Are Indie Releases the Key to Attracting Older Demographics?

 While the blockbuster slate for September and October has not really performed as we’d hoped, we’ve seen some fantastic performances (in their class) from specialty and indie releases of late. As we get stuck into the demographics for these films, one thing is surprisingly clear- they lean toward older demographics, the same people that have been reluctant to return to theaters in the wake of the pandemic closures. Blake & Wang P.A. entertainment attorney, Brandon Blake, takes a look at this fascinating revelation- and what it could mean for theaters domestically.

 


                                                                          Brandon Blake

 

A Thriving Specialty Market

 

Despite the slightly lackluster performance of Venom: The Last Dance this weekend, it is notable that four of this weekend’s top films were indie titles. Five, if you are willing to include The Substance. Conclave even worked its way into the weekend’s No. 3 spot.

                                               

Studios like Focus Features, which is behind Conclave, have also proved to be remarkably good at attracting those older demographics to cinemas. Conclave turned in a staggering 77% of its viewership over 35, with 44% over 55. At the post-pandemic box office, that’s a rarity indeed.                                

Courting Older Audiences

 

In fact, some of the enduring box office issues since the pandemic closures have been attributed to the missing 55+ demographic and the smaller 35+ demographic. To address this, the key lies in a reliable stream of appealing films that reinvest them in the theatrical experience.

 

The 2024 box office is seeing a remarkable uptick in successful indie films, even as some of this year’s most anticipated blockbusters have failed to land. With films like Anora managing an impressive $867K off of just 24 screens and a cume of $1.6M, we’re seeing strong pointers that indies, not tentpoles, could be the secret to luring these coveted adult demographics back to the cinematic experience.

 

While numbers alone won’t let a specialty release compete at scale with the likes of Deadpool and Wolverine, focusing theatrical efforts on enhancing this indie boom could be the secret to boosting this demographic in theaters overall- and with renewed interest will inevitably come greater attendance, too.

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