Certain trilogies might well only get kind of heavy for one movie out of three, often the second… see the original Star Wars trilogy as well as The Dark Knight within its trilogy. It’s naturally a downer to have people get invested in three movies’ worth of story, only to have to all end up feeling quite hopeless, so that’s why the second movie being the heaviest is a little more expected, if you’re even going to have a bleak chapter in the first place.

But it’s not the only way to tackle a movie trilogy, because some feel heavy throughout, or have, at a minimum, two out of three movies being intense and/or heavy-going. The following trilogies can all count themselves among the heaviest in cinema history, with the bunch of them being depressing for different reasons, and depressing within different genres, too.

8

‘Pusher’ (1996–2005)

Image via Nordisk Film

Nicholas Winding Refn might be more well-known for his 2010s English-language movies, with Drive especially being something of a modern cult classic, but his Pusher trilogy shouldn’t be overlooked. These films are incredibly gritty and down-and-dirty, with 1996’s Pusher feeling particularly grimy and low-budget. That goes some way to helping things feel more realistic, and then narratively, it’s also intense, since it’s about a drug dealer losing a great deal of money, and needing to find a way to get it in time, as he’s otherwise in rather hot water.

Things kept going with each subsequent movie focusing on a different protagonist, as a side character played by Mads Mikkelsen in the first movie was the central character in the second, and then the drug lord behind much of the first movie’s conflict/drama was the central character in the third film. They’re all brutal and downbeat in their own ways, but also quite engaging if you don’t mind movies that make you feel like you need a shower right after finishing them.

7

‘Three Colours’ (1993–1994)

Image via MK2 Productions

This is a slightly tricky example, since Three Colours is a thematic trilogy, and each one does go for something a bit different tonally, and even different genre-wise. In terms of heaviness, Three Colours: Blue (the first one released) is the most full-on, as it’s an exploration of grief and accompanying feelings of depression, being about a woman navigating life after losing both her husband and daughter very suddenly, in a car accident.

Three Colours: White isn’t as despair-filled, being a bit more comedic, but it’s still something of a psychological drama alongside being a comedy, and not without a dark sense of humor, either. Three Colours: Red is moody again, and maybe a little more mysterious, but ultimately not as heavy-going as Three Colours: Blue. That first film does the heavy-lifting here, though the two movies that follow it (or don’t really follow it, given this trilogy being a thematic one) do still have some darker moments.

6

‘Terrifier’ (2016–2024)

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Terrifier probably won’t be a trilogy for long, but for now, it is made up of three movies, and they’re three immensely gory movies, too. That’s kind of Terrifier’s thing, as a series so far: there’s a pretty much unstoppable villain at the center of things, and his whole thing is that he really likes to inflict maximum pain on his victims before killing them, so that’s where all the blood and gore inevitably come in.

There’s also a good deal of emotional and psychological distress he wants to cause certain victims, toying with them in that way before he actually hurts them, and so Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 get kind of heavy in that way, on top of all the violence. They are admittedly tongue-in-cheek at times, and not serious or heavy-going dramas in the way most of these other trilogies here are, but there’s a good bit of distress to be found throughout these three movies if you’re not really on board with what they have to offer.

5

‘X’ (2022–2024)

Image via A24

Okay, sorry, it was hard to find heavy-going drama-focused trilogies, so here’s one more trio of horror movies: those belonging to the X trilogy. X (2022) is the first of them, and beyond being pretty savage as far as the violence is concerned, it’s also an oddly sad movie about how miserable it is to get old… once you do get past the kills. It’s not exactly thought-provoking, but it is something.

Pearl (also a 2022 release) is a bit more of a drama and less of a horror movie, and it’s a prequel, laying out the rather somber backstory of the main villain of X, showing who she was when she was younger. Then MaXXXine… well, MaXXXine sort of goes off the deep end, and calling it heavy beyond having some distressingly violent moments would be too much of a stretch, but two out of three ain’t bad and all that.

4

‘The Apu Trilogy’ (1955–1959)

Image via Merchant Ivory Productions

Across three movies, The Apu Trilogy does something that might sound a little similar to what Boyhood did in one movie, but that 2014 film was surprisingly light on drama and narrative, really just being a slice-of-life thing across 12 years. The films in this Indian trilogy, though, are incredibly heavy on drama, and also generally heavy-going, all the while mostly centering on a boy named Apu who grows into a young man by the third and final film, and is played by a total of four different actors across the trilogy.

The first movie, Pather Panchali (1955), has Apu as more of a passive character, since he’s so young, and much of that film is a very emotionally intense family drama. Further hardships happen in Aparajito (1956) and The World of Apu (1959), and while it’s not heavy-going or depressing 100% of the time, it is certainly downbeat stuff for a good chunk of the trilogy.

3

‘The Godfather’ (1972–1990)

Essentially, The Godfather is an epic tragedy in three parts, albeit with only two of those movies being essential to get the point across. The Godfather gets the ball rolling on depicting the downfall of the Corleone crime family, while The Godfather Part II showcases the truly messy and despairing stuff, and makes it feel heavier because much of it’s contrasted with a series of flashbacks that depict the rise of the Corleone empire.

It’s a rise and fall kind of thing, but not in a linear fashion, which sets it apart from other gangster movies about a character’s rise and fall. The Godfather Part III doesn’t mine a great deal of new ground thematically or narratively, but it does have further bleak events happen to the characters who are still standing at that point in the series, so for present purposes, it is still able to count itself as a heavy-going part 3.

2

‘Life of Crime’ (1989–2021)

Image via HBO

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While Life of Crime is a documentary trilogy, it’s still worth including here because of how immensely heavy-going it gets, and the fact that it’s all genuinely real does undoubtedly add to that feeling. 1989’s One Year in a Life of Crime began the trilogy, and is what you’d expect, based on that title. It got a follow-up almost a decade later (1998’s Life of Crime 2), and then 2021 saw everything get wrapped up in a distressingly definitive manner.

That final film is called Life of Crime, 1984-2020, and can sort of be watched on its own, given that it summarizes what happened throughout that whole span of time, including the first two documentaries. It’s still worthwhile watching the entire thing, though, as something of an anti-true crime documentary, since there’s nothing flashy or intentionally entertaining here, and it’s just about downtrodden people stuck in a hopeless cycle. The Life of Crime documentaries are also a bit like a much darker spin on the Seven Up documentary series, which also checked in with a group of people over a span of several decades.

1

‘The Human Condition’ (1959–1961)

Image via Shochiku

More than earning masterpiece status, The Human Condition is one huge film separated into three parts, with more coherence than a good many other trilogies, owing to how this three-part movie was made and then released (in an overall short span of time, by trilogy standards). You get a huge story told over all three movies, with the first part mostly being about the lead-up to World War II, the second part involving the main character having to fight in it, and the third part being about surviving the immediate aftermath of the conflict.

The protagonist changes a great deal throughout, since he’s put through so much and is initially a pacifist, yet can’t escape some kind of involvement in the war, at a certain point. The Human Condition might well be the best Japanese-made World War II movie, and is up there as a contender for the best World War II movie made anywhere, really. It’s also absolutely grueling, emotionally intense, and unapologetic with the violence it depicts, with all those things – plus its overall length of approximately 10 hours – making it an inevitably difficult (but worthwhile) watch.

Ariana Grande is preparing to step back onto the stage for the first time in seven years, but behind the excitement surrounding her upcoming Eternal Sunshine Tour is a much darker reality. 

The singer is reportedly still battling emotional scars connected to the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people during her Dangerous Woman tour. 

As rehearsals intensify ahead of the summer kickoff, insiders claim Grande’s anxiety remains overwhelming enough that boyfriend Ethan Slater has reportedly reshaped his own career plans just to stay by her side.

Ariana Grande may be returning to arenas worldwide, but sources say the trauma from Manchester still heavily shapes every decision surrounding the tour.

The singer reportedly struggled with “nightmares” and “a meltdown” after the terrorist attack that injured more than 1,000 people and forever changed her relationship with touring.

According to insiders, the emotional weight of performing for massive crowds again is something Grande still carries daily.

“Ariana has been prepping for her US and UK concert tour for months, but she’s still haunted by the horrific Manchester Arena bombing,” a source told the Daily Mail, adding, “She had nightmares about it for months. She had a meltdown.”

Grande herself previously opened up about the emotional aftermath while speaking to British Vogue in 2018.

“It’s hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, it’s a real thing,” she said at the time. The 32-year-old explained that both the victims’ families and her fans experienced lasting anxiety after the attack.

Grande Demands Heavy Security For Upcoming Shows

Because of those lingering fears, Ariana Grande has reportedly insisted on major security changes before agreeing to tour again.

Insiders claim the pop superstar refused to move forward with the Eternal Sunshine Tour unless stricter protections were guaranteed for both herself and fans attending the concerts.

“She has insisted on double security on all the dates. She refused to go ahead with it if that clause wasn’t agreed to,” a source revealed.

Grande has long admitted that touring after Manchester fundamentally changed how she viewed safety. During an emotional interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, she confessed that even everyday travel became frightening.

“But the truth is that it’s f-cking scary,” the actress said, adding, “It’s scary going anywhere and you look at places differently and traveling.”

She also acknowledged the uncomfortable reality of heightened concert security. “I don’t want to have metal detectors or people taking tiny a** bags into my shows, but you better bring a tiny a** bag and walk through that metal detector,” Grande stated.

Her fears reportedly intensified again after a fan allegedly rushed toward her during a “Wicked: For Good” premiere event in Singapore last November. Sources said the unsettling moment deepened concerns among those close to the star regarding her anxiety levels.

Ariana Grande Scales Back Touring As Pressure Mounts

Unlike her previous world tours, Grande’s newest run of concerts has been intentionally reduced in size. The Eternal Sunshine Tour begins on June 6 in California before moving through North America and later heading to London’s O2 Arena for a 10-show residency.

While previous tours stretched well beyond 70 or even 100 performances, this time the Grammy Award winner is limiting herself to only 30 dates.

Insiders say that decision was directly connected to the emotional pressure touring creates. “The stress of doing around 30 dates is all she can handle,” a source explained.

Grande herself hinted this tour could be her final large-scale concert run for a very long time.

“I do know that I’m very excited to do this small tour, but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long, long time,” she said during a November appearance on the “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” podcast.

However, Grande promised to give it her all, noting that she believed the tour will be beautiful. The “God is a Woman” singer revealed that she decided to go back on tour because she wanted it to be “one last hurrah.”

Grande And Ethan Slater Face Relationship Strain

As Ariana Grande prepares for her return to the stage, distance and scheduling conflicts have reportedly complicated her relationship with Slater.

The couple has recently spent weeks apart, with Grande rehearsing in Los Angeles while Slater remained in New York following his off-Broadway production “Marcel on the Train.”

According to insiders, their separate schedules have created emotional and physical distance despite claims the relationship is still strong.

“Ariana has been in Los Angeles doing tour rehearsals. Ethan has been in New York City while she’s there,” a source told the Daily Mail, further explaining, “He hasn’t visited her and she’s been too busy to get back east for more than a couple days.”

Fans also noticed the pair attending events separately. Still, insiders insist the lovebirds remain committed, even while acknowledging Grande tends to dominate relationships.

“Ariana definitely has a type and likes things in a relationship to be a certain way – her way. She’s usually the dominant one when it comes to who has the say,” the source explained.

Ariana Grande’s Boyfriend Ethan Slater Makes Huge Sacrifice

Despite his own acting career continuing to grow, Slater is reportedly putting Grande first as she navigates the emotional demands of touring again.

The actor recently appeared in “Gen V,” guest starred on “Elsbeth,” and reprised his role as Boq in “Wicked: For Good.” Yet insiders say he has already begun sacrificing opportunities in order to support his girlfriend during the tour.

“He plans to be there for her during the tour on as many dates as possible,” an insider shared. The source added that Slater is actively rearranging his work schedule to remain close to her.

“He has a couple of potential conflicts, but he’s trying to work around them so he’s her support system. He’s even turned down an acting role that would have meant him hardly being by her side,” they shared. 

Meanwhile, Grande reportedly remains determined not to let fear stop her from reconnecting with fans despite her ongoing struggles.

“She is very excited about returning to the stage to perform for her fans and to release her eighth album this summer,” another insider said.

Even so, those closest to the singer reportedly know Manchester will always remain part of every performance she gives moving forward.

The news about Dutton Ranch losing its showrunner in a surprise shakeup has finally been addressed.

Executive producer Christina Voros broke her silence about Chad Feehan‘s reported firing, telling ScreenRant earlier this month that the screenwriter did “an exceptional job building a world of adversaries for Rip and Beth” in the Yellowstone spinoff.

Voros noted that when it came to “dynamics behind his departure,” she didn’t have much to add. She went on to say that Dutton Ranch had at that point not “come out into the world yet” so a future without Feehan was “beyond” her knowledge on the subject.

The director expressed gratitude to Feehan and his team for “creating a world for these characters to move into.”

Related: Showrunner Changes on Taylor Sheridan Shows: ‘Tulsa King’ to ‘Dutton Ranch’

Taylor Sheridan‘s TV universe has found immense success — but his projects have also come with many showrunner changes. After getting his start as an actor, Sheridan started writing scripts for movies. He began his TV empire with Yellowstone, which aired from 2018 to 2024. Sheridan then created prequels 1883 and 1923, as well as […]

News originally broke in April that Feehan will not return as showrunner after completing work on season 1. Feehan, who created Lawmen: Bass Reeves with Taylor Sheridan, reportedly departed Dutton Ranch after alleged friction with series stars Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, among others.

Sheridan and his producing partner David Glasser, along with the two leads, were allegedly more unhappy with how Feehan ran the production than with the scripts. None of the cast has yet to publicly address the producer’s exit.

Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. Rip (Hauser) and Beth (Reilly) quickly became a fan-favorite couple as they navigated major ups and downs together.

Since Yellowstone came to an end in 2024, the TV universe expanded with Luke Grimes‘ CBS show Marshals and more. Dutton Ranch, meanwhile, follows Rip and Beth — as well as Finn Little‘s Carter — adjust to life in Texas after their time in Montana.

Annette Bening and Ed Harris are also featured on the show alongside other newcomers such as Jai Courtney, Natalie Alyn Lind, Marc Menchaca, Juan Pablo Raba and J. R. Villarreal.

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Related: Where Did Every Duttons End Up in ‘Yellowstone’ Finale Before ‘Marshals’?

CBS’ Marshals spinoff picks up after the Yellowstone series finale — but where did every member of the Dutton family end up? The Paramount Network series wrapped up in December 2024 after five seasons with Beth (Kelly Reilly) avenging father John’s (Kevin Costner) death by killing brother Jamie (Wes Bentley). Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser), […]

“As Beth and Rip fight to build a future together — far from the ghosts of Yellowstone — they collide with brutal new realities and a ruthless rival ranch that will stop at nothing to protect its empire,” read the show’s synopsis. “In South Texas, blood runs deeper, forgiveness is fleeting, and the cost of survival might just be your soul.”

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Sheridan, meanwhile, has been focused on his other shows, including Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness and Tulsa King. News broke in October 2025 that Sheridan closed a major with NBCUniversal. The five-year overall deal for film, TV and streaming will begin January 1, 2029, after Sheridan’s TV deal with Paramount — which goes through 2028 — officially ends.

Paramount will retain the rights to Yellowstone and the other franchises Sheridan created under his deal with the company, so he is expected to create brand new IP for NBCUniversal. Sheridan’s move came after Paramount’s recent merger with Skydance.

Dutton Ranch airs Fridays on Paramount+.