Bruce Willis in Armageddon
BRUCE WILLIS and SIGOURNEY WEAVER are the movie stars most Brits believe can rescue Earth from the predicted Mayan apocalypse on 21st Dec, according to a new study.
The Hollywood A-Listers were chosen from a range of action stars in response to a survey of 2000 Brits by movie and TV streaming service blinkbox to mark the prediction by ancient Mayans that the world will come to an end on 21st December 2012.
Those asked believed the duo – who played deep-sea oil driller Harry Stamper in Armageddon and warrant officer Ellen Ripley in Aliens – would be best placed to help us survive the predicted apocalypse.
The end of the world has inspired Hollywood film-makers for decades, which is why movie streaming service blinkbox also conducted detailed analysis of the genre.
Research into the 50 most iconic apocalypse movies on the service reveals that more involve ALIENS than any other form of threat; the hero who most commonly comes to Earth’s rescue is a 6ft male American scientist in their 30s. A DEADLY VIRUS and NATURAL DISASTER are the second and third most popular threats to civilisation in movies analysed.
Most Brits surveyed believe an ASTEROID HIT would be the most likely way the world will end. Only 1% of the UK population believe aliens pose a threat to civilization.
Those surveyed voted The Day After Tomorrow as their favourite apocalypse movie.
The Mayan prophecy foretelling the world’s end has captured public imagination across the world. Over half of Britons say they are aware of the prediction and one in ten admits to feeling worried about it.
Movie expert Natalie Haynes, commenting on the findings, said: “Hollywood has been obsessed with humankind’s imminent demise recently so the hype around the Mayan apocalypse reflects our current neuroses; we used to fear manmade crises like nuclear war, but now it all feels beyond our control – whether it’s asteroids, plagues or zombies, our imagination has gone wild and more than ever we’re wondering who could save us.”
Ben Ayers from blinkbox adds: “The end of civilisation is one of the most popular movie themes and it’s no surprise to learn that practical Brits don’t believe the Hollywood hype about aliens. It’s also encouraging to learn that when it comes to the end of the world, we can rely on Bruce and Sigourney to come to our rescue.”
The survey found that most (27%) would feel safest in an underground bunker. Over a quarter said home would be the best safe haven, with 6% planning to hide under the duvet.
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For further information, please email comms@blinkbox.com or call 020 7092 8771
Notes to editors:
blinkbox commissioned OnePoll to conduct the nationwide research amongst 2000 UK adults between 16 November – 20 November 2012.
Top 3 apocalypse movies of all time, according to the UK public:
- The Day After Tomorrow (28%)
- Armageddon (18%)
- Outbreak (13%)
Hollywood’s top 3 world endings:
- Alien Invasion (26%)
- Virus (16%)
- Natural Disaster (12%)
Top 3 ways the world will end according to Brits:
- Asteroid strike (15%)
- Natural disaster (14%)
- Nuclear explosion (9%)
The top 3 most popular male movie star saviours:
- Bruce Willis, Harry Stamper in Armageddon (27%)
- Will Smith, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Neville in I Am Legend (20%)
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerico Cane in End of Days (8%)
The top 3 most popular female movie star saviours:
- Sigourney Weaver, Ellen Ripley in Aliens (28%)
- Angelina Jolie, Jane Smith in Mr & Mrs Smith (19%)
- Uma Thurman, the Bride in Kill Bill (13%)
About blinkbox
blinkbox has the latest hit TV series and blockbuster movies to watch instantly without subscription. The service offers thousands of quality titles on a growing number of devices including games consoles, Smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, set top boxes and PCs/Macs. blinkbox is proud to be part of Tesco and was voted ‘Best online movie service’ by viewers of Channel 5’s The Gadget Show.
