Recently, movies based on young adult (YA) books have emerged as the newest genre in which content creators are investing big money. And their investments are paying off. YA adaptations are a growing slice of the box office pie, increasing 6% from 2013 to 2014. These titles span big blockbusters to smaller box office performers, but audiences of all ages are increasingly interested in seeing these movies.

In a recent survey of consumers who had seen at least three recent films from the genre, 43% choose YA adaptations as one of their favorite genres to go see in a movie theater, on par with fantasy and action/thrillers. Not surprisingly, the excitement about these movies starts with the books and the fans who are engaged with them. But getting the adapation right is crucial. 

To take advantage of this trend, it is important to have a clear view of what is driving moviegoers towards this genre and the implications for the coming years. To this end, Nielsen has conducted an in-depth study to uncover the different types of consumers within this genre and how to best engage them.