This weekend has something for everyone - big action with IMMORTALS, Oscar bait with J. EDGAR and mindless comedy with JACK AND JILL. Men are connecting with IMMORTALS - 20% of men under 25 and 22% of men over 25 say that’s their first choice for the weekend. Women, on the other hand, aren’t so into the big mythological war. Only 3% of women under 25 and 4% of women over 25 say it’s their first choice. So all you fellas, leave your girl with her friends ’cause it’s 11/11 and IMMORTALS is jumpin jumpin’ (no? not feeling the Destiny’s Child reference? Moving on…). Older audiences are connecting with J EDGAR. 22% of men over 25 and 15% of women in the same age bracket say the Leonardo DiCaprio pic is their first choice for the weekend. 8% of younger men and 3% of younger women do as well. Younger women, it seems, are headed toward JACK AND JILL, with 12% of that demo listing the Adam Sandler twin cross-dressing comedy as their first choice. 10% of older women do as well, as do 8% of younger men and 4% of men over 25. The comedy is the lead in total awareness as well, with 83% of moviegoers recognizing the title, compared to 71% with J EDGAR and 69% with IMMORTALS.
The following weekend brings the much anticipated HAPPY FEET 2 and some other movie. Oh, wait. HAPPY FEET is not tracking well, with only 3% of male audiences, 7% of younger women, and 5% of older women listing it as their first choice for the weekend, despite 88% overall total awareness. Probably because November 18th sees the release of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1. With people already starting to line up for Monday’s premiere of the film, it’s no surprise that the tracking is huge. 91% of moviegoers are aware of the film, 45% are definitely interested in seeing it, and the first choice numbers are pretty terrific too. 8% of younger men and 10% of older men say it’s their first choice for the weekend, as do a remarkable 43% of women under 25 and 30% of women over 25. To compare it to that other huge franchise HARRY POTTER: HP was at 94% total awareness, 59% definite interest, 29% first choice among younger men, 27% among older men, 38% among younger women and 28% among older women two weeks before its release in July. So TWILIGHT is bigger with women, but Harry is bigger overall. We’ll see in March how The HUNGER GAMES compares.
Thanksgiving weekend isn’t looking too great at the theaters. ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is only at 47% total awareness, and only 23% of audiences are definitely interested in seeing the movie. First choice is at 1% among younger audiences, 2% among older women, and not at all among older men. Meanwhile, HUGO is only at 42% total awareness, 23% definite interest, and 1% first choice among younger audiences, 2% among older men, and 3% among older women. More advertising, please. We shouldn’t live in a world where JACK AND JILL is a bigger draw than a Scorsese movie. As for THE MUPPETS, despite a pretty heavy campaign for them to host the Oscars, and, you know, endless advertising (the film is at 81% total awareness), definite interest is only at 25% and first choice is at 5% among younger men, 4% among younger women, and 7% among older audiences. Wonder what Statler and Waldorf would have to say about that.
