crossfranchise

Crossfranchise is the practice of creating collaborations or integrations between two or more distinct intellectual properties or franchises. It often involves cross-pollinating characters, settings, or storylines, or coordinating marketing and merchandise to reach each franchise’s fan base. The term is used across industries, particularly in entertainment, publishing, and consumer products, to describe projects that blur conventional ownership boundaries while preserving the identity of each participating property.

In entertainment, crossfranchise activities can take the form of crossovers in films, television or web series, including appearances of characters from one franchise in another; in video games, guest characters or shared universes; in comics and publishing, multi-franchise event series or mash-up titles; and in merchandising, co-branded products. Crossfranchise projects are often aimed at tapping new audiences, extending a franchise’s lifecycle, sharing development costs, and creating novel storytelling opportunities. They can also serve strategic goals such as revitalizing mature properties or testing new concepts without a full reboot.

However, crossfranchise efforts face challenges. Coordinating licensing, rights ownership, and revenue sharing can be complex; maintaining a consistent tone and quality across properties is difficult; fan expectations may diverge when beloved elements are altered; and branding confusion or perceived dilution can occur if integration is mishandled.

Related concepts include crossovers, licensing agreements, and transmedia storytelling.