A new study is going around town this month that has some of the top studio executives talking. National Research Group, the analysis firm that specializes in entertainment and tech, commissioned a survey asking consumers to name up to five actors that would make them most interested in seeing a movie in a theater. Not Who are your favorite stars? or Whose movies do you most look forward to? This was, very specifically, Who do you most want to watch in a theater?
It’s the relevant question these days as studios debate the theatricality of film projects, and who to put in them in order to raise the perception of value in the theater-going experience. Zendaya is clearly a huge star, for instance, but can she open a movie in theaters? Do audiences still want to see Angelina Jolie on the big screen? Which Chris, if any Chris, actually puts butts in seats these days?
