John Krasinski’s new family movie IF debuted in the US, attracting a significant infrequent* moviegoing audience. This group represented 35% of the total opening weekend audience, surpassing the benchmark for all movies recorded in Movio’s Research Console.

Additionally, IF over-indexed among very frequent moviegoers at 9%, compared to the usual 3% benchmark, with 20% of its audience having visited the cinema within the last month. Comparable title, The Fall Guy, based on Movio’s Similarity Algorithm, also attracted the same proportion of very frequent moviegoers during its opening weekend.

The rise in very frequent moviegoers is evident, with the average for 2024’s opening weekends so far sitting at 17%, 3% higher than the same period in 2023 (January-May). These moviegoers tend to purchase their tickets before the movie’s release, with IF seeing very frequent moviegoers account for an impressive 18% of its pre-release audience. In contrast, infrequent moviegoers are more likely to buy their tickets after the movie’s release.

Admissions

IF attracted mostly family viewings as shown by the large proportion of group admissions. 3+ ticket purchases accounted for 50% of the opening weekend, although this is 7% lower than group admissions for similar title, Migration, indicating a potential to further encourage groups to the cinemas with exclusive marketing incentives.

Single admissions under-indexed at 21%, although over-indexed during the pre-release period with these moviegoers preferring to secure their tickets early (34%) unlike group purchasers, who prefer to wait until post-release (52%).

Demographic breakdown

Young parents and their children comprised 47% of the opening weekend audience. The largest represented age group was 35-44-year-olds at 27%, followed by 2-11-year-olds at 19%.

Females represented over half of the opening weekend audience, with 53% opting in for standard format screenings. While males were under-represented overall during opening weekend, they represented 55% of PLF (Premium Large Format) screenings.

Marketing Opportunities

With family releases tending to have a longer tail of admissions, there is plenty of opportunity to engage additional audiences for this film, which kicks off the summer family season.

The discrepancy in gender for PLF attendance highlights a significant marketing opportunity to attract more female viewers, particularly mothers and their kids, to PLF screenings.

For example, more family-friendly screening times for PLF sessions such as mid-morning or early afternoon on weekends. These time slots are more accessible for mothers who want to take their children out for an entertaining day. "Given the genre and subject matter, there’s scope to take a playful approach,” says Vista Group Client Services Director, Lauren Greene. “For instance, the offer of a 2-4-1 deal where guests can bring their “imaginary friend” could make the experience both more affordable and appealing for families, even enticing repeat visitation across the theatrical run.”

With the comparable title, The Fall Guy, having drawn an older audience, there’s also an opportunity to reach frequent moviegoers who have recently seen this title, particularly those in the 25-34 age group, who are currently under-represented. For the older crowd, think about leveraging the star power of Ryan Reynolds in your comms for the live-action film, perhaps focusing on those who purchase tickets to Deadpool & Wolverine, which goes on sale this week.

‍

*Frequency is based on a moviegoers' six-month session count:

< 2 = Infrequent
2-5 = Occasional
6-25 = Frequent
26+ = Very Frequent