Movie studios are all about consistent profit. There does not seem to be any benefit for a studio to invest in a movie these days unless it bears the hallmarks of a franchise. Movies like CLOUD ATLAS are usually the exception to what we see released with a big budget and that was financed independently of the studio system. If you look at the slew of films with delay issues (47 RONIN, WORLD WAR Z), they are major investments for the studios that will likely not bear sequels.
Sequel has become a bad word over the last decade. Most films we get sequels to are not very good, unless they come courtesy of a pre-existing franchise like HARRY POTTER or THE HUNGER GAMES. Studios have begun splitting movies in half to capitalize on finite series, stretching their money as much as possible. Even brands with integrity like Pixar have succumbed to the pressure of revisiting their blockbusters.
But, which studios have the most franchise power under their belts?
This chart comes courtesy of Empire Online. It breaks down all of the big studios and which movie series they have control over. With STAR WARS falling under the control of Disney, you would think they had the biggest stable of titles. In fact, it looks like power shifts in recent months via DreamWorks Animation have thrown things from Paramount over to 20th Century Fox. This chart also assumes certain films will turn into viable franchises (JACK RYAN, JACK REACHER).
Take a look and see who you think has the best line-up of franchises. Which studio holds the most power?
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