// THE VERGE — MOBILE & WEB
Influencer screenings aren’t going away
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But we can rethink our relationship with entertainment media in the age of parasocial fandoms.
But we can rethink our relationship with entertainment media in the age of parasocial fandoms.
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For a few days, it seemed like Universal decided that there would be no advanced screenings of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey for influencers. But on Monday, influencers sat alongside traditional critics and journalists at special showings of The Odyssey specifically for the associated press junket. Despite what it may have looked like, Universal was not going back on its word. The studio was simply embracing an undeniable reality of the modern entertainment press.
Much as it may pain some to admit, influencers and content creators have become a significant part of our media ecosystem — one that offers film studios an invaluable way to reach larger, more diverse, and younger audiences. Whether it’s a YouTuber’s video essay, a TikToker’s reaction video, or a glowing review on Instagram, influencers’ content can go viral if it resonates with (or enrages) a rabid fan base. And the way that some influencers build massive followings of their own highly engaged fans makes them useful for studios hoping to engineer the next Barbenheimer moment.
People’s reactions to the idea of Universal snubbing creators ahead of The Odyssey’s theatrical premiere highlights another important facet of our media landscape. Influencers have become a big part of how studios promote their films. Speaking to Yahoo Entertainment, digital marketing strategist Gigi Robinson explained that influencer screenings are “one of the smartest moves in entertainment marketing right now” because of how they “create a full content arc.”