What is a Mega Entertainment Franchise? Part I
The big question is, what defines a Franchise? Well, this is my definition, and I’m sure there are plenty of other definitions since the term “franchise” is thrown around quite liberally within the entertainment industry.
The entertainment industry is valued at 2 trillion dollars and my focus is to define evergreen global intellectual properties that are considered “crown jewels” to a Studio or rights holder. When I say crown jewel, I mean mega entertainment franchises; high-value, multi-platform, global, long-term intellectual properties. Think Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Disney Princesses and Jurassic Park, properties whose affinity spans multiple generations, that have global recognition, and are considered somewhat of a cultural phenomenon.
It's difficult to spot a unicorn, but there are certain markers that are consistent across these mega entertainment franchises.
#1 Film and series content is often the largest and quickest aggregator of the fanbase, therefore it has to be a driving force within the property’s ecosystem. This doesn’t mean the property has to have begun in content, think Harry Potter (books) or Pokeman (video game), but it has to have expanded into film or series, or both.
#2 The property must have an active ecosystem or the potential to grow into one. This means fans have multiple avenues into the intellectual property, by example music, content, publishing, experiential or gaming. It is my belief that those entry points need to have original storylines and experiences versus a regurgitation of a primary linear storyline. The latter leads to “delight and surprise”, which for me is the air in an ecosystem that stimulates endless word of mouth and organic expansion of the fanbase.
Point in case, a lot of today’s avid Star Wars fans entered the franchise through gaming, growing up on Star Wars video games, enjoying epic battles on X-Wing vs Tie Fighter. There was a sixteen year gap between Return of the Jedi and Episode 1 that Lucas brilliantly filled with narrative expanding content, often called bridge content. The fans that thrived on those video games are now the fans introducing their kids to Star Wars, and lining up to see the new films or binging The Mandalorian.
#3 The ability of an IP to travel globally where fans from around the world find themselves emotionally connected to the story or character’s story is essential to long-term success. Understanding how properties emotionally connect can feel nebulous to describe, it's a gut reaction when you read a book, play a game, watch a film or series … the content speaks to you. For Harry Potter, it's the concept of believing in yourself even when the entire world around you doesn’t, for Mickey Mouse, it's the feeling of being a kid and having fun, tapping your silliness and your imagination. Each property has their own signature DNA that connects with you creating the relatability which drives the emotional connection.
#4 Similar to universally relevant content that travels globally I find that all the major intellectual properties have their own world(s) too. These worlds can be futuristic and in another galaxy like Star Wars and unlike ours, or hidden in plain sight, like Harry Potter, or the augmentation of a real world location like Jurassic’s Isla Nublar, or simply pure imagination like Mickey Mouse.
Whatever the construct for the world, it becomes a key character with its own storylines, rules and lore that are signature to the IP and foundational for the characters’ adventures.
#5 Storyworld building, storyworld building, storyworld building. In my experience multi-channel unforgettable storyworlds and their beloved characters are immersive and imaginative where story developments build out the world, which can be depth, breadth or lore. JK Rowling does this beautifully across the Harry Potter novels. The pages of the books drip with imagination pulling us deeper into a world that’s rich with history, lore and rules. The Harry Potter world is so well thought out that, in some ways, it's hard to believe that wizards don’t live among the human world.
When you consider Harry Potter as a franchise, films have been released consistently since the first film in November, 2001, that is 20 years of films! Well, and of course so much more, consumer products, games, theme park rides and experiences, and even plays. However, for me, this all works because of JK Rowling's books and her expansive vision for Harry’s world from the very very beginning.
These are my first five learnings but there is lots more to come in this conversation …stay tuned for Part II.
Suzie Domnick is a dynamic and well-respected entertainment executive who has held leadership positions at Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and most recently Netflix, where she led Global Franchise Development for the streamer.
She has been a key player in launching and developing some of today's most globally successful entertainment franchises, including Harry Potter, Stranger Things, Star Trek and Super Girl.
In 2020 Suzie opened her production and intellectual property development company, Very Big World Entertainment, to focus on family co-viewing content development, especially for the underserved demographic of girls 10-15 years old.
Suzie is exceptionally skilled at identifying entertainment with franchise potential at the script, comic or book stage, articulating how those properties uniquely connect with consumers, and leading the strategic and creative development to transform those ideas into global franchises that resonate with fans over the long term.
