Research: James Bond set to boost cinema industry
September 17, 2021
The new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, will be the spark that brings film fans back to the beleaguered cinema industry, predicts entertainment firm and online gaming site, PartyCasino.
Research carried out by the site found that 83 per cent of UK movie-goers plan to watch the new Bond film, which saw its release delayed from April 2020 to April 2021, and then September 30th 2021 in the UK (October 8th in the US).
The news comes after a torrid year for cinema companies, with the total UK and Ireland box office for 2020 falling to £323 million, a massive 76 per cent down on 2019. Only 441 movies were released in 2020, less than half of the previous year, as the major chains either shut down completely (Cineworld) or cut, drastically, their opening times (Odeon, Vue).
But PartyCasino’s analysis found that nearly half of fans (47 per cent) will be prompted to make their first visit to a cinema since they were reopened nationally by the return to the silver screen of James Bond.
The shuttering of Cineworld’s 128 UK venues last year was caused directly by the initial delay of No Time to Die. The rescheduling of the film’s release date also started a chain reaction across the movie world, with other titles including Dune and Black Widow following suit and delaying release dates.
Younger movie lovers are the most excited to see No Time to Die, with more than three quarters (76 per cent) of 18-24 year olds saying they will definitely watch it. However, they are also the least likely to venture out to the cinema to do so, with 72 per cent planning to watch it at home or on demand.
Meanwhile, viewers aged 35-44 (55 per cent) and 45-54 (47 per cent) are most likely to watch on the big screen and it appears that men have been more cautious about visiting the cinema over the last year – more than half (51 per cent) of men state that the Bond movie will be their first trip back to the cinema, compared with 42 per cent of women.
Londoners have been the most eager to get back to the movie theatre, with more than three in five (65 per cent) reporting that they have already been to see a film; only 29 per cent of the Capital’s film fans will make No Time to Die their first since restrictions were eased.
PartyCasino marketing manager, David Winter, said: “James Bond clearly still has a massive place in the hearts of the British public – his magnetism, suaveness, witty one-liners and fearless stunts still draw the crowds they did decades ago. His return this month can only be a good thing for the UK cinema industry which, like most entertainment sectors, has been hit hard in the last year. James Bond always saves the day – here’s hoping he can save our cinemas too.”
To find out exactly why Bond is still such a huge draw, take a look at PartyCasino’s research on the public’s favourite stunts and casino scenes from 007’s back catalogue here: The Reasons why Britain Still Loves Bond | PartyCasino.