Factors Determining Success of Russian Movies

This paper delves into the complexity of what makes Russian movies successful in the box office, aiming to uncover the key factors behind their financial prosperity. By posing the question of what influences the revenue generated by Russian films, the study adopts a systematic approach, treating movies as products defined by various attributes. Hypotheses under study include the following factors: genre, the presence of sequels or prequels, duration, and age limits. The theoretical framework is rooted to consumer behaviour and the purchasing decision, allowing us to analyze factors influencing product choice. To gather empirical evidence, data was collected from Kinopoisk, a prominent film database in Russia, spanning releases from 2022 and 2023, amounting to a substantial dataset of 318 observations. Employing regression analysis, the research identifies significant relations between certain attributes and box office success. The study reveals that having a sequel, longer runtime, and specific genres like comedy, adventure, and animation are linked with higher box office revenue. Conversely, the documentary genre exhibits contrasting effects, decreasing revenue. Moreover, the study shows that there is no significant relationship between box office revenue and age limit. These results shed light on the dynamics of the Russian film market, and also provide valuable information to stakeholders, including marketers, producers and industry analysts. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors determining the success of the Russian film industry and helps decision makers make informed choices about marketing strategies, production decisions and navigate the ever-changing landscape of the cinematic market.