New study reveals the most pirated movie of 2022
The list of the most pirated movies of 2022 has been released, with Spider-Man: No Way Home taking the title at the top of the list.
According to the findings of the piracy-focused research house Muso (per Variety), Marvel and DC superhero films were among the most pirated titles of last year. Together, they accounted for 70% of the most illegally streamed and downloaded movies.
No Way Home reached the top spot by accounting for 21% of the entire film piracy of 2022. Behind it are The Batman, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Adam, Uncharted, Eternals, Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion, and Encanto. Matt Reeves’ The Batman accounted for 13% of 2022’s piracy, with The Multiverse of Madness close behind at 10%.
According to Muso’s data, the rise in piracy coincided with a title’s digital release, which meant that pirates could obtain high-quality copies via streaming or downloads. These new methods are different to the most popular technique of the past, which would see movies captured from within the cinema on a camera. Per one spokesperson from Muso, the latter type “often provides an unsatisfactory viewing experience and can drive frustrated consumers into theatres for a better experience”.
Another factor that increased piracy is the shortening of theatrical windows. Notably, blockbusters such as The Batman and The Multiverse of Madness arrived on streaming platforms shortly after hitting the cinemas. Often, this could be within 50 days.
Interestingly, Top Gun: Maverick – the second highest-grossing flick of 2022, behind Avatar: The Way of Water – accounted for 8% of last year’s privacy, with this attributed to Tom Cruise’s insistence on an extended theatrical run.
As for No Way Home, although it was the most pirated title of 2022, it didn’t elicit as many illegal copies until its cinematic run concluded, which came 90 days before it was available to stream.
