Though The Walking Dead vanquished its final zombie last year after eleven intense seasons, its broader shared universe lives on through numerous current spin-offs. The newest of these premieres next month on AMC and follows Maggie and Negan–two characters who survived the mothership series–on a journey through post-apocalyptic Manhattan, battling terrors both living and dead to rescue Maggie’s young son.

Here’s what you need to know about The Walking Dead: Dead City and the broader Walking Dead franchise:

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

What does The Walking Dead audience look like?
The shows’ linear viewership is fairly gender-balanced (50-54% male) and heavily older (86-91% aged 35+), matching viewing trends for cable TV. In contrast, those streaming the series include more men (54-60%) and under 30s (34-44%). We’re predicting that the Dead City audience will most closely mirror that of anthology Tales of the Walking Dead, which proved more male-skewing than The Walking Dead or Fear the Walking Dead. With a score of (135), fans of HBO’s The Last of Us will likely also be on board (as well as fans of the other AMC franchise series).

What makes these shows so popular?
Their tales of survival. From The Walking Dead through the upcoming Dead City, each series has featured a World Turned Upside-Down (118) thanks to a global zombie apocalypse, and viewers have tuned in each time for the resulting Scary Situations (125), moments of Life in Danger (137) suspense, and human vs. undead Action & Violence (120). The series also all feature strangers banding together (Team-Up, 121) to share Survival Skills (135) and offer mutual protection, a triumph of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. All are top ratings drivers.

How important is the franchise link to these shows’ success?
Crucial. Their shared universe–and its connection to the original Robert Kirkman comic books–is a top driver of bingeability across the board. Given that Dead City continues the narrative of characters originating in The Walking Dead, its IP Extension (160) is a particularly essential reason that viewers will want to keep watching.

What will set Dead City apart?
A more focused storyline. Whereas its predecessors have been much broader in scope and followed a host of different characters, Dead City hones in on only two and tracks their singularly Dangerous Mission (121) through downtown Manhattan (NYC Setting, 121), an urban locale new to the franchise.

What kind of emotional experience should viewers expect with Dead City?
An intense one. In keeping with its franchise brethren, the upcoming series rates as especially Bloody/Gory (131), Action-Packed (121), Violent (119), Scary (117), and Suspenseful (116), and audiences can anticipate feeling Tense (118) and Shocked (113) while watching. At the same time, we predict they’ll be more Thrilled (119) by the show than is typical for a horror title.

What can Dead City learn from its predecessors’ longevity?
Build out the interpersonal relationships. Both The Walking Dead (11 seasons) and Fear the Walking Dead (8 seasons) have succeeded for so long because of the tight-knit kinship that developed at their center. While viewers initially tune into these shows for the danger and apocalyptic setting, they stick around to watch the Family Relationships (133), Unlikely Friendships (116), and moving bonds of Protectiveness (116) that form among their core characters.

Early next month, Sony’s follow-up to its Oscar-winning, animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) hits theaters, and viewers will once again be treated to the Spider-ventures of teen Miles Morales as he navigates life as a web-slinging superhero. In this new installment, Miles teams up with Gwen Stacy and a host of other Spider-People to save the multiverse from The Spot, a tricky supervillain primed to cause catastrophic disaster.

Here’s what you need to know about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse:

Is Across the Spider-Verse a kids’ movie, or will it go broader?
Definitely broader, just like its predecessor. Leveraging Vault AI’s capability of creating and analyzing custom, hyper-targeted fan segments, this animated sequel looks promising not only with fans of other animated superhero titles (The Incredibles, Big Hero 6, Lego Batman, etc.) (112), but also with those who love the wider live-action MCU (111). Demand will likely be strongest among parents (132), followed by younger males <35 (110). We’re also predicting that it will outperform with Black audiences thanks to its lead.

What made the first Spider-Verse movie so compelling?
Spider-Man’s origin story. Whereas the live action Spider-Man films have focused on Peter Parker, Into the Spider-Verse introduced teen Miles Morales as the titular hero and explored what it meant for him to take up the storied mantle. Audiences leaned in to watch Miles Become Spider-Man (160) after Parker’s death and honor his legacy by Protecting New York (156) from fearsome villains.

What will set this upcoming Spider-Verse movie apart?
All the Spider-People. Bigger and broader in scope, Across the Spider-Verse leans hard into the multiverse (and the multi-Spider-Man) concept of the first film, bringing in a host of spandexed crusaders that keep their many universes running. As a result, the idea of their Superhero Team-Up (160)–and the references made to Spider-Man’s comic book origins (Comic Connections, 160)–is a bigger draw than it was for Into the Spider-Verse (141). The sequel’s Stylized Action (134), Enhanced Animation (134), and sticky new villain are also more prominent drivers this go-round.

How important is Miles’ own story in Across the Spider-Verse?
It’s supportive. While audience demand will be driven more by the web of Spider-People, Miles’ personal journey will give the film crucial emotional stakes. Viewers do want to follow the Coming of Age (125) tale begun in the first movie, and Miles’ Mentor and Protege Relationship (114) with multiverse Peter Parker, friendship with love-interest Gwen Stacy, and brave stand against the dubious head of the Spider-Society (Disagreements & Conflict, 114) are also promising elements.

How buzzy will this new movie be?
Very. We’re predicting outstanding scores for both Google search volume (126) and social buzz (121), meaning that Across the Spider-Verse will be a key topic for search activity and online chatter in the days around its release. Users will be talking about Miles’ Interdimensional Heroism (118) and the many Spider-People inhabiting the film’s multiverse.

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are back together again, this time with the Apple and Paramount film Killer of the Flower Moon, which showed off its first trailer today at CinemaCon to much anticipation. Their sixth film – a Western period piece investigating mysterious murders – is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this year before its official theatrical release in October.

Until the trailer is released publicly, it is worth examining for now how the Scorsese-Dicaprio canon might inform expectations for Killers of the Flower Moon.

Who shows up for Scorsese-Dicaprio movies?
Males, but not to the extent one might assume. Across the 5 titles (Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), there is a slight male skew (55%), which increases to 62-63% male for rough and tumble crime dramas The Departed and Gangs of New York. However, the mystery thriller Shutter Island (48% male) and the biographical drama The Aviator (46% male), attract more female viewers. There is less variation by age, with 69-74% of audiences aged 30+ across all titles.

As for Killers of the Flower Moon, a Western crime drama, the audience will certainly be older and male-skewing, but Dicaprio in a crime mystery will also draw in older females.

What makes Scorsese-Dicaprio narratives so compelling?
Seeing the darker side of human nature. Themes of Corruption & Greed (116) are central to the narratives and box office success. Greed also features prominently in Killers of the Flower Moon, where Osage tribe members experience newfound wealth due to the oil on their land. DiCaprio’s protagonists often face moral or psychological challenges that test their limits. For example, The Wolf of Wall Street is an explicit portrayal of the dangers of unchecked greed, while The Aviator explores the moral dilemmas that arise from pursuing success at any cost. In The Departed, the tension between personal ambition and moral duty drives the story.

What experience do viewers get from these movies?
Increasing tension and suspense as if the walls are closing in. Criminal Investigations (115) play a central role, heightening the stakes and driving the story forward. Viewers are left waiting for the proverbial “other shoe to drop.” In both Shutter Island and The Departed, DiCaprio portrays a law enforcement officer who becomes entangled in complex situations. Notably, in Killers of the Flower Moon, DiCaprio takes on a different role as the husband of one of the Osage tribe members, rather than the FBI agent leading the murder investigation, but is entangled in the conspiracy that the FBI are investigating.

What else can viewers expect to see?
Power struggles, both violent and subtle. Sudden Violence (118) is a common element of the canon, particularly in the portrayal of the brutal lives of crime families. The unpredictable actions of organized crime in The Departed and the street warfare in Gangs of New York exemplify this. However, not all conflicts are overtly violent. The intense corporate battles in The Aviator serve as a prime example. In Killers of the Flower Moon, the power struggle will likely take the form of DiCaprio’s character facing conflicting loyalties between his Osage wife and his powerful uncle.

What is a defining quality of the characters DiCaprio has played across the canon?
The embodiment of paranoia. DiCaprio’s characters are often grappling with their identities and navigating deception (Identity and Deception, 112). Examples include infiltrating dangerous organizations in The Departed and Gangs of New York, and contending with mental instability in Shutter Island and The Aviator. These internal struggles add depth to the characters and contribute to the films’ thematic explorations.

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).