Author: Claire Turner

After F9 became one of the pandemic’s biggest successes, the second-to-last installment of Universal’s Fast & Furious series will arrive theatrically in mid-May to revved-up anticipation. This new film will introduce Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, and Rita Moreno to the franchise’s already extensive cast and will tell part one of the saga’s two-part final story of revenge and family.

Here’s what you need to know about Fast X:

Who will be lining up on opening weekend?
Men. As with the previous nine, the tenth Fast & Furious movie is predicted to lean heavily male (62%), with men of all ages expressing an outstanding level of demand (139). Teen girls and women 30+ also look promising (110-111).

What will be this penultimate film’s biggest draw?
The Fast Franchise (160). Theatergoers will once again be drawn in by the brand’s core DNA: thrillingly Over-the-Top Action & Violence (157), adrenaline-spiking High-Speed Chases (123) with reckless Dom in the Driver’s Seat (116)–this time involving a fully vertical race–and a large, recurring ensemble cast that truly feels like family.

What will set Fast X apart from the earlier Fast & Furious films?
The next generation. While the Fast movies have always centered on family, Fast X will take the theme a step farther by exploring the specific legacy of Fathers & Sons (117): villain Dante Reyes seeks revenge for his own father’s death (in Fast Five) by targeting Dom’s eight-year-old boy, who the tough leader is terrified of losing.

Is this latest antagonist an important draw for the film?
Definitely. After the franchise essentials, Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes will be a top driver of demand for Fast X (New Villain, 114), and the dynamic threat he presents to our heroes–along with the dazzlingly exotic locales he frequents–will help bring in women (121) even more than men (113).

Paramount+ will once again be bringing fresh viewers to an old story with the late-April release of its familiar-yet-new erotic psychological thriller. Starring Lizzy Caplan and Joshua Jackson, the limited series offers an updated take on the 1987 film of the same name, spinning the story of a volatile affair gone horribly wrong when a woman refuses to walk away from her married lover.

Here’s what you need to know about Fatal Attraction:

Who will be tuning in for this erotic thriller?
Women 30+. We’re anticipating a heavily female (74%), heavily older (74% aged 30+) audience, a viewership more in line with earlier Paramount+ originals like The Good Fight and Evil. In contrast, the streamer’s more recent string of adult dramas (Rabbit Hole, 1923, Tulsa King, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Offer, Halo, 1883, The Mayor of Kingstown, etc.) have all appealed more directly to men (skewing 57-68% male).

How important is the series’ links to the original movie?
Crucial. This new show is an updated and expanded take on the same baseline story, and its reinterpretation of the 1987 film (IP Extension, 129) will be a top ratings driver.

How will the show differentiate itself from the film?
By modernizing its viewpoint. While the movie is sometimes criticized as anti-feminist, the show will recontextualize its villain’s core desires of Power (125), Independence (125), Family (124), and Acceptance (118) through a more modern lens, taking into account today’s views on strong women, personality disorders, and coercive control. This angle will boost both ratings and social buzz.

Why else will viewers be tuning in?
The edge-of-your-seat suspense. After an affair buried in Secrets & Lies (126), femme fatale Alex Forrest turns to Psychological Manipulation (123) to control her married ex-lover and maneuvers to completely destroy his life (Under Threat, 125). Their tense situation is underscored by emotions like Fear (125), Aggressiveness (125), Vigilance (125), and Anger (121), all of which will make thrill-seekers keen to check out the show.

What will keep audiences glued to their TVs?
The steamy romance. The hot and heavy Romantic Intimacy (133) that the pair share as their risky affair takes shape–they even flirt with Falling in Love (129) before things go very wrong–will help the show feel particularly bingeworthy.

Next week, Hulu will premiere a buzzy new limited series adapted from the popular book of self-help essays by bestselling memoirist Cheryl Strayed. The poignant dramedy stars Kathryn Hahn as Clare, a floundering writer who becomes a celebrated advice columnist while her own personal life is falling apart.

Here’s what you need to know about Tiny Beautiful Things:

Late next month, Amazon Prime Video will release the first entry in its new globe-spanning spy thriller universe developed by the Russo brothers. The franchise will center around an American ‘mothership’ series that explains the in-universe lore, with multiple local-language spin-offs in countries like India, Italy, and Mexico. The flagship show, already renewed for a second season, stars Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Stanley Tucci.

Here’s what you need to know about Citadel:

Who will be watching this landmark series?
Older men. We’re predicting that the audience will be mostly male (64%) and mostly aged 30+ (67%), unsurprising given Citadel’s action-heavy focus.  This profile actually skews more heavily male than similar spy thrillers Jack Ryan, The Terminal List, Reacher, and Treadstone, and falls closer to shooter-driven shows like Halo.

What will these viewers be tuning in to see?
The mission at hand. Spies Nadia and Mason band together (Teamwork, 133) as they Search for the Truth (111) about their missing pasts and Manticore’s mysterious rise, covering each other’s backs with their Lives in Danger (135) at every turn. Their present-day storyline is the top ratings driver.

What type of emotional experience will draw in viewers?
A nail-biting one. Audiences will lean in for Nadia and Mason’s heightened Fear (129) and Vigilance (111) as they slowly recall their shared past as well as their Anger (111) over what was done to them.

What will keep the audience engaged?
The Flashback Format (128). The show jumps between the spies’ past lives as active Citadel agents and their present memory-less state, and the high-stakes Citadel vs. Manticore battle (Good vs. Evil, 113) that plays out throughout this split timeframe will keep viewers hooked.

What will give the series momentum going into season two?
The spy lifestyle. The clandestine Dangerous Missions (128) encompassing far-flung International Locations (123) are top longevity drivers and will provide plenty of compelling story fodder, both for Citadel and its global spin-offs.

How will the Russo brothers’ signature style contribute to the show’s success?
By increasing both bingeability and longevity. The directors are known for their dynamic visual flair, with thrilling set pieces, energetic shots, and up-to-the-minute techniques (like TikTok-inspired camera angles), and their gloriously Stylized Action & Violence (125) showcased in Citadel will keep viewers watching.

How does the initial buzz look?
Very strong. Our social tracking spiked to 148 (out of a possible 160) after the teaser and 151 after the trailer drop, eclipsing the early campaign reactions to similar thrillers Reacher, The Terminal List, and season three of Jack Ryan. Given these series’ success (all three maxed out our social buzz meter upon release), it’s practically a given that Citadel will make a big splash when it lands in April.

Which aspect of the show will have the greatest international appeal?
The Secret Organizations. The top viewership driver around the world is the rivalry between Citadel and Manticore and the agencies’ intriguingly clandestine operations; this angle will help pull in a multi-country audience for Citadel and thus set up the local spin-offs for success.

Late next month, HBOMax will give another boost to the recent true crime drama trend by releasing a new limited series that delves into the whys and wherefores of a brutal real-life murder. Created by the ever-prolific David E. Kelley, the show stars Elizabeth Olsen as Texan housewife Candy Montgomery, who was accused in 1980 of taking an ax to her lover’s wife–who also happened to be her best friend.

Here’s what you need to know about Love & Death:

Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

Who will be tuning in for this dramatized murder?
Older women. We’re predicting an audience that’s 61% female and 70% aged 30+, a profile similar to the viewership for other female-led recent true crime dramas like The Thing About Pam, Inventing Anna, The Girl from Plainville, The Act, and Candy, Hulu’s 2022 take on the same memorable story.

What type of story will Love & Death be telling?
A layered one. The series opens with a murder Mystery (126), teasing questions about victim and slayer, and from there spins out a complicated, outrageous tale of Crime (124), interpersonal Drama (122), uneasy suspense (Thriller, 114), and a central character who contains multitudes (Biography, 111).

What will be the show’s biggest selling point?
Its complex relationships. As told through Candy’s warped perspective (The Accused POV, 135), the audience will get a front row seat to the building Romantic Tension (138) between the soon-to-be murderer and her lover, the Marital Problems (123) mushrooming within her own marriage, and the tangled, intersecting Family Relationships (127) between the two couples at the heart of this story. This series is living proof that Small Town Life (120) doesn’t always equal small town happenings, and all are top ratings drivers.

What will keep viewers watching?
The depravity of the real-life case. Candy’s betrayal of her victim and over-the-top choice of weapon–she struck her friend 41 times with a wood splitting ax–will create an irresistible trainwreck of Bloody Violence (126) and Dark Themes (125) from which audiences won’t be able to look away. The fact that it’s all Based on a True Story (128) will make the entire tale even more compelling.

How does the social buzz look?
Strong. The show has already reached a high-water mark of 140 (out of a possible 160) with only a teaser trailer; things will undoubtedly pick up even more as its campaign gets underway (a pattern mimicking Candy, which maxed out our buzz meter upon release). Once it airs, viewers will be tweeting about the same jarring elements that will make it so deliciously bingeable (its dark, twisted streak).