https://variety.com/2020/film/news/mand ... 234835807/
Guess what came in first.
Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian,” Marvel’s “Avengers” films and Netflix’s “Stranger Things” are the top entertainment franchises, according to a new survey from the National Research Group.
Beginning in January 2019, NRG, a global insights and strategy firm, conducted more than 350,000 interviews about 700 entertainment franchises to discover which were considered the most bold, inspiring and thought-provoking by U.S. consumers. The results were analyzed to determine which franchises are most likely to withstand the test of time and continue to evolve and reinvent themselves to remain relevant to their global fans.
“Consumers are ready for entertainment franchises to lean into important cultural conversations and create a new reality — one in which optimism, diversity and curiosity unite rather than divide us,” says Jon Penn, CEO of NRG.
To little surprise, Disney and Marvel dominated the top 20 entertainment franchises with 70% of the entries, which included titles from the film, TV and video game industries. “The Mandalorian” held the top spot, while Marvel superhero franchises like “Avengers,” “Black Panther,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Iron Man,” “Black Widow” and “Spider-Man” filled out the list.
However, Netflix came close behind with three of the top 10 titles, including “Stranger Things,” “The Witcher” and “Ozark.” The powerhouse streaming site also has more entries in the top 20 than Disney Plus.
Here are the top 20 entertainment franchises, according to NRG.
“The Mandalorian”
“Avengers”
“Stranger Things”
“John Wick”
“Black Panther”
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
“The Witcher”
“Ozark”
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
“Black Widow”
“Deadpool”
“Thor”
“Iron Man”
“Mario Bros.”
“Toy Story”
Doctor Strange”
“Spider-Man”
“Coco”
“The Lion King”
“Hamilton”
The survey also examines which elements make each of the franchises particularly noteworthy, including its boldness, inclusivity and thought-provoking ability. The more bold a franchise is perceived to be, the more likely people talk about it and build excitement.
Some of the boldest franchises NRG found in its survey include Netflix’s “Black Mirror,” Fox and National Geographic’s “Cosmos,” Marvel’s “Black Panther” and the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” which came to Disney Plus over the summer.
With most films being delayed out of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, many consumers have turned to streaming sites and video games for their entertainment. The popular video game series “Animal Crossing,” in which players can build their own island community, experienced huge momentum as players considered it a creative space rather than a game, NRG reports. Games using social connection, such as “Fall Guys” and “Among Us,” signaled a trend where players can discover and assert who they are, according to the survey.
For Gen Z audiences, aged 13-24, “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Shrek” are among the top five franchises, thanks to having “the best memes or videos online.” For Black audiences, the strongest brands feature cultural representation and include “Black Panther,” “Black-ish,” “Insecure,” “Atlanta,” “Empire,” “Black Lightning,” “Power,” “Queen Sugar” and “Get Out.”
