SSC Film Studies

How important are film franchises to audiences and producers?

 

            Film franchises have become increasingly important to audiences and produces. Audiences tend to look for repetition and new cinematic experiences from films, both of which franchises can offer, and the audiences emotional investment and the fan bases built from franchises give producers a higher chance of success with films.

            An example of an extremely successful film franchise is Alien. Alien found ultimate success with its first two films, often described as the “perfect film and sequel” by critics, but Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection fell short, and much less than mirrored this success. The Alien franchise is made up of seven films; Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, Alien vs Predator, Alien vs Predator 2, and Prometheus – not a direct sequel, but a return to the Alien universe. The first film was so successful with audiences as it offered new cinematic experiences, and a mix of sci-fi and horror. Aliens was equally as successful as it stayed true to the story of Alien, without merely repeating the formula. It was action orientated, which drew in a wider ranged audience who were scared of the “fear-factor” that came with the first Alien film. Most importantly, the film met the audiences expectations, whilst delivering something new and exciting at the same time. The film also allowed the audience to emotionally invest in the character of Ripley, as they genuinely cared for her safety rather than just the plot of the story. All of these things gave the film major success, none of which could be attributed to the stars or director, as James Cameron was not well known at this time, and Sigourney Weaver, although famous, would be incapable of selling a film by herself. Aliens originality brought in a brand new, faithful fan base, and did not run the risk of misrepresentation as a lot of films do by recreating previous tales from films or books, such as Avatar: The Last Air Bender.

            However, Aliens downfall was the third film. The film offered nothing new to audiences, and was merely a repeat of the formula used for both of the films prior. The story line was deemed confusing and weak, and it simply could not live up to the previous two films. The film was declared flashy and flawed, and audiences were angered by the death of two protagonists from the previous film; Hicks and Newt, which was given very little explanation in the opening sequence. The audiences however were not the only ones to be disappointed by this – James Cameron was equally upset, saying; “the decision to kill off the characters of Hicks and Newt is a slap in the face to me and fans of the previous film.” It seemed no one was impressed by the third instalment of the franchise. However, the end of the film showed Ripley’s death, and at least offered fans some closure to the story.

            Then came Alien Resurrection. Often described as another “weak storyline” and the “nadir of the franchise”, the film was confusing, full of more repetition with little new material, and an all round disappointment to fans. The film relied heavily on a formula already damaged by Alien 3, and audiences saw the film as a risk. Fewer people went to see the film, as they found closure within Alien 3, and they felt cheated by the “cheap trick” of cloning Ripley after her death to continue the franchise.

            However unsuccessful the final two films were, they still opened up opportunity for games, toys, merchandise and other forms of money making from its prior success. Aliens brand continued to stay alive through video games; the most popular being Alien Vs Predator. This offered producers a way to continue building on the Alien franchise, and the games were so successful they eventually led to the creation of two more films of the same title, Alien Vs Predator.

            This use of synergy offered immediate success. The added value of joining the two famous icons together in one game allowed a greater return than from the sum of the original parts. The games kept the Alien brand alive in audiences minds, and allowed Alien to stay relevant, so when producers announced Prometheus, people knew what to expect from the franchise.

            While not a direct prequel or sequel, Prometheus offered a return to the Alien Universe for the fans. The trailer offered strong iconography linking it to Alien, such as the Space Jockey. The Space Jockey was very briefly visited in Alien, and was labelled the “great unanswered question” for many years. Prometheus was finally offering an answer to this question, immediately drawing in fans of the franchise. The repetition of themes used in Alien, such as face-hugging aliens, and androids to convey fear of technology, gave the audience exactly what they were looking for, whilst at the same time offering new cinematic experiences.

            Alien is a prime example of how a loyal fan base will stick with a franchise through one bad film, expecting improvements in the next. This is very successful for producers as it allows them a good chance of success when bringing back audiences already engaged in an open story.

            The main attraction of franchises, including Alien, are its uniqueness, which is key to its initial success. The films offer escapism, and allow the audience to invest in a continuing story, as they can also offer consistency, and a reliable experience that meets audience expectation.

 

-more attractions of franchises