Online Piracy Can Boost Box Office Revenue, Study Suggests

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Online Piracy Can Boost Box Office Revenue, Study Suggests

https://torrentfreak.com/online-piracy-can-boost-box-office-revenue-study-suggests/

Let’s be real: Hollywood has spent decades screaming that piracy is the end of cinema. But what if… it’s actually a free trailer?

A new study from Monash and San Jose State universities found something wild: high-quality pirate releases of blockbusters like Marvel movies don’t kill box office sales—they boost them. How? Because watching a pirated copy of Avengers: Endgame on your laptop makes you realize, “Wait… I need to see this on a 70-foot screen with Dolby Atmos and popcorn in my lap.”

The magic? “Spectacle” films—big visuals, loud soundtracks, immersive experiences—are enhanced by theaters. Piracy acts like a viral ad: “This looks insane… I gotta see it for real.” Meanwhile, romantic comedies like 27 Dresses? Piracy kills their box office. Why? You can watch those on your couch with zero regret.

And here’s the kicker: low-quality leaks (grainy CAM rips) still hurt sales across the board. So it’s not piracy itself—it’s quality piracy that backfires… in a good way.

The takeaway? Studios shouldn’t just sue pirates. They should upgrade the theater experience—premium seats, themed events, IMAX snacks. Because sometimes, the best anti-piracy tool isn’t a lawyer… it’s a better popcorn machine. 🍿

— And yes, this is real research. Not satire. (We checked.)