Films with inclusive representation that get a stamp of approval from adolescents tend to perform better on the big screen, according to UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers. 

The research org teamed up with the National Research Group to survey 23,284 adolescents, defined as 13- to 24-year-olds, with at least 1,017 respondents at every age within that range. They were asked to evaluate representation in 29 popular franchises, all rated PG or PG-13—a list that mostly included kids features (Frozen, the Spider-Verse films) and four-quadrant titles (Barbie, the Avatar films), plus a handful of older-skewing IPs (Downton Abbey, Crazy Rich Asians).  

It turns out that teen and YA audiences are great judges of authentic representation on screen—and this translates into a surprising degree of predictive power. The more positively they rated franchises’ depictions of people of color, women or LGBTQ+ individuals, the more box office success those franchises had. 

Compared with franchises that scored “average” ratings in authenticity, the franchises with “above-average” ratings made roughly US$175.5 million more in domestic box office. The research team found this was consistent across different types of representation and movie genres. “In other words,” the report said, “portraying a diverse identity well enough that adolescents consider it above-average representation really pays off.” 

The study also found that when respondents were rating the representation of their own identity (for example, a girl evaluating female representation), they predicted box office success 65% better than adolescents rating identities not their own. 

UCLA broke out this data point among under-18s for Kidscreen, showing how ratings from teens with lived experience rating their own identity were also 12.8 times better at predicting what made money at the box office.

The full report is available to download on the CSS website. But here are some of the key takeaways for producers:

1. Don’t just turn to experts

Studios should not only tap experts but directly hear from adolescents too. “To have the great representation that drives box office success, integrate both the expertise of consultants and the lived experience of adolescents into your project,” the report says.

But can checking in with a 13-year-old really make a difference? It’s a resounding “yes,” according to the report, especially if they have lived experience with the identity. “As they age through their teenage years, adolescents rating an identity they don’t share start to agree more with experts, because they’re learning about representation. But adolescents with lived experience (rating their own identity) do not align themselves with experts more, because they already had their own expertise by age 13.”

2. Three flaws to avoid

What constitutes poor representation of a group, according to young viewers? The study outlines three main indicators: a lack of cultural representation of that identity, minimal roles for characters with that identity, and characters with that identity not being relatable or realistic. 

Turning Red

Interestingly, stereotypes were called out but weren’t always a “fatal” flaw. According to the report, stereotypes “can be very harmful, but when stereotypical characters are treated with respect or given three-dimensional characteristics, such as the ‘tiger mom’ in Turning Red, they can also be part of authentic representation.”

3. Films that get it right

K-Pop Demon Hunters is named as a great example of good representation fueled by relatability. “In a particularly clever move, even though the main characters are idols themselves, they consistently show respect for their fans and even engage in fandom themselves,” the study notes. 

Black Panther was the third-highest-rated franchise overall, getting credit for its thoughtful incorporation of African culture and Afrofuturist elements. The Incredibles franchise also rated well for female representation.

4. Relationships are key

Don’t underestimate the power of real, culturally-embedded relationships—be it familial, platonic or romantic. Respondents who connected strongly with a character because they were shown in a “relationship(s) that reminds me of relationship(s) in my own life” rated those franchises highly, averaging 3.81 out of 5.

The study names Frozen, which scored highly in female representation, as a good case study tied to the depiction of sisterhood between Elsa and Anna (a point of relatability for both younger and older siblings). “When diverse characters have meaningful bonds with one another that bring out their identities, it lays the groundwork for representation that even adolescents consider authentic.”