Franchisography

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The Ballad of Tony and Steve is in full swing as we enter the Phase Two era of the MCU! Just one summer after The Avengers took the world by storm, who better but Ol’ Shellhead himself to kick off the next phase mighty Marvel moviemaking? This is IRON MAN THREE!

Taking over for Jon Favreau as director would be 80’s screenwriting legend Shane Black, director of the cult favorite Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, who would bring his trademark offbeat humor to the saga of Tony Stark. But would the True Believers of the MCU take to Black’s irreverent take on Marvel icons like The Mandarian and AIM?

Join Nick and Scott as they valiantly defend of their favorite Marvel movies on an earth-shattering episode of FRANCHISOGRAPHY!

NEXT WEEK: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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There was an idea. Bring together seemingly disparate cinematic superheroes with a cult showrunner to see if they could work together to break box office records and change the landscape of blockbuster filmmaking forever. Would it work? Or would the shared universe experiment end here?

This is THE AVENGERS.

The Ballad of Tony and Steve continues as our titular guys join forces to become Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in a movie that feels like drinking a cherry ICEE on a hot summer day.

NEXT WEEK: Iron Man 3

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The Ballad of Tony and Steve continues with the origin of the Sentinel of Liberty, himself! But how do you get modern audiences to care about a character who wears the American flag for a costume and fights a red skeleton Nazi?

Well, Steve Rogers may have been a 95lbs weakling (soaking wet), but he had the heart of a good man and getting the audience to fall in love with him was what Kevin Feige, writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and director Joe Johnston decided to focus all of their attention on with his period set origin film. Would it pay off? Or would Marvel fans ultimately find Cap’s first film forgettable?

This is CAPTAIN AMERCA: THE FIRST AVENGER.

NEXT WEEK: The Avengers!

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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Harley Winfrey

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The Ballad of Tony and Steve continues with a deep dive into one of the most polarizing and controversial installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Join your favorite pals in podcasting, Nick and Scott, as they give you the full scoop, the solid dick, the warts-and-all tale of the growing pains that nearly crippled that grandest of cinematic experiments before it even began!

Director Jon Favreau was nervous from the start about the tight turnaround for his hotly anticipated sequel to the 2008 smash hit that announced to the world that a hot new franchise had hit the scene. Could this plucky, ambitious director survive the rising ego and power of star Robert Downey Jr, the wills and wherefores of Kevin Feige and the Marvel Brain Trust, along with the fickle feigns of the general moviegoing public?

Press play and let the adventure begin, True Believer, as FRANCHISOGRAPHY uncovers the dark and terrible secrets of IRON MAN 2!

NEXT WEEK: Captain America: The First Avenger!

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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Harley Winfrey

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Face front, True Believers! FRANCHISOGRAPHY returns with their most explosive, awe-inspiring series yet! An epic saga that spans the century and pierces the very heart of that mightiest and merriest of cinematic franchises… THE MCU. This is the Ballad of Tony and Steve, a colossal collaboration that uncovers the secrets of Iron Man, Captain America AND the Avengers! And it all starts Here!

We begin our ballad with the origins of Ol’ Shellhead himself, America’s favorite billionaire genius playboy philanthropist… Tony Stark! But if you can believe it, there was once a time when the Archduke of the Arc Reactor was seen as nothing more than a junior varsity benchwarmer in that Mighty Marvel House of Ideas. But destiny would have other plans for Stark. For it would be this character, along with two of Hollywood’s most interesting iconoclasts, director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr., that would reshape the Hollywood landscape forever and jumpstart a cinematic earthquake whose aftershocks we still feel to this very day.

This is IRON MAN.

Join Nick and Scott as they discuss the origin of the most successful franchise of all time!

NEXT WEEK: Iron Man 2!

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
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Harley Winfrey

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It’s a Betweenisode!

Join Nick & Scott as they rank the RoboCop films, discuss where we’d like to see RoboCop be taken next, and announce our next franchise!

FRANCHISE POTENTIAL: Judge Dredd (1995) / Dredd (2012) episode now available on PATREON!

NEXT WEEK: A new franchise begins!

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
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Harley Winfrey

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Two decades after the previous installment, RoboCop returns with a new coat of (black) paint and very earnest vibe shift.

Now owned by MGM Studios, Orion was interested in rebooting RoboCop in the “gritty and grounded” style of the time, heavily inspired by other franchise reboots like Casino Royale and Batman Begins. Director José Padilha was chosen to helm a fresh take on Alex Murphy based on the breakout success of his Elite Squad films.

This is ROBOCOP (2014).

Join Nick and Scott as they debate the merits of a film they respect more than they actually enjoy.

NEXT: RoboCop Betweenisode

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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After the lukewarm reception of RoboCop 2 at the box office, Orion decided that the blame should fall on its R-rating. They believed that kids really wanted to see the film, and had they been able to buy a ticket, the sequel would have been another massive success. And that’s why the next sequel had to be PG-13.

To direct, they would turn to a filmmaker known for making a film (The Monster Squad)that still felt scary and violent without being inappropriate for kids: Fred Dekker. Unfortunately, after successfully giving the studio exactly what they asked for, he would never direct another movie ever again.

This is ROBOCOP 3.

Join Nick and Scott as they defend a movie that is much more fun than it’s reputation suggests, even with a new actor in the suit.

NEXT: RoboCop (2014)

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
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Orion wanted a RoboCop sequel immediately.

After a few false starts and a writer’s strike, Orion turned to non-union comic book writer/artist Frank Miller to write a sequel to a movie he had only seen once. To direct, the turned to a man who had successfully directed the sequel to a massive blockbuster once before: Irvin Kershner.

This is ROBOCOP 2.

Join Nick and Scott as they are pleasantly surprised by a movie that doesn’t really work as a story, but ends up being a fun watch.

NEXT: RoboCop 3

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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When writer Edward Neumeier met writer Michael Miner he realized that they were both working on remarkably similar ideas. Rather than be in competition with each other, the two decided to collaborate on an original script about the future of law enforcement. The script was praised by those who actually read it, but getting beyond the silly, B-Movie title was a hurtle few could overcome.

Enter producer Jon Davison and Orion Pictures, who agreed to finance the film if they could find a director. Rejected by almost every director in town, it wasn’t until it was read by Paul Verhoeven, fresh off of his historical adventure flop Flesh and Blood, that he could see the artist value in such a silly premise, going on to create one of the most celebrated films of the 1980s.

This is ROBOCOP.

Join Nick and Scott as they discuss this seminal work of sci-fi action satire.

NEXT: RoboCop 2

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
Mark Ybarra
Harley Winfrey

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It’s a Betweenisode!

Join Nick and Scott as they wrap up The Hunger Games (for now) with lots of talk about where the franchise could go in the future. Is this the first time our hosts have had identical rankings?? Plus, a new franchise is on its way!

FRANCHISE POTENTIAL: The Giver (2014) episode now available on PATREON!

NEXT WEEK: A new franchise begins!

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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Despite the underwhelming response the two Mockingjay movies received from critics and moviegoers, Lionsgate and series producer Nina Jacobson eagerly awaited the next Hunger Games novel from author Suzanne Collins alongside a still ravenous army of readers. But they were just as surprised as fans were when Collins revealed her long awaited prequel novel would star none of the colorful cadre of supporting characters Katniss Everdeen fought alongside during the rebellion, but rather the odious and off-putting villain of the previous trilogy, Coriolanus Snow.

Returning director Francis Lawrence had the task of directing the adaptation of this 500+ page novel, the darkest and most thematically complex of the series so far, and this time he wouldn’t have the star power of Jennifer Lawrence to fall back on.

Would moviegoers flock to a Hunger Games movie without Katniss and Peeta? This is THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES.

Nick and Scott leave behind the world of Panem (for now!) but not before diving into a deep discussion on sociopathy, society and human nature itself in this epic episode of FRANCHISOGRAPHY.

NEXT WEEK: Hunger Games Betweenisode

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
Mark Ybarra
Harley Winfrey

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We continue to interrupt your regularly scheduled mini-series with the third and final BONUS FEATURE episode focused on a new release films that is part of a past franchise!

Spider-Man is BACK! And this time, he has NOTHING. No friends, no family, no identity. Just a sad, lonely young man trying to keep the streets of New York City safe from crime. Until a new threat emerges in the form of [SPOILERS] and Peter is forced to confront everything he’s left behind. Also the Punisher and the Hulk are here!

This is SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY!

Join Nick and Scott as they discuss if new director Destin Daniel Cretton stick the landing, how we feel it ranks among previous Spider-Man movies, and which character we felt was the weakest link.

NEXT WEEK: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
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Harley Winfrey

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We continue to interrupt your regularly scheduled mini-series with the second of 3 BONUS FEATURE episodes focused on new release films that part of past franchises!

The deadites return and they’re meaner than ever in the latest installment of the Evil Dead franchise, but how do you make an Evil Dead movie without the Book of the Dead?

Join Nick and Scott as they discuss EVIL DEAD BURN, a film they each have WILDLY different opinions of.

NEXT WEEK: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
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Harley Winfrey

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We interrupt your regularly scheduled mini-series with the first of 3 BONUS FEATURE episodes focused on new release films that part of past franchises!

First up, Christopher Nolan returns with his follow-up to 2023’s Oppenheimer, an epic film that spans two decades in the life of the ill-fated Odysseus as he attempts to get home after a war has ended, but perhaps the Gods have other plans.

This is THE ODYSSEY.

NEXT WEEK: Evil Dead Burn

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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The decision to divide Suzanne Collins’s third Hunger Games novel into two movies is largely remembered as a cash grab by fans of the series, but nevertheless, Francis Lawrence and company were determined to bring the epic finale of Katniss Everdeen’s trial by fire to life in explosive fashion. This fourth film would be a war epic about shifting allegiances, dubious moralities and tragic consequences.

This is THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PT 2.

Join Nick and Scott as they discuss and debate the creative missteps and merits of this divisive and derided chapter of a beloved YA series in another exciting episode of FRANCHISOGRAPHY

NEXT WEEK: The Odyssey

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The spark has been lit and revolution is coming in this third film of the Hunger Games franchise!

Author Suzanne Collins managed to conclude the tale of Katniss Everdeen in a single book, but Lionsgate would decide to follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter and Twilight by splitting the novel into two films, giving the filmmakers the challenge of turning half a story into a satisfying cinematic experience.

Would they be able to pull it off? This is THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PT. 1

Join Nick and Scott through the dystopian nightmare of Panem in this epic installment of FRANCHISOGRAPHY!

NEXT WEEK: Mockingjay Part 2

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
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Harley Winfrey

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When The Hunger Games hit theaters in 2012, it proved to be an even bigger hit than Lionsgate anticipated, meaning a sequel couldn’t come soon enough.

Unfortunately, director and co-writer Gary Ross found the tight turn around between films to simply be unworkable and made the decision to leave the franchise. His replacement, Francis Lawrence, would soon find himself in the driver’s seat of Hollywood’s newest blockbuster franchise with an army of ravenous fans of Suzanne Collin’s novels carefully watching his every move. Would he and his team be up for the challenge?

This is CATCHING FIRE

Nick and Scott deliver another epic deep dive into this modern YA masterpiece on an explosive episode of FRANCHISOGRAPHY!

NEXT WEEK: Mockingjay Part 1

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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FRANCHISOGRAPHY takes a look back at the generation-defining series that made Jennifer Lawrence a superstar and young adult dystopias big at the box office.

Author Suzanne Collins was already a success in the world of children’s literature when the first Hunger Games novel was published in 2008, but when the book became a bestseller, Collins found herself being courted by the entertainment capitol of Hollywood. Hungry for the next Twilight and Harry Potter, struggling studio Lionsgate was ready to bet it all on this dark and intelligent series about a society where brutal violence and garish entertainment have become tools of a totalitarian government and one teenaged girl finds herself trapped in the middle of the spectacle and at the dawn of a revolution.

This is Gary Ross’s THE HUNGER GAMES (2012)

The odds are in YOUR favor as Nick and Scott do a deep dive into this celebrated series

NEXT WEEK: Catching Fire

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Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
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It’s a Betweenisode!

Join Nick & Scott as they rank the Nolan’s original films, discuss what genres we’d love to see him take on in the future (and which ones we absolutely do not), and announced our next franchise!

FRANCHISE POTENTIAL: Reminiscence (2021) episode now available on PATREON!

NEXT WEEK: A new franchise begins!

Become a Premier Tier PATREON supporter to hear our “Franchise Potential” companion podcast, plus bonus podcasts each week including Dueling Genre Tonight hosted by Nick & Scott!

Join the Dueling Genre Discord Server: https://discord.gg/rngwTkz8yw

Dueling Genre Associate Producer:
Matt Bennett
Mark Ybarra
Harley Winfrey