character makes a physical appearance, as the sequels deal with the events caused by [[spoiler:her suicide between ''The First'' and ''The Painful'']].

* 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 ''VideoGame/EarthboundBeginning'' has with its two sequels combined. As Shigesato Itoi 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.

* 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 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.

* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' is an inversion. The ending of the first game is quite clear, [[spoiler:the player has either saved the day, defeated the BigBad, destroyed the Death Star knock off and is universally loved, or has kept the Death Star knockoff for themselves and unleashes their new fleet on the galaxy to take over.]] At the end of [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords the sequel]] though, good or evil ending, [[spoiler:it just ends with the character's ship flying off into space, presumably to go and find the True Sith.]] That was in 2004, and the plot threads were only much later followed up on with the release of a sequel/spinoff {{MMORPG}}, ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic''. In relation to the classic example of the original trilogy, ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' does this as well despite being only one game: each class has a personal story questline which is divided into three acts or chapters; the first chapter ends with the character triumphantly achieving their goal so far, while the second chapter tends to end inconclusively with a setback and a direct lead into the third and final chapter.
* The first three ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' games fit this trope, though with an odd twist-- 1 and 3 have more connections to each other than 2 has to either of them, though this came about in much the same manner as any other Two-Part Trilogy. And of course, the fourth game was going to be completely unconnected until the ExecutiveMeddling.
* 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 connections 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.

** The [[PALBonus English]] or Japan-exclusive remakes often add extra content to set up sequels / spinoffs. The first game's ''Final Mix'' added Sora's first encounter with an Organization member, who appears in Hollow Bastion to drop all kinds of cryptic foreshadowing before and after a Sephiroth-level boss fight. Only through playing ''Kingdom Hearts II'' do you learn that this member was [[spoiler: Xemnas, the LEADER.]]

* The ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series. The ending of the [[VideoGame/GodOfWarI first game]] implied that Kratos would remain the God of War until the present day. The [[VideoGame/GodOfWarII second game]] started with Kratos losing his godly powers, and ended without them restored. It also ended on an obvious sequel hook [[spoiler:of Kratos leading the Titans to war with the Olympians.]] It was more apparent in the [[VideoGame/GodOfWarIII third game]], but they also managed to explain away some of the differences between the first and second game, such as [[spoiler: why Kratos can still kill gods without PandorasBox, and why the gods are more malicious in the second game.]]
* Both ''VideoGame/InFamous'' and ''VideoGame/Infamous2'' have Cole [=MacGrath=], a plague that is slowly spreading to all of the U.S., and at the end of the first game, [[spoiler:Cole kills the villain Kessler, only to learn that he was preparing him to fight a powerful entity known as the Beast, who shows up in the second game]]. Then ''VideoGame/InfamousSecondSon'', set seven years later, introduces Delsin Rowe, who fights the DUP to absorb the power of their leader and save his people.

* The ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series is an interesting variation on this trope, in which the standalone piece comes ''last'' rather than first. The first ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1'' and its sequel, ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge'', 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.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky''. The games were originally intended to be a duology and were separated in the middle of the game due to its sheer length. Due to its success, it ended up getting a more tenuously-connected third game made entitled... ''Trails in the Sky the 3rd''. ''3rd'' attempted to establish the foundation for an entire series taking place after the original duology. It was actually successful enough for the series to happen.
* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' actually flips this around; in this series its the first and second entries that are closely interconnected together (as ''Episode I'' was originally meant to be longer, but was then split in half) and the 3rd entry that stands more on its own, having started off with a time skip. ''VideoGame/ArcTheLad'' follows a similar pattern; ''Arc 1'' and ''2'' are basically one long video game, while ''Arc 3'' skips ahead many years and stands on its own.

* The ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series has been accused of this. It was planned to be a series from the start, but the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins first game]] is fairly self-contained with an ending that grants a fair amount of closure for most of the characters [[spoiler: (with only one major sequel hook, and only if you did Morrigan's ritual)]]. ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', on the other hand, ends on a cliffhanger that forces you to buy the upcoming expansions and sequels. The [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition third game]] involves a setting-wide DarkestHour - while the series may not end there, they are following this pattern.
* The original ''Franchise/MassEffect'' trilogy is this, but mostly on the gameplay level. Story-wise, each installment builds upon the previous ones but can [[ContinuityLockout theoretically]] be played standalone. However, the series had undergone a massive GameSystem overhaul between the first and the second games (switching between OpenWorld exploration and vehicle combat to more linear {{Railroading}} levels that use TakeCover mechanics exclusively), and the third one merely expanded on the second. This is particularly evident in the individual installments' level {{cap}}s: the first game goes up to Level 60; the second, to 30; and the third, to 60 again. This is because your [[OldSaveBonus imported]] Shepard is [[BagOfSpilling reset to Level 1]] in game two, but not in game three, allowing for a continuous level progression throughout the "second part" of the trilogy.
* The ''VisualNovel/MuvLuv'' series of visual novels. The first installment, ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvExtra'' is a self-contained romance visual novel that differs sharply from its sequels in both tone and plot, even though it serves as an important OriginsEpisode for the major characters of the trilogy. ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvUnlimited'' is the visual novel that actually introduces the "post-apocalyptic alien invasion in a parallel universe" arc the series is best known for, and it deliberately ends on a bleak note so that the key plot threads and motivations of the finale, ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvAlternative'', are properly set up. This also applies in a meta sense; while ''Extra'' and ''Unlimited'' were released as a combined title simply called ''Muv-Luv'', ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvAlternative'' was released and sold separately due to production issues.
* Zig-zagged and justified with ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' and ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem Mystery of the Emblem]]''. The only real "trilogy" in the series; but it wasn't even ''intended'' as one -- What's referred to as "Fire Emblem 2" is in fact ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden'', a GaidenGame which features only a smattering of characters from the former two.
* The ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' games apply to this for [[VideoGame/MaxPayne3 the third]]. After ''VideoGame/MaxPayne2TheFallOfMaxPayne'' 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 ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' trilogy because at the start of ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'', the protagonists are all dragged into [[spoiler:their world in the future]]. The events of the first game have little relevance on the plot of the next two games besides Daxter's transformation. ''VideoGame/Jak3Wastelander'' resolves mostly plot points from ''Jak II''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', while having a rather confusing plot, was for all intents and purposes a standalone game, and ended with a pretty neat closure. The game's positive reviews and commercial success prompted Creator/SquareEnix to launch ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'', which ended with [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the world approaching apocalypse]], and a ToBeContinued announcement. The game was followed up by ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'', which finally ends the story.
* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' manages to have an actual trilogy after the rather self-contained first installment, turning it into a three-part tetralogy. The original ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand'' manages to stand on its own, whereas ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'', ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' and ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' are directly connected to each other through common elements. As such, the latter three games are sometimes referred to as the Dark Matter Trilogy by fans.

* The ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourney'' series ultimately turned out to be this: the original game stands alone, but its {{Oddly Named|Sequel}} SpinOff ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'', released seven years later in 2006, is very much a part one of two, and its ending provides zero closure for all but one of its many, many storylines. However, things got in the way, and ''VideoGame/DreamfallChapters'', the continuation to that second game, would not begin release until 2014. However, while ''Dreamfall Chapters'' concludes the story from the first sequel, it also revisits elements from ''The Longest Journey'' which were not present in ''Dreamfall'', which has the effect of making that second game sometimes feel like the outlier.
* ''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/MortalKombat1992 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.]]
* ''VideoGame/ChzoMythos'': Despite ostensibly being one continuous story, ''5 Days a Stranger'' and ''7 Days a Skeptic'' contain no references to either Chzo or Cabadath, and work well enough as a self-contained story. It's not until ''Trilby's Notes'' that the connections between these stories start revealing themselves.
* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights''[='=] two official expansions, ''NeverwinterNights/ShadowsOfUndrentide'' and ''NeverwinterNights/HordesOfTheUnderdark'', are written with the assumption that the protagonist is the same character in both, and that they are not the same person who was the hero in the base campaign (since the base game and ''Shadows'' take place at the same time). You can, however, import your high-level character from the OC, making combat in ''Shadows'' ridiculously easy.
* ''VideoGame/BlasterMasterZero'' is a reimagining of the original ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'', thus its plot is heavily based on that game and its ''Literature/WorldsOfPower'' adaptation. Its sequels, however, tell an original continuous story, with ''VideoGame/BlasterMasterZeroIII'' taking place {{immediate|Sequel}}ly after ''VideoGame/BlasterMasterZeroII''. This is {{downplayed|Trope}}, however, in that the motivation behind the plot of ''Zero II'' -- Eve had been corrupted by mutant cells in her body, and she and Jason had to go on a journey to the planet Sophia for a cure -- was resolved before they reach their destination, so that game's plot is still somewhat self-contained, with the only thing open is what happened to them after reaching Sophia.
* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' has the "trilogy in four parts" variety. The first game and ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'' can each stand on their own, due to a 3-year TimeSkip (plus the [[SequelSnark hilarious]] [[GainaxEnding ambiguity]] of the former's ending), and the latter ends in a way that neatly wraps things up ([[WhatHappenedToTheMouse a few minor elements aside]]). However, ''VideoGame/TravisStrikesAgainNoMoreHeroes'' expects you to know about characters from past games despite occurring 7 years later, and it sets up several plots and characters that would become relevant in ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroesIII''. To make things even twistier, the latter two games are [[StealthSequel sequels]] to ''VideoGame/TheTwentyFifthWard''.
* The original ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' trilogy by Creator/{{Bungie}} followed this narrative. ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'' was rather self-contained, ending with Master Chief stopping [[OurZombiesAreDifferent the Flood]] from spreading and preventing Halo from falling into [[ScaryDogmaticAliens the Covenant's]] hands. ''VideoGame/Halo2'' on the other hand infamously sets itself up for [[VideoGame/Halo3 a third game]] in its [[{{Cliffhanger}} ending]], and introduces [[{{Deuteragonist}} the Arbiter]], [[GodhoodSeeker the Prophet of Truth]], [[BigBadEnsemble and]] [[HiveMind the Gravemind]], all of whom would be major characters for the rest of the trilogy.
* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' does have some loose ends and ends with a SequelHook, but it is a mostly self-contained story. While ''VideoGame/PsychonautsInTheRhombusOfRuin'' resolves the sequel hook and ''VideoGame/Psychonauts2'' recontextualizes some aspects of the first game's setup, the overall plots of the sequels are heavily tied to each other and largely uneffected by that of the first game.

* [[WordOfGod According to]] [[http://jtroyw.blogspot.com/2011/08/that-announcement-thing.html Troy Wagner's blog,]] Season 2 of ''WebVideo/MarbleHornets'' was intended as the last. However, while filming, they decided either the details of Jay's lost seven months or the conclusion itself might feel too rushed. As a result, Season 2 was devoted to [[AmnesiacHero Jay]] searching his tapes [[HowWeGotHere taking place between entries 26 and 27]], while Season 3 is intended as the ''actual'' conclusion.

* The three ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' DirectToVideo films by Miramax ended up like this through a convoluted production history. The first, ''Mask of Light'', tells a more or less concise story. Lego initially planned to leave the original storyline at that and {{retool}} the series with a theatrical movie, but nothing came out of that idea. The second movie, ''Legends of Metru Nui'' is a distant {{prequel}}, but since no one knew at the time whether a third one would be made, it wraps up its story with a few plot threads being unresolved. A third movie, ''Web of Shadows'', did come out, but instead of continuing the present storyline or being a standalone, Lego [[ExecutiveMeddling forced the writers]] to extend the prequel for another year. Since ''LOMN'' already featured a conclusive ending, ''WOS'' became an {{interquel}}, focusing on the same characters and addressing a few things left unanswered (how [[BigBad Makuta]] got free and how the Vakama's team transported Metru Nui's population to Mata Nui), but strangely [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse neglects to touch on Turaga Dume's fate]]. Lego's partnership with Miramax ended afterwards, and with each successive film generating less interest, [[FirstInstallmentWins the prequels also share the fate of being ignored by most people]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAnimalsOfFarthingWood'''s third season feels rather out of place with the previous two - and not just for its LighterAndSofter tone, and more focus on slapstick. The arc of the first season was the titular animals journeying to White Deer Park, concluding with them reaching it. The second continued this with the animals adjusting to their new home and having to deal with the territorial blue foxes. The Season 2 finale seemed to serve as a proper conclusion to this, with the feud being ended. Season 3 had a TimeSkip (whereas 2 was an ImmediateSequel), dropped numerous characters who had been there since the beginning or were introduced in the previous season, and focused even more on the children of the original Farthing Wood animals, making it feel more like a spin-off than a continuation.

[[folder:Films]]

* The ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' sequels deliberately subverted this trope. Director Creator/MichaelBay has gone on record saying that he hates this form of movie-making and doesn't want to hold back on the current movie because he wants to save something for the sequel, "Let's go for broke on this one." Each movie aims to tell a complete story, although it has plenty of [[SequelHook hints towards future movies]].
* ''Film/TheLastAirbender'' was written from the beginning to be three films matching the three seasons of the show, only filmed individually. Key plot points for future movies such as Ba Sing Se, Sozin's Comet, and Azula are emphasized without ever being even shown, let alone paid off. Then, of course, the film was a critical failure and commercial disapointment upon release and no future movies will be made. This is why so many studios use this trope -- a bad bet leaves your already bad movie looking even ''worse''.

* ''Film/FearStreet'' was filmed all in one go, a la ''Lord of the Rings'' and each installment released one week after each other. The first part is the only one to take place entirely in one setting (1994), while the second is a whole flashback to 1978 and the third to 1666. However, ''1978'' provides crucial backstory and {{Foreshadowing}}, as well as introducing a character who plays a big part in the climax. ''1666'' uniquely is both a flashback to the eponymous time period to get the last necessary bit of backstory, and a proper conclusion to ''1994''. Each film is distinct both thematically and visually; ''1994'' is filmed as if it were a 90s studio picture like ''{{Film/Scream 1996}}'' or ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'', ''1978'' resembles an indie slasher like ''Film/FridayThe13th1980'' or ''Film/SleepawayCamp'', and ''1666'' is a period horror like ''Film/TheWitch'' or ''Film/TheBloodOnSatansClaw''.
* The so-called "Snyderverse" of the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse is the nickname given to ''Film/ManOfSteel'', ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', and ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', the movies directed by Zack Snyder and part of his intended MythArc. These three movies are part of that specific story, as the climax of one movie is literally the start of the next.[[note]]''Man of Steel'''s climax battle is the intro to ''Batman v. Superman'', just from Bruce Wayne's perspective, and that movie's climax is the introduction in ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'', this time from the perspective of the world at the moment of Superman's death.[[/note]] Each story is very connected, and each successive film relies on having seen the previous to fully understand what is happening in each one.

* Creator/JRRTolkien wrote ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' as a single long novel divided in six "books" which was meant to be published as a whole (as half of a duology with ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'', which wasn't anywhere close to finished in time). However, at the time of publication in the early 1950s, paper was still under Britain's post-war rationing and not enough was available for his publisher to put out a large enough first printing. So, they suggested dividing it into a trilogy, with two "books" for every installment.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' is actually an aversion of this trope as Creator/BioWare had ALWAYS planned on it being a trilogy and essentially planned the plot out from the beginning. They aren't just trying to milk everything. The series has seen natural progression so far with the first two games, with each story standing alone and while the previous games are referenced they merely form a backstory and not key plot points to understand the current story. [[VideoGame/MassEffect2 The second game]] [[OldSaveBonus allows you to import your savegame]] from the end of [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the original Mass Effect]], and the loading screen tips repeatedly advise the player to keep their old savegames around for Mass Effect 3. The games are all very immersive RPG's and so you aren't just saving your character's appearance, but the choices you made in the first game influence your experience of the second. In particular, a key decision made at the end of the first game reflects the way certain characters treat your character in the second game, as a [[MessianicArchetype Savior]] or an AntiHero. However, in terms of ''gameplay'' and general look-and-feel, the latter two games are much more similar to each other than either is to the first game, although that can be chalked up to EarlyInstallmentWeirdness.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' was fairly self-contained, but left [[RiddleForTheAges a few unanswered questions]] related to the Fal'cie and their creators. [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2 The sequel]] retcons the ending of the first game, but is also rather self-contained, focusing less on the Fal'cie and more on time-traveling shenanigans, and Caius Ballad's plan to destroy everything. [[VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII The second sequel]] is a direct result of things that happened in the second game, but also gets around to answering some of the questions that have been around since the first game.
* The developers of ''VideoGame/{{Halo 4}}'' have made it clear from the start that it was always meant to be the beginning of a second trilogy called "the Reclaimer Saga".
* The ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' has generally been good about balancing self-contained stories with plot points introduced in each previous game. ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' tells a self-contained story about the Joker's plot to unleash the Titan serum on Gotham, but it also sets up a sequel with its hints about Quincy Sharp's political aspirations; ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' continues the Titan storyline with the Joker seeking a cure for his mutation, but balances it with a self-contained story about Hugo Strange building a fortified prison colony in Gotham; finishing out the trilogy, ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' explores the aftermath of [[spoiler: the Joker's death]], but it's primarily focused on the Scarecrow's attack on Gotham and his alliance with the mysterious Arkham Knight.
* ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' and ''VideoGame/Dishonored2'' has an unusual example. The first game's central arc of Corvo Attano's loss of his good name, his quest to clear his name and rescue Emily Kaldwin from conspirators is a fairly self-contained story. However the 2-Part DLC for the first Dishonored game and the sequel ''Dishonored 2'' introduces in detail the new arc: the Rise of Delilah Copperspoon as a would-be EvilOverlord who seeks to claim the throne of Dunwall and usurp Emily Kaldwin, she was thwarted in the DLC but the entirety of the sequel deals with her return and her origins, and it elevates her to big bad.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' was released as a mostly stand-alone film with a post-credits SequelHook. During production, the sequel was split into two films due to the story being too large for a single film: ''[[WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse Across the Spider-Verse]]'' and ''Beyond the Spider-Verse''. While ''Across'' does give main characters Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy complete character arcs, the movie ends on an explicit cliffhanger regarding the main plot and conflict, with said plot actually being in-part the result of a throwaway gag from the first movie.

* An interesting comparison between the kinds of trilogy is the ''Franchise/StarWars'' trilogies.
** In the original trilogy, ''Film/ANewHope'' is clearly made as a movie that can stand by itself (although the narrative is open to the possibilities of later movies), whereas ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' - greenlit after the success of the first - are more closely linked together and separated by a sequel hook (in fact in the original theatrical release of ''A New Hope'', neither the subtitle "A New Hope" nor the "Episode IV" designation were a part of the opening crawl, they were only added to later releases following the next two episodes).
** 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[[note]][[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars Or seven seasons of television]], the last of which happens concurrently with ''Revenge''[[/note]]). The events of ''The Phantom Menace'' happened ten years before ''Attack of the Clones''.
** The Sequel Trilogy is a rare example where the first (''VII'') and third (''IX'') installments are more closely tied together. That's because they have the same director, while the second film has another director. And yet on the flipside, the first and second installments are tied closer together in terms of plot given that the latter picks up immediately where the former left off, whereas the third movie opens following a TimeSkip.
* [[TrilogyCreep Until]] [[Film/TheMatrixResurrections 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.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' series, the [[Film/SawI first movie]] works pretty well as a stand-alone film, but the next two were pretty obviously made to be tied together. Of course, the [[Film/SawIII third movie]] was supposed to wrap everything up. The seventh film, ''Film/Saw3D'', was released in 2010 and finally concluded the series...until 2017, [[Film/{{Jigsaw}} anyway.]]

* Intentionally done with ''Film/TheHumanCentipede''. According to [[http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37108/exclusive-director-tom-six-talks-the-human-centipede-trilogy Dread Central]], Tom Six explained that, "My goal was that the first film will get audiences used to the concept of a human centipede and prepares them for where everything goes in the next two."
* Inverted in the Dominican ''Nueba Yol'' films. There were only two, but the second film was called ''Nueba Yol 3'' because of a superstition regarding second films.
* Many people assumed that this would happen with Creator/ChristopherNolan's series of ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' films but ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' has a rare variant where the [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises third movie]] is more a sequel to the [[Film/BatmanBegins first movie]] than [[Film/TheDarkKnight the second]]. ''Film/BatmanBegins'' was (as the title implies) a setup of the protagonist, using a few obscure villains from the comic, and ends on a minor SequelHook. The second movie ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is a largely stand-alone story about Batman's battle with the Joker, Two-Face and the Gotham Mob. It picks up some loose threads of the first film, pits Batman against ComicBook/TheJoker and develop the DA Harvey Dent as a hero. Nolan's intention was to have the sequel go on to feature the Joker on trial, making it more closely linked with TDK, but with Creator/HeathLedger's death they decided on a completely new direction for the third film. Both the first and third movies are about Batman fending off the League of Shadows' attempts to destroy Gotham. [[spoiler: The story is brought full circle when it turns out that Bruce's love interest in the third movie is actually the daughter of the first movie's BigBad.]] Ultimately, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' manages to bridge together a BigBad connected to ''Batman Begins'' while also riding story arcs set up by the ending of ''The Dark Knight'' such as what befell Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes, wrapping up the series as a whole instead of sticking with the story of just one movie.
* Inverted in Richard Lester's trio of Musketeer films: ''Film/{{The Three Musketeers|1973}}'' and ''The Four Musketeers'' were produced simultaneously. Over a decade later they were followed by ''The Return of the Musketeers''.
* ''Film/{{Gettysburg}}'' was a stand-alone movie based on Michael Shaara's novel ''The Killer Angels''. It was followed by a sequel based on one of two American Civil War novels written by Shaara's son, with a promise of a third. However, ''Gods and Generals'' was not as successful as hoped, and so apparently there is not going to be "The Last Full Measure", making this a two-part trilogy in a different sense.
* The first film of the ''Film/BasketCase'' trilogy works as a stand-alone, whereas the second two are connected more by tone, cast and plot development.
* Both Italian-made Sword and Sandal films from Golan-Globus, ''Film/TheSevenMagnificentGladiators'' and ''Film/{{Hercules|1983}}'', both with Creator/LouFerrigno and Creator/SybilDanning, were filmed in the Summer of 1982.
* The original ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' was intended to be a standalone film, with its SequelHook meant as a joke. WordOfGod says it was inserted in the spirit of the heroes metaphorically RidingIntoTheSunset. ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'' and ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'' were filmed back-to-back, and were originally written as a single movie with the WorkingTitle ''Paradox''. The movie had four compressed acts,[[note]]2015, the alternate 1985, back to 1955, then 1885[[/note]] resulting in serious over-length. Instead of cramming it all into one movie, they split the fourth act off and made it ''Part III'', allowing them to introduce, define, and develop the totally new characters and plot. The finished films are all fairly equally connected to each other and each have mostly separate main plots.
* ''Film/TheDisappearanceOfEleanorRigby'' is an inverted version. It was originally meant to be just two movies, ''Him'' and ''Her'', telling the romance from the perspectives of man and woman involved. Later, however, a third film was made, ''Them'', that incorporated the differing perspectives into a single storyline.
* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** 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 being a FishOutOfTemporalWater.
** ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' is an interesting inversion. The first two movies, ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' are more closely connected with the minor cliffhanger of [[spoiler:Thor being stuck on Asgard]] at the end of the first film directly being resolved in the sequel, while the third movie is its own thing, following the events of other Marvel films, primarily ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' more than its two predecessors. The film's director, Taika Waititi, even stated that he made an effort to ignore the first two films in the series, and much of the cast from the first two movies were noticeably either PutOnABus or had a case of SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome.
* ''Film/TheHobbit'' films wound up becoming this. The movies were originally supposed to be two films, but the second half, ''There and Back Again'', wound up being so long it was ultimately split into two films, ''The Desolation of Smaug'' and ''The Battle of the Five Armies''. Unlike the first film, the second one ends on a very sudden cliffhanger that leads directly into the third.
* ''{{Film/REC}}'' ended up being an example of a trilogy in four parts. The first part stands quite easily on its own, though Filmax got the two directors to work on a sequel before its success at home was even assured, and it's only from the second film onwards that {{Sequel Hook}}s abound. The two worked on ''REC 2'' together before drafting two more films to finish the series off and splitting up the workload so each one solo-directed one of the two movies (Plaza with ''REC 3: Genesis'' and Balagueró with ''REC 4: Apocalypse''). The experience of each movie back-to-back certainly gives the four-part-trilogy feeling, with many viewers commenting that the other three films aren't as good as the first which ended where it was supposed to and didn't need sequels.
* The movie adaptation of ''Film/FiftyShadesOfGrey'' was followed by two sequels that were shot back-to-back, ''Fifty Shades Darker'' and ''Fifty Shades Freed''.
* Happened with the sequels to ''Film/ArthurAndTheInvisibles'', to the point that the U.K. distributor edited the two films (''Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard'' and ''Arthur and the War of the Two Worlds'') into one (''Arthur and the Great Adventure'') and the U.S. [=DVD=] release was a simple two-disc set of both films instead of separate releases.
* ''Film/JurassicWorld'' has an ending that can stand on its own. ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'' has a cliffhanger ending in which [[spoiler: the dinosaurs are set loose into civilization]], setting up ''Film/JurassicWorldDominion''.
* 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]]. As the third film ends in ''another'' cliffhanger leading into [[Film/JohnWickChapter4 a fourth]], it ends up being a two-part tetralogy.

* The film adaptations of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' fall under this, with [[Film/RurouniKenshin the first film]] being mostly standalone while the [[Film/RurouniKenshinKyotoInferno second]] and [[Film/RurouniKenshinTheLegendEnds third]] films were shot back-to-back and flow almost seamlessly between each other. As of the time of writing this, a fourth and fifth movie are currently in development, potentially making this a case of "''three-part pentalogy''."''
* Inverted with ''Film/{{Scream}}'', a rare case where the third one feels out of place with the rest of the franchise, thanks to it having a different writer and going through massive rewrites after the UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} massacre. The first two films focused heavily on the FinalGirl Sidney Prescott, satirizing horror movie trends -- '80s {{Slasher Movie}}s in general in [[Film/Scream1996 the first]], and horror sequels in [[Film/Scream2 the second]] -- and even having the killers be linked. The third film is a LighterAndSofter HorribleHollywood story, has less screen time for Sidney due to Creator/NeveCampbell's schedule, and is also the only film in the series to have [[spoiler: just one killer]]. Its focus on horror trilogies is somewhat odd, since they were rarely a thing at that point in time. With ''Film/{{Scream 4}}'' returning to the first's Woodsboro setting and commenting on remakes and reboots, it only makes the third film feel even more disconnected.
* ''Film/TheEvilDead1981'' was a standalone horror film. ''Film/EvilDead2'', meanwhile, ends on a {{cliffhanger}} that had previously been foreshadowed when the main characters read [[TomeOfEldritchLore the Necronomicon]] and see a drawing of a figure resembling Ash. What's more, the first ten minutes are an abbreviated and [[AdaptationDistillation distilled]] remake of the first film such that it's hard to reconcile the first two films existing in one continuity. (Numerous fan-made edits of [[Franchise/TheEvilDead all three movies]] back-to-back have been made, but they require some fiddling to get the pieces to fit.) That cliffhanger ending, and the foreshadowing, would be resolved by the third film, ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness''. The [[Theatre/EvilDeadTheMusical musical adaptation]] manages to connect the first two films by having Act One adapt the first and Act Two the second, with a couple of scenes in the former foreshadowing that Annie and Eddie will enter the plot. The original run ignored the third film completely, but the Off-Broadway version uses ''Army of Darkness'''s ending.
* ''[[Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes Killer Tomatoes Strike Back!]]'' and ''[[Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes Killer Tomatoes Eat France!]]'' both take most of their cues from ''[[Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes Return of the Killer Tomatoes!]]'' (the second film in the series) rather than the original ''Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes'' Of note: they retain Creator/JohnAstin's character [[MadScientist Professor Mortimer Gangreen]] as the BigBad, they keep up ''Return'''s DenserAndWackier comedic tone (in contrast to the original film's mostly straight-faced {{parody}} of '50s monster movies) and [[KidAppealCharacter FT the Fuzzy Tomato]] figures prominently in ''Strikes Back!'' Understandable, since ''Return'' was made [[SequelGap a full decade after the original]], while the subsequent sequels were made just a few years after it.

* Creator/GarthNix's ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series. Part one is ''Sabriel''; parts two and three, ''Lirael'' and ''Abhorsen'', are actually a single story DividedForPublication, and pick up the story decades later with a new set of protagonists and a completely different BigBad.
* Creator/ArthurCClarke's ''Rama'' tetralogy:
** ''Literature/RendezvousWithRama'' is self-contained (although the last line is a very nice SequelHook), while the next three books are set more than 100 years later and follow the same main characters, sharing only the setting with the original.
** The sequels are an example of the trope in themselves. The second book, ''Literature/RamaII'', is a more-or-less complete story in itself that ends with a SequelHook. The last two books have their plots even more tightly connected, the third one, ''Garden of Rama'', ending with a {{Cliffhanger}}, having the final book, ''Rama Revealed'', conclude the story.
* The ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'' has this, but in this case it was the third book that was split into two, [[TrilogyCreep making the trilogy into a "cycle"]].
* ''The Indian in the Cupboard''. Only the first part was adapted to film.
* Matthew Reilly's archaeological adventures, ''Seven Ancient Wonders'', ''The Six Sacred Stones'', and ''The Five Greatest Warriors''.

* ''Literature/EndersGame'' began as a stand-alone short story, then was later expanded into ''Literature/SpeakerForTheDead''. ''Speaker for the Dead'' is also sufficiently stand-alone, but the final chapter does have a sequel hook that allows for a sequel if you choose to read it. The sequel also sits surprisingly well as a stand-alone conclusion to Ender's story, but also has a sequel hook if you want to tie up some below-the-surface loose ends. This is where it gets into Two-Part Trilogy country. The final two books in the series, ''Literature/{{Xenocide}}'' and ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheMind'', are far more connected than the previous books and were originally intended to be a single volume, but were broken off into two with a superficial cliffhanger between them. ''Children of the Mind'' returns to being a suitable conclusion, if you count [[spoiler: the main character Ender dying]], but only opens up the biggest cliffhanger yet.
* ''Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan'' is a twelve-part saga divided into four trilogies which form their own story-arcs. ''Vampire Blood'' is about Darren becoming a half-vampire, coming to terms with his transformation and encountering a member of the vampire offshoot, the vampaneze. ''Vampire Rites'' is about Darren traveling to the home of the vampire clan and trying to gain acceptance by them, while uncovering a conspiracy to destroy the clan. ''Vampire War'' is the hunt for the Vampaneze Lord, whose death can end the war between the two clans. ''Vampire Destiny'' is about Darren learning disturbing revelations about the implications of the war, while it comes to its conclusion. Strangely, ''Vampire War'' and ''Vampire Destiny'' form their ''own'' Two-Part Trilogy, as the last two books of each form a complete storyline in contrast to the first, which are more establishing the change in the story after the TimeSkip from the halfway point (in the case of ''War'') and building to the Grand Finale with the WhamEpisode that ended ''War'' (in the case of ''Destiny'').
* The ''Literature/WarriorCats'' series by Creator/ErinHunter works this way, except with series each containing six books. The first series works well by itself and nicely wraps up the ending. The ending of the second series has a few unsolved puzzles and sequel hooks, but can also work fine as the final ending of the whole book series. However when the third series ended, many plot points were still unresolved and it was clear it was just setting up the stage for the fourth series.
* ''Literature/TheDarkIsRising'' is a two-part pentology. ''Literature/OverSeaUnderStone'' is a stand-alone, fairly standard kids' treasure hunt, with very little magic, a self-contained story, the treasure found and the bad guy defeated. The next four books introduce new characters (including Will, who takes over as the main character), magic, a bigger bad, an epic background war, mythological tie-ins, and a story that all links together.
* The ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' series is an odd example. It originally ''was'' supposed to be a two-part series, but the second book, ''Forever Dawn'', was broken into ''New Moon'', ''Eclipse'', and ''Breaking Dawn''. This resulted in development of the wolves and Jacob, with less emphasis on Bella's point of view of [[spoiler:her pregnancy]].
* ''Literature/InterviewWithTheVampire'' is basically a stand-alone memoir of Louis's life in the nineteenth century with Daniel's search for Lestat making for an ambiguous SequelHook. Starting with ''The Vampire Lestat'', Louis and Daniel are [[DemotedToExtra pushed aside]] in favor of a multi-part storyline detailing Lestat's plot to [[spoiler:awaken Queen Akasha]], the [[NiceJobBreakingItHero resulting disaster]], and his search for redemption.
* The ''Land of Elyon'' series is two examples in one. The first book can stand on its own, and the first three can stand on their own, but not the first two or first four, making the first three a two-part trilogy and the whole series a three-part pentalogy.
* Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy also follows this format. The plot of book 1 is "find out what happened to Harriet Vanger" while book 2 and 3 are concerned with "find out what happened to Lisbet Salander and punish those responsible".

* ''Literature/PeterAndTheStarcatchers'' has the first book in the trilogy be roughly standalone with all of the major plot events more or less resolved; when CerebusSyndrome ''really'' kicks in around ''Shadow Thieves'', the books start to directly continue into one another. [[TrilogyCreep Sword of Mercy]] is more or less the same. However, if one looks by the major story arcs in the series, it actually ''does'' form a trilogy, with ''Starcatchers'' and ''Sword of Mercy'' being relatively standalone. (Relatively because ''Sword of Mercy'' still continues an arc from ''Secret of Rundoon'' and ''Shadow Thieves'')
* The ''[[Literature/TheWheelOfTime Wheel of Time]]'' series is a rather special case, as it was originally intended by the author to be a Two-Part Trilogy, with the first book being capable of standing alone should it not be sufficiently popular... as it turns out, there was so much content to be put into the other "part" that it is now a Two-Part ''Tetradecology''. Indeed, it was such an extensive story, it was still incomplete when Robert Jordan DiedDuringProduction, and Brandon Sanderson had to be brought in to finish writing what was meant to be the twelfth and final book... but which ended up being turned into three books, due to the sheer volume of content still to be written.
* The first novel in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' trilogy wraps up after the conclusion of, well, [[TitleDrop The Hunger Games.]] The second two books deal with the fallout of the first book and the [[spoiler: revolution]], with the last line of the second book, ''Catching Fire,'' being a WhamLine.
* A lot of readers feel the ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' trilogy is one of these; the difference being that it's the ''third'' book, ''Allegiant'', that seems to feel out of sync with the other two, to its discredit — alternating between two narrators where the first two books were told entirely in Tris's voice, ([[spoiler:Tobias actually concludes the narrative after Tris' death]]) sacrificing the narrative energy of the first two books for a lot of exposition which shouldn't really be necessary at that point.
* ''{{Franchise/Mistborn}}'' started like this; Creator/BrandonSanderson figured that he had hitherto only published one novel ''({{Literature/Elantris}})'', so while he had more or less planned out the entire trilogy to an extent in his head, he intentionally wrote the first book as a standalone, though he attached a SequelHook to the ending [[spoiler: namely, the Lord Ruler warning that, while he was the BigBad, something far worse than him was out there and only he had been stopping it.]] The second book picks up threads from the first, but ends on a CliffHanger that sets up the third and the villain of book three was TheChessmaster behind the events of book 2 (and responsible for Lord Ruler's {{backstory}} that lead to book 1).
* ''Literature/{{Gormenghast}}'' by Mervyn Peake is a trilogy of circumstance rather than choice, but even so the first two books -- ''Titus Groan'' and ''Gormenghast'' -- is a single extended story with a complete beginning-middle-and-end, common cast of regulars and single setting. ''Titus Alone'' was intended by Peake to start a new story in the saga and is essentially a separate tale, while ''Boy in Darkness'' is similar in style and scope but not really fitting into the series canonically.

* Played straight with the first trilogy of ''Literature/TheRiftwarCycle'': the first book, ''Magician'', stands alone while the second two, ''Silverthorn'' and ''A Darkness at Sethanon'', tell a two-part story. Inverted with one of the later trilogies, ''Conclave of Shadows''; the first two books, ''Talon of Silver Hawk'' and ''King of Foxes'', tell a two-part story, while the third, ''Exile's Return'', features a PerspectiveFlip, change of setting and a separate story of redemption for the earlier parts' villain, as well as setting up a later series.
* ''Literature/TheKaneChronicles'' by Creator/RickRiordan are also an example of this. The first book ends with Carter and Sadie defeating Set and essentially neutralizing him as a threat. Then it turns out that [[spoiler:Set's [[TheDragon dragon]] was actually possessed by Apophis, the god of chaos. Apophis then directly becomes the antagonist for books 2 and 3.]]
* ''Literature/TheLastDragonChronicles'' is an ''inverse'' of the way it usually happens - the first two books form a more complete and coherent story, with the third one being more separate.

* Inverted with Creator/NickPerumov’s (no, it wasn’t that kind of [[RussianReversal inversion]]) ''Ring of Darkness'', set in [[Creator/JRRTolkien Tolkien’s]] Middle-earth. The first two installments (''Elven Blade'' and ''Black Lance'') can be considered as a closed duology and were originally written by author in 1985-1991 as a form of [[FanFic fan fiction]] for his friends. The third book (''The Adamant of Henna''), however, was written after the first two were published in 1993, turned out to be bestsellers and spurred Perumov's popularity. It is set about ten years after the events of previous books, tells about a new peril rising and basically serves as a gateway to the author’s own [[TheVerse setting]].
* ''City of Fallen Angels'' was originally supposed to be a one-shot [[ComicBookAdaptation Graphic Novel]] follow-up to ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'' trilogy, until Creator/CassandraClare decided to make it the start of a second trilogy. It shows.
* A variation in Creator/DianeDuane's ''Literature/{{Rihannsu}}'' series, which is more of a three-part quintology. The first two books are interconnected but stand on their own pretty well, but the next three, written a dozen years later after the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' copyright holders lifted their restrictions on recurring {{original character}}s, are a tight trilogy. For some bizarre reason the omnibus edition contains the first ''four'' books, omitting ''The Empty Chair''.
* The ''Diogenes Trilogy'' in the Literature/AgentPendergast series contains ''Literature/{{Brimstone}}'' which is mostly self-contained and the more directly-related ''Literature/DanceOfDeath'' and ''Literature/BookOfTheDead''. However, ''Brimstone'' winds up subverting this in the end as it ends in a clear cliffhanger that leads into ''Dance of Death''.
* ''Literature/TheGoblinWood'' as a result of [[TrilogyCreep having only meant to be one book]] has a bit of this going on. The first story is about a game of cat and mouse of sorts between Makenna and Tobin, with an underlying message that no one is wholly evil, and that empathy for the opposition can help you reach a solution that benefits everyone. When a few lose ends were picked up to make the story into a trilogy, it gained a plot about overthrowing a conspiracy ''while'' defeating an army, and the message vanished.
* The ''Literature/{{Acacia}}'' trilogy was intentionally written this way. The first volume ends with a sense of closure, although observant readers will notice a couple of loose ends. However, the second book ends on a massive cliffhanger.
* ''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.
* In ''The Literature/WindOnFire'' trilogy, the first book is self-contained and deals with the recovery of the voice, while the second two are more closely tied and deal with the exodus from Aramanth and search for the Homeland.
* ''Literature/AncillaryJustice'' is an interesting example, where it's obvious that there is a lot more to the story by the first book (certainly more than just "mostly resolved but with a sequel hook"), the storylines to the second and third books are tied together quite closely.
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' had a nonstandard example with the novel ''[[Literature/JediAcademyTrilogy I, Jedi]]'' by Creator/MichaelAStackpole and the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology by Creator/TimothyZahn. They were set seven years apart but written at the same time, and Stackpole and Zahn collaborated to share characters and toss {{Continuity Nod}}s to each other, making them something of a trilogy.