Of the 6,000 Moviegoers Surveyed, 86% Said They are Planning to see More Movies in Theaters This Summer Compared to Last Year.
Fandango, the nation’s leading online movie ticketing service, today announced the results of its 2023 Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study, heading into CinemaCon, the National Association of Theatre Owners’ official convention taking place April 24-27 in Las Vegas. Surveying more than 6,000 ticket buyers about their moviegoing attitudes and behaviors over the past year, as well as their future purchase intent, Fandango revealed that 86% of moviegoers said they plan to see more movies on the big screen this summer compared to last year – with 81% planning to see three or more movies in theaters.
Moviegoer anticipation for the upcoming summer movie season is high, with 89% saying they are excited that this summer will have more movies coming to theaters than in previous years. While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was voted the most anticipated movie of 2023 in a previous Fandango moviegoer survey, there is a blockbuster slate of movies following on its heels to kick off the summer. Moviegoers said their top 10 most anticipated summer movies are:
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
- The Flash
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
- The Little Mermaid
- Fast X
- Barbie
- Oppenheimer
- Haunted Mansion
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
“With a blockbuster slate of summer movies, fans are eager to see their favorite characters and franchises return to the big screen, as well as new original films, in the unmatched setting of a movie theater, with engaged fans, their favorite concessions and the best sound and visuals available,” said Jerramy Hainline, SVP, Fandango Ticketing. “Our moviegoing study shows that fans are committed to the theatrical experience, and we look forward to working with our exhibition partners this summer to help consumers find a wide variety of movies at their favorite local theaters.
Fandango’s study results underscored that moviegoing continues to be a beloved shared experience, with 63% of moviegoers saying they go with a spouse or partner, while half of moviegoers ages 18-34 said they go with friends and 56% go with children. Summer moviegoing is also a big part of American culture, with 68% saying they like to spend time with family and/or friends at the movies during the summer and 61% saying that going to the movies is a favorite summer activity.
Moviegoers love the overall theatrical experience, from the big screen to the surround sound and more. Two-thirds of all moviegoers surveyed said they prefer to watch blockbuster movies on the big screen as soon as they are released, while 84% said that seeing a film in a premium format makes the moviegoing experience better. Over half said they plan to see movies in a premium format this summer. Concessions are also essential, with 94% of moviegoers surveyed saying they purchased concessions during their trips to the theaters over the past year, with 88% regularly ordering popcorn and 74% ordering soda.
Moviegoers are also avid streamers, and nearly all of those surveyed subscribe to a streaming service, however they still feel that theatrical movies have higher quality compared to those released directly to a streaming service. Price also matters to moviegoers. If presented with the option, 80% of those surveyed expressed interest in purchasing discounted tickets for less popular showtimes, and that interest increases to 85% among moviegoers ages 18-34. Moviegoers also expressed interest in discounted movie days, like the popular National Cinema Day last September, which offered $3 movie tickets all day. In a previous Fandango moviegoer survey, 77% said they were likely to buy tickets for National Cinema Day as it gives them a chance to try out the premium large format auditoriums at super-affordable prices.
Fandango’s moviegoer study was conducted during February and March 2023, surveying more than 6,000 moviegoers who bought a ticket with Fandango since January 2022. The demographic breakdown of the group was 62% ages 18 to 54, with 60% identifying as female, 39% male, and 1% non-binary. Of the moviegoers surveyed, 65% described themselves as Caucasian; 16% Latinx/Hispanic; 10% Black/African American; 7% Asian/Pacific Islander; and 4% other. There were a few respondents who identified with multiple ethnicities.
The Complete 2023 Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study is available upon request.
(Source: NBCUniversal)
