(Title of Movie): The Sequel

The Holidays are right around the corner, but movie studios have seen more red than green this year.  Houses big and small are placing their bets on franchise films in the hopes of making up for losses incurred in 2009.

The Walt Disney Company released their fourth quarter and fiscal year earnings yesterday, and while their Studio Entertainment division posted a 3% rise in revenue for the quarter, it was down 16% to $6.1 billion for the year, with operating income down 84% to $175 million.

On the earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger acknowledged it was “an extremely disappointing year in 2009.”  He went on to say that efforts to boost the studio’s profits going forward include “investment on franchise properties like Princess and the Frog, Cars 2, Toy Story 3, and Pirates 4.”

Additionally, the recent acquisition of Marvel Entertainment will allow the studio to build on established titles, including Iron Man and Spiderman, both of which have next installments in the works.

“When our franchise films are successful, they create a wave across the company that can lift up all of our Disney branded businesses,” said Iger on the conference call.

And Disney’s not the only one, Bob and Harvey Weinstein hope a run of previously profitable franchise favorites will have the trades penning tales of financial success instead money woes.

Scream 4, Spy Kids 4, Sin City 2 and Scary Movie 5 pad the upcoming slate for Dimension – The Weinstein Company’s “thriller” arm and the only library won in the brother’s Miramax divorce from Disney back in 2005.

Bob Weinstein, who heads Dimension, told Variety in September that he’s “heading back” to his franchise films:  “These films are our strength, and we are committed to doing them in style.”

Rankings released by Hollywood.com Box Office indicate studios might be wise to stick to this strategy: A quick scan of their “Top 30 Opening Weekends of All-Time” turns up a bevy of franchise titles.  In top five are The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 3, Pirates of theCaribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Shrek the Third, and Spider Man.  For the full list, click HERE.