1 In 4 Brits Plan To Return To Cinemas As Meerkat Movies Welcomes Back 2 For 1 Tickets As Cinemas In The UK Get Set To Reopen

New research from comparethemarket.com shows one in four Brits will be going to the cinema within the first two weeks of venues reopening

66 per cent plan to visit the cinema at least once a month when they’re open

Almost one in three Brits are looking forward seeing the new James Bond sequel, ‘No Time to Die’, on the big screen

We have missed everything – even the trailers (20 per cent)!

Comparethemarket.com have announced the return of its 2 for 1 cinema tickets, available every Tuesday or Wednesday for rewarded customers, as cinemas across the nation prepare to reopen their doors from next week. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cinemas in the UK have been closed for nearly a year, with many blockbuster releases either postponed or converted to digital releases, but the doors are finally about to open.

New research by comparethemarket.com has found that three in 10 are more excited about watching long-awaited movies on the big screen than they would have been when they were originally released - you really don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

While Daniel Craig’s final performance as ‘James Bond’ topped the list (28 per cent) as the most anticipated cinema blockbuster of 2021, other titles Brits are counting down the days for their release include ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (14 per cent), Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn in ‘The Suicide Squad’ (12 per cent) and John Krasinski’s follow-up thriller, ‘A Quiet Place: Part II’ (10 per cent).

Other long awaited films making up the top 40 list were nostalgic origin story, ‘Cruella’ (8 per cent) , with lead actress Emma Stone taking on this live-action role and family favourite sequel, ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ (10 per cent).

Our yearning to get back to the big screen was evident throughout lockdown, as Brits were left with no option but to watch movies on their TV (85 per cent), laptop (16 per cent), tablets (14 per cent) and phones (10 per cent). It emerged more than a tenth of adults said cinemas closing had been one of the hardest parts of lockdown for them, with 16 per cent planning to make a trip during the first week cinemas reopen and the average adult hoping to go almost twice a month.

A further 56 per cent of those polled agreed that viewing a film at home doesn’t offer the same adrenaline rush as the cinema experience. The study also found the things people have missed the most about going to the cinema in the past year include the big screen (44 per cent), the surround sound (31 per cent) and watching trailers (20 per cent). Similarly, the smell of popcorn (18 per cent), collective reactions from the audience (15 per cent) and the nostalgic feeling (23 per cent) were all missed.

British film critic, James King, said “There is so much to look forward to with cinemas reopening – not just the films (including plenty of blockbusters) but the whole experience. Meeting with friends, family or your other half to enjoy a bucket of fresh popcorn, comfy chairs, a film on the big screen with surround sound, complete with the company of an audience, is something we took for granted pre-lockdown. There is something nostalgic about a trip to the cinema, whether it’s the film itself, the food, or the memories, people clearly can’t wait to get back to their local cinemas.”

The study found that many film fanatics tried to recreate the feeling of a cinema at home by adapting their surroundings. From outdoor garden showings to lounge projector screenings, dimming lights (20 per cent), making your own popcorn (15 per cent), turning the volume up (13 per cent) and making home-made nachos (11 per cent) were the most commonplace cinema hacks. The study also found that almost a third of adults watched a film at least once a week during lockdown to reignite a familiar feeling of a trip to the cinema, to spark a sense of feel-good nostalgia and create a moment of sheer escapism.

65 per cent of those surveyed agree that it’s important to support local cinemas post lockdown, with people typically feeling excited (33 per cent), nostalgic (19 per cent) and even emotional (15 per cent) about returning to their local cinema.

Julie Daniels, head of rewards at comparethemarket.com, said "The cinema experience is one we love as a nation and our research shows just how much people are looking forward to returning, with two thirds planning a visit at least once a month when cinemas are open again.

We’re excited to see the doors of our beloved big screens reopen from Monday 17 May and to help support the UK cinema industry to get back on its feet after a long period of uncertainty. With 2 for 1 cinema tickets every Tuesday or Wednesday, our Meerkat Movies reward gives you the perfect excuse to get down to your local cinema and relive the magic of the silver screen!"

Customers who compare and buy a qualifying product using comparethemarket.com, will get 2 for 1 cinema tickets every Tuesday or Wednesday all year, in addition to offers at thousands of restaurants and takeaways with Meerkat Meals.

*Research conducted via OnePoll of 2,000 UK adults in April 2021.

Top 40 films Brits are looking forward to seeing at the cinema when they reopen:
1. No Time to Die 28%
2. Top Gun: Maverick 16%
3. Mission: Impossible 7 14%
4. Spider-Man: No Way Home 14%
5. Black Widow 13%
6. The Matrix 4 13%
7. Fast & Furious 9 13%
8. The Suicide Squad 12%
9. Ghostbusters: Afterlife 11%
10. A Quiet Place: Part II 10%
11. Venom: Let There Be Carnage 10%
12. The King’s Man 10%
13. Peter Rabbit 2 10%
14. The Addams Family 2 9%
15. West Side Story 9%
16. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania 9%
17. Nomadland 8%
18. Cruella 8%
19. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard 8%
20. Candyman 8%
21. Space Jam: A New Legacy 8%
22. Cinderella 7%
23. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It 7%
24. Dune 7%
25. The Boss Baby: Family Business 6%
26. The Father 6%
27. The Croods 2: A New Age 6%
28. Jungle Cruise 6%
29. Those Who Wish Me Dead 5%
30. Halloween Kills 5%
31. The Forever Purge 5%
32. Last Night in Soho 5%
33. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 5%
34. In the Heights 5%
35. The Eternals 5%
36. Snake Eyes 5%
37. Free Guy 5%
38. Infinite 5%
39. The Paw Patrol Movie 4%
40. Malignant 4%

Films seen on TV during lockdown which we want to view on a big screen:
1. Bad Boys for Life 32%
2. Mulan 30%
3. The Witches 27%
4. Endings, Beginnings 24%
5. Run 22%
6. Trial of the Chicago 7 22%
7. Scoob! 22%
8. Trolls World Tour 21%
9. Artemis Fowl 21%
10. How to Build A Girl 19%

About comparethemarket.com
comparethemarket.com was launched in 2006 and has grown rapidly over the past 15 years to become one of the UK’s leading price comparison websites.

comparethemarket.com provides customers with an easy way to make the right choice for them on a wide range of products including motor, home, life, travel and pet insurance as well as utilities and money products such as credit cards and loans.

comparethemarket.com actively works with its brand partners to help provide great services to customers.

comparethemarket.com and comparethemeerkat.com are trading names of Compare The Market Limited, an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 778488) and is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority for the provision of payment services (FRN: 911617). Energy and Digital products are not regulated by the FCA.

Rewards T&Cs:
With a qualifying product. 1 membership per year. Rewards T&Cs apply.

Meerkat Meals: App only. Participating outlets. Restrictions, limitations & T&Cs apply.

• Pizza Delivery: 50per cent off Pizzas, 7 days a week. £30 min spend. Excl. N.I.

• Dine out – 2 for 1: Selected food, cheapest free. A la carte only. Sun-Thurs. Max 6 people. Kids meals and drinks excl.

• Dine out – 25per cent off total bill: Days available vary by outlet. Min & Max group sizes apply.

• Delivery & Collection: Specific offer, delivery fees & radius vary by outlet. Card only.

Meerkat Movies: Participating cinemas. Tues or Weds. 2 standard tickets only, cheapest free