Month: January 2023

Now that The CW has officially changed hands, new owner Nexstar has been heavily paring down its scripted slate, including canceling nearly all of its previously-existing DC Universe series. This change in direction makes the March premiere of its newest superhero title all the more notable, and if the network is going to take a chance on a caped crusader, Batman and his Gotham City legacy is a pretty good bet to make. The show kicks off with Bruce Wayne’s murder and follows the dubious alliance forged between his rebellious son and the children of his mortal enemies to prove their own innocence in the slaying; at the same time, they must protect their desperate city from a crime spree free-for-all in the wake of Batman’s demise. Here’s what you need to know about Gotham Knights:

Auteur director M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller-with-a-twist will be releasing theatrically via Universal Pictures in early February, and its gripping set-up has already fueled considerable social buzz. In this new tale–his first R-rated film since 2008’s The Happening–a family of three on an idyllic wilderness vacation is taken hostage by four armed strangers demanding the impossible: choose a family member to sacrifice to avert an impending apocalypse. Here’s what you need to know about Knock at the Cabin:

Who will be buying tickets?
We’re predicting a theatrical audience that leans male (54%) and skews heavily older (68% aged 30+). Shyamalan’s niche is horror thrillers, but he casts a wide net when it comes to audience: his recent films Old, Glass, and Split all skew younger than Knock at the Cabin and lean more female (barring Glass, which also leans male 54%).

What type of movie should viewers expect?
A suspenseful nail-biter that makes them think. In keeping with the director’s typical oeuvre, Knock at the Cabin is a Horror (135)–Thriller (124) with elements of Sci-Fi (118) and Mystery (118), the latter teasing the audience about the true nature of the existential threat (is the apocalypse real or are the strangers crazy?). The intense Emotional Rollercoaster (114) that ensues will play into audience demand and keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Which aspect of the film’s high concept is its biggest draw?
The mysterious Armed Strangers (140). The four crazed, desperate people who force their way into the cabin and hold the family hostage (Breaking and Entering, 116) set up the film’s sticky central conceit, and audiences already want to know more about them. Who they are, where they came from, and why they were chosen as apocalyptic messengers will determine the family’s ultimate chances of survival (Life in Danger, 117). At the same time, the Scared Daughter (125) under attack with her fathers ups the movie’s emotional stakes and provides an even greater obstacle for the strangers’ mission: would they really hurt a little girl?

What will make Knock at the Cabin stand out from previous M. Night Shyamalan movies?
The family’s Impossible Decision (136). The trio are forced to choose between saving their loved ones and saving the world, and the gut-wrenching sacrifice as well as the moral ambiguity wrapped up in their forced ultimatum is the film’s primary driver of freshness. Additionally, the Diversity (132) built into the casting–the characters represent a wide range of types and ethnicities, including the LGBTQ+ family–helps the film feel modern, a concern especially important to female viewers.

What are people talking about?
Its high concept and pedigree. The family’s impossible choice is driving many tweets and online comments in the run-up to the movie’s release, with potential viewers discussing what they themselves would do in a similar situation. Fans are also leaning into the cast (most notably Dave Bautista) and speculating about the expected twist given its M. Night Shyamalan connection. However, while the director’s brand (IP Extension, 99) helps to generate buzz, it’s the sticky plot specifics that will actually drive demand and convince theatergoers to buy tickets.

What is Vault AI?

Next month, Amazon Prime will be releasing a compelling new pitch-black comedy-thriller starring two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz. Waltz plays Regus Patoff, a creepy, diabolical consultant hired by a struggling gaming company to improve their business practices; the more Patoff becomes embedded within the company, the more power and control he gains, until the once-normal workplace becomes a truly terrifying and dangerous place. Here’s what you need to know about The Consultant:

Who will be tuning in?
A fairly balanced audience. Viewership is predicted to lean only slightly male (52% male / 48% female), with a roughly even distribution between key adult age brackets (about 30% each for 18-29, 30-44, and 45+). In contrast, similar dark comedy-thrillers Severance and Barry leaned more heavily male, while Dead to Me and The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window skewed female, and all appealed to a slightly older crowd.

What type of series is The Consultant?
A biting workplace satire. The show leverages dark, Twisted Humor (160), cruel irony, and sarcasm to comment on the often-toxic modern relationship between boss and employee, a tack that will captivate audiences and drive bingeability. At the same time, the humor is supported with elements of a psychological Thriller (114), a potentially supernatural Sci-Fi (120) Mystery (117), and just a twinge of Horror (107).

What’s the show’s biggest draw?
Its Focus on Business (144). The Consultant’s foreboding, office-centric narrative explores dysfunctional Workplace Dynamics (124) and Co-Worker Relationships (117) evolving within an extremely Difficult Workplace (149) as consultant Patoff becomes increasingly tyrannical and manipulative and gains control over the entire gaming company. Though intended as a gross exaggeration, this set-up will nevertheless prove uncomfortably familiar to many viewers, propelling both ratings and longevity.

What will keep audiences hooked?
The employees’ predicament. As his bizarre actions ramp up, Patoff falls Under increased Suspicion (140) for having a dangerous hidden agenda (was that actually a body he just convinced an underling to hide?), and the company workers face a stark Moral Dilemma (127) in choosing between their livelihoods and their integrity. Their compelling struggle will both contribute to the show’s bingeability and drive its social buzz.

What type of emotional experience will audiences find most compelling?
A hatred for Patoff. Viewer engagement will be directly tied to the levels of Disapproval (127), Anger (127), Loathing (127), and Contempt (127) inspired by the tyrannical consultant, along with a thrilling sense of Apprehension (127) surrounding his ultimate agenda.

What is Vault AI?

In 1994, director James Cameron’s movie True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, became the third-largest domestic title of the year; this March, nearly three decades later, that hit film will be getting the TV treatment with the release of a promising new action series on CBS. Like the film, the show is centered around skilled international spy Harry and his unsuspecting wife Helen, who believes he’s merely a boring IT salesman; after she discovers the truth, she becomes his partner in espionage as well as life, and the pair ultimately become a super-spy duo. Here’s what you need to know about True Lies:

Who will be tuning in?
Older women. The expected audience (58% female, 96% aged 35+) for this CBS thriller falls right in line with that of the network’s other case-of-the-week series (FBI, S.W.A.T., Magnum P.I., The Equalizer, NCIS, CSI: Vegas), suggesting that the Eye Network continues to play expertly to its base. These older viewers are also the most likely to remember the original True Lies movie.

What will inspire audiences to check out this new show?
Helen’s World being Turned Upside Down (133). Viewers will tune in primarily to witness the shocking revelation that will up-end her well-ordered life: that her seemingly bland, predictable husband is actually an international spy. As Helen is thrust into the Action & Violence (131) of Harry’s everyday life, she finds excitement in their adrenaline-fueled escapades and willingly puts her own Life in Danger (111) to join forces with him.

What type of emotional experience will pull in audiences?
The same sense of edge-of-your-seat danger that Helen comes to love. The Fear (115) and Apprehension (115) stirred up by Helen and Harry’s risky missions, in-the-field snap decisions, and by-the-skin-of-their-teeth breathtaking escapes, will engage viewers and help keep ratings high.

What will make this series so gripping?
Its intriguing world of spies and secrets. Harry’s globe-spanning Espionage (137), the clandestine nature of his missions, and his tantalizing Secret Life (121) will cause the True Lies show to become just as much a fan favorite as the original 1994 movie (IP Extension, 127).

What will carry this series into a second season?
The loving and funny Tasker family. Viewers will become invested in the Family Relationship (122) between Helen, Harry, and their two kids, as well as root for the spy couple in their eventual (and effective!) espionage Team Up (112). Along their journey, unexpected and funny moments of Twisted Humor (120) will keep things light and entertaining in the midst of all the action and violence, making audiences beg for more.

What is Vault AI?

With a high-concept title that it wears proudly on its sleeve, this February opener is sure to turn heads. While Cokey the title character does all the work to grab your attention, the oddball group of characters ranging from tourists to cops and criminals all have backstories that root the film in some semblance of reality. Here’s what you need to know about Cocaine Bear:

Who will show up in theaters for this horror-comedy?
Older-skewing audiences (58% 30+), with a male lean (59%). This predicted core audience demographic is attracted to key film concepts like its Dark Comedy (148), the Drug Theme (146), and Blood and Gore (123).

How does the early social chatter look?
Excited, bordering on carnivorous. Most of the chatter revolves around the film’s crazy title, and second to that, the fact that the film is inspired by true events. Cocaine Bear also has its own twitter account run by Cokey the bear himself, with pithy tweets like “Don’t coke the bear.”

What’s the film’s main attraction?
Its jumpscares. With Cokey the Ballistic Bear (129) on the loose, the film’s cops and criminals have their fingers on their triggers, while the helpless tourists can only cross their fingers and hope for the best. Life in Danger (160) is almost an understatement, with Chaotic Chase Scenes (115) and Blood and Gore (96) galore that’ll have you looking away in horror.

What makes this film stand out against others?
Its knowing humor. Inspired by True Events (111), this ludicrous story brings a moment in history to life with over-the-top antics and violence that are sure to surprise and entertain audiences. The Drug Theme (160) involving Cokey on a bender rampage matched with a delightful Dark Comedy (160) tone maxes out our freshness scale.

What genres comprise Cocaine Bear?
A broad array. The film is a combination of Thriller (115), Adventure (115), and Action (111) genres, with a palpable sense of Comedy (97) seeping in.

What is Vault AI?