Top 20 Franchises Gen Z Grew Up Watching
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Franchises Gen Z Grew Up Watching. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most popular TV shows and movie franchises those of us born in the mid-to-late ‘90s and early 2000s grew up watching and adoring. If you could only watch one franchise for the rest of your life, which would it be? Let us know in the comments!
#20: “Cars” franchise (2006-)
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Pixar has had tons of hit franchises over the years so it was difficult to narrow them down. Still, the phenomenon that is and was “Cars” is undeniable. Even though a series of animated movies about cars seems like it would be targeted towards a specific age-range of boys, Pixar managed to draw in a ton of different audience demographics. Turns out, there’s a lot to be intrigued by in a world where vehicles can talk, and everyone fell in love with the world of racing for a bit. Lightning McQueen remains one of the most identifiable animated characters in pop culture to this day.
#19: “Avatar: the Last Airbender” franchise (2005-)
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There are many Nickelodeon properties to love but, where “Rugrats” feels a bit more cherished by Millenials, “Avatar: the Last Airbender” is fondly remembered by the succeeding generation. It was one of the first cartoons to be serialized and to deal with heavier subject matter in a way that was digestible for kids. It knew we could handle the heavier stuff, and there’s a reason it’s still so frequently rewatched by many today. While the subsequent “The Legend of Korra” didn’t find quite as much success as its predecessor, we were still happy to be immersed in the “ATLA” universe again just four years after the initial show’s end.
#18: “Scooby-Doo” franchise (1969-)
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“Scooby-Doo” is certainly not exclusive to Gen Z, but our generation along with Millenials were growing up during much of its resurgence. For one, the live action theatrical movies premiered in 2002 and 2004, and were often replayed on TV after that. For another, we saw tons of fantastic cartoon iterations including “What's New, Scooby-Doo?” which aired from 2002-2006 and “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” which was on Cartoon Network from 2010-2013. The mystery gang is pretty timeless and it’s almost a requirement that you grow up watching some of their adventures if you’re going to be an honorary pop culture fan later on.
#17: “Twilight” franchise (2005-)
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Here was a set of movies that had an entire generation fighting over vampires or werewolves – or perhaps more accurately, Robert Pattinson versus Taylor Lautner. While we were probably too young to be reading the books, at the time that the first movie premiered in 2008, we were begging our parents to let us go see it. A saga that collectively spawned an entire generation’s vampire and werewolves phase, and we have nothing to say for it except for a whole lot of memes. “Twilight” was such a phenomenon, you couldn’t go anywhere in elementary or middle school without overhearing talk of imprinting on babies. We can only imagine how that sounded to outside ears.
#16: “Teletubbies” (1997-2001; 2014-18)
If you’re a “Zillenial,” you would have grown up with the original run of “Teletubbies”, which aired from 1997 to 2001. Although it’s originally from the UK, reruns continued to be broadcast all over the world, which is why you might remember watching “Teletubbies” a little bit after 2001. This show was a whole fever dream. We struggle to make sense of the concept today, but all we know is four-year-old us couldn’t get enough. Between Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po, the baby-sun and the anthropomorphic vacuum cleaner, there was a lot to be entertained by… we think.
#15: “Shrek” franchise (2001-)
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From the snuck-in bits of adult humor to the iconic lines in even more iconic voices, “Shrek” was a fan-favorite among nearly everyone. It pulled in boys and girls alike with gross-out comedy, coupled with the awesomeness of fairytale characters and tired storylines flipped on their head. The writing in every movie is unbelievably witty and, even though we weren’t yet seasoned enough to judge, we knew good when we saw it. Plus, those banger soundtracks don’t hurt either. If they rolled out the TV cart to your class on a rainy day, chances are you were having a vote between “Shrek” or “Kung Fu Panda” – truly a decision no child should have to make.
#14: “Pokémon” franchise (1996-)
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Real ones remember the Pokémon card-trading days. Soon after, one of pop culture’s catchiest theme songs would hit the airwaves and a generation of late millennials and Gen Zers would forever be singing about being “the very best”. The fact that the series is still going on today is a testament to how much the franchise means to so many. It’s stuck with us all the way into adulthood and we’re happy to know that future generations will also get the opportunity to have Ash and Pikachu around in their childhood. We choose you, Pokémon!
#13: “Spider-Man” franchise (1962-)
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Like “Scooby-Doo”, lots of generations grew up with Spider-Man. He’s probably the most famous superhero of all, next to Batman and Superman. Our parents and older siblings grew up with the cartoons and comics, but we were the generation who got to see a live action Peter Parker hit the big screens for the first time. Well, okay, our parents and siblings got to see it too – but we were the ones growing up associating Tobey Maguire with the web-slinging hero. The trilogy aired from 2002 to 2007, which was prime-time juicebox-trading and yellow school buses for many of us. If you’re born a bit later into Gen Z, then you probably consider Andrew Garfield your Spider-Man; those movies were a lot of fun too.
#12: “Star Wars” franchise (1977-)
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Admittedly, many of us were introduced to this franchise by our parents or older relatives. We may not have been around to see the OG movies in theaters, but we certainly watched them at home – over and over and over! By the time Disney acquired the property, we were pretty much all caught up and eagerly waiting for the sequel trilogy with our butts in cinema seats and a large popcorn in our laps. This is one of those franchises that unites several generations across the board in a way that few others manage to do.
#11: “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise (1967-)
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The “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise originates from books and comics, and dates back quite a while. But, it didn’t really make an appearance in our lives until its first theatrical release in 2003. From then on, we were forever looking forward to seeing Captain Jack Sparrow board his ship and grace our screens. Johnny Depp, as he does in all of his endeavors, gives himself fully to the role, and it made us wholly believe in his world and his character. With three movies spanning the aughts, and two more following, “Pirates of the Caribbean” has been with us from our waddling stage right up until the end of our teen years.
#10: “Winnie the Pooh” franchise (1966-)
Here’s another franchise that has spanned generations and made it all the way to ours. There’s something so gentle and comforting about the characters and their storylines. Maybe it’s the cartoonish voices reminiscent of a time we weren’t yet around for, or the soft color palette of the cozy woodland home or – probably most accurate – the compassionate and uplifting wisdom these characters have to offer. “Winnie the Pooh”, regardless of precisely the shows or series of movies you grew up with, always feels like a warm hug. It probably helps that Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet all look like super cuddly stuffed animals.
#9: “Dora the Explorer” franchise (2000-)
If you’re not humming the theme song right now, you can go ahead and click off this video. To this day, there’s something so nostalgic about seeing the original animation of “Dora the Explorer”. With a cast of absolutely iconic characters, this felt like children’s media at its best: a monkey wearing boots, a backpack that comes to life, and the kind of incessant fourth-wall-breaking that would eventually prepare us for the likes of Deadpool. Plus, this queen taught our five-year-old selves all the Spanish we knew! In 2019, a live-action “Dora” movie was released and it felt like maybe they should’ve just directly addressed Gen Z in the advertising. ‘@’ us next time, Paramount.
#8: “SpongeBob SquarePants” franchise (1999-)
While we grew out of shows like “Dora the Explorer”, which were geared toward younger audiences, “SpongeBob’s” humor kept up with ours, even as we got older. There’s a reason so many memes are derived from the show. Miraculously, the franchise is still going strong, with four additional films announced in 2022 and slated for release over the next few years. It looks like we’ll have to share SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward, and Krabs with the generation under us, and we’re all for it if it means the answer to the question “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” won’t soon be forgotten.
#7: Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
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Let us take you back to a simpler time. You spent your childhood reading comic books and now you’re sitting in a movie theater with your parents, ready to watch it all unfold on screen for the first time. By the credit-roll, you’re thinking Iron Man might just be the coolest superhero ever, thanks to RDJ. And then you keep going back to the theaters to watch all your favorite heroes get their screen time until, finally, the ambition that was the first “Avengers” totally blows your mind. There really was nothing like seeing the Avengers assemble for the first time; even back then, we knew we were witnessing something special. If those opening credits still manage to give you goosebumps all these years later, you’re not alone.
#6: “Sesame Street” franchise (1969-)
“Sesame Street” might just be the most popular children’s TV show of all time. At the very least, it’s certainly one of the longest-running. There are few rosters of kids’ characters all as equally iconic as the “Sesame Street’s” Muppets. From Bert and Ernie, to Elmo, to the Cookie Monster, to Big Bird, to Oscar the Grouch, to Kermit the Frog to Miss Piggy, the list of fan favorites is practically endless. With a slew of memorable musical numbers, adaptations, and guest appearances, the “Sesame Street” franchise has cemented itself in the media world far beyond just kids programming.
#5: “Toy Story” franchise (1995-)
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Pixar did a fine job of shaping our childhoods and probably in no grander way than with the “Toy Story” lineup. Every kid dreams of their toys coming to life and the premise was not only incredibly solid on its own but also fantastically executed. We grew to care so deeply for Woody, Buzz, and the gang over the years that, by the time “Toy Story 4” came out, we were mostly adults there in the crowd, bouncing in our seats with the same glow in our eyes we watched the first installment with. These movies always treated their young viewers with grace and esteem – the real-life hardships, like growing up and saying goodbye, were never sugar-coated. The only constant in life is change, and “Toy Story” made the bittersweetness of it manageable.
#4: “Barbie” franchise (1959-)
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“Barbie” media might have had a leg up given that its toy brand was already monumentally popular, but it’s definitely earned its spot on our list. Did you even grow up in the early 2000s if you weren’t constantly rewatching “Barbie” classics? We’re talking “Barbie in the Nutcracker”, “Barbie of Swan Lake”, “Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper”, “Barbie: Fairytopia”, and “Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus” – and that’s barely scratching the surface! The utter magic in these movies always made us feel like we could be anything, too – just like Barbie! The idea of combining our favorite doll with princess narratives? We were practically bouncing off the walls, man.
#3: “Harry Potter” franchise (1997-)
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Ah, yes, the franchise Millenials love to gatekeep. We’re just kidding – sort of. Admittedly, “Harry Potter” was theirs first, seeing as the first book was released in 1997 and many of us were still in diapers at the time. With that said, the movies aired from 2001 to 2011, and by then Gen Z was cognizant enough to appreciate the feats of being a wizard – and the utter disappointment of being a Muggle. To this day, you’ll often hear the age-old question “what Hogwarts house are you in?” in casual conversation, and it’s always nice to hear that the fandom is still alive and thriving. This franchise is a hallmark of so many childhoods, and one that’s stamped itself into pop culture for what will, at this point, presumably be all eternity.
#2: “Mickey Mouse & Friends” franchise (1928-)
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Disney is probably the number-one company responsible for the magic of our childhoods. While we would’ve loved to include all the Disney Channel media, there are just too many to name, so we’re sticking with the classics. They really are the heart of Disney; Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto are as iconic as they come. They’ve definitely gone through a few revamps since their inception during Hollywood’s Golden Age, both in appearance and personality, but the essence of their characters still feels true enough to their beginnings. Millennials will probably be most familiar with “A Goofy Movie”, the Christmas anthology films, “The Three Musketeers” and, of course, “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and its absolute banger of a theme song.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Blue's Clues” franchise (1996-)
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“The Powerpuff Girls” franchise (1998-)
Top 10 Biggest Movie Franchise MISTAKES
The Phrase “Sugar, Spice, & Everything Nice” Is Permanently Imprinted in Our Brains
“My Little Pony” franchise (2008-)
Top 10 Horror Movie Franchises That Are Still Scary
Generation Three Began in 2003 with Revamped Toys & a Line-Up of Direct-to-Video Movies
“High School Musical” franchise (2006-)
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“Ice Age” franchise (2002-)
Top 10 Greatest Movie Franchises of All Time
This Scene Still Lives in Our Heads Rent Free
#1: “Disney Princess” franchise (1937-)
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While there are Disney franchises we love that aren’t considered Disney princess movies, like “The Lion King” there are, once again, far too many to count off. If you asked any young girl in the mid ‘90s and onward what her favorite Disney princess was, you were sure to get a decisive, enthusiastic answer – zero hesitation. Whether you admired Jasmine’s independence or aligned with Mulan’s fighting spirit or saw yourself in Ariel’s sense of wonder, we all had a princess we would have loved to emulate. The franchise has since expanded wonderfully to focus on more diversity and love stories that don’t rely on being rescued by a prince. And, even now that we’re technically “grown” we can’t wait to see what’s next.
