Intentionally Blank Does Star Wars Top The Lord of the Rings? — Intentionally Blank Ep. 254
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Apr 15, 2026 Two storytellers race through rankings of Hollywood trilogies, debating cohesion, worldbuilding, and which sequels help or hurt a series. They argue over Star Wars' place, dissect prequels and sequels, and defend surprises like Planet of the Apes and The Matrix. Expect fierce placement debates and spirited takes on classics, missteps, and trilogy-building choices.
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Ocean's Eleven First Film Dominates Trilogy
- Ocean's Eleven's first film is a standalone classic that outshines its sequels as a cohesive trilogy.
- Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells agree movie two and three feel like victory laps that add little arc or development across the trilogy.
Pirates Sequels Turn Into Epic Fantasy
- Pirates of the Caribbean expands into epic-fantasy territory in films two and three with Calypso, Davy Jones, and the Pirate Council.
- Brandon praises the first film as a near-perfect adventure while admitting the sequels get increasingly ridiculous but remain fun dumb.
Original Star Wars Trilogy As Industry Gamechanger
- The original Star Wars trilogy is foundational culturally and technically, changing filmmaking and marketing practices.
- Brandon and Dan place it in S-tier because even its weakest entry, Return of the Jedi, remains better than most films discussed.