In 2023, it might not be too surprising that franchises are taking over the internet and box office. There is a fandom for basically any type of franchise that exists in the world, and they sure love going to bat for everything and anything they need to, even when it seems completely off track. Did you know there is still a dedicated Heroes fan base? Wouldn’t it be nice to live perpetually in the year 2007?
This year, online community and data firm Fandom surveyed their site for the top fandoms and nobody was surprised that Barbie landed there, but some of the others were a little unconventional. Still no Paddington though, for some reason.
“Franchises made up 95% of the top blockbusters and games in 2023, yet there has been no single unified view on what’s capturing fan attention and why,” Fandom CEO Perkins Miller said (per Deadline). “The Franchise Factor framework gives creators, producers, and marketers actionable insights and tools to strengthen their franchises in an increasingly competitive landscape.” AKA, when fans gather together and enjoy content, more content will be made! Everyone wins. Sometimes.
Star Wars and Marvel led the list, with the One Piece fandom clocking in at No.3, which is perfect timing for the franchise, which was around for over three decades before Netflix jumped on board. What might be a surprise is Yellowstone landing at No. 7, ahead of Disney, which sits at No. 9. Those Disney princesses are nothing compared to Kevin Costner looking retrospective in a cowboy hat.
The five key elements to a franchise, according to Fandom, are “world-building; high ratings [from critics and fans]; fierce fanbases; cultural relevance; and consistency.” The company analyzes these in order to determine a numerical “Franchise Factor” score. With numerous spin-offs in the works, it’s no wonder Yellowstone is on everyone’s minds. Except for Costner himself.
While this is all fine and interesting, there is one fandom clearly missing from the list, and that’s the Dom Toretto fandom. Where are all the Fast fans?! Probably busy getting speeding tickets. You can check out the full list here.
