Author: Isabelle Dacey

Netflix’s most expensive original film to date releases in late July and is intended to jumpstart a brand new action franchise for the streamer. Directed by the Russo brothers (of Marvel fame) and starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans as opposing CIA assassins, the film serves as an homage to high-octane 70s-style thrillers. Here’s what you need to know about The Gray Man:

Which audience will drive viewership for the title?
Older men. Males 35+ show the greatest demand (‘Promising’ at 114), very much in line with other recent Netflix male-led actioners like Extraction and 6 Underground and in keeping with the typical fanbase of the spy thriller genre. However, The Gray Man is unlikely to find the same success with women seen in the streamer’s breakthrough hit Red Notice (96 vs 116), which may have drawn a broader audience thanks to co-star Gal Gadot and its promising Buddy Comedy (110) driver.

What could help strengthen the movie’s appeal to women?
Gosling’s team-up with co-star Ana de Armas. While also a top ratings driver overall, the pair’s high-stakes Partnership (138) amidst danger and action as both race to escape the maniacal Evans is a particularly strong draw for women, most notably those <35 (158).

Will the Russo brothers’ propulsive action sequences be important to ratings?
Most definitely. The directors’ edge-of-your-seat Car Chases (121) and Stylized Physical Violence (111) are important drivers for demand, especially with their exhilaratingly chaotic blend of practical and visual effects.

What will make The Gray Man stand out from other action movies?
The mano-a-mano battle between two former CIA colleagues. The Face-Off (118) between Gosling’s on-the-run renegade agent and Evans’ psychopathic assassin in hot pursuit is the top concept driving the film’s freshness. The excitement of watching the pair square off, as well as the surrounding trickery, sprung traps, and themes of loyalty and betrayal will help this film stand out among Netflix’s other releases.

How does the film’s bestselling source material fit into its appeal?
It serves as a strong basis for the story’s Global Adventure (126). The Gray Man novel takes its ‘spy vs. spy’ plotline around the world, and this first movie adaptation filmed set pieces in both France and the Czech Republic as well as stateside—settings that will undoubtedly help bring in an international audience.

 

 

*Publicly released trailers for widely released films are evaluated using Vault AI’s algorithms – utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside historical box office performance and other datasets – to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive opening weekend success.

Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on opening weekend success: 

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About Vault AI

Based in Los Angeles and Israel, Vault AI is using a combination of machine learning and consumer insights experts to help the entertainment industry predict consumer response to content. Test your content faster and more accurately with Vault AI and get granular insights across the entire content life cycle today.

Netflix has achieved yet another breakout hit, this time in the form of a heartwarmingly sweet LGBTQ+ British teen rom-com. Released back in April, the series has shown considerable staying power, building on viewers’ positive word-of-mouth and touted in the media as one of the best new shows of 2022. Here’s what you need to know about Heartstopper:

What audience has been driving the show’s popularity?
Younger adult women. Although the show follows two teenage boys, Heartstopper viewers are heavily female (71%), with a full quarter made up of women 18-29. Its audience profile is similar to other recent teen-oriented romantic dramas, including Never Have I Ever, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Gossip Girl, and Love, Victor.

Has all the media buzz been accompanied by increased social chatter?
Most definitely. Heartstopper’s has seen a much more sustained level of online activity than the norm, coasting at our max (160) for the entire first month after launch (potentially receiving an extra boost from Pride Month). The show’s social buzz has outstripped more typically-performing comps like Love, Victor, Gossip Girl, and Never Have I Ever, which all saw drop-offs within a week after their initial release.

What has made this show such a breakout hit for Netflix?
Its sweet, heartfelt depiction of budding Teen Romance (160) and the ups and downs of Teen Life (144). The series delves into common high school rom-com tropes from an LGBTQ+ perspective and tells a universally relatable Coming of Age (124) story about finding first love.

What makes this series different from other teen high school romances?
The all-boys British grammar School Setting (160). This fresher and more unusual (to Americans, at least) version of the educational backdrop has made the setting a more central ratings driver than for other teen series like Euphoria, Pen15, and Love, Victor.

Which emotions has Heartstopper tapped into that are generating such praise?
Love (123) and Acceptance (118). The show’s inherent sweetness and positivity, especially around its central LGBTQ+ romance, are what’s creating such strong word-of-mouth; similarly, the Trust (118) and Anticipation (118) surrounding the budding relationship between teens Nick and Charlie play into its likely longevity.

 

 

*Publicly released trailers for series are evaluated using Vault AI’s algorithms – utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside ratings performance and other datasets – to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive success.

 

About Vault AI

Based in Los Angeles and Israel, Vault AI is using a combination of machine learning and consumer insights experts to help the entertainment industry predict consumer response to content. Test your content faster and more accurately with Vault AI and get granular insights across the entire content life cycle today.

Disney Pixar’s newest animated feature releases this weekend only in theaters and is already receiving the brand’s expected high level of critical acclaim. The film is a prequel of sorts to Toy Story, depicting the adventures of the (fictional) human astronaut, voiced by Chris Evans, that inspired young Andy’s beloved Buzz Lightyear action figure. Here’s what you need to know about Lightyear: