Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Recently, Gooseworx, an animator and the creator of “The Amazing Digital Circus,” faced online backlash following a statement she made during a livestream. The overwhelming number of negative comments caused her to delete her Reddit account.
You might assume she made an offensive remark or shared a controversial take — either would make this amount of outrage justifiable. Instead, the backlash began solely because Gooseworx confirmed the two main characters in her series — nothing else.
This absurd ordeal got me thinking about how fan culture can determine a franchise’s public success. To what extent is engagement considered harmful?
I label a show or film good when it inspires me to reflect beyond simply watching. If I find myself saying things like, “It’s rare to encounter content like this nowadays,” or, “It wasn’t afraid to portray reality,” it was a success.
Theory development is crucial to the success of a film or series because it signals genuine audience interest, sparks peer discussions and organically promotes the content. This dynamic helps make TV series like “Lost” cultural phenomena. “Lost” has since influenced other franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to lean into fan theory culture.
After every MCU project, post-credit scenes hint at what is next, prompting fans to speculate about future installments. After Thanos was revealed in 2012, fan theories expanded with each release, intensifying anticipation. That ongoing buildup is part of why “Avengers: Endgame” became the second-highest grossing film of all time.
The same strategy is being employed for their next big ticket, “Avengers: Doomsday.” Brief teasers promising the return of certain original Avengers sparked a hilarious social media trend — “______ will return in Avengers Doomsday” — promoting the film even more, perhaps unintentionally.
The strategy is a brilliant marketing technique that maintains the franchise’s popularity through fan engagement because it does not over-indulge the audience. It does not spell everything out; it’s a small hint that prompts speculation and harmless trends. These are the types of community discussions fans should be having, and I see nothing wrong with this side of fan theory culture.
The Gooseworx case is just one example of how fan theory culture can be problematic. Some fans become so invested they feel entitled to dictate the series’ direction, often expressing frustration when their expectations are not met. This dynamic leaves creators feeling like they’ve lost control over their own work.
When creators publish original content, they invite an audience that may grow into a devoted fandom. However, criticizing them to the point where they want to quit a project fueled by passion and the desire to tell a story is not a healthy debate; it is cyberbullying.
The worst case I’ve seen is with “My Hero Academia,” a popular anime defined by its toxic fandom, who have intense shipping wars and criticizes its creator, Kōhei Horikoshi, for not meeting expectations. Approximately three-quarters of the content I view about the show, even when positive, mentions the fandom.
When a fandom attracts more attention than the actual content, it turns away potential viewers and indicates a series’ inability to earn audience respect. Although “The Amazing Digital Circus” and “My Hero Academia” are among my personal favorites, they illustrate how widespread popularity and overindulgence can sometimes be detrimental rather than beneficial.
A project’s success also depends on how and when creators respond to their audience; the notorious live-action Sonic case demonstrates the positive impacts of fan feedback. When first revealed in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” teaser, fans were appalled at how their adorable, spunky cartoon hedgehog was a skinny, ungloved creature with human eyes and teeth.
In response, Paramount Pictures made the wise decision to push the film’s release back three months to redesign a more video-game-accurate Sonic. Ugly Sonic turned out to be a blessing in a cringe disguise, as the live-action Sonic franchise is now recognized for responding to fan feedback. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” leaned into game lore, and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” prioritized an emotionally driven tone.
I am not suggesting that creators should always give in to fans and demands, but the situation matters. When fans express interest in certain aspects that do not significantly alter the creator’s vision or freedom, such as design or narrative tone, it is fair to consider their input.
For this reason, I believe that fan engagement is essential. With fan theory culture deeply connected to content creation, creators need to understand how to interact with their fandom and when it is appropriate for fans to participate.
Reach Carlee Elders at letters@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
