Fall 2021 10 It feels like everything is a franchise nowadays. Every movie sets up a sequel, and more often than not, it gets one. Few franchises, however, are truly successful. Most fizzle out thanks to underwhelming sequels that drag on far beyond where they should. What about those few franchises that are both long-lasting and successful overall? What makes them succeed where so many fail? First and foremost, the movies are usually connected. Though seemingly obvious, creating a unified story across multiple films is easier said than done. There has to be a vision and a concentrated effort to keep storylines cohesive. This could be accomplished by having a particular producer, director, and writer be involved across multiple movies or simply by using an accepted formula. The Bond films, for example, don’t have a single person at the helm but instead use a triedand-true formula to achieve cohesion and success. Yet a successful franchise is also constantly evolving. Even in more formula-following franchises, each addition progresses the stories and characters further and gives audiences something they’ve never seen before. Franchises that get stuck in a rut will either die out or drag on THE MAKING OF A FRANCHISE Why Some Succeed Where Others Fail by Janie Walenda Graphics – Claire Xu
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