Nearly a Quarter of ‘Barbie’ Filmgoers in the U.S. Hadn’t Been to a Theater Since Before Pandemic, Survey Finds

Barbie brought sporadic moviegoers back to theaters in a big way, a new survey from film tracking service The Quorum found. Quorum surveyed 1,800 Barbie ticket buyers in the U.S. over the past three weeks, finding that 11% couldnt remember the last film they had seen in a theater. Another 11% said Barbie was the first film they had seen in a theater since the pandemic started in 2020.

That means that 22%, or close to a quarter of moviegoers surveyed, most likely had skipped Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick, among other popular post-pandemic theatrical releases, but were enticed by buzz and marketing blitz of the pink phenomenon.

The Quorum, which provides surveys on prospective filmgoers interest in upcoming films, estimated that 22% of total ticketbuyers would total around 9 million people who set foot in a multiplex for Barbie, and Barbie only.

Meanwhile, a healthy 46% of respondents said they go to the movies all the time, while 32% go every now and again.

The experience also reminded filmgoers that they like going to movies, Quorum said. Among the ticketbuyers surveyed, 40% said the experience reminded them how much they love going to the movies, and that they would go more often. However, a larger percentage, at 45%, said they would like to go more often, but cost is an issue. That group said it would take another movie as exciting as Barbie to get them to return to a theater.

Just 15% said I dont think seeing Barbie means I will start seeing more movies in a theater. This was a one-off experience.

Unfortunately, Quorum noted, there are few highly-anticipated wide releases coming to theaters in the next few months, despite the seeming hunger among moviegoers.

The only wide studio release in October, for example, is The Exorcist: Believer, on Oct. 13, and there are no wide releases at all set for the Oct. 6 weekend.