Movie Franchises That Changed Studios And Actually Got Better

The landscape of major film franchises has become increasingly fluid in recent years, with intellectual properties changing hands between studios more frequently than ever before. This trend is highlighted by recent developments surrounding the Jason Bourne franchise, which after two decades at Universal Pictures, is now being shopped to potential new homes including Netflix, Apple, and Skydance.

When a beloved franchise changes studios, fans naturally worry about potential quality decline. History has shown, however, that a fresh perspective can revitalize a series that has grown stale. As rights to Bourne and other major properties continue to shift in Hollywood’s evolving landscape, let’s examine past success stories where studio changes actually improved franchise fortunes.

Related: 10 Franchise Movies That Needed a Different Director

10The Halloween Franchise

After multiple reboots and an increasingly convoluted timeline, the Halloween franchise found new life when Blumhouse Productions partnered with Universal for 2018’s direct sequel to the 1978 original. By disregarding previous sequels and bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, the film reconnected with what made John Carpenter’s original so impactful.

The streamlined approach proved highly successful, with the 2018 film becoming the highest-grossing in the franchise and spawning two additional sequels that completed a new trilogy. Blumhouse’s low-budget, high-concept model allowed for creative risks while maintaining profitability, showing how a focused studio approach can reinvigorate even the most sprawling horror franchises by returning to their essential elements rather than continuing to build on complicated mythology.

9The Terminator Franchise

The Terminator franchise has changed hands multiple times since James Cameron’s original 1984 classic, with varying results. While later entries struggled, the temporary return of rights to Cameron (producing) for 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate at Paramount showed flashes of what made the early films special, bringing back Linda Hamilton and focusing on character alongside spectacle.

Though Dark Fate underperformed commercially, critics generally agreed it represented the strongest entry since Terminator 2, showing how original creator involvement combined with the right studio approach can recapture some of a franchise’s former glory. The series’ complex rights history reveals both the perils and occasional benefits of IP changing hands, with quality often tied to creator involvement regardless of which studio logo appears before the film.

8The Planet of the Apes Franchise

The Planet of the Apes franchise seemed exhausted after Tim Burton’s 2001 remake for 20th Century Fox failed to launch a new series. However, the studio’s patience and willingness to completely reimagine the property a decade later paid extraordinary dividends. Beginning with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Fox (later acquired by Disney) crafted a thoughtful prequel trilogy combining cutting-edge motion capture technology with compelling storytelling.

Under directors like Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves, and anchored by Andy Serkis’s remarkable performance as Caesar, the rebooted trilogy earned both critical acclaim and commercial success. The series transformed from a dormant property into one of Hollywood’s most respected science fiction franchises, demonstrating how completely rethinking an approach can breathe new life into familiar territory.

7The James Bond Franchise

While the full impact of Amazon’s acquisition of MGM and the James Bond franchise remains to be seen, the preceding era under Eon Productions and MGM/Universal saw tremendous growth with Daniel Craig’s five-film run as 007. The franchise’s evolution with 2006’s Casino Royale marked a dramatic shift in tone and approach that revitalized the decades-old property.

Craig’s tenure culminated in No Time to Die, providing an emotional conclusion to his character arc while grossing over $774 million globally despite pandemic challenges. As the franchise transitions to Amazon’s ownership, the successful reinvention under the previous studio partnership offers a blueprint for how established properties can be refreshed while maintaining their core appeal. Bond’s recent history suggests that sometimes the biggest risk—reimagining an icon—yields the greatest reward.

6The Predator Franchise

When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, they inherited the Predator franchise, which had struggled to recapture the magic of the 1987 original despite multiple attempts. Rather than continuing previous sequel patterns, Disney’s 20th Century Studios took a bold approach with 2022’s Prey, setting the story in 1719 and focusing on a Comanche warrior facing the alien hunter.

The film’s release directly to Hulu (Disney+/Star internationally) initially raised eyebrows, but director Dan Trachtenberg’s fresh vision earned widespread critical acclaim, with many considering it the best entry since the original. By favoring stronger storytelling over bigger budgets and returning to the franchise’s suspenseful roots, Disney demonstrated that a change in studio perspective can help a series rediscover what made it special in the first place.

5The Godzilla Franchise

After TriStar’s poorly-received 1998 attempt, Toho’s iconic Godzilla found a more respectful home when Legendary Pictures acquired the rights and launched their “MonsterVerse” with Gareth Edwards’ 2014 reboot. The film returned to the creature’s serious roots while incorporating modern visual effects capabilities, striking a balance between spectacle and gravitas.

The success of the reboot led to an expanding cinematic universe including Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and the financially successful Godzilla vs. Kong. Legendary’s approach validated the global appeal of kaiju films when executed with appropriate scale and respect for the source material. This studio change revitalized not just one character but enabled an entire interconnected monster movie franchise that continues to grow.

4The Dune Franchise

After a failed 1984 adaptation by Universal and a limited television miniseries, Frank Herbert’s notoriously “unfilmable” science fiction epic Dune found new life when Legendary Pictures acquired the rights and partnered with Warner Bros. for distribution. Director Denis Villeneuve’s approach to the material – splitting the first book into two films and treating the source with reverence – resulted in a critical and commercial triumph.

Released in 2021 during the pandemic, Dune still managed to earn over $400 million domestically and win six Academy Awards. The successful adaptation of this complex material proved that sometimes a property needs the right studio partnership at the right cultural moment to reach its potential. Legendary’s commitment to Villeneuve’s vision established a viable franchise from material that had long resisted successful adaptation, with a sequel that performed even stronger.

3The Blade Runner Franchise

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner was produced by Warner Bros. in 1982, but the property changed hands multiple times before Warner Bros. reacquired the rights and partnered with Sony for a long-awaited sequel. Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 arrived in 2017, set 30 years after the original and maintaining its philosophical core while expanding its visual language.

Though not a commercial blockbuster, 2049 earned critical acclaim for its stunning cinematography (winning legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins his first Oscar) and thoughtful expansion of the original’s themes. The studio’s support for a cerebral, slow-burning science fiction film with a substantial budget demonstrated rare artistic integrity in franchise filmmaking, creating one of the most respected sequels in cinema history rather than a formulaic continuation.

2the Mad Max Franchise

For nearly 30 years, the Mad Max franchise lay dormant after 1985’s Beyond Thunderdome. When creator George Miller finally brought his post-apocalyptic vision back to screens in 2015 with Fury Road, he did so with Warner Bros. rather than the original films’ distributor, MGM. This studio change, combined with Miller’s uncompromising creative vision, resulted in one of the most acclaimed action films of the 21st century.

Fury Road maintained the spirit of the original trilogy while elevating the storytelling and visual style to new heights. The film earned six Academy Awards and universal critical acclaim, revitalizing a franchise many had considered concluded. This success prompted Warner Bros. to greenlight the prequel Furiosa, showing how a change in studio oversight paired with creator passion can resurrect a dormant property.

1The Spider-Man (MCU) Franchise

When Sony’s Amazing Spider-Man series faltered with its second installment in 2014, few could have predicted the spectacular revival that would follow. After complex negotiations, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios reached an unprecedented agreement allowing Spider-Man to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe while Sony retained distribution rights. This partnership introduced Tom Holland’s fresh take on Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War before he headlined Spider-Man: Homecoming.

The change brought Spider-Man into Marvel’s established universe, creating new dynamics with heroes like Iron Man and Captain America while maintaining his essential qualities. The result wasn’t just critical acclaim but enormous commercial success – Spider-Man: No Way Home became Sony’s highest-grossing film ever with nearly $1.9 billion worldwide, proving that sometimes surrendering creative control to another studio can yield remarkable results.