Fans Scoff at Netflix's 'Star Wars'-Like Franchise Ambitions
Bold goals come as the streaming platform continues to lose its subscribers.
If Netflix wants to launch its own 'Harry Potter ' or 'Star Wars ', now is just the time, because a new report from the company has shown that the platform lost nearly 1 million subscribers since April.
Despite the audience loss and layoffs, Netflix seems to not abandon the intention to milk more from its characters and universes. The success of 'Stranger Things ' has apparently inspired the company to aim higher and create its own major franchise that would allow bringing the beloved stories back for as long as they pay off.
"We want to have our version of 'Star Wars' or our version of 'Harry Potter,' and we're working very hard to build that," Netflix's Vice President Matthew Thunell said." "But those are not built overnight."
The ambitions are understandable, but fans seem to be meeting them with a great deal of skepticism. Many people flocked to Twitter to share with Netflix what it seems to be downplaying: the secret to massive fan love is quality, and not immediate marketing success.
"Netflix would still have great hits if ya didn't cancel them. Julie and the phantoms, babysitters club, one day at a time, everything sucks, wu assassins, love, i am not okay with this, expanding universe of ashley garcia, etc. Should I go on?" – @HHeroesMedia.
Some fans, on the contrary, urge Netflix to not try and copy something else but pursue its own path – which sometimes proves to be tremendously successful.
"Squid Game, Bridgerton, Stranger Things. All three matter more to me than modern SW or HP. The next big thing never looks like the old. If Netflix keeps looking into the past, they'll just get mediocre copies and stop making more of the real successes which drive their platform." – @wayfaringwit.
After all, one could not ignore the elephant in the room: 'Stranger Things' is indeed one of the biggest modern hits that might as well amount to a big franchise, albeit its universe is pretty limited in possibilities of additional spinoffs and side stories.
"Hey @netflix, Stranger Things has been one of the biggest franchises for the last 5 years. And if you give it a little more support, Shadow & Bone could easily be your Potter, just with a much better human being for an author." – @aaronrivin.
With 'Stranger Things' now on its way into season 5, Netflix has already teased a spinoff and a stage drama based on the show. According to Reuters, the company plans to give at least a dozen series and films the 'Stranger Things' treatment.