Laura Carollo
Research expert covering cinema and film
Movie franchises - statistics & facts
A unique type of perfect storm has flooded movie theaters across the globe with film franchises. In the background, concentration continues in the most influential movie market worldwide. Since 2006, the "Big Five" – Disney, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros.– have collectively accounted for at least three-quarters of the North American box office, a term that excludes Mexico and includes Canada and the United States. Secondly, consolidated brands appeal to legions of fans and arguably sell merchandise more easily. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Star Wars, Harry Potter, James Bond, and Fast and Furious are just some of the leading players in a multi-billion-dollar game that shapes contemporary cinema culture. Three of the five most commercially successful films of all time are part of franchises. And one of the two who are not is about to enter that league. The biggest earner ever, "Avatar" (with global box office revenue of 2.85 billion U.S. dollars), is finally having the second of its five installments, "Avatar: The Way of Water," premiering in theaters.
The superpower to attract moviegoers
Where fantasy and whimsy are recurring elements in popular cinema sagas, the superhero subgenre stands out within the franchising business model. Epic battles, explosions, and high-tech visual effects benefit from the big screen. During a mid-2022 survey, most adult moviegoers in the U.S. expressed willingness to have a film released exclusively in cinemas if it was a blockbuster or franchise title. This appeal becomes even more relevant in a post-pandemic scenario. According to the same study, nearly 60 percent of consumers would see a movie in theaters at least sometimes before the COVID-19 outbreak. In the first four months of 2022, that share stood below 30 percent, which indicates an increasing competition for viewers among distributors. Some superhero productions also aim at keeping people in a cinema for a longer period. The average length of the top 10 highest-grossing movies in the U.S. & Canada amounted to little more than two hours in 2010. In 2021, the figure surpassed two hours and 10 minutes. "Spider-Man: No Way Home," a global hit that year, had a running time of two hours and 28 minutes.The most beloved film franchises
Studios may see film series as a safer bet for ticket sales, but not all of them enjoy the same level of fondness among the audience. A 2022 survey asked adult internet users in the U.S. if they approved of a group of 21 brands, and only in three cases more than two-thirds of respondents said they were somewhat or very favorable to a movie franchise: Pixar, Jurassic World, and Pirates of the Caribbean scored the highest percentages. The MCU's favorability share reached 60 percent, while its nemesis DC Extended Universe's stood below 40 percent. The Wizarding World, J. K. Rowling's and Warner Bros.' attempt to repeat the success of the Harry Potter series, had little more than a third of the interviewees' approval. The study also checked which 13 franchises the moviegoers most wanted to see a new installment of. The leading brands were Jurassic World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and James Bond.
