As a curtain-raiser to CinemaCon, the industry’s convention of movie theater owners starting next week, Fandango conducted its 2nd annual Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study and surveyed more than 6,000 of its ticket-buyers on their moviegoing plans for the summer.

Perhaps the most encouraging finding is that 83% of movie fans plan to see 3 or more films on the big screen this season, indicating that pre-pandemic viewing trends are seeing growing signs of a recovery.

Other key takeaways of Fandango’s study include:

  • 99% have been happy with their recent visits to the theater (compared to 93% the prior year).
  • 93% will see films across multiple genres (not just superhero/comic book movies).
  • 89% indicate that moviegoing is their favorite activity outside of the home (ranking higher than dining out, shopping or sporting activities).
  • 85% prefer films in premium formats (like IMAX and Dolby), feeling they make the moviegoing experience more immersive.
  • Nearly 70% believe that only-in-theater movies are higher quality than straight-to-streaming titles.

 

 The fans' Top 10 most anticipated summer movies are:

1.     Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Tickets + Trailer)

2.     Thor: Love and Thunder (Tickets + Trailer)

3.     Jurassic World Dominion (Tickets + Trailer)

4.     Top Gun: Maverick (Tickets + Trailer)

5.     Minions: The Rise of Gru (Tickets + Trailer)

6.     Lightyear (Tickets + Trailer)

7.     Elvis (Tickets + Trailer)

8.     Nope (Tickets + Trailer)

9.     Bullet Train (Tickets + Trailer)

10.  Downton Abbey: A New Era (Tickets + Trailer)

Lastly, fans were asked about the top factors that help them make their moviegoing decisions:

  • 95% look for their favorite genres.
  • 93% select films based on their trailers.
  • 91% ask for recommendations from families or friends.
  • 90% want to see their favorite stars on the big screen.
  • 90% pick the latest installment of a favorite franchise.
  • 88% search for positive ratings and reviews.

Fandango’s moviegoer study was conducted during the first quarter of 2022 with more than 6,000 participants who all had purchased at least one movie ticket over the past 12 months. The demographic breakdown of the group was 72% ages 18-54, with 58% identifying as female, 41% male and 1% non-binary. Sixty-one percent described themselves as Caucasian; 21% Latinx/Hispanic; 8% Black/African American; 8% Asian/Pacific Islander; and 5% other. There were a few respondents who identified with multiple ethnicities.