Netflix’s New Play: Turning Originals into Franchise Powerhouses
Why the Streaming Giant is Going Back to the Roots of Disney
Netflix once redefined binge‑watching, turning the world into a streaming buffet worth billions. Now, as the ring of subscribers shrinks a bit, the company is looking up to old‑school Disney – and it’s turning its hit shows into full‑blown universes.
Building its Own “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter”
- Big Show Strategy: Netflix wants to spin off characters and worlds from major titles so fans can jump between movies, series, games, and even merch.
- Team tangle solved: “No more walls between feature, animation, and series teams,” says Matthew Thunell, the VP behind “Stranger Things.” “We’re a young org, so we can just roll with it.”
- Franchise Fuel: The goal is to create ongoing story arcs that keep audiences coming back for more content.
Facing the Reality of Rising Costs and Layoffs
With subscriber losses hitting 2 million this quarter and shares down 70 % in 2025, Netflix is scrambling for a cheaper, ad‑supported service – a move it never promised.
Inside the Company: Collaboration or Conflict?
Some partners, who asked to stay anonymous, complain about siloed departments that hinder spin‑offs and adaptations of hot series:
“It feels like you have to fight to build a franchise,” one executive told us.
However, Thunell paints a more optimistic picture:
“We’re ok with independent greenlights, but all the teams aim for the same big picture.”
Netflix’s Road Ahead
By embracing a franchise model, Netflix hopes to add an extra revenue stream while keeping binge‑watchers glued to its library. It’s a bold shift – a new chapter in a story that began with the company’s first foray into digital streaming.
Stranger Things treatment
Netflix Turns Stranger Things Into a Franchise Factory
Stranger Things isn’t just the latest sensation—it’s the blueprint Netflix is using to rev up a whole lineup of spin‑offs, merchandise, and live events. From a Surfer Boy frozen pizza at Walmart to Magic 8 Ball toys by Hasbro, the show’s pop‑culture ripple is huge.
What’s Next for the Cult Classic?
- A full‑scale Stranger Things spin‑off is already in the works.
- A stage play, too—so grab your theatre gigs.
- At least a dozen other series and films are slated to mirror the “Stranger Things” hit.
Netflix’s Franchising Playbook
Other shows are being shaken up to look like future franchises:
- La Casa de Papel—now a Korean remake, plus a spin‑off in the pipeline.
- Bridgerton—a Regency‑era prequel has been green‑lit.
- A Squid Game‑inspired reality competition where no one meets a tragic end.
- The Witcher—got an animated film and a prequel on the way.
“Built‑In” Fanbases: Betting on Recognizable Stories
Netflix earmarked three upcoming shows that already have loyal audiences, calling them likely franchise houses:
- The Three‑Body Problem—the first book in a Chinese sci‑fi trilogy, co‑produced by Game of Thrones creators.
- One Piece—adapted from a massively popular Japanese manga.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender—the live‑action version just wrapped filming.
Not Every Story is Ready for Franchising
Netflix also keeps an eye on its internal library. Though Jupiter’s Legacy fizzed after season one, the company is refining six fresh projects, plus another in production, and even plans to explore the villains from that short‑lived series in a future show.
“It has to start with the story itself. Does it sustain that kind of expansion?” quipped executive Thunell. “Some series—like Stranger Things—are wildly successful, offering deep mythology that lets you move into animation, features, or even anime.”
Emerging film franchises
Spotlight on a New Studio
Five years ago, a dream‑inspired film studio started from nothing and now boasts a handful of promising franchises that feel like a recipe for blockbuster success. Think Enola Holmes – the bright-eyed teenage sister of Sherlock – and Knives Out, a cool Agatha Christie‑esque whodunit. There’s also Old Guard (never‑ending mercs jet‑setting through the ages), Extraction, and Army of the Dead – a zombie film that remembers the apocalypse but keeps the punchlines handy.
New Spy Thriller Makes Its Debut
Friday introduces The Gray Man, a spy thriller that’s already turning heads. At the Los Angeles premiere, studio chief Scott Stuber praised directors Anthony and Joe Russo as “franchise builders.” The brothers admit they built a world that’s ready to spin off more stories.
- Designed for Continuity: “We’ve definitely specifically designed and thought of this narrative in a way to carry it forward in other forms,” Anthony Russo said.
- Drafted an expansive universe that can grow into sequels, spin‑offs, or even TV adaptations.
Netflix’s Franchise‑Building Playbook
In October 2020, Netflix revamped its strategy under new global TV chief Bela Bajaria – a former Universal Television executive who brought Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Master of None to our screens. After subscriber growth slowed, Bajaria pushed the company to squeeze more value out of pricey deals with producers like Shonda Rhimes of Bridgerton.
- Prestige Series Development: A dedicated team now focuses on drama-heavy titles and grand, effects‑driven fantasy sagas.
- Franchise Potential: These spectacles are crafted to evolve into long‑term franchises, giving Netflix depth beyond episodic content.
In a nutshell, both the fledgling studio and Netflix are learning the art of storytelling economies – building a universe that keeps audiences coming back, one blockbuster or binge‑able episode at a time.
Scouting material
Netflix’s New Playbook: From Streaming to Shopping Stalls and Gaming Grounds
Tapping into a whole new marketplace, Netflix has started building its own in‑house book scouts and a “consumer products” squad. Instead of waiting for external agents or publishers to hand over a gem, their execs now hunt for future hits themselves.
This move, dubbed a “game changer” by the team, also saw the birth of a dedicated video‑games unit—an unexpected twist for a company famous for binge‑watching.
Front‑line Marketing: The Early‑Bird Strategy
- Marketing and consumer‑products crew keep their eyes on the prize from day one, joining the creative crew to shape the franchise early on.
- They’ve even flown to London to sit down with Benioff and Weiss about the Three‑Body Problem set.
VR Rumble with the Snyders
While filming Army of the Dead, producers Zack and Deborah Snyder fertilized ideas for a virtual‑reality experience. Josh Simon, head of Netflix’s consumer‑products and live‑experiences division, says he’s now rubbing elbows with the Snyders on concepts for Rebel Moon.
“We’re deeply involved in production meetings,” Simon tells us. “We can plan months ahead because we’ve earned the creators’ trust.”
The Strangely Successful Stranger Things Franchise
According to Steven Ekstract, CEO of Global Licensing Advisors, Stranger Things could net US$1 billion in annual retail sales starting 2025—through merchandise, events, theme‑park rides, and maybe even a digital avatar marketplace.
Netflix could pocket a sweet slice, roughly US$50–75 million in royalties, and get a free advertising boost from the merch. Ekstract stresses that keeping fans glued to the world of Hawkins is key to hitting those numbers.
Netflix vs. Hollywood Rivalry
Julia Alexander, strategy director at Parrot Analytics, points out that Netflix still lags behind its century‑old Hollywood rivals when it comes to building lasting franchises.
“Do we have the same confidence in the Netflix machine as we do the Disney machine? Not yet. Disney spent years honing that system,” Alexander says. “For all Netflix’s streaming dominance, they’re still relatively green in constructing a universe that fans return to.”
