In What New Direction Would You Take Your Favorite Franchise?

This one is really broad. The "franchise" could be a movie series, book series, comic book, video game series, TV Show, almost anything.

Pick the geek franchise you're currently most excited about, or one you used to be excited about but have been unhappy with where it has gone. Then describe where you would like it to go next, or what cool way you think it could change to make it even better!

I'll kick things off with the Final Fantasy franchise. For years this series could do no wrong in my eyes. But starting with the PS2 era I've only truly enjoyed Final Fantasy 12, and even that took some getting used to for me to appreciate and eventually love.

This may sound nuts, but I'd love to see the series return to its turn-based roots as well as a setting that is largely fantasy with some sci-fi thrown in, instead of the reverse, as things have largely been since FF7.

I'd also love to see an art design that presents a fresh new take on the classic design elements, but without making them unrecognizable, as has been the case in recent games. (Pointy mage hats, Moogles, Chocobos, Red Robes, White Robes, etc.))

Based on my comments, you could probably guess that Final Fantasy 9 is my favorite in the series. I'd love to see this retro approach applied again with modern console technology and story-telling power.

Oh, and as narrow as this sounds, I'd also like the game to be completely Americanized in its portrayal of characters. I don't want to feel like I'm watching a goofy Anime. And if that's not possible, then at least give me the option to TURN VOICE ACTING OFF!!!! (I can make badly translated dialogue sound much better in my head while reading subtitles.)

This series is largely a fantastic franchise that I would love to see re-invented by not re-inventing so much of it.

I would revitalize Star Trek with instead of a serial show or crew, I'd go to a Outer Limits style show, with each week being a new story. Occasional two parters could be done, but by and large each week would be a new episode with a new ship or base or species. This wouldn't be limited to just Federation episodes either, episodes from the point of view of other species would be done as well.

Just for a few seasons to hopefully rebuild interest in the show.

Oh and this could be set in either the Prime or the Abramsverse.

I think for this I'd put in my childhood favorite, Masters of The Universe.

From my personal perspective, MOTU has had a rough road. The classic era was fantastic and it had two spin-off shows, a compilation movie, and a bad theatrical film. Than, when they wanted to bring Masters in the modern era, they did the bear minimum; not updating the designs for the remake, leaving no room for She-Ra and He-ro, and, this one still kills me, not doing a remake of the live action film.

If the franchise was in my hands personally, I'd stress a closer adaption of the mythos, keep it Masters of The Universe, not Masters vs. Skeletor's forces, and I'd travel more into the character's back-stories and emotions. For example, I'd look into Prince Adam's family and friends' view of this now lazier Prince Adam as well as their reaction to this barbarian superhero that came out of nowhere.

I'd totally reboot & relaunch Gatchaman, still my favorite anime. I'd give the plot some serious tech upgrades (the series was written in the seventies so their ideas of high tech were what we'd now call outdated) and I'd age all characters by about 5 years to make them actual (young) adults instead of teens.

Oh, just thinking about it! Sigh.

I have to confess that last year I couldn't wait any longer and just had to scratch that itch myself (for lack of the makers doing it) - by writing a fanfic novel about it. (Or actually two, and I'm halfway part 3 but got stuck and now I've dropped it for a while.)