307. Can True Fans Bring Dead Franchises Back to Life?

About this episode

The episode discusses the potential for fans to revive beloved but struggling franchises in the face of corporate challenges.

Doctor Who is dead and not regenerating any time soon.[1. Photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash .] Star Wars is suspended in the bacta tank. Star Trek is redirecting all power to life support. Meanwhile, Netflix struggles to sing life into Narnia, bad philosophers stone Harry Potter , and goblins threaten to overrun all that was good in Middle-earth. But there were some who resisted. When studios keep killing great stories, could fans bring resurrection? Episode sponsors The Star-Blessed by Angie Dickinson Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo Land of Giants by Laurie Christine Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Mission update New review of Lightshed by Crystal D. Grant Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild 1. Star Trek and Star Wars are on life support Star Wars —everyone blames Disney, Kathleen Kennedy, streaming. And of course The Acolyte all but ended fan interest in that galaxy. Much ink has been spilled about that, so we needn’t do a remake. Star Trek —everyone blames Paramount, Alex Kurtzman, streaming. Recently even Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir called Trek bad. Weir later semi-apologized, but only for a seeming personal slight. And…

People in this episode

Host: E. Stephen Burnett

Topics covered

• fan engagement
• franchise revival
• corporate influence
• science fiction
• fantasy adaptations
• storytelling
• media criticism

Keywords

• Doctor Who
• Star Wars
• Star Trek
• Narnia
• Harry Potter
• Middle-earth
• franchise resurrection
• fan power
• corporate orcs
• fantasy lands

Sponsors

The Star-Blessed, Realm Makers 2026 Conference & Expo, Land of Giants, Above the Circle of Earth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Disney, Paramount

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