<p>What does it take to build a successful entertainment franchise in our modern media ecosystem? And who are today’s franchises actually for? In this episode, Jasmina is joined by Matt Blong, EVP, Head of NRG’s Syndicated Entertainment Programs, and Collin Leirvik, EVP, Head of Gaming and Sports. Together, they explore how the most powerful entertainment franchises are shifting away from broad, four-quadrant appeal and toward deeply-engaged fandoms, from hardcore gamers to anime superfans. And they dig into what the future of entertainment strategy will look like in a world where passion, not reach, is the true key to success.</p><p><em>Want to explore some of the work mentioned in this conversation? You can dive into our </em><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nrgmr.com/our-thinking/entertainment/why-video-games-are-the-new-frontier-for-Hollywood/"><em>Leveling Up</em></a><em> research and our </em><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nrgmr.com/our-thinking/entertainment/why-the-world-is-falling-in-love-with-anime/"><em>Anime, Ascendant</em></a><em> research via the links. </em></p>