< /p> © Unsplash/Krists Luhaers
Sometimes the success or failure of a film or series doesn't matter much. Before, there was word of mouth. Today, it still exists, but it has evolved. Review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes or AlloCiné can change the fate of a program, but this is also the case for social networks. If Internet users take a film or series under their wing, the consequences can be staggering.
This is the story of the film Consent, currently showing in theaters of France. During its first week of release, the film attracted 59,000 spectators. But the second week of exhibition created a surprise in the cinema world: Le Consentement recorded a 39% increase in its box office receipts. The reason? TikTok.
When social networks have a positive influence on cinema
Available in French cinemas since October 11, 2023, Le Consentement highlights depicts the relationship between Vanessa Springora, then a teenager, and the 49-year-old writer Gabriel Matzneff. The feature film directed by Vanessa Filho adapts the autobiographical novel written by Vanessa Springora. Consentis far from being a blockbuster, it is an independent drama released by the distributor Pan.
We cannot say that a film must necessarily be a hit from the first week if it hopes to Success. But a jump of almost 40% remains an achievement that Le Consentementowes to TikTok. Many users of the social network film themselves before and after discovering the feature film with Jean-Paul Rouve, Kim Higelin and Laetitia Casta. On TikTok, the hashtag #leconsentementfilm currently has 2.4 million views.
The same phenomenon was already observed last year, during the release of Simone, the journey of the century< /em>, the biopic dedicated to Simone Veil. Thanks to praise broadcast on social networks, especially on TikTok, Olivier Dahan's film attracted more than 2 million spectators in cinemas in France.
But this phenomenon is not exclusive to tricolor films. The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon was a boon for cinemas around the world this summer. Barbie and Oppenheimer are two completely opposite films released on the same day in cinemas.
If some Internet users were talking about a duel, the reality was even better: spectators were not going to see Barbie or Oppenheimer, they were going to see Barbie < strong>and Oppenheimer. Ultimately, the two feature films, although different, made it possible to achieve the most lucrative weekend of the year for cinemas. We are even talking about the fourth most profitable weekend in the history of cinema. Enough to demonstrate, once again, the power of a trend or a meme on social networks.
Let's not forget to mention the refined trend that accompanied the release of the animated film Minions: Once upon a time Gru. To celebrate the return of the funny yellow men, teenagers and young adults dressed up to the nines and didn't hesitate to wear their suits. Conversely, Morbius was not spared by social networks and experienced a bitter failure. Sony Pictures was even trolled for releasing the film in theaters… To relive a flop.
But the influence of TikTok and social networks is similar when it comes to series. With a weekly broadcast, programs like Game of Thrones or Euphoria returned to the forefront every week, a real event that fans impatiently awaited. Even more than the episode itself, spectators were eager to share their feelings, their jokes or even their analyzes on X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok.
Also read – Why binge-watching makes series lose their charm
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