History Main / ModularFranchise

[[folder: [[AC: Multiple Mediums ]] ]]

* The Franchise/DisneyPrincess brand, which is primarily focused on the royal heroines of fairy/folktale-derived films from the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon. While no canon work has presented the heroines together (a rejected concept for the "Pomp and Circumstance" segment in ''Disney/{{Fantasia 2000}}'' would have done so), various direct-to-video productions, theme park shows, [=CD=]s, the live-action series ''Series/OnceUponATime'', and so forth have.

* The Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse is Creator/DCComics and Creator/WarnerBros' response to Marvel and Creator/{{Disney}}'s success with their film universe (see "Multiple Media" above). While their TV shows (unlike Marvel's) remain separate from it, so far it has grown to encompass ComicBook/{{Superman}}, ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/WonderWoman, the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, the Franchise/{{Justice League|Of America}}, ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} and Film/{{Shazam|2019}}, with plenty of others in the works.

* Creator/{{Disney}}'s works as a whole can kind of be considered one giant uber franchise, with sizable subfranchises for the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon and Creator/{{Pixar}}'s films, plus whatever else they own (like [[Creator/WaltDisneyPictures live-action films]] or the Ride/DisneyThemeParks) that they feel like throwing in. Disney now also owns ''Franchise/TheMuppets'', Creator/MarvelComics, ''Franchise/StarWars'', and ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', making them sub-franchises to the Disney brand.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Sports ]]

* Professional teams are considered franchises in their own right, but the entire league its a brand name it will try to exploit--using the imagery of its various teams.
** [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball Football]] goes one step further, since there's both a national league ''and'' continental confederation for any given team. So, for example, Real Madrid is part of the branding of both Spain's La Liga and UEFA's Champions League.

[[/folder]]

However, sometimes the creator or company will try to replicate its own success, and come up with creations in similar genres. The similarities are noted and sooner or later the separate creations wind up crossing over with each other--either to pool resources that are individually flagging in interest, or just to enjoy the benefits of a {{crossover}}. This new SharedUniverse is a pretty perfect fit, and eventually it's seen as one giant franchise. However, at some point they may want to reboot only one piece of their mega-franchise, or adapt the simplest, most distilled aspect as it was originally envisioned. Luckily, these properties started out as their own franchise, so they can certainly stand on their own. But what you have is a modular franchise--full of properties that can be self-sustaining on their own, but also easily and even organically marketed as a unit.

* And speaking of Marvel, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse brings the ''Avengers'' corner of the Marvel U to movies, having sub-franchises for ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/TheMightyThor, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica and Comicbook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy, and (so far) one-off films for other heroes. And as they branch out into television and Netflix, it's not even restricted to film, either.

* Creator/{{Nintendo}} has become more active in presenting its characters as a combined franchise. The ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series is first and foremost, but other pan-Nintendo games include ''VideoGame/NintendoLand'' and ''VideoGame/NESRemix''.
** To a lesser extent, ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' has become modular after having so many successful spinoffs; besides all the games featuring Mario himself there's the ''Franchise/DonkeyKong'' series, the ''VideoGame/WarioLand'' and ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' series, the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' series; plus one-off games starring Princess Peach, Luigi, Toad...

* Most animation companies will eventually have all the characters from their shorts shown to exist in one large community.

** Creator/HannaBarbera once pooled them all for ''WesternAnimation/LaffALympics''. As both HB and Creator/CartoonNetwork were under the same banner, Creator/CartoonCartoons might also fit - WesternAnimation/DynomuttDogWonder appeared in ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', and WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo met among others Franchise/ScoobyDoo. (''Dexters''[='=]s characters also cameod in many other Cartoon shows, specially ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'')

* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBuckarooBanzaiAcrossThe8thDimension'' was an UnbuiltTrope [[DeconstructiveParody parody]] of this concept, all the way back in TheEighties when, while seen quite regularly in genre literature and comic books, it was practically unheard of in Hollywood filmmaking. The central gag of the film is that the viewer is watching an installment in a long-running series of pulp sci-fi movies with a backstory that is frequently referenced throughout via {{Continuity Nod}}s and {{Mythology Gag}}s... except that mythology doesn't exist, since this is the only work that this franchise ever produced. It effectively replicates [[ContinuityLockout how bizarre]] an individual installment in a Modular Franchise can look when viewed by somebody who isn't intimately familiar with the rest of the franchise.

* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBuckarooBanzaiAcrossTheEighthDimension'' was an UnbuiltTrope [[DeconstructiveParody parody]] of this concept, all the way back in TheEighties when, while seen quite regularly in genre literature and comic books, it was practically unheard of in Hollywood filmmaking. The central gag of the film is that the viewer is watching an installment in a long-running series of pulp sci-fi movies with a backstory that is frequently referenced throughout via {{Continuity Nod}}s and {{Mythology Gag}}s... except that mythology doesn't exist, since this is the only work that this franchise ever produced. It effectively replicates [[ContinuityLockout how bizarre]] an individual installment in a Modular Franchise can look when viewed by somebody who isn't intimately familiar with the rest of the franchise.

* Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/{{Batman}} are individually massive cultural icons. They're also members of the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}}, which consists of all of DC Comic's other major superheroes--including ones like Franchise/WonderWoman, Franchise/GreenLantern, Franchise/TheFlash or Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} who are popular in their own right. So you may see these characters playing out individually, or as a combo of [[Franchise/TheDCU the company's superhero line.]]
* Creator/MarvelComics is a little more complex. They will often place things under the [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse "Marvel Super-Heroes"]] banner. But unlike DC's stable, they don't always play well together, and many of their most popular characters aren't even major players in the company's Justice League analogue, Comicbook/TheAvengers. Thus, for the purposes of editors, movie franchises or toys, they may divide the Marvel Universe into different "corners", with Spider-Man and the X-Men most often being their own distinct franchises. However, this may be changing, with both Spidey and Wolverine now included as Avenger members.

* One of the more interesting examples at the Ride/DisneyThemeParks is the Ride/JourneyIntoImagination pavilion at Epcot (Florida). After the 3-D movie ''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'', a follow-up to ''Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'', proved a hit there in 1994, the pavilion was completely rethemed to its "Imagination Institute" setting at decade's end. In the process, it became a hub for live-action Disney science-related characters via [[EasterEgg Easter eggs]] or more obvious references. The works thus welded are the ''Honey'' films, ''Film/{{Flubber}}'', the Merlin Jones films from TheSixties, and the Dexter Riley films from TheSeventies... plus the ''original'' incarnation of the pavilion via the animated/Audio-Animatronic dragon Figment (a friendly {{Trickster}} figure in this incarnation, rather than a {{Sidekick}}).

* The Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse is Creator/DCComics and Creator/WarnerBros' response to Marvel and Creator/{{Disney}}'s success with their film universe (see "Multimedia" below). While their TV shows (unlike Marvel's) remain separate from it, so far it has grown to encompass ComicBook/{{Superman}}, ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/WonderWoman, and the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, with films in the works for ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, ComicBook/TheFlash, and ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}, as well as a film adaptation of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica.

* The ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'' franchise is made up of (so far) three films and a tie-in manga, ''Cloverfield[=/=]Kishin'', that are connected by an intricate AlternateRealityGame that serves as both the ViralMarketing for the series and most of the WorldBuilding. While the films are otherwise standalone (beyond all of them having the word "Cloverfield" in the title), most of the connections between them are revealed in various websites detailing the activities of corporations and institutions within their SharedUniverse. Furthermore, while it's unconfirmed, various fan theories have attempted to [[CanonWelding canon-weld]] the series with other works produced by Creator/JJAbrams, particularly the TV shows ''Series/{{Alias}}'' and ''Series/{{Lost}}''.

* And speaking of Marvel, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse brings the ''Avengers'' corner of the Marvel U to movies, having sub-franchises for ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/TheMightyThor, and ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, and (so far) one-off films for other heroes. And as they branch out into television, it's not even restricted to film, either.

* The ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'' franchise is made up of (so far) three films and a tie-in manga, ''Cloverfield[=/=]Kishin'', that are connected by an intricate AlternateRealityGame that serves as both the ViralMarketing for the series and most of the WorldBuilding. While the films are otherwise standalone, most of the connections between them are revealed in various websites detailing the activities of corporations and institutions within their SharedUniverse. Furthermore, while it's unconfirmed, various fan theories have attempted to [[CanonWelding canon-weld]] the series with other works produced by Creator/JJAbrams, particularly the TV shows ''Series/{{Alias}}'' and ''Series/{{Lost}}''.

* The ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'' franchise is made up of (so far) three films and a tie-in manga, ''Cloverfield[=/=]Kishin'', that are connected by an intricate AlternateRealityGame that serves as both the ViralMarketing for the series and most of the WorldBuilding. Most of the connections between the films are revealed in various websites detailing the activities of corporations and institutions within their SharedUniverse. Furthermore, while it's unconfirmed, various fan theories have attempted to [[CanonWelding canon-weld]] the series with other works produced by Creator/JJAbrams, particularly the TV shows ''Series/{{Alias}}'' and ''Series/{{Lost}}''.

* Beginning with ''Film/FrankensteinMeetsTheWolfMan'', [[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal Pictures]] started pitting many of [[Franchise/UniversalHorror their monsters]] against each other, to the point that they formed, for the most part, one cohesive universe with most of the action taking place in an Eastern German-ish {{Uberwald}} setting. For years after, things like video collections, cartoons, and even postage stamps would sport a ''Universal Monsters'' logo featuring Film/{{Dracula|1931}}, [[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} Frankenstein's Monster]], the Film/BrideOfFrankenstein, Film/{{the Mummy|1932}}, Film/{{the Wolf Man|1941}}, and the Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon. In 1999, Creator/StephenSommers remade ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'', and upon its success combined most of the gothic monsters for 2004's ''Film/VanHelsing'', in the hopes of going through Universal's entire stable of beasties. It didn't work out, and neither did Universal's attempt to give another shot to ''Film/{{The Wolf Man|2010}}''. They seem to be trying at another relaunch, however, with ''Film/DraculaUntold'' and a new adaptation of ''The Mummy''.

** Creator/HannaBarbera once pooled them all for ''WesternAnimation/LaffALympics''. As both HB and Creator/CartoonNetwork were under the same banner, CartoonCartoons might also fit - WesternAnimation/DynomuttDogWonder appeared in ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', and WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo met among others Franchise/ScoobyDoo. (''Dexters''[='=]s characters also cameod in many other Cartoon shows, specially ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'')

* One of the more interesting examples at the Ride/DisneyThemeParks is the imagination-based pavilion at Epcot (Florida). After the 3-D movie ''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'', a follow-up to ''Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'', proved a hit there in 1994, the pavilion was completely rethemed to its "Imagination Institute" setting at decade's end. In the process, it became a hub for live-action Disney science-related characters via [[EasterEgg Easter eggs]] or more obvious references. The works thus welded are the ''Honey'' films, ''Film/{{Flubber}}'', the Merlin Jones films from TheSixties, and the Dexter Riley films from TheSeventies... plus the ''original'' incarnation of the pavilion via the animated/Audio-Animatronic dragon Figment (a friendly {{Trickster}} figure in this incarnation, rather than a {{Sidekick}}). The pavilion is set for a complete overhaul in 2014; if anything remains, it will most likely be Figment.

[[folder: Multimedia ]]

* Creator/{{Disney}}'s works as a whole can kind of be considered one giant uber franchise, with sizable subfranchises for the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon and Creator/{{Pixar}}'s films, plus whatever else they own (like [[Creator/WaltDisneyPictures live-action films]] or the Ride/DisneyThemeParks) that they feel like throwing in. Disney now also owns ''Franchise/TheMuppets'', Creator/MarvelComics, ''Franchise/StarWars'', and ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', making them sub-franchises to the Disney brand.
* And speaking of Marvel, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse brings the ''Avengers'' corner of the Marvel U to movies, having sub-franchises for ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/TheMightyThor, and ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, and (so far) one-off films for other heroes. And as they branch out into television, it's not even restricted to film, either.

[[/folder]]

* Beginning with ''Film/FrankensteinMeetsTheWolfMan'', [[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal Pictures]] started pitting many of [[Franchise/UniversalHorror their monsters]] against each other, to the point that they formed, for the most part, one cohesive universe with most of the action taking place in an Eastern German-ish {{Uberwald}} setting. For years after, things like video collections, cartoons, and even postage stamps would sport a ''Universal Monsters'' logo featuring Film/{{Dracula|1931}}, [[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} Frankenstein's Monster]], the Film/BrideOfFrankenstein, Film/{{the Mummy|1932}}, Film/{{the Wolf Man|1941}}, and the Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon. In 1999, Creator/StephenSommers remade ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'', and upon its success combined most of the gothic monsters for 2004's ''Film/VanHelsing'', in the hopes of going through Universal's entire stable of beasties. It didn't work out, and neither did Universal's attempt to give another shot to ''Film/{{The Wolf Man|2010}}''.
* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}.'' Obviously, the Big G is the star of the line, but Mothra is important enough for her own subseries, and pretty much anything by Toho can be worked into a ''Godzilla'' film. And, of course, the big lizard himself can be crossed over with just about anything.
* One of the more interesting examples at the Ride/DisneyThemeParks is the imagination-based pavilion at Epcot (Florida). After the 3-D movie ''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'', a follow-up to ''Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'', proved a hit there in 1994, the pavilion was completely rethemed to its "Imagination Institute" setting at decade's end. In the process, it became a hub for live-action Disney science-related characters via [[EasterEgg Easter eggs]] or more obvious references. The works thus welded are the ''Honey'' films, ''Film/{{Flubber}}'', the Merlin Jones films from TheSixties, and the Dexter Riley films from TheSeventies...plus the ''original'' incarnation of the pavilion via the animated/Audio-Animatronic dragon Figment (a friendly {{Trickster}} figure in this incarnation, rather than a {{Sidekick}}). The pavilion is set for a complete overhaul in 2014; if anything remains, it will most likely be Figment.
* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse brings the ''Avengers'' corner of the Marvel U to movies; having sub-franchises for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, and (so far) one-off films for other heroes.

* Creator/{{Disney}}'s works as a whole can kind of be considered one giant uber franchise, with sizable subfranchises for the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon and Creator/{{Pixar}}'s films, plus whatever else they own (like [[Creator/WaltDisneyPictures live-action films]] or the Ride/DisneyThemeParks) that they feel like throwing in. Disney now also owns ''Franchise/TheMuppets'', ''Creator/MarvelComics'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', and ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', making them sub-franchises to the Disney brand.

* Beginning with ''Film/FrankensteinMeetsTheWolfMan'', Universal Pictures started pitting many of their monsters against each other, to the point they formed, for the most part, one cohesive universe with most of the action taking place in Eastern Germany. For years after, on things like video collections, cartoons and even postage stamps would sport a ''Universal Monsters'' logo featuring Dracula, Frankstein's Monster and its bride, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. In 1999, Creator/StephenSommers remade ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'', and upon its success combined most of the gothic monsters for 2004's ''Film/VanHelsing'', in the hopes of going through Universal's entire stable of beasties. It didn't work out, and neither did Universal's attempt to give another shot to ''Film/{{The Wolf Man|2010}}''.

* Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/{{Batman}} are individually massive cultural icons. They're also members of the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}}, which consists of all of DC Comic's other major superheroes--including ones like Franchise/WonderWoman who are popular in their own right. So you may see these characters playing out individually, or as a combo of [[Franchise/TheDCU the company's superhero line.]]