The Rise and Fall of Black Adam – Could Data Analytics Have Predicted This?

Recently, the DC Extended Universe film, Black Adam, opened to a disappointing box office performance. While most of the blame can be attributed to a pandemic-ravaged movie industry, it made me wonder: could data analytics have predicted this failure before the movie was even made? Let’s take a look. 

Data Analytics Is Everywhere 

Data analytics is everywhere these days. Businesses use it to better understand customer behavior and make decisions about future products or services. Marketers use it to track how potential customers interact with campaigns and advertisements. Even political campaigns use data analytics to better target potential voters. So why not use data analytics for predicting movie success? 

Studios Use Data Analytics Too 

It turns out that studios do use data analytics to some degree in their decision-making process. Hollywood insiders are always looking for ways to decrease risk when making movies—especially big budget ones like Black Adam—so they will often turn to predictive models and data analysis techniques in order to get an idea of how well a movie might perform at the box office before it is released. 

Some studies have found that data-driven methods can provide more accurate predictions than traditional forms of forecasting, such as focus groups or surveys. However, there are still some limitations on what kind of information can be gleaned from these predictive models; for example, they cannot account for unpredictable events or sudden shifts in public opinion (such as the coronavirus pandemic). Additionally, most predictive models rely heavily on past performance trends and do not take into account qualitative factors such as story or acting quality. 

In conclusion, while using data analytics might seem like an appealing way of predicting box office success before a movie is released, it is important to keep in mind that there are still several limitations associated with this methodology. It is impossible to predict every possible outcome—and sometimes even the best efforts fail! Despite its poor performance at the box office this time around, we’re still looking forward to seeing what Black Adam has in store still, now that it's streaming on HBO Max. Until then, stay safe and happy watching!