Time-tested characters like Bond and all the superheroes not withstanding, we've only seen three new franchises in the past decade with really great characters. Harry Potter, The Matrix, and Pirates of the Carribean. While the latter two both spawned flawed sequels, the originals had characters and situations that most of the population just couldn't get enough of. And of course, HP was based on written material that was already immensely popular. I can't make any other "new" franchise come to mind. Pathetic. But who needs character when you can make movies based on 80s toys, right?