Julia Stoll
Research expert covering TV and video media
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.
