From 'Justice League' to 'Encanto,' the most 'in-demand' movies of the last year show how box office isn't the only measurement for a movie's popularity

Parrot Analytics' audience demand measurement reflects engagement with a title that includes not just viewership, but also social-media interaction and online research.

The company provided Insider with a list of the most in-demand movies from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

The movies are a mix of theatrical exclusives, streaming exclusives, and movies that were released simultaneously in both formats. They reflect the different strategies that Hollywood studios adopted during the pandemic.

The data shows how franchise IP, particularly superhero movies, will continue to dominate the theatrical space, while family animation is attractive on streaming platforms.

Demand in this case reflects how much more in demand each movie was compared to the average. The top 10 most in-demand movies during that time period follow.

Demand: 36.95

US box office: $96 million

Global box office: $256 million

Release date: November 24, 2021

Demand: 37.66

US box office: $183 million

Global box office: $379 million

Release date: July 9, 2021

*Debuted simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ for an additional $30 fee

Demand: 36.95

Release date: March 18, 2021

*Debuted on exclusively on HBO Max for no additional fee to subscribers; no box office reported

Demand: 38.81

Release date: June 18, 2021

*Debuted exclusively on Disney+ for no additional fee to subscribers; no box office reported

Demand: 39.46

US box office: $100 million

Global box office: $470 million

Release Date: March 31, 2021

*Debuted simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max for no additional fee to subscribers

Demand: 39.70

Release date: March 11, 2022

*Debuted exclusively on Disney+ for no additional fee to subscribers; no box office reported

Demand: 41.31

US box office: $369 million

Global box office: $770 million

Release Date: March 4, 2022

Demand: 41.95

US box office: $164 million

Global box office: $402 million

Release Date: November 5, 2021

Demand: 45.97

US box office: $213 million

Global box office: $506 million

Release Date: October 1, 2021

Demand: 99.97

US box office: $804 million

Global box office: $1.9 billion

Release Date: December 17, 2021

"The Suicide Squad" made just $168 million at the global box office, including $55 million in the US. It was available to stream on HBO Max while it was in theaters.

While it disappointed at the box office, it was one of Warner Bros.' most popular movies last year on HBO Max, as part of its simultaneous release strategy. It was watched by nearly 3 million households in its first weekend, according to data by the measurement company Samba TV (which only measures viewership in the US on connected-TV devices).

The Parrot Analytics data reflects how the movie drove engagement despite its box-office woes. It was the sixth most in-demand movie of Q3 2021.

The most in-demand movies of Q3 2021:

1. "Luca"
2. "Black Widow"
3. "Cruella"
4. "Godzilla vs Kong"
5. "Space Jam: A New Legacy"
6. "The Suicide Squad"
7. "F9: The Fast Saga"
8. "Zack Snyder's Justice League"
9. "Venom"
10. "Mortal Kombat"

The data also demonstrates how demand for a sequel can drive engagement with its predecessor. Both 2018's "Venom" and last year's sequel "Let There Be Carnage" were among the most in-demand movies of Q4.

Most in-demand movies of Q4 2021:

1. "Venom: Let There Be Carnage"
2. "Spider-Man: No Way Home"
3. "Eternals"
4. "No Time to Die"
5. "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"
6. "Dune"
7. "Venom"
8. "Zack Snyder's Justice League"
9. "Black Widow"
10. "Godzilla vs. Kong"

Sony, which released "No Way Home," is the only major Hollywood studio without its own streaming component, meaning it has balanced between exclusive theatrical releases and licensing movies to streamers, like Netflix and Apple. Movies like "No Way Home," Parrot Analytics said, are a lesson in what kinds of films can drive demand while in theaters and then become a valuable streaming acquisition after its run.

"Since in-demand genres that perform well theatrically also tend to lead demand for titles on streaming, companies like Sony can hit on a double whammy for projects that play in theaters for a certain amount of time (between 35 and 45 days being the sweet spot) and then through ancillary revenue like PVOD and Pay-1 partners," Parrot Analytics said in its movie-demand report.

The most in-demand movies of Q1 2022:

1. "Spider-Man: No Way Home"
2. "Encanto"
3. "Eternals"
4. "The Batman"
5. "Turning Red"
6. "Zack Snyder's Justice League"
7. "Venom: Let There Be Carnage"
8. "Godzilla vs. Kong"
9. "No Time to Die"
10. "Luca"

The most in-demand movies of Q2 2022:

1. "Spider-Man: No Way Home"
2. "The Batman"
3. "Turning Red"
4. "Sonic the Hedgehog 2"
5. "Top Gun: Maverick"
6. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"
7. "Everything Everywhere All At Once"
8. "Godzilla vs. Kong"
9. "The Northman"
10. "Avengers: Endgame"