MarketCast Digital Insights

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MarketCast Digital InsightsS E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0

MarketCast Trends 2

Finding insights from Tenet and Mulan social conversations

As summer turns to fall and our kids get ready to go back to school (well, sort of), all eyes in Hollywood are once again fixed on this weekend’s releases of Warner Bros.’ Tenet and Disney’s Mulan. The fate of these two titles has hung in the balance for months as hopes for quick and speedy recovery from COVID-19 were dashed as cases surged and re-openings curbed.

With Tenet now marking the reopening of many movie theaters in the U.S. (except for many major markets), its box office draw will surely be viewed as an early indication of whether Americans are ready to go back to the theater during an ongoing pandemic.

On the flipside, Disney’s bold decision to move Mulan to Disney+ at a $30 price point will be seen as a watershed moment for the future of direct-to-consumer content.

But, what will fans actually do? Are they ready to head back to theaters? Will they accept a $30 price point for PVOD? To shed light on some of these questions, MarketCast is monitoring millions of social media conversations to tease out the following fandom insights about these two titles.

Additionally, we are sharing datapoints from the latest MarketCast COVID-19 Impact Report which studies the effect of the pandemic and theater closures on movie consumption.

INTRODUCTION

1 2 3 4 5Social media volume for Tenet is more than twice the average for major theatrical releases.

Mulan social media volume is higher than any other PVOD release this year.

Both movies are tracking below the MarketCast social media norms for intent-to-see this weekend.

Some Mulan fans are concerned about the price point on Disney+, and may hold out for a price drop.

The Tenet audience is mostly concerned about returning to the theater during the pandemic.

KEY TAKE-AWAYS

MarketCast Trends 3

Tenet social media volume is tracking more than twice the average for major theatrical releases.

For major theatrical movies one week prior

to release.

Reporting Period: August 24-31, 2020

Measured across all social media

platforms.

161KSOCIAL POSTS

2.5xAVERAGE

Tenet SocialMedia Volume

MarketCast Trends 4

Mulan social media volume is tracking higher than any other PVOD releases in 2020.

Measured across all social media

platforms.

65KSOCIAL POSTS

3x

Mulan SocialMedia Volume


AVERAGE

For family PVOD movie releases in 2020, including

Scoob and Trolls 2

MarketCast Trends 5

Percentage of social conversations that indicate a holdback to viewing. Tenet holdbacks are concerned about returning to theaters; Mulan holdbacks are concerned about the price point.

Holdbacks to Viewing

Are concerned about going back to the theater

Are concerned about the price of the movie on-demand

NOV 2019 JUN 2020


12%

6%

MarketCast Trends 6

Percentage of consumers who specifically indicate (in their social media posts) they will watch Tenet in movie theaters or will purchase Mulan on Disney+.

Intent to See

Tenet

Mulan

NOV 2019 JUN 2020


3%

8%

MarketCast Trends 7


Social Buzzby U.S. Region

Tenet social buzz is higher in the Midwest, with a higher volume of posts about early reviews. Tenet is also generating more social conversation in the Northwest and in markets with more Black and Hispanic audiences.

Mulan is slightly bigger in the Southwest and equals Tenet in New York and Los Angeles. With theaters slower to open in these major metros, Mulan may be the only option for audiences in these markets.

MarketCast Trends 8

Moviegoers still hesitant about returning to theatersAccording to MarketCast’s ongoing COVID-19 movie impact study, well over half of respondents say they wouldn’t go to see a movie they were interested in watching if theaters reopened tomorrow.

• Men and younger audiences continue to show more openness to returning in theaters in the immediate future.

• Hispanics, African Americans and other audience segments heavily impacted by COVID-19 are more reluctant to return to the theater right away.

“ I f movie theaters reopened tomorrow and there was a movie playing that you wanted to see, what would you do?”

Source: 2020 Coronavirus MovieImpact Exploration

60%

29%

11%

I still wouldn’t go to the movie theater

I would consider going to the movie theater

I definitely would go to the movie theater

MarketCast Trends 9

VOD continues to be a solid alternative to watching movies as theaters remain closedClose to 2/3 of of respondents say they have ‘rented or purchased more movies digitally’ because of the pandemic.

• Men 35-49, parents (especially dads), and those making $60k+ are the most ‘regular’ VOD renters.

• 1/3 of men and women under 35 years old describe themselves as “occasional VOD renters.”

“Has the current COVID-19 situation made you more l ikely to rent or purchase digital ly?”


62%

38%

Yes, I have rented or purchased more movies digitally

No, it has made no difference

MarketCast Trends 10

Audiences are willing to pay a premium to watch new movies on-demand

“ I f theaters opened and you had the option for a movie you wanted to see of going to the theater or paying a premium to rent at home digital ly, what would you do?”


• More people would currently pay to watch a new movie on demand than venture back into theaters during the pandemic.

• 20% indicate they would be willing to pay up to $19.99 for a premium title, a number that has remained steady throughout multiple waves of research.

24%

29%

48%

I would see it at a theater

I would rent it digitally at a premium price

I would wait until it was available to rent at the usual lower price

MarketCast Trends 11

Powered by MarketCast Real-Time AnalyticsAs media and entertainment converges across devices and platforms, only MarketCast provides a holistic view of fandom. Our analysis of millions of digital opinions across social media platforms and news and information sites helps identify what fans are thinking and feeling about your content, events, characters and brands.

Our unique combination of machine-driven insights and people-powered analysis provides the data points needed to understand whether movie and TV content, marketing campaigns, and fan experiences are hitting or missing the mark, as well as identifies new ways to engage and nurture fans. To learn more about MarketCast’s Real-Time Analytics, click here:

www.marketcast .com/real-t ime-analytics/

LEARN MORE CONTACT US

Ben CarlsonSVP & General Manager of Entertainment, [email protected]

MarketCast Digital Insights

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