We get some interesting insights into two female-led films that are released back-to-back with the Rachel Zegler Hunger Games movie and the Brie Larson Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels.
There are similarities as both actresses are unlikable with their similar views, controversial comments, and politics, and both movies are underperforming at the box office.
The Marvels has the worst MCU box office in history and continues to do so, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is presently on track for a franchise-low as well, much lower than the Jennifer Lawrence films.
What is interesting about the two is that while they share a similar box office outcome, the audiences are different.
More men turn out for The Marvels
In Deadline’s report about The Marvels Thursday previews ($6.6M), the site reported a majority of the audience was made up of men – 65%.
There has been the narrative online that men are to blame for the flick’s failure, but the men actually showed up to watch Brie Larson, not the women. Marvel has to deal with that. Something like 75% of the first Captain Marvel audience didn’t turn out for the sequel. Blaming the fans never works.
More girls and women turn out for Hunger Games
So for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the Thursday previews were held last night, which made less than The Marvels with $5.75M.
However, Deadline reports women showed up and made up 65% of the audience, which is actually higher than Mockingjay 2‘s 60% in 2015. So that means the women showed up to watch the flick and Rachel Zegler, but the men didn’t. It’s the opposite.
Check out the stats via Deadline which also reveal girls skipped out on The Marvels (and families and the younger crowd):
The Marvels:
The Marvels: 65% male leaning, with 45% men over 25, 22% women over 25 (giving it the best grades at 82%), men under 25 at 20%, and women under 25 at 14%. Biggest demo was 25-34 at 33%. Diversity demos were 36% Caucasian, 27% Latino and Hispanic, 17% Black, and 14% Asian.
Hunger Games:
The 18-34 turnout was huge at 75%. Biggest demos in descending order were women under 25 at 36%, followed by women over 25 at 28%, men over 25 at 21% and men under 25 at 14%. Girls under 12 showed up at 75% with kids overall saying that the movie is a must-see at 94%.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes also has a higher Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score, 91%, than The Marvels‘ 84%. Critics are similar with 61% for THG and 62% for Captain Marvel 2.
THG also cost a lot less to make, around $100M plus marketing, while The Marvels cost north of $200M.
