Shared Universe franchises are all the rage nowadays. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest-grossing franchise of all time, and it now seems every other studio is aiming to replicate that success. With both Marvel and DC set to release more entries into their respective franchises, there appears to be no stopping the superhero juggernaut which has dominated the box-office for years. But who else is set to get the ball rolling for their own multi-film franchises and, more importantly, will audiences stick around long enough for them to be successful?
Perhaps unbeknown to audiences, a brand new Shared Universe series was started in 2014, with Legendary Picture's release of Godzilla, directed by Gareth Edwards. Eventually, the rumours of a new Shared Universe was confirmed, with a Godzilla sequel, standalone King Kong film and an eventual crossover pitting the two monsters against one-another all confirmed to be released within the next few years. The idea of remaking King Kong is old hat, with the 1933 original re-imagined in 1976 and 2005. The combination of King Kong and Godzilla is also nothing new, with the two monsters meeting in 1963's Japanese produced crossover. Over fifty years have passed, and to me this remake is way overdue. Despite the fact it will greatly contrast the original film with its superior special effects, audience's seeming dislike of "vs." films will surely work against it. It will no doubt boast huge spectacle and action, but its success will ultimately come down to whether audiences are engrossed enough in this franchise after another Godzilla film and King Kong film. If the upcoming Kong: Skull Island is too similar to 2014's Godzilla, enthusiasm for the big showdown (set for a 2020 release) will drop. As Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad have proved this year, critical reception means nothing for Shared Universe films compared to the amount of money they can generate for the studio, and the Godzilla-Kong franchise will have stiff competition from Marvel's dominance of the summer blockbuster season.
Disney's upcoming Star Wars films look to be creating a Shared Universe as well. With the new prequel film, Rogue One, the series could reintroduce previously unseen characters into the sequels to 2015's Episode VII, creating a much larger universe across each new film. Money should be no obstacle for the sequels, given the enormous success of Episode VII. However, an abundance of prequels may become tiring, especially how there already exists a prequel trilogy and a Han Solo origin film has been green-lit. After 10 years absence until Episode VII was released, audiences were quick to make the latest Star Wars film one of the most successful, and so I don't think the plethora of Star Wars sequels will be seen as being as "tiresome" as the next lot of Marvel and DC films.
One genre which I feel could start its own Shared Universe within the next few years is the horror genre. With recent remakes of Frankenstein and Dracula, the opportunity to combine those famous characters may have passed, but who's to say another crossover following in the footsteps of Freddy vs. Jason won't happen soon? If it were to happen, it could possibly involve remaking classic horror cinema that hasn't been re-imagined for contemporary audiences, such as 1987's Hellraiser. What matters is whether the films can remain scary and bring something new to the table, something in which recent horror remakes have severely lacked. Whilst I don't think a horror Shared Universe would be anywhere near as successful as Marvel, DC, Godzilla and Star Wars, it would provide a more radical alternative to the growing list of Shared Universe franchises.
With Marvel's Doctor Strange and Star Wars' Rogue One to see out the year, 2017 could prove to be the defining year for Shared Universe films. Will audiences flock to the cinema to see yet another Spiderman remake? Will Kong: Skull Island be able to match the success of Godzilla? Can DC win back the critics with Wonder Woman and Justice League? All will be revealed in what will be another year packed with these types of films, and I'll be sure to review some of them upon release.
Disney's upcoming Star Wars films look to be creating a Shared Universe as well. With the new prequel film, Rogue One, the series could reintroduce previously unseen characters into the sequels to 2015's Episode VII, creating a much larger universe across each new film. Money should be no obstacle for the sequels, given the enormous success of Episode VII. However, an abundance of prequels may become tiring, especially how there already exists a prequel trilogy and a Han Solo origin film has been green-lit. After 10 years absence until Episode VII was released, audiences were quick to make the latest Star Wars film one of the most successful, and so I don't think the plethora of Star Wars sequels will be seen as being as "tiresome" as the next lot of Marvel and DC films.
One genre which I feel could start its own Shared Universe within the next few years is the horror genre. With recent remakes of Frankenstein and Dracula, the opportunity to combine those famous characters may have passed, but who's to say another crossover following in the footsteps of Freddy vs. Jason won't happen soon? If it were to happen, it could possibly involve remaking classic horror cinema that hasn't been re-imagined for contemporary audiences, such as 1987's Hellraiser. What matters is whether the films can remain scary and bring something new to the table, something in which recent horror remakes have severely lacked. Whilst I don't think a horror Shared Universe would be anywhere near as successful as Marvel, DC, Godzilla and Star Wars, it would provide a more radical alternative to the growing list of Shared Universe franchises.
With Marvel's Doctor Strange and Star Wars' Rogue One to see out the year, 2017 could prove to be the defining year for Shared Universe films. Will audiences flock to the cinema to see yet another Spiderman remake? Will Kong: Skull Island be able to match the success of Godzilla? Can DC win back the critics with Wonder Woman and Justice League? All will be revealed in what will be another year packed with these types of films, and I'll be sure to review some of them upon release.
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