Audiences are excited to return to the big screen, according to a new survey from cinema advertising company National CineMedia (NCM).
Respondents expressed strong preferences for the cinema experience, despite the streaming boom that’s taken place over the last several weeks as moviegoers follow stay-at-home orders.
95 percent miss going to movie theaters, while 92 percent look forward to cinemas reopening again and 86 percent prefer watching a movie in a cinema over watching at home.
But will those preferences translate into ticket sales once theaters reopen nationwide? Early data suggests yes.
Once theaters open, 74 percent of respondents plan to visit cinemas as frequently or more frequently than they did prior to the pandemic. 14 percent said they would visit cinemas more frequently than before. Only 21 percent said they would visit less frequently.
What should the cinema experience be like upon their return?
Respondents want social distancing to continue, with 90 percent preferring that cinemas limit seating capacity even once they reopen. A much smaller 52 percent, though still a majority, want cinemas to require that patrons wear face masks.
The film most respondents said they were excited to see in theaters was Wonder Woman 1984, currently slated for August 14.
NCM surveyed 755 adult moviegoers online, from April 22-27. Results may be skewed by the self-selecting demographic of cinema attendees.
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