The Franchise Lives

Psycho 5

How do you create a franchise out of characters that were written for shock and not emotional connection? Our hosts turn to the mother of shock-cinema in an attempt to find out, when they check in to Alfred Hitchcock's groundbreaking classic, Psycho. They discuss how effective the sequels were at utilizing Norman Bates as a protagonist, as well as the traps of having mental health as the ultimate antagonist. They compare and contrast the decisions made by the films versus the original author's sequel novels, evaluate the Bates Motel setting as a vehicle for generating compelling content, and analyze the much maligned remake for valuable lessons. They conclude by returning to the scene of the crime 30-plus years since its last installment, and determine whether there are any worthwhile themes left that can contribute to the legacy, or if this is a case of the brand being better and stronger than any of its films, when they take a stab at pitching their own ideas for Psycho 5!

Kill Bill vol. 3

How does a screenwriter reuse ideas from older films while still maintaining a cohesive and distinctive style? Our hosts seek tutelage from one of contemporary cinema's best directors at reinterpreting influences when they examine the two volumes of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. They discuss whether it is a writer's duty to make the audience despise the villains as much as possible in a revenge tale, contemplate the trade-offs between building mystery versus providing backstory, ask if the protagonist was written to be as empathetic as she could be, and evaluate the effectiveness of the stylistic genre shifting between the two volumes. They then put their training to the test by incorporating genres, sequences, and characters from older, lesser-known exploitation films, as well as grapple with the challenge of structuring a story in non-chronological chapters, when they pitch their own ideas for Kill Bill volume 3!

Scrooged 2

The keys to successfully adapting a classic story into a modern version are straightforward and clear, but how do you adapt a classic story into a sequel when a follow-up was never written? Our hosts attempt to find those keys when they examine the holiday cult classic, Scrooged. They begin by analyzing the faithfulness of the 1988 adaptation; evaluate the additions, omissions, and changes to the characters and setting; and contemplate whether the magnanimous climax is a believable lifelong change or just a hysterical momentary reaction. They then discuss the four other Christmas novellas written by Charles Dickens in the years after A Christmas Carol, and judge their suitability for potential sequel material, before picking and pitching their own classic story adaptations, and discover what one should look for when trying to create a complementary and worthwhile sequel for Scrooged 2!

Freddy vs Jason 2

How does a screenwriter deliver payoffs for a story centered on two antagonists fighting for the limelight? Starting in 1987, two studios slowly began moving heaven and hell in order to get their franchise villains to face off against one another. Today, our hosts determine if the resulting 2003 film, Freddy vs Jason, was worth 16 years of effort, or if the fight of the millennium was cursed to be a letdown from the start. They discuss how the slasher blueprint should be adapted to accommodate this unprecedented genre crossover, and traverse through the long and arduous history of the dozens of screenwriting attempts to see if any good ideas were left behind in development hell. They then attempt to resurrect the stars for a rematch, when they pitch their ideas for Freddy vs Jason 2!

Teen Wolf 3

What are the keys to turning a silly teen comedy into a deceptively substantive story? Full moons aren't needed when it comes to sniffing out what transformed the 1985 Michael J. Fox hit, Teen Wolf, from just a goofy B-movie to an unlikely success. Our hosts determine what the first movie had that made it feel like the writers really wanted to tell this story, and offer up ways to do the same for the much maligned sequel. They explore other media incarnations and spin-offs for additional inspiration, before finally revealing their own reasons for continuing the franchise when they pitch their ideas for Teen Wolf 3!