10 Overly-Optimistic Attempts To Launch A Movie Franchise
1. King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword
The problem with announcing a cinematic universe before the first movie even hits theaters is that you just assume the audience will want more of this franchise before they've even had a chance to make their mind up. There is a reason why Marvel Studios, undisputed kings of the shared universe, waited until after Iron Man was bona-fide a hit to officially announce Thor and Captain America back in 2008.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword probably would have been a success a decade ago when Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Troy and the like were popular and fresh in the audience's memory but with epic fantasy now no longer a sure thing, Guy Ritchie's blockbuster became the latest high-profile casualty in the race to establish an interconnected franchise.
Intended to kick off a six-film series that would culminate with Knights of the Round Table, the movie's failure to even recoup its $175 million budget saw any plans that Warner Bros. had of building the franchise up towards Ye Olde Avengers disappear into a financial black hole.