Month: February 2023

The newest film in the DC Universe will be releasing next month as the sequel to the wildly successful 2019 title Shazam! The franchise’s most family-friendly crusader, Shazam! tells the story of 15-year-old Billy Batson, an unhappy foster teen granted godlike powers by an ancient wizard; by simply uttering his alterego’s name, he gains the ability to transform into an adult superhero and  save the world. This new movie continues his adventures as he fights alongside his team of similarly supercharged foster siblings against a newer, scarier set of villains.

Here’s what you need to know about Shazam! Fury of the Gods:

Will the same Shazam! audience show up for the sequel?
Yes. We’re predicting that Fury of the Gods will be as broadly appealing as the first movie, luring in both the male-skewing DC fanbase as well as the family crowd with kids and their parents. Our model suggests that demand will be highest for boys under 18 (148), with men 18-29 (141) right behind.

Why will moviegoers want to buy tickets?
Thrilling action. The Fury of the Gods trailers showcase the same elements that attracted viewers to the original Shazam! (Superhero Adventures, 117; Super Powers, 113; Fighting Crime, 112) but on a broader scale now that teen Billy Batson has learned to fully use his special powers. This time, Mass Destruction (139) is on order within the iconic New York Cityscape (126), with cars, buildings, and other immense objects–and Shazam himself–crashing, Falling (123), and generally causing mayhem.

What makes Shazam so likable?
His emotional depth. Of course, Batson’s one-word transformation into his high-powered alterego (Superhero Suit, 134) and manipulation of The Living Lightning (116) (among other cool abilities) continue to be audience highlights. But before he can save the day, our hero must overcome crippling Self-Doubt (114) as he struggles to find his place in a world with Batman, Aquaman, and other impressive megastars. (Just as in the first movie, fans will undoubtedly appreciate the larger DC Universe (133) references.)

What will set Fury of the Gods apart from its predecessor?
Bigger, badder villains. In the second film, Shazam must face off against the Daughters of Atlas, a trio of fearsome Female Supervillains (131) who want to steal his powers and are willing to destroy the world in the process. On their side is a veritable army of supernatural monsters, including a massive, formidable Dragon (115) that threatens to crush Shazam himself.

What makes Shazam unique as a superhero?
His supercharged Foster Siblings (110). Unlike Batman and Aquaman, Shazam fights with a team, and it’s this group of teens-turned-adult-superheroes that makes the franchise stand out. Shazam himself granted them powers by sharing his own, and the unbreakable bond forged among this adopted clan both sets up the movie’s family-friendly themes and serves as its primary driver of freshness.

Coming to Amazon Prime next month is a hotly anticipated new limited series based on the New York Times bestselling novel by author Taylor Jenkins Reid. The show outlines the rise and fall of a fictional 1970s rock band partly inspired by Fleetwood Mac, with lead singer Daisy–played by Elvis Presley’s real-life granddaughter–vaguely channeling Stevie Nicks.

Here’s what you need to know about Daisy Jones & the Six:

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes Netflix’s buzzy new romantic comedy that sees two stalwarts of the genre working together for the first time. From the writer of rom-com classics The Devil Wears Prada, 27 Dresses, and Morning Glory, the film stars Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher as two long-distance best friends who trade lives for a week. Peter takes care of Debbie’s teenage son in Los Angeles and Debbie finds new love in Peter’s New York. Ultimately, this trade-off sparks growth, connection, and a final realization of the feelings the pair have always harbored for each other.

Here’s what you need to know about Your Place or Mine:

Who will be tuning in to check out this new movie?
Women. We’re predicting a heavily female audience with demand greatest among women 18-54 (123-128), numbers in line with the overall rom-com genre where adult characters take the lead. (Teen girls will likely show softer interest thanks to the lack of teenage protagonists.)

What is Your Place or Mine’s most important driver of demand?
The irresistible comfort of a familiar story. Above all, viewers will be drawn to the film’s Classic Rom-Com (160) trappings, leaning into the standard hallmarks of the genre that serve up the warm, fuzzy feelings they crave: the Awkward & Funny Moments (136) that inject humor and relatability; the inevitable Love Triangle (127) with an unlucky third party; and the climax of Learning the Truth (116) where the characters at long last discover their own feelings for each other. In these types of movies, it’s not the destination but rather the journey that’s important, and audiences will delight in watching the lead couple fumble their way toward each other for a final onscreen kiss.

What else is key for pulling in viewers?
The film’s sticky premise. The set-up of Your Place or Mine creates a compelling scenario ripe for character growth and ultimate audience satisfaction, as two protagonists with opposing personalities and lifestyles migrate toward each other and eventually meet in the middle. The Complicated Relationship (145) between Debbie and Peter–a long-lived, long-distance friendship that blurs the lines between platonic and romantic–makes their decision to Switch Places (141) and live each other’s lives for a week all the juicier, and the fact that they’re coming from opposite perspectives–Debbie’s an uptight Single Mother (139) to a teenage son, while Peter’s an impulsive swinging bachelor–amps up the drama. All are important drivers of demand.

What will set this film apart from other rom-com classics?
The quirks of the central exchange. More specifically, the focus on Debbie’s POV (119) as she delights in a number of revelations (new city, new fling, old friend turned lover) in middle-age, broadens her perspective, and opens herself up to new experiences is a top driver of freshness, as are the two swapped Wingwomen (116) (Tig Notaro, Zoë Chao) who step in to help each character acclimate to their temporary new life. The fact that Debbie and Peter have maintained a successful Long-Distance Friendship (112) for twenty years via video calling and other technology also makes the film feel modern and up-to-date.

What’s driving the current social buzz?
The cast and the release date. Potential viewers are largely tweeting about the involvement of popular leads Witherspoon and Kutcher, with many excited to see them return to the rom-com format, as well as the film’s well-timed arrival during the Valentine’s Day season.

What is Vault AI?

HBO will revisit Richard Nixon’s 1972 Watergate scandal in its anticipated new five-part limited series premiering in late March. From the showrunner of Veep and a producer of Succession, the show comedically turns the spotlight away from Nixon and onto his core operatives E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux), the masterminds behind the ill-conceived plot that accidentally doomed the Presidency they were trying to protect.

Here’s what you need to know about White House Plumbers:

Who will be tuning in for this political dramedy?
Older men. We’re anticipating a male-skewing audience (56%) that leans heavily 35+ (94%, with 69% aged 55+), numbers nearly identical to cable’s other recent Watergate miniseries (Starz’s Gaslit, at 54% male / 93% aged 35+) but considerably more masculine than the creators’ previous efforts for HBO (Veep, at 51% male, and Succession, at 50% male).

What type of story will White House Plumbers be telling?
A humorous take on a real-world felony. Because of its deep dive into the historical record, this series ticks the boxes for Crime (122), History (122), Biography (120), and Drama (115), but both its ratings and watchability will get a considerable boost from its inclusion of Political (160) and Satirical Humor (117) derived from the foolhardy figures at its center.

Which element of the story will most drive ratings?
A new angle on the Watergate scandal. The show’s fusion of sharp comedy with the national drama of Committing a Crime (160) so culturally significant will make the 70’s-set show feel both fresh and modern. The series will revel in the fact that, thanks to their warped and Difficult Workplace (131)–campaign staffers were expected to do anything and everything to get Nixon reelected–Liddy and Hunt thought that breaking into the now-infamous Watergate hotel to spy on the DNC was a good idea.

What will make this limited series bingeworthy?
The audacity of the politics involved. Viewers will lean in to see the insane-but-true reality of Nixon’s 1972 presidential campaign (Political Life, 157) as well as his administration’s spiral into Conspiracy & Cover Ups (133) after the Watergate plot began to unravel. The general fact that the show is Based on a True Story (107) adds to the appeal, but it’s the specific details of the events in question that will really excite audiences.

What will viewers be talking about?
The dynamic duo of absurd political masterminds. The Teamwork (135) between Hunt and Liddy as partners on Nixon’s Special Investigations Unit–a White House team tasked with plugging information leaks that would make the president look bad–and in the planning of the Watergate scheme will be the show’s top driver of social buzz. The stacked cast–featuring names like Judy Greer, Lena Headey, Kiernan Shipka, Domhnall Gleeson, and Kathleen Turner in addition to Harrelson and Theroux–won’t hurt either.

What is Vault AI?