The World TV and Movie Impact Report

Just a few years ago, movies and TV shows became big talking points only around their cinematic or live broadcast release. Now, thanks to the influence of streaming services, the internet, and social media – in particular video streaming platform TikTok – audiences are discussing theatrical releases and new TV series more than ever before. Online buzz often surrounds titles weeks or even months before and after their release. 

With this in mind, and to gain a better understanding of how trends and social media influence the popularity of movies and TV shows, we created The World TV and Movie Impact Report.

We analyzed everything from the number of YouTube trailer views and articles written online to the volume of Instagram hashtags, TikTok posts, and Google searches to discover which of the biggest and most recent releases over the past year generated the most online noise. 

The Year in Film: Movies That Defined 2023

Movies worldwide now earn their status through a blend of factors, including how they are received by critics and cinema-goers, and more importantly, whether they go viral.

We analyzed five data points: YouTube trailer views, monthly Google searches, Instagram hashtags, TikTok posts, and the number of online articles written about the movie. We then used this information to establish which of 2023’s most successful releases got the world talking the most.

We gave each data point a score out of 10 to give a combined score out of 50, allowing us to successfully rank each movie based on the attention they received. Oppenheimer, the Christoper Nolan biopic that detailed the creation of the atomic bomb, came first on the list with an overall score of 48.6/50. This is because it received 8,900,000 monthly Google searches in 2023, and had 104,594 online articles written about it. 

Meanwhile, Barbie, which ranked in second place in our report, had 35,399 articles about the release, and 3,200,000 monthly searches. Following closely behind Oppenheimer, the pinktastic movie scored an impressive 47.8/50, thanks to 698,500 TikTok posts and 81,000,000 YouTube trailer views. 

These results are somewhat unsurprising given the “Barbenheimer” craze that dominated social media last summer – a trend which generated mass hype around both movies, and encouraged the public to watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in a single sitting. 

In third place was the Disney Pixar movie, Elemental, with a score of 42.8/50. There were a massive 47,000,000 YouTube trailer views for this movie, along with an impressive 49,409 articles written about it. On the surface, the movie is listed as a cartoon rom-com with a twist, and fans praised the movie for its reflection on immigration, integration, and inclusivity,  contributing to its place among the most impactful movies of the year. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse came in fourth place, scoring 40.7/50. The animated movie, inspired by Marvel comic books, had 456,700 TikTok posts, as well as 51,000,000 YouTube trailer views. The hype meant both fans and lead actor Shameik Moore were left shocked when the movie didn’t win the Best Animated Feature Category at the 2024 Oscars. 

TV Shows That Stole the Spotlight

It wasn’t just movies in 2023 that established their place in trending pop culture through online placements. TV shows benefited from the hype, too. 

By taking into account the same five data points as above, we were able to pinpoint which show releases of last year stole the spotlight among TV lovers.

Starring the hugely popular actor Pedro Pascal, post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us received a score of 50/50 in our report. This was due to 6,400,000 monthly searches on Google, 25,000,0000 views on YouTube for the trailer, and 996,700 posts on TikTok.

As well as an award-winning cast and stand-out episodes helping the show go viral on TikTok, its popularity can be attributed to the fact that the series is based on the popular Naughty Dog game of the same name.

Ahsoka, a Star Wars spin-off, took second place with a total score of 45.2/50. Streamed on Disney+, our data revealed that there were 897,000 monthly Google searches, as well as 9,400,000 YouTube trailer views, and 520,644 Instagram tags about the show. 

The Star Wars franchise has a huge fanbase, so it’s unsurprising to see the hype around Ahsoka after the success of similar spin-off shows including Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Another show starring Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian, ranked third, with a score of 41.1/50. Almost beating Ahsoka, we were able to establish that there were 6,507 articles written about the latest season online, as well as 168,000 monthly searches, and 8,617 posts on TikTok. Fans are now eagerly waiting for the Star Wars franchise to release the fourth season of the show, but Hollywood strikes caused a delay in filming.

Superhero series Gen V came in fourth place, scoring 37.2/50. The release of The Boys spin-off accumulated a lot of speculation, with many concerned about how good it would be given the huge success of its original Amazon Prime predecessor. The fact it did not include any of the original cast members proved a significant talking point among skeptical fans, which could explain the 29,700 TikTok posts and 39,459 Instagram hashtags the show accumulated, as well as the 95,000 monthly searches on Google. 

You need access to sites like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Netflix to make sure you can access all the latest releases, and the easiest way to protect your privacy and security while you’re watching online is with a VPN Chrome extension. This keeps your data safe while you stream, stopping anyone from watching what you’re up to online.

The Most Hyped 2024 Movie Releases to Date

The impact social media has on the success – or failure – of movie releases has led to an explosion in the number of movies that start and remain trending long before and following their release. Though we were just three months into 2024 when compiling this research, some movies have already made their mark online, and not necessarily for the intended reasons.

By taking 2024’s biggest upcoming movie releases and researching monthly Google search volumes, TikTok posts, and Instagram hashtags, as well as the number of online articles written and YouTube trailer views, we were able to pinpoint which new releases have had the biggest impact on the movie scene already.

With an overall score of 46.5/50, Mean Girls took first place. It received many mixed reviews among fans: due to arguably confusing marketing tactics, viewers were left expecting a sequel to the 2004 blockbuster, with others anticipating a remake. After its release, fans took to the internet to express their disappointment over the fact that the movie was, in fact, an adaptation of the Broadway musical, with many poking fun at the songs and taking to social media to air their anger towards certain casting choices. 

As a result of this, we were able to determine that the comedy had 18,004 articles written about it, as well as 1,200,000 TikTok posts and 2,400,000 Instagram posts.

Madame Web, a new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe starring Dakota Johnson, took second place, with a score of 46/50 in total. This came down to 144,000 monthly Google searches, along with 30,500 TikTok posts and 5,080 online articles written about the movie. These figures could be explained by the largely negative response it received from fans and critics, due to its underwhelming plot and critically panned script and acting.

Third place went to Kung Fu Panda 4, scoring 43.5/50. The movie received 254,000 Google searches, 13,800 TikTok posts, and 11,928 Instagram hashtags. Fans have waited eight long years since Kung Fu Panda 3 was released back in 2016, so it’s unsurprising that there was lots of excitement around the franchise’s latest installment. 

The much-anticipated sequel to Deadpool 2, Deadpool & Wolverine came in fourth place, which received a score of 41.3/50. Though the movie won’t have its theatrical release until July 2024, the hype around the movie has been steadily growing online since 2023 thanks to the friendship between Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds and the huge cult following around the characters. 

Our study report revealed the movie already had 591,000 monthly Google searches this year, as well as 44,300 TikTok posts and 148,458 Instagram hashtags – numbers that will likely grow closer to its release. 

The Most Hyped TV Shows of 2024 So Far

While movie fanatics were excited about some of 2024’s biggest releases, TV lovers had Netflix, HBO, and Apple TV’s latest releases at the forefront of their minds.

Interestingly, the TV adaptation of the 2005 classic Mr. and Mrs. Smith was revealed to be the show that had got the world’s attention the most in 2024 so far, scoring 46.2/50 in our study. 

Despite very mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, the loose adaptation of the movie, starring Donald Glover and Emmy nominee Maya Erskine, still garnered 188,000 monthly Google searches, 16,900 TikTok posts and 18,000,000 YouTube trailer views. Fans were eager to see how the writers would adapt the roles to create a unique take on the much-loved story, 20 years after the movie that brought Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together. 

Meanwhile, the much-anticipated second season of the Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon, emerged as the second most hyped TV show release of 2024, with the fantasy show scoring 42.6/50. 

Though the second installment isn’t set for release until summer 2024, fans are still clearly excited after waiting since 2022 to find out what happens next. Our data revealed that the show has already received a huge 258,000 monthly Google searches, as well as 4,416 TikToks, and 8,600,000 YouTube trailer views.

In third place was Netflix original, Griselda, which tells the story of infamous Colombian cartel leader, Griselda Blanco. The show received a total score of 42.1/50 – but possibly not for the right reasons.

Despite Sofia Vergara (who plays Blanco) being praised for her character depiction, the show was met with controversy after it was revealed that Netflix hadn’t actually asked for authorization for the use of the family’s image for the limited series. Thanks to this interest, it received 39,400 TikTok posts in 2024, as well as 195,608 Instagram hashtags, and a staggering 15,481 articles online.

It comes as no surprise that there was so much hype online around the anticipated series Masters of the Air, as it was a collaboration of the team behind Band of Brothers and The Pacific – Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. The World War II series featuring 

Autin Butler, Barry Keoghan, and Callum Turner had 5,300,000 trailer views on YouTube, 71,000 searches on Google, and more than 10,000 posts on Instagram. 

Mapping 2024’s Most Searched Shows by Country

By gathering monthly Google search volume data, we were able to determine which 2024 TV releases different countries were most intrigued by.

In the US, the third season of Netflix’s popular period show Bridgerton was revealed to be the most anticipated TV release in 2024, with the drama garnering 235,000 monthly Google searches.

The US wasn’t the only country excited for the summer release of the next installment. Bridgerton was also the most searched-for show in 15 out of the 20 countries researched, including the United Kingdom (58,000 monthly searches), Canada (31,000 monthly searches), Australia (20,000 monthly searches), and Germany (6,900 monthly searches), justto name a few. 

The Netflix series defied expectations becoming one of the most popular shows around the world – in fact, in its first 28 days, Bridgerton was watched by 82 million member households. To put that into perspective, that’s two in five (40%) of Netflix subscribers. 

In Poland, The Boys emerged as the most searched-for 2024 release. Though the highly anticipated fourth season isn’t due to land on Amazon Prime Video until June 13th, the action-comedy garnered 6,900 monthly searches. 

Finally, in India, the most searched-for TV show was another late summer release, the second season of House of the Dragon (31,000 monthly searches). The first season of the Game of Thrones prequel drew in major ratings on its first episode, with a massive 10,000,000 viewers, which could reveal why so many fans are eager to watch season two. 

The Spring 2024 Movie Trend Forecast 

Finally, we wanted to take a look at which spring blockbusters have been trending online ahead of their upcoming 2024 releases.

After analyzing Google trends data between January and March 2024, we concluded that The Bikeriders is set to be huge upon its release in late spring, with an 809% increase in Google searches since the beginning of the year. Originally slated for a late 2023 release, but delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, the movie follows the rise of the famous Vandals MC Motorcycle club and features a star-studded lineup of Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy, which will no doubt get the world talking.   

Next, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare saw a jump of 700% in search volume between January and March. Due for release towards the end of April, Guy Ritchie’s latest spy-action-comedy movie takes inspiration from historical events surrounding the Special Operations Executive, a covert British World War II organization formed by Winston Churchill to conduct espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe.

The release of another World War II movie fits perfectly with the recent appetite for movies inspired by true events, so it’s no surprise that movie fans are excited to see a light-hearted spin on a more serious subject.

Horror flick I Saw the TV Glow is another spring release that’s causing a stir. The movie saw a Google search volume increase of 669% in the past three months. After its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, it’s been hailed as defying easy genre categorization, making fans of the horror world excited to see its unique and surreal storytelling.

The Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black, came in fourth place with a search increase of 180%. This is perhaps unsurprising given the world’s current obsession with biopics, as well as the undeniable legacy the British jazz singer has left since her untimely 2011 death aged just 27. 

The Future of Movie and TV Show Popularity

Over the past few years, entertainment lovers have been introduced to a huge variety of new movies and TV shows – some making their mark more than others.

Our study shows that traditional methods of promotion and marketing may no longer be the key to movie and TV show success. The internet, and social media in particular, have become vital tools for generating conversations among audiences long before and after their release.

Not only do the likes of Google, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok each offer their own unique way of reaching audiences, but a single share, post, article, or video clip has the potential to spark a wave of attention among fans, rapidly increasing a movie or TV show’s popularity and visibility. 

Social media’s role in the success of new movie and TV releases is set to keep growing. It’s more important than ever that new releases keep up with this trend so they can cut through the noise, drive revenue, and stand out.

Methodology

The World TV Trends Report conducted by the team at CyberGhost VPN reveals which TV shows and Movies from 2023 and 2024 have generated the most hype online since their release/announcement.

To find this out, the team took a seed list of the movies and TV shows from 2023 and 2024, and analyzed the following factors to find out which ones have got the nation talking the most: 

• • Average monthly Google Searches globally and by country
  • Number of Instagram hashtags for the movie/show
  • Number of TikTok hashtags for the movie/TV show 
  • Number of Google articles written about the movie/TV show 
  • Number of YouTube trailer views

Additionally, we wanted to discover which upcoming spring movies from our seed list for 2024 had been trending the most so far this year. To do this we used Google Trends and worked out the percentage increase in searches from the 1st of January this year to the 1st of March.