CinemaScore Analysis – 2022 Edition

[u/SanderSo47]

Link to the other editions:

1980s: 1982 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989

1990s: 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999

2000s: 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009

2010s: 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

2020s: 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

In this post, I kept track of every 2022 movie's CinemaScore (at least, the ones that got it). For the past year, I delved all the way since 1986 to get every single CinemaScore. My intention is to see the evolution of each year and how the grades can either help or damage a movie's legs.

I plan to delve into each year and each movie that got a grade. While CinemaScore was founded in 1979, we didn't get a grade until 1982 and we didn't get full information until 1986.

PSA: There are very few grades published before 1986. Can some please help in finding? CinemaScore's website only starts with 1986.

Before starting, some notes:

• This list is based on multipliers/legs. In this case, domestic total/domestic opening weekend = multiplier/legs.

• If a movie opens on Saturday or Sunday (like on Christmas Day), I will use its first full weekend (Friday through Sunday).

• The opening weekend is based on its first wide release (600+ theaters).

• If a movie never makes it past 600 theaters, then its biggest weekend number will be used.

• The figures are all taken from The Numbers and Box Office Mojo.

In 2022, 73 movies received CinemaScores (2021 had 76). How did it go?

A+

3 movies (4.10%) managed to get the rare A+. Generally, this indicates exceptional word of mouth and guarantees a long and healthy run. Of course, the bigger a movie opens, the weaker legs will turn out to be (although as noted, Christmas legs guarantee better legs). These movies averaged a 4.16x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 5 movies with a 4.21x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	Top Gun: Maverick	May/27	Paramount	$126,707,459	$718,732,821	$170M	29	5.67x
2	The Woman King	Sep/16	Sony	$19,051,442	$67,159,608	$50M	13	3.53x
3	Till	Oct/14	United Artists Releasing	$2,741,834	$9,000,202	N/A	9	3.28x

A

16 movies (20.54%) managed to get the grade. A step down from the rare A+, but it still indicates strong word of mouth. These movies averaged a 5.09x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 15 movies with a 3.43x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	A Man Called Otto	Dec/29	Sony	$4,202,386	$64,267,657	$50M	17	15.29x
2	Puss in Boots: The Last Wish	Dec/21	Universal	$12,429,515	$185,535,345	$110M	17	14.92x
3	The Fabelmans	Nov/11	Universal	$2,261,110	$17,348,945	$40M	18	7.67x
4	Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris	Jul/15	Focus Features	$1,953,070	$10,370,305	$13M	10	5.31x
5	Avatar: The Way of Water	Dec/16	20th Century	$134,100,226	$684,075,767	$460M	23	5.10x
6	Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody	Dec/23	Sony	$4,700,450	$23,708,080	$45M	11	5.04x
7	The Bad Guys	Apr/22	Universal	$23,950,245	$97,233,630	$69M	18	4.06x
8	Father Stu	Apr/13	Sony	$5,402,642	$20,740,439	N/A	7	3.84x
9	Minions: The Rise of Gru	Jul/1	Universal	$107,010,140	$369,500,210	$80M	21	3.45x
10	Downton Abbey: A New Era	May/20	Focus Features	$16,000,495	$43,896,550	$40M	7	2.74x
11	Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Apr/8	Paramount	$72,105,176	$190,872,904	$110M	13	2.65x
12	She Said	Nov/18	Universal	$2,217,010	$5,825,995	$32M	5	2.63x
13	The Bob's Burgers Movie	May/27	20th Century	$12,416,819	$31,933,830	$38M	10	2.57x
14	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	Nov/11	Disney	$181,339,761	$453,829,060	$250M	18	2.50x
15	Bros	Sep/30	Universal	$4,854,125	$11,628,165	$22M	5	2.40x
16	One Piece Film: Red	Nov/4	Crunchyroll	$9,340,245	$12,768,073	N/A	2	1.37x

A–

12 movies (16.43%) managed to get the grade. Generally, word of mouth will be good and indicates audiences like the movie, their expectations were met and nothing more. These movies averaged a 3.58x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 15 movies with a 3.46x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	Where the Crawdads Sing	Jul/15	Sony	$17,253,227	$90,038,355	$24M	12	5.22x
2	Elvis	Jun/24	Warner Bros.	$31,211,579	$151,040,048	$85M	16	4.84x
3	Dog	Feb/18	United Artists Releasing	$14,883,928	$61,778,069	$15M	12	4.15x
4	Ticket to Paradise	Oct/21	Universal	$16,509,095	$68,275,985	$60M	11	4.14x
5	Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile	Oct/7	Sony	$11,401,182	$46,786,108	$50M	14	4.10x
6	DC League of Super-Pets	Jul/29	Warner Bros.	$23,003,441	$93,657,117	$90M	18	4.07x
7	Devotion	Nov/23	Sony	$5,902,803	$20,364,645	$90M	7	3.45x
8	Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank	Jul/15	Paramount	$6,321,423	$17,811,382	$45M	5	2.82x
9	The Batman	Mar/4	Warner Bros.	$134,008,624	$369,345,583	$200M	14	2.76x
10	Jurassic World Dominion	Jun/10	Universal	$145,075,625	$376,009,080	$185M	15	2.59x
11	Ambulance	Apr/8	Universal	$8,699,630	$22,309,115	$40M	7	2.56x
12	Lightyear	Jun/17	Disney	$50,577,961	$118,307,188	$200M	12	2.34x

B+

17 movies (23.28%) managed to get the grade. This is where things get interesting. Generally, it indicates average word of mouth. The audience didn't love it, but didn't hate it. For some niche movies, this should be a fine score. But for IP-driven movies, this should be concerning as fans are more biased to the movie itself. These movies averaged a 2.85x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 11 movies with a 2.97x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	The Black Phone	Jun/24	Universal	$23,633,220	$89,887,230	$18M	13	3.80x
2	Violent Night	Dec/2	Universal	$13,450,240	$50,057,405	$20M	20	3.72x
3	The Lost City	Mar/25	Paramount	$30,453,269	$105,344,029	$68M	13	3.46x
4	Bullet Train	Aug/5	Sony	$30,030,156	$103,368,602	$90M	11	3.44x
5	Uncharted	Feb/18	Sony	$44,010,155	$147,877,533	$120M	15	3.36x
6	The 355	Jan/7	Universal	$4,621,765	$14,570,455	$40M	8	3.15x
7	The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent	Apr/22	Lionsgate	$7,131,703	$20,300,157	$30M	7	2.85x
8	Marry Me	Feb/11	Universal	$7,949,980	$22,438,180	$23M	7	2.82x
9	Scream	Jan/14	Paramount	$30,018,805	$81,641,405	$24M	11	2.72x
10	Redeeming Love	Jan/21	Universal	$3,530,180	$9,214,020	N/A	7	2.61x
11	Black Adam	Oct/21	Warner Bros.	$67,004,323	$168,152,111	$260M	12	2.51x
12	Jackass Forever	Feb/4	Paramount	$23,154,388	$57,743,451	$10M	8	2.49x
13	Vengeance	Jul/29	Focus Features	$1,755,325	$4,225,720	N/A	5	2.41x
14	Easter Sunday	Aug/5	Universal	$5,447,130	$13,013,690	$17M	7	2.39x
15	Thor: Love and Thunder	Jul/8	Disney	$144,165,107	$343,256,830	$250M	14	2.38x
16	Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore	Apr/15	Warner Bros.	$42,151,256	$95,850,844	$200M	11	2.27x
17	Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness	May/6	Disney	$187,420,998	$411,331,607	$200M	14	2.19x

B

10 movies (13.69%) managed to get the grade. Another step down, which indicates word of mouth to be below average or middling. It could still hold on pretty well, but it's not guaranteed. These movies averaged a 3.07x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 12 movies with a 2.92x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	The Menu	Nov/18	Searchlight	$9,004,957	$38,501,125	$30M	11	4.28x
2	Death on the Nile	Feb/11	20th Century	$12,891,123	$45,630,104	$90M	11	3.54x
3	Bones and All	Nov/18	United Artists Releasing	$2,258,562	$7,834,907	$20M	5	3.47x
4	Strange World	Nov/23	Disney	$12,151,384	$37,968,963	$180M	10	3.12x
5	Fall	Aug/12	Lionsgate	$2,512,145	$7,240,521	$3M	9	2.88x
6	Three Thousand Years of Longing	Aug/26	United Artists Releasing	$2,919,717	$8,286,741	$60M	6	2.84x
7	The Northman	Apr/22	Focus Features	$12,290,800	$34,233,110	$90M	8	2.79x
8	Nope	Jul/22	Universal	$44,366,910	$123,277,080	$68M	11	2.78x
9	Beast	Aug/19	Universal	$11,575,855	$31,846,530	$36M	8	2.75x
10	Amsterdam	Oct/7	20th Century	$6,444,896	$14,947,969	$80M	7	2.32x

B–

4 movies (5.47%) managed to get the grade. Word of mouth is now extremely below average and indicates audiences are more disliking it. These movies averaged a 3.30x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 7 movies with a 2.81x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	Smile	Sep/30	Paramount	$22,609,925	$105,935,048	$17M	11	4.69x
2	See How They Run	Sep/16	Searchlight	$3,007,657	$9,586,237	N/A	7	3.19x
3	Pearl	Sep/16	A24	$3,128,427	$9,423,445	$1M	7	3.01x
4	Don't Worry Darling	Sep/16	Warner Bros.	$19,353,213	$45,309,403	$35M	10	2.34x

C+

6 movies (8.21%) managed to get the grade. This is where generally horror movies get their ratings. For non-horror movies tho, you better hope it has a hook premise or it will heavily drop. These movies averaged a 2.71x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 8 movies with a 2.90x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	Babylon	Dec/23	Paramount	$3,603,368	$15,351,455	$80M	5	4.26x
2	Barbarian	Sep/9	20th Century	$10,543,948	$40,842,944	$4.5M	11	3.87x
3	Prey for the Devil	Oct/28	Lionsgate	$7,185,126	$19,802,293	N/A	8	2.76x
4	Moonfall	Feb/4	Lionsgate	$9,868,997	$19,060,660	$146M	6	1.93x
5	Morbius	Apr/1	Sony	$39,005,895	$73,793,072	$83M	10	1.89x
6	Halloween Ends	Oct/14	Universal	$40,050,355	$64,079,860	$33M	5	1.60x

C

Only one movie (1.36%) managed to get the grade. Even worse word of mouth, but these movies had some middling to outright terrible response. This movie averaged a 3.69x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had 2 movies with a 2.37x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	The Invitation	Aug/26	Sony	$6,805,468	$25,100,080	$10M	8	3.69x

C–

2 movies (2.73%) managed to get the grade. The future is not bright here. This movie averaged a 2.16x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 only had one movie with a 2.48x average multiplier.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	Firestarter	May/13	Universal	$3,827,715	$9,589,250	$12M	6	2.51x
2	Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.	Sep/2	Focus Features	$1,422,615	$2,561,270	N/A	2	1.80x

D+

2 movies (2.73%) managed to get the grade. Even for horror movie standards, this is outright toxic word of mouth. These movies averaged a 2.37x multiplier. In comparison, 2021 had no movies with this grade.

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Weeks in theaters	Multiplier
1	Mack & Rita	Aug/12	Gravitas	$1,038,291	$2,535,459	$0.5M	4	2.44x
2	Men	May/20	A24	$3,293,030	$7,587,853	N/A	5	2.30x

---

2022 DOMESTIC TOP 25

No.	Movie	Date	Studio	Domestic Opening	Domestic Total	Budget	Grade	Multiplier
1	Top Gun: Maverick	May/27	Paramount	$126,707,459	$718,732,821	$170M	A+	5.67x
2	Avatar: The Way of Water	Dec/16	20th Century	$134,100,226	$684,075,767	$460M	A	5.10x
3	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	Nov/11	Disney	$181,339,761	$453,829,060	$250M	A	2.50x
4	Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness	May/6	Disney	$187,420,998	$411,331,607	$200M	B+	2.19x
5	Jurassic World Dominion	Jun/10	Universal	$145,075,625	$376,009,080	$185M	A–	2.59x
6	Minions: The Rise of Gru	Jul/1	Universal	$107,010,140	$369,500,210	$80M	A	3.45x
7	The Batman	Mar/4	Warner Bros.	$134,008,624	$369,345,583	$200M	A–	2.76x
8	Thor: Love and Thunder	Jul/8	Disney	$144,165,107	$343,256,830	$250M	B+	2.38x
9	Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Apr/8	Paramount	$72,105,176	$190,872,904	$110M	A	2.65x
10	Puss in Boots: The Last Wish	Dec/21	Universal	$12,429,515	$185,535,345	$110M	A	14.92x
11	Black Adam	Oct/21	Warner Bros.	$67,004,323	$168,152,111	$260M	B+	2.51x
12	Elvis	Jun/24	Warner Bros.	$31,211,579	$151,040,048	$85M	A–	4.84x
13	Uncharted	Feb/18	Sony	$44,010,155	$147,877,533	$120M	B+	3.36x
14	Nope	Jul/22	Universal	$44,366,910	$123,277,080	$68M	B	2.78x
15	Lightyear	Jun/17	Disney	$50,577,961	$118,307,188	$200M	A–	2.34x
16	Smile	Sep/30	Paramount	$22,609,925	$105,935,048	$17M	B–	4.69x
17	The Lost City	Mar/25	Paramount	$30,453,269	$105,344,029	$68M	B+	3.46x
18	Bullet Train	Aug/5	Sony	$30,030,156	$103,368,602	$90M	B+	3.44x
19	The Bad Guys	Apr/22	Universal	$23,950,245	$97,233,630	$69M	A	4.06x
20	Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore	Apr/15	Warner Bros.	$42,151,256	$95,850,844	$200M	B+	2.27x
21	DC League of Super-Pets	Jul/29	Warner Bros.	$23,003,441	$93,657,117	$90M	A–	4.07x
22	Where the Crawdads Sing	Jul/15	Sony	$17,253,227	$90,038,355	$24M	A–	5.22x
23	The Black Phone	Jun/24	Universal	$23,633,220	$89,887,230	$18M	B+	3.80x
24	Scream	Jan/14	Paramount	$30,018,805	$81,641,405	$24M	B+	2.72x
25	Everything Everywhere All At Once	Mar/25	A24	$6,059,263	$77,169,474	$25M	N/A	12.73x

Thanks for reading these! The 2023 Edition will be posted next year.

[u/nicolasb51942003]

You started this almost a year ago and now you’ve completed it a year later!

[u/BunyipPouch → u/nicolasb51942003]

I'd say the greatest post series this sub has ever seen. Great stuff. Congrats on finishing (for now...() /u/SanderSo47!

[u/SanderSo47 → u/BunyipPouch]

Thanks!

[u/SanderSo47 → u/nicolasb51942003]

One year in the making, for 37 years of CinemaScore. So much time, but it was worth it.

[u/ImpossibleTouch6452]

light years cinemascore wasn’t as bad as i though

[u/Badimus]

Top Gun Maverick doing some serious heavy lifting for the average A+ multiplier 😂

[u/barefootBam]

we did not talk about Man Called Otto enough in here. 15x multiplier is nuts.

[u/AVR350]

Man...seriously ur level of dedication to this...hats off... 👏👏

[u/Word-0f-the-Day]

Lightyear sticks out for its score and small legs.

Smile did well for its low but average cinemascore for horror.

[u/Legal_Ad_6129]

You did, dude! Congrats!

[u/cyvaris]

Having seen Men in theaters, I can absolutely understand that audience score. Of maybe five people in the theater, I was clearly the only one not utterly repulsed by the repeated Rory Kinnear m-preg.

[u/JohnnyK00]

This is some great analysis!

[u/Mindless_Bad_1591]

Take my gold

[u/Syn7axError]

The D movies managed a 2.37 multiplier. No excuses for the rest.

[u/MicahInvestments]

Oppenheimer got an A

[u/Specialist_Access_27 → u/MicahInvestments]

That’s 2023