Bohemian Rhapsody success sees rise in demand for musical biopics
Film lovers are clamouring for movies based on David Bowie, Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, according to a survey.
After the success of 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody, based on rock group Queen, researchers polled the British public to find out what other musical stories they’d like to see on the silver screen.
Other dream rock star biopics which appear in the top 10 wishlist include those of Kurt Cobain, Madonna and Stevie Wonder.
Robbie Williams’ colourful career was the seventh most-wanted musical life-story, according to the poll of 3,000 adults.
The research was conducted by comparethemarket.com, whose Meerkat Movies promotion offers cinemagoers two-for-one tickets.
Pier Paolo Pettineo, head of Meerkat Movies, said: “Bohemian Rhapsody was a huge success last year, as was the Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper film A Star is Born.
“Meerkat Movies users also loved Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! which suggests Brits’ love of musical movies is stronger than ever.
“Our first annual Meerkat Movies Cinema Index uncovered lots of other interesting trends – it will be great to see whether the film industry plans to make any more of these rock star biopics.”
The data also discovered that cinemagoers used Meerkat Movies 4.3 million times in 2018, compared to 3.8 million the year before.
When it comes to iconic characters, 75 per cent of consumers polled felt James Bond should remain as a male lead.
And if a movie were to be made chronicling the ups and downs of Brexit, Dame Helen Mirren topped the shortlist of actresses to play Theresa May.
Nearly a third of respondents believe a film has impacted their views on ethical issues such as use of plastics and veganism.
In fact, 32 per cent say they are using less single use plastic as a result of watching a film and a quarter reveal they now eat less meat.
And when it comes to cinema snacks, popcorn is a non-negotiable for 41 per cent of cinema-goers.
And on the long-debated topic of sweet vs. salty popcorn, the survey revealed 45 per cent of the nation embrace their sweet tooth over 20 per cent of salt enthusiasts, with a sweet and salty mix favoured by 24 per cent.
Phil Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association, said: “A diverse slate of films, combined with massive investment in new and refurbished cinemas, saw the highest
levels of cinema-going in 2018 for almost 50 years.
“It’s fantastic to see ever more people using Meerkat Movies to enjoy the magic of the big screen.”
To view the Cinema Index, go to https://www.comparethemarket.com/customer-rewards/meerkat-movies/cinema-index/
THE TOP 10 MOVIE BIOPICS BRITS WANT TO SEE
1. David Bowie
2. Bob Marley
3. Frank Sinatra
4. Kurt Cobain
5. Madonna
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Robbie Williams
8. Cher
9. Bruce Springsteen
10. Janis Joplin