62% of teens said they missed the cinema the most out of all the entertainment activities stopped in lockdown, more so than going to a cafe or restaurant (18%), going to a gig or concert (14%) or visiting a theme park (4%)
92% of teens say they are planning on returning to the cinema once they open and nine in ten (88%) said they felt safe heading back to the cinema
Eight in ten (82%) teens think it’s important for films to have age ratings, to help protect younger children (57%), so they know what a film contains (47%), and so they can make informed decisions (37%)
Teens are most looking forward to watching Black Widow (36%), followed by No Time To Die (21%) and The Suicide Squad (19%)
Today, as cinemas open their doors for the first time in months, new research by the British Board of Film Classification has revealed that going to the cinema was the most missed entertainment activity among teens during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and they can’t wait to head back to the movies.
Almost two thirds (62%) of 13-18 year olds said they missed the cinema the most out of all the activities that were stopped during lockdown, more so than eating at a cafe or restaurant (18%), going to a gig or concert (14%) or visiting a theme park (4%). An overwhelming majority (92%) say they will be returning to the movies in the next few months.
Nine in ten (88%) teens said they felt safe returning to the cinema, and said they have missed the big screen (83%), the shared experience of watching a film (52%) and talking about new releases with friends (48%). A quarter said they missed seeing the trailers (26%) and one in seven (14%) even missed the pick n mix!
Over eight in ten (82%) teens think it’s important for films to have age ratings, to help protect younger children (57%), so they know what a film contains (47%), and so they can make informed decisions (37%).
Sarah Peacock, Compliance and Education Manager, said: “For decades, generations of teens have loved going to the cinema to see the latest release on the big screen, and Gen-Z is no different. Cinema going was the thing that 13-18 year olds told us they missed most during lockdown, and who can blame them! The silver screen has always had that extra special bit of magic, and we’re so pleased to see cinemas slowly start to open up again for everyone to enjoy.”
When deciding what to watch, the majority (77%) of teens said they watched the trailer to make their decision. Over half (52%) base their decision on reading reviews, and 41% turn to social media.
When it comes to what big releases teens are most looking forward to watching, Black Widow was the clear front runner (36%), followed by No Time To Die (21%) and The Suicide Squad (19%).
Sarah Peacock added: “It’s very encouraging to see that teens think age ratings are an important tool, that helps protect their younger siblings and encourages them to choose well. If you’re heading back to the cinema in the next couple of months - whether you’re planning on watching Peter Rabbit 2, Spiral - From The Book of Saw, Black Widow or Cruella - make sure to check out the age rating and ratings info on our website or free app, so you can view what’s right for you.”
Phil Clapp, Chief Executive of the UK Cinema Association, said: "As UK cinema operators look forward to being able once again to welcome customers back over the coming weeks, the findings from this research are of course hugely welcome, but also confirm our own surveys which show a huge appetite amongst the UK public to return to the cinema as soon as they can.
“The focus of the BBFC research on young people is particularly interesting given the extent to which this group forms a core of the audience for many of our members’ venues. We’re delighted that after months of only being able to watch films at home or on mobile devices, this seems to have strengthened their desire to see movies on the big screen. The fact that teens equally recognise the huge efforts we have made to ensure that the experience is a safe as well as enjoyable one is also a major plus."
The BBFC has also published a listicle of all the films that are hitting the big screen.
