Global streaming and media franchises: Strategies of control and development.

This article examines the relationship between global streaming platforms and media franchises by analyzing three distinct strategies of franchise control and development employed by four major subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) services: Disney+, Max, Prime Video, and Netflix. The identified strategies are expansion, which enlarges existing franchises through new streaming content; incorporation, which involves acquiring studios or adaptation rights to integrate established franchises; and creation, which focuses on developing new franchises from scratch. Each strategy reflects the platforms’ differing resources and goals, with Disney+ exemplifying expansion through franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Prime Video illustrating incorporation via The Lord of the Rings, and Netflix pursuing creation with original franchises such as Stranger Things. The article concludes that streaming platforms have become central to the economic and cultural exploitation of media franchises, shaping the competitive dynamics of the streaming industry worldwide.