Institutional ResearchBy Brooke Medcalf

2012 Thriller Films

In the year 2012, there were 60 thriller films released causing the total domestic gross to be $1,533,591,817

Well known films such as The Hunger Games and The Woman in Black were ranked within the top five however other well known films from the thriller include Taken 2 and The Bourne Legacy were also released in 2012.

How Profitable was the Thriller Genre in 2012?The thriller genre in 2012 proved to be a profitable genre as it made a total gross of $1,533,591,817 also selling a total of 192,662,261 tickets to see the films in cinema. In comparison to the budget of making films, this concludes that a higher profit was made due to being one of the most successful years for the thriller genre within film production.

Which Films were Most Successful and Why?Within the thriller genre, the most successful film was The Hunger Games with a total gross of $408,010,692 as well as selling a total of 51,257,624 tickets. The film was rated at a PG-13 in the US and as a 12A in the UK as it includes a lot of action, violence and death. The film had been advertised highly especially over social media however due to being part of a book trilogy, the anticipation to watch the film reached a higher level. The age rating contributed towards the popularity as many teenagers use social media for hours on end on a daily basis causing the word to spread like wildfire as more and more people found out about the film. The main characters were played by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson causing even more uproar and excitement to watch the new thriller.

What are the Characteristics of the Audience for the Thriller Genre?For the thriller genre, the age groups for these films are sometimes 12A rated however mainly 15 rated due to the amount of violence, occasional strong language and death - also including themes that may become scary and therefore unsuitable to a younger audience.The thriller genre is mainly aimed at the male gender however it is for any gender to watch. This is due to the massive amount of action, violence as well as themes including gangs and weapons whereas films mainly aimed at females are based on romance such as chick flicks and rom-com.The social class for the thriller genre is C1 - D due to stereotypical audience types.

Conclusion

In conclusion I have learnt that the thriller genre is aimed at teenagers however sometimes rated at the youngest age of 12 but mainly the films are for 15 years and older. Thrillers can include a high amount of action, violence, suspense and death. In order to make my film a successful thriller, I must be able to match the same characteristics for my target audience - suitable for both genders, however include a lot of mystery and tension to attract the male gender. This also means the film can include a certain amount of violence and strong language to an extent.