Moviegoers are more likely to venture out to their local theater to catch a Marvel movie than the latest installment in the DC universe.
At least, that’s according to a new study by Flixed (h/t ScreenRant), which surveyed over 1,000 people about their viewing preferences, and whether they’d prefer to watch the latest blockbuster at home or on the big screen. Turns out 66 percent would consider watching the next film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at home – ditto for Star Wars. That number actually rises to 73 percent when participants were asked about viewing a DC movie in the comfort of their own living room, indicating that moviegoers are (slightly) more inclined to make the theater trip for anything Marvel (or Star Wars) related.
Via Flixed:
A whopping 66% said they would consider watching the next films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars franchise from home. And for the next movies in the DC Universe or Harry Potter franchise, people were even more likely to consider watching from home. Only 27% said they would need to see the next DC Universe movie in theaters, while 25% said the same about the next Harry Potter film.
It is, of course, always important to treat these surveys with heightened caution. For one, a 1,000-participant sample size is but a small vertical slice of the moviegoing population, and such sweeping generalizations don’t necessarily factor in the inevitable outliers – Avengers: Endgame, for example. When the MCU’s crown jewel landed back in April 2019, it was a cinematic event. By the same token, last month’s Joker movie generated much of its hype through word of mouth, which likely would’ve impacted the number of people flocking to their local theater.
Be that as it may, the full Flixed report is packed with fascinating tidbits about changing viewer habits, and how the advent of major streaming services (see: HBO Max and Disney+) continue to alter the ways in which we consume content.