Franchises dominate the mainstream global media industries. Since the 1990s, franchising as a commercial, creative and industrial strategy has become increasingly prevalent across the cultural industries: for example, in 2022, all of the top 10 highest-grossing films worldwide are franchise instalments produced by global media titans such as Disney and Warner Bros. These powerful corporations have wings that spread across various media and cultural sectors, from screen industries such as film, TV and games, to audio industries such as music and podcasts, to tourism industries such as theme parks, and retail industries such as product licensing and merchandising.
The increasing global and mainstream production – and popularity – of franchises means that they are indelible parts of many media consumers’ lives, including our own. But how much do we understand about how franchising works as a commercial strategy, where it originated, and why it is so successful? How are franchises produced, distributed, sustained, marketed and consumed? What kind of textual and generic themes predominate and why?
Offering a detailed look into the contemporary media industries’ most lucrative and influential production strategy, this module will situate the rise of franchising within relevant historical, social, and industrial contexts, using a variety of global franchise case studies to shed light on broader developments that have shaped the media and creative industries we know today.
