Brits have been asked what films they are most looking forward to seeing as cinemas reopen across the UK. 

As lockdown restrictions ease across the country, Brits have revealed the films they can’t wait to see on the big screen with James Bond’s No Time to Die, Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible 7 topping the list.

A study consisting of 2,000 adults found three in 10 Brits were more excited to see new releases than they would have been due to such a long wait as a result of thecoronavirus pandemic. 

While Daniel Craig’s final gig as James Bond topped the list, other films Brits are looking forward to include Spider-Man: No Way Home, Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad and John Krasinski’s follow up thriller A Quiet Place: Part II.

Other long-awaited films making up the top 40 list were nostalgic remakes and sequels including Cruella, Space Jam 2 and Peter Rabbit 2.

Hardest parts of lockdown

It also emerged more than a tenth of adults said cinemas closing had been one of the hardest parts of lockdown for them.

And Brits were left with no option but to watch films on their TV (85 per cent), laptop (16 per cent), tablets (14 per cent) and even their phones (10 per cent).

And when the big screens reopen on May 17th, 16 per cent are planning to make a trip during the first week, with the average adult hoping to go twice a month.

Watching at home

The research, commissioned by Compare the Market to celebrate cinemas reopening, found a third of adults watched a film at least once a week during lockdown to spark a sense of nostalgia.

British film critic James King said: “There is so much to look forward to with cinemas reopening – not just the films of which there are clearly lots of long-awaited blockbusters, –but the whole experience.

“Meeting with friends, family or your other half to enjoy a bucket of fresh popcorn, comfy chairs, a film on the big screen with surround sound, complete with the company of an audience, is something we took for granted pre-lockdown.

“There is something nostalgic about a trip to the cinema, whether it’s the film itself, the food, or the memories, people clearly can’t wait to get back to their local cinemas.”

The study also found 56 per cent agreed viewing a film at home doesn’t offer the same adrenaline as doing so at the cinema.

And the things people have missed about going to the cinema in the past year include the big screen (44 per cent), the surround sound (31 per cent) and watching trailers (20 per cent).

Similarly, the smell of popcorn (18 per cent), collective reactions from the audience (15 per cent) and the nostalgic feeling (23 per cent) were missed.

Recreating the experience

In order to recreate the cinema experience during lockdown 15 per cent have home-made popcorn, 20 per cent dimmed the lights and 13 per cent turned the volume up loud.

A further 65 per cent of those polled via OnePoll feel it’s important to support cinemas post lockdown.

And people typically feel excited (33 per cent), nostalgic (19 per cent) and even emotional (15 per cent) about doing so.

More than a quarter have watched films which they would now also like to see on the big screen, including Bad Boys for Life (32 per cent), Mulan (31 per cent) and The Witches (27 per cent).

Julie Daniels from comparethemarket.com said: “The cinema experience is one we love as a nation and our research shows just how much people are looking forward to returning, with two thirds planning a visit at least once a month when cinemas are open again.

“We’re excited to be part of the reopening of our big screens across the country from the 17th of May with our Meerkat Movies rewards offering 2 for 1 cinema tickets every Tuesday or Wednesday.

“It’s the perfect excuse to get down to your local cinema, and embrace the magic of the silver screen once again.”

Top 40 films Brits are looking forward to seeing at the cinema:

1. No Time to Die
2. Top Gun: Maverick
3. Mission: Impossible 7
4. Spider-Man: No Way Home
5. Black Widow
6. The Matrix 4
7. Fast & Furious 9
8. The Suicide Squad
9. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
10. A Quiet Place: Part 2
11. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
12. The King’s Man
13. Peter Rabbit 2
14. The Addams Family 2
15. West Side Story
16. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
17. Nomadland
18. Cruella
19. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
20. Candyman
21. Space Jam: A New Legacy
22. Cinderella
23. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
24. Dune
25. The Boss Baby: Family Business
26. The Father
27. The Croods 2: A New Age
28. Jungle Cruise
29. Those Who Wish Me Dead
30. Halloween Kills
31. The Forever Purge
32. Last Night in Soho
33. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
34. In the Heights
35. The Eternals
36. Snake Eyes
37. Free Guy
38. Infinite
39. The Paw Patrol Movie
40. Malignant