Research: Brits spend considerable time choosing a movie
October 9, 2023
Picking a movie to watch has become a serious pastime for film lovers as research reveals that more than three quarters of Brits (78 per cent) spend up to an hour reading film reviews before making their decision, topping their priority list when compared to preparing for a job interview, or even researching a holiday.
A study of 2,000 film viewers commissioned by Sky Cinema uncovered that in addition to scouring reviews, typical movie night research also involves reading the storyline (66 per cent), knowing who the cast is (33 per cent) and one in ten Brits even scrutinise the film duration (11 per cent).
Londoners take the longest to ponder over their film of choice, with one in three admitting they’ve even snubbed friends for their taste in movies. Meanwhile when it comes to the Scots, nearly a quarter (18 per cent) don’t even look at reviews before taking the plunge.
Those aged 25–34 spend the most time reading reviews, watching trailers and are even most likely to row with a partner about which film to watch, while over 65s dive straight in with minimal prep.
After this level of planning and research, one in ten movie fans say they are more disappointed by a bad movie experience than their favourite sports team losing a big game, or even a holiday mishap.
The research comes as Sky Cinema gives movie fans even more access to the latest films, with a new partnership with Vue, offering customers the chance to snap up two free Vue cinema tickets every month.
Sophia Ahmad, Chief Consumer Officer, Sky UK & ROI said: “We know how much our customers love those goosebump moments when watching a film they’ve been waiting for – and we know choosing one can involve serious research. This new exclusive partnership with Vue will give Sky Cinema customers the chance to watch a movie on the big screen at no extra cost, all while still being able to enjoy an unrivalled line-up of blockbusters and Sky Originals on their sofas at home”.
Toby Bradon, UK and Ireland General Manager, Vue Entertainment, added: “The joy of the big screen experience doesn’t just start when you enter the venue, as this research show, its starts with the anticipation of researching a great story. We are pleased to be partnering with Sky to welcome its customers to immerse themselves in the big screen. To help aiding the research phase we are delighted to be offering new features as we roll out our new look website, making that pre-film research even more enjoyable with all the latest trailers, and the ability to set reminders for when that film you can’t wait to see if just around the corner.”