Which movie franchise won the most Oscars?
The positive thing about movie franchises, at least from the perspective of those involved with them and ignoring the fact, for just a moment, that they are entirely overdone and are essentially ruining the cinematic medium, is that with several films in the same world, often with the same cast and crew, they stand more of a chance at the Oscars.
Or at least one might think. After all, there has indeed been widespread success at the Academy Awards; say the nine awards given to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather – both of the first parts won ‘Best Picture’ – or Star Wars, which has a total of ten Oscars to its name across nine movies. Indiana Jones has also performed well, taking home seven awards while Mad Max has six, although this is admittedly due to the fact that Fury Road was so damn good.
But way, way ahead of the rest of the pack is Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy with a remarkable 17 Academy Awards. What’s the most impressive about this feat (considering The Hobbit as a separate entity) is that there are only three movies in the franchise, and yet Star Wars has 11 films, and James Bond and Marvel both have over 20.
Based on the original fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, released between 2001 and 2003 and comprising the legendary trilogy, make up a remarkable franchise when it comes to recognition at the Oscars, miles ahead of any of its closest competitors.
The Return of the King actually holds the record for having the most Oscar wins for a single movie, winning each of the 11 categories it was nominated for back in 2004. The final instalment of the trilogy managed to scoop Jackson, Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood and the crewe ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’, ‘Best Original Score’, ‘Best Original Song’, ‘Best Art Direction’, ‘Best Costume Design’, ‘Best Film Editing’, ‘Best Makeup’, ‘Best Sound Mixing’, and ‘Best Visual Effects’.
So even that film alone would have beaten Star Wars to first place in the Oscar-winning franchise ranking without even bringing in the six awards that the first two movies won in the first place. As the above awards attest, not only was The Lord of the Rings the epitome of excellent directing and acting that brought Tolkien’s world to life, but it was also a feat of technical excellence.
The films possess some of the most extraordinary visual and practical effects ever seen on the big screen, especially considering they were made at the beginning of the 21st century. The awe-inspiring location of New Zealand, combined with the expertly designed costumes and sets, along with the quality acting, makes it easy to see why The Lord of the Rings experienced such triumph at the Oscars.
