Mental Floss

Here Are the Most Searched '90s Movie in Each State

Films from the 1990s are still getting plenty of search engine action.
Films from the 1990s are still getting plenty of search engine action. | KLH49/iStock via Getty Images

If you thought 1980s nostalgia was everywhere, the 1990s promises even more throwbacks. Reboots of The French Prince of Bel-Air and The Matrix are on their way; Friends and Seinfeld are still in heavy rotation.

When it comes to ‘90s movies, some states appear to have strong preferences. Recently, television and internet service provider FrontierBundles decided to take a look at the top 20 highest-grossing movies of that decade and see which ones were the most heavily searched in each state. Here’s what they discovered:

Did your favorite '90s film make it?
Did your favorite '90s film make it? | Courtesy of FrontierBundles

As you can see, Disney’s The Lion King (1994) took the top spot in 18 states, followed by Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Ghost (1990), and Independence Day (1996). Twister (1996) is notable for being the most-searched ‘90s film in three states—Nebraska, Iowa, and Oklahoma—with a history of tornadoes. Meanwhile, North Dakota seems to have taken an interest in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), the sequel to 1997’s Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Why did The Lion King take the lion’s share of searches? It’s one of Disney’s biggest animated hits, producing not only a massively successful Broadway show but a live-action adaptation in 2019. It may be a '90s film, but it has clearly remained relevant.

Home/AFTERNOON MAP