Is it possible to world build a franchise that's originally based around 1 hero?

[Emperor-of-Dragons]

Reason I ask is because I see franchises wanting to world build after having a central protagonist for so long. Resulting in people just asking where's master chief, Jedi, or whoever instead of being interested in the rest of the world, Or the "new guys". Partly why I think some hated the star wars EU. I guess my question is this, is it too little too late to world build a franchise that's relied on a singular bad ass protagonist for most of the franchise's existence?

[Emperor-of-Dragons]

There is a franchise that's relied on a singular bad ass protagonist for most of the franchise's existence. It is an anime called Darker Than Black.

I didn't say that was impossible, I was saying can you world build around a character that's pretty much the sole protagonist. Without putting off sans of said protagonist

[jbmasta]

Doctor Who started out with four main characters, one of whom is still on screen today after over 50 years, and has had three successful spin-offs and one attempted spin-off on TV (Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood Class and K9 and Company), three successful spin-offs in novels (Bernice Summerfield, Faction Paradox and Lethbridge-Stewart) and who knows how many spin-offs on audio (Bernice Summerfield from the novels, Gallifrey, Jago & Litefoot, Graceless, Counter-Measures, UNIT to name the ones I can think of off the top of my head). All from an old man racketing about a universe of time and space in a ship that's bigger on the inside.

[numberthirty]

Isn't the Fraction/Brubaker The Immortal Iron Fist run an example of this?

[t hedge coke]

Why not? It's all imaginary. You can do anything. And if it's good and has the right marketing, it'll have an audience.

[Kieran_Frost]

Would Disney and Mickey Mouse count? My answer is IN THEORY, though for the life of me I cannot think of an example. Maybe the Batman franchise? It created Suicide Squad, very successful solo comics in Harlequinn, Nightwing, Catwoman, Batwoman. I don't know, it's the best one I can think of???

[GOLGO 13]

If I was smart enough to come up with a successful character, I would not want to stop with just 1 guy.

[Kirby101]

007, nuff said

[Kieran_Frost]

007, nuff said

I'm confused, surely his franchise is ONLY built on him???? I think the OP phrased this badly hence a lot of confusion, but the end phrase: is it too little too late to world build a franchise that's relied on a singular bad ass protagonist for most of the franchise's existence? I think implies the question is can a franchise be built one one character YET SURVIVE without said character.

A possible answer is Harry Potter. The Beast movies aren't linked to Harry, so that is some step towards a Potter-verse franchise (free of Potter).

[Kirby101]

I'm confused, surely his franchise is ONLY built on him???? I think the OP phrased this badly hence a lot of confusion, but the end phrase: is it too little too late to world build a franchise that's relied on a singular bad ass protagonist for most of the franchise's existence? I think implies the question is can a franchise be built one one character YET SURVIVE without said character.

A possible answer is Harry Potter. The Beast movies aren't linked to Harry, so that is some step towards a Potter-verse franchise (free of Potter).

Oh, completely confused,

[Carabas]

I don't get it either.

Why would a franchise that's relied on a singular bad ass protagonist not have had a lot of world building?

[Tami]

Maybe he means take an existing work with several characters, then spin of just one of them to build a new franchise around? Fans tend to get attached to all characters in a series to the point where chucking even one if them gets fans upset.

But I do think it has been done, where all other characters have ben dropped and focus made on just one protagonist.

[Güicho]

Is it possible to world build a franchise that's originally based around 1 hero?

Seems obvious... Yes!

Superman, Batman. Spider-Man started "originally based around 1 hero".
Yet have had world building spin-off franchise of characters who have not replaced the original yet stood on their own with their own books and more (just to name a few):

Spin-off Superman characters with their own books:
Jimmy Olsen
Super Girl (Own book, movie, TV Show)
Superboy
Steel (Own Book, Movie)
Legion of Superheroes (Own Book, Cartoon) ...etc

Spin-off Batman characters with their own books:
Catwoman (Own Book, Movie)
Batgirl (Own Book, TV Show(BOP)
Robin(s).
Batman and the Outsiders
Huntress
Nightwing ...etc

Spin-off Spider-Man characters with their own books:
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) (Own Book, Cartoon)
Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O'Hara.
Venom
Araña (Anya Corazon )
Ultimate Spider-Man (Miles Morales)
Silk (Cindy Moon) ...etc

So maybe I don't understand the question?

[Vic Vega]

I didn't say that was impossible, I was saying can you world build around a character that's pretty much the sole protagonist. Without putting off sans of said protagonist

I'm thinking maybe...Roruni (?) Kenshin.

He is the main character and sole hero, but that wouldn't stop the production of a Sword Catcher Yakio series
about his now grown kid sidekick that would take place after the main series ended.

[Carabas]

I'm thinking maybe...Roruni (?) Kenshin.

He is the main character and sole hero...

Rurouni, and only very early on in the story. It very quickly expands to a Dynamic Duo, and by the time it starts to get really good he's formed an entire superhero team.