Online ticket retailer Fandango polled more than 6,000 ticket-buyers this month and asked which theatrical tentpoles they’re the most excited about in 2022. Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever topped the list followed by Sony/Marvel’s animated feature Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One).
Even though Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is on a production hiatus as star Letitia Wright recovers from a previous on-set injury, shooting is expected to resume in January with the actress, as Deadline first reported. There’s been no news to date that the sequel’s November 11 release date will be postponed.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, moviegoers have shown recently that they’ll come out for event movies, particularly Marvel Cinematic Universe titles like Spider-Man: No Way Home which became the first movie to clear $1 billion during the Covid era over Christmas. Gower Analytics forecasts that the domestic box office will grow to $9.2 billion next year, a 114% surge above the current 2021 level in U.S. and Canada through December 26 at $4.3 billion.
Additionally, Fandango asked ticket-buyers about their recent experiences at the movie theater and their anticipated moviegoing habits in the new year, with the following results:
–94% want to go to the theater more often in 2022 than they did in 2021
–89% were gratified to see new movie releases on the big screen this year.
–88% are excited by the 2022 line-up of theatrical releases.
–86% picked Action/Adventure as one of their favorite genres.
–80% hope to see five or more movies on the big screen in 2022.
–70% plan to see movies in premium large-screen formats whenever possible.
All survey respondents saw at least one movie in a theater during the last year and were polled during the first three weeks of December.
“Audiences are looking for unforgettable experiences at the theater and 2022 promises to deliver a bounty of exciting new movies that you must see on the big screen,” said Fandango managing editor Erik Davis. “From some of the biggest returning characters like Spider-Man, Batman, Catwoman and Doctor Strange, to memorable franchises like Black Panther, Top Gun, Mission: Impossible and Jurassic World, the new year is packed with thrills, chills and adventure around every corner.”
Here are the top picks from Fandango’s survey:
2022’s Most Anticipated Blockbusters
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Nov. 11)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Oct. 7)
The Batman (March 4)
Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8)
Jurassic World: Dominion (June 10)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6)
Avatar 2 (Dec. 16)
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (Dec. 16)
Top Gun: Maverick (May 27)
Mission: Impossible 7 (Sept. 30)
2022’s Most Anticipated Action/Adventure Movies (non-superhero)
Jurassic World: Dominion
Avatar 2
Top Gun: Maverick
Mission: impossible 7
Uncharted (Feb. 18)
2022’s Most Anticipated Animated/Family Movies
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Pixar’s Lightyear (June 17)
Minions: The Rise of Gru (July 1)
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (April 15)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (April 8)
2022’s Most Anticipated Horror Movies
Halloween Ends (Oct. 14)
Scream (Jan. 14)
Jordan Peele’s Nope (July 22)
Orphan: First Kill (TBD)
The Black Phone (June 24)
2022’s Most Anticipated Returning Performances
Chris Hemsworth (as Thor), Thor: Love and Thunder
Benedict Cumberbatch (as Dr. Stephen Strange), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Natalie Portman (as Dr. Jane Foster), Thor: Love and Thunder
Zoe Saldana (as Neytiri), Avatar 2
Elizabeth Olsen (as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2022’s Most Anticipated New Performances
Robert Pattinson (as Bruce Wayne/Batman), The Batman
Dwayne Johnson (as Black Adam), Black Adam
Christian Bale (as Gorr the God Butcher), Thor: Love and Thunder
Issa Rae (as Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Zoe Kravitz (as Selina Kyle/Catwoman), The Batman