「邪修」暑期档，没人买单了

Core Viewpoint - The 2025 summer film season, despite being labeled as the "best summer season in 10 years," is struggling with overall box office performance, lacking any blockbuster films exceeding 3 billion yuan [5][14][34]. Group 1: Box Office Performance - The summer season has not produced any films with box office earnings over 3 billion yuan, leading to a disappointing overall performance despite high ratings for several films [5][14]. - As of August 22, 2025, the highest-grossing film, "Nanjing Photo Studio," has accumulated 2.677 billion yuan, while "Wang Wang Mountain Little Monster" has earned 1.137 billion yuan, both failing to be considered true blockbusters [14][34]. - The industry is facing a significant challenge, as the emergence of blockbuster films has become increasingly difficult, with predictions indicating that even the top films may not reach 3 billion yuan in total box office [14][34]. Group 2: Marketing and Audience Engagement - The use of "water army" tactics for manipulating ratings has proven ineffective, as evidenced by the film "Sauce Garden Case," which received a low score of 5.7 on Douban despite extensive marketing efforts [9][10][21]. - The summer season has seen a rise in the number of films with Douban ratings exceeding 8 points, with five films achieving this milestone, indicating a potential shift in audience preferences towards quality content [13][34]. - The marketing strategies employed this summer have included aggressive scheduling changes and promotional events, but many films still failed to resonate with audiences, leading to a perception that marketing alone cannot drive box office success [20][25][34]. Group 3: Audience Demographics and Preferences - This summer's audience has shifted, with a notable increase in middle-aged viewers, as films like "Nanjing Photo Studio" and "Wang Wang Mountain Little Monster" attracted significant interest from audiences aged 40 and above [33][34]. - The trend indicates that older audiences are becoming a more substantial demographic in cinemas, with over 53.3% of viewers aged 40 and above expressing interest in films like "The Stage" [33]. - The industry's understanding of audience preferences is evolving, with a growing recognition that quality content is essential for attracting viewers, as audiences are now more discerning and less likely to be swayed by marketing alone [34][39].