4. Batman – The Dark Knight
These are some of the factors that contributed to The Dark Knight’s success in
attracting audiences:
• The Dark Knight is the sequel to the 2005 hit Batman Begins, many people who
had seen the first film would have been influenced to go and see the second.
• Batman is a character that has been around since 1939, which has allowed him to
build a great reputation among generations of people. The release of this film
invoked a sense of nostalgia among many of these people and persuaded them to
go and see the latest instalment of the caped-crusader’s action.
• The death of actor Heath Ledger after the completion of filming, just 6 months
before the release of the film created a stir and the publicity encouraged more
people to see the film.
• The film was heavily marketed by 42 Entertainment, however it was word-of-
mouth recommendations that caused masses of people to go and see the film.
5. Batman – The Dark Knight
• Heath Ledger’s acclaimed, stellar performance as the sadistic villain The Joker, is
regarded as one of the greatest performances in film. This encouraged many
people to go and watch the film.
• Despite the age rating of 12, I think people of all ages would want to see the film,
although the younger viewers may not be able to appreciate it as much as the
older viewers.
• The film was distributed by entertainment giants Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
They are one of the largest film, television and music entertainment production
and distribution companies in the world, and have build up a respectable
reputation, which may have assisted in luring more people in to watch the film.
They have also distributed other successful superhero films in the past such as the
Superman series, Catwoman, and previous Batman series this could have given
audiences more confidence that this film would also be good.
6.
7. Spider-Man
These are some of the factors that contributed to Spider-Man’s success in
attracting audiences:
• Spider-Man made his entry into the superhero world in 1962, and has
gone on to become one the most popular superheroes. His popularity
would have brought in numerous viewers.
• This was the first time Spider-Man had ever featured in a film and so his
large fan base streamed in to see the web-slinger.
• A solid performance from Tobey Maguire helped bring in a larger
audience.
8. Spider-Man
• Although the film had an age rating of 12, Spider-Man is a character that
appeals very strongly to younger audiences, and the character of Peter
Parker assisted teenage audiences in being able to relate to him.
• The film was distributed by Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. They are
one of the largest distribution companies in America and have a
reputable history, this would have given the film a firm foundation and
they would have effectively ensured maximum usage of the available
distribution channels.
9.
10. Iron Man
These are some of the factors that contributed to Iron Man’s success in attracting
audiences:
• Iron Man was first introduced in 1963, and has gone on to become one of the
Avengers. His popularity and prestige would have been one of the main factors for
the box office success.
• Iron Man had never featured in a film before this and so it was something fresh for
audiences, which would have convinced many of them to go and watch it.
• A large budget accompanied by a star cast would have persuaded many people to
go and watch the film, and another great performance from Robert Downey, Jr,
would have encouraged them to pass on good reviews of the film to others.
11. Iron Man
• Similarly to most other superhero films, this film has an age rating of 12.
Iron Man may not appeal much to the younger generation, but teenagers
and adults alike would be interested in such a film, and favour the film’s
protagonist.
• Iron Man was distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation, which is the
third largest film studio in the world. They were known for producing
blockbuster action movies such as Transformers and the Mission
Impossible films, and so people would have thought this film will have
similar qualities, which would have brought many of them in to watch it.
12.
13. The Incredibles
These are some of the factors that contributed to The Incredibles’ success in
attracting audiences:
• This was the first ever 3D computer animated superhero film, this would
be something that grasped the attention of potential audiences and
influenced their decision to watch the film.
• The Incredibles was the first ever film about a family of superheroes, this
appealed largely to families and with the stereotypes incorporated in the
film, families that went to watch the film could easily relate to it.
14. The Incredibles
• The film is rated PG, and appeals to people of all ages. It primarily attracts
the attention of children, who will convince their parents to go and watch
it, this would have contributed substantially to the box office success.
• The film was produced by Pixar distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, one of
the largest film distribution companies in the world. The combination of
Disney and Pixar in the past has produced excellent results, this
combination would have been the most significant factor in the film’s box
office success, as people who have seen any Disney Pixar films in the past
would want to go and watch their latest release.
15.
16. Hancock
These are some of the factors that contributed to Hancock’s success in attracting
audiences:
• Hancock had a new take on superheroes, instead of the average do-gooder,
Hancock is a lazy, angry, raging alcoholic that does more bad then good until he
has been reformed. Many people were interested in seeing a new, more realistic
and relatable type of superhero, and this would have contributed to the box office
success.
• Another genre convention that is not commonly challenged is that of race, most
superheroes are Caucasian whereas Hancock is black. This would have encouraged
many people to watch the film.
• Hancock is a brand new superhero, he hasn’t come from any Marvel or DC comics,
but was created for this film. Fans of the superhero genre would want to see this
new superhero, and this would have helped the box office success.
17. Hancock
• Will Smith is one of the most popular actors in the world, and his popularity would
have had one of the most significant impacts on the box office success of the film.
Smith gave a solid performance in this film, which would have encouraged positive
reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations.
• Hancock has an age rating of 12, which is appropriate as the film does not appeal
much to younger audiences. It would mostly be teenagers and adults who would
want to watch the film.
• Hancock was distributed by Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. They are popular
film distributors and have released successful superhero films in the past like the
Spider-Man trilogy and Ghost Rider, this would have encouraged people to watch
this new superhero film.
18.
19.
20. The Avengers
I think the target audience for The Avengers is primarily
males, however the inclusion of popular characters and
female characters may encourage more females to go
and watch the film. The inclusion of well known
characters such as Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk
will make people of all ages want to go and watch the
film, however I think they will be primarily targeting
teenagers and young adults. They will target people
with an interest in superhero films, and other explosive
action films, as this film appears to fit right in that
category.
21.
22. The Amazing Spider-Man
I think the target audience for The Amazing Spider-Man
will be teenagers and young adults, however Spider-
Man is a very popular character among younger people
and they will want to watch it too, also older people
may want to watch Spider-Man in action for a sense of
nostalgia. The primary target will be the male gender,
but Spider-Man is also popular among females. This
film will target the large Spider-Man fan base, as they
will all want to see their favourite superhero on-screen
again. Fans of action movies will also find this film
interesting and will want to watch it.
23.
24. The Dark Knight Rises
I think The Dark Knight Rises will be targeting mostly
males, however females that have seen The Dark
Knight will feel compelled to go and watch this latest
instalment. The film will be focusing more on teenagers
and younger adults, however Batman has been around
for so long, that many older people will want to watch
it. Not only Batman’s fan base, but the fans of the
Batman trilogy will want to come and watch this film.
Action film fans will be in for a treat and so they too
will be targeted.
25. Audiences
• The Dark Knight Rises – This film is coming off the back of a hugely
successful film The Dark Knight, and this will help it draw in
audiences. Batman has become a fan-favourite and this will lead to
many people going to watch it. The inclusion of Anne Hathaway
who has appeared in other successful movies will be a positive
point and may bring in more female audiences.
• The Avengers – This film is drawing in 6 popular characters from
previous films and combining them into one blockbuster, this will
help it draw in audiences. This is going to be the first movie of the
summer and so is likely to see positive opening box office results.
They have a star studded cast including Robert Downey Jr, Samuel L.
Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, which will also help bring in
audiences.
• The Amazing Spider-Man – Sam Raimi’s original trilogy may
encourage people to go and watch the film.
26. Star Actors & Star Directors
• Popular actors can significantly assist in bringing
in audiences, whereas bringing in new talents
can’t guarantee a large number of viewers.
• If a star actor puts in a strong performance, this
could result in positive word-of-mouth
recommendations, and bring in more audiences.
• Star directors give audiences confidence in the
film and make them want to watch it.
• If the director of a successful film makes a sequel,
this will also draw in a greater audience.
27.
28. Likes & Dislikes - Genre
These are some of the things that the group like about superhero films:
• The films are fast paced.
• They contain high-octane action sequences.
• They often contain romance.
• They often contain many attractive female characters.
These are some of the things that the group dislike about superhero films:
• They are very clichéd.
• There is sometimes too much action, and the film just becomes loud.
• The battle sequences are not often as impressive as they could be.
• Many of the films in the genre are similar.
• They are not very realistic.
• There are not many main female characters.
• The good guys always win which makes them predictable.
• The superhero loves someone but they can never really be together.
29. Likes & Dislikes - Storylines
These are some of the things that the group like about the
storylines of superhero films:
• They have a distinct beginning, middle and end.
• They are appropriate to the characters.
• They reveal the characters past which helps the audience
relate to them.
These are some of the things that the group dislike about the
storylines of superhero films:
• The storylines aren’t always engaging.
• They are not always satisfying.
• They are predictable.
30. Likes & Dislikes - Characters
These are some of the things that the group like about the characters in superhero
films:
• They are often portrayed by attractive actors.
• The audience often feel empathy for the superheroes when they see their tragic
past.
• In films like Spider-Man and Kick-Ass when the character begins in college, they
feel that they can relate to the protagonist.
• The protagonists represent all things good in the world.
• The superheroes have impressive powers and abilities which makes them enviable.
• The villains are powerful and stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
• The antagonists aim to crush anyone that stands against them.
These are some of the things that the group dislike about the characters in superhero
films:
• The protagonists are very clichéd.
• The superheroes are often nerdy/geeky in their alter egos.
• The superheroes often try to hide the fact that they are superheroes and that they
have powers.
31. The Dark Knight & Kick-Ass
This is what the 2 people in the focus group thought about The Dark Knight:
• The film has a very dark feel to it, which is different to many other films, and reflects how
gritty and crime infested Gotham City is.
• Heath Ledger’s performance was the most significant factor in the film being successful.
• They liked the main antagonist more than the protagonist in this film, although the
antagonist struck fear in them so they wanted the protagonist to win.
• They appreciated the long running length of the film and said it kept them engaged, so they
got their money’s worth.
• It showed how everyone has two faces, a good side and an evil side, elements of these
combining to make us who we are.
This is what they thought about Kick-Ass:
• The film was hilarious.
• The mood of the film was completely opposite to that of The Dark Knight.
• They did something innovative and new.
• They could relate to the protagonist.
• It wasn’t the average superhero film, they stripped away the traditional elements of films in
the genre and recreated it with their own flair.
• The film successfully introduced new acting talent, without this hindering the film’s success.
