My perspective on anticipatory speculation is that it generates a certain kind of energy for filmgoing, and that’s probably mostly good, but can have some detrimental qualities. I like to think about what my favorite directors and stars are working on next as much as anyone, but find it important to remind myself not to get attached to rumors or early opinions or wild, unserious lists of speculative nonsense about upcoming movies. Keep it funny, in other words.
There are some who say that there is far more attention paid to what’s coming in the world of TV and movies than there is to the actual products. Teasers of teaser trailers get nearly as much online attention as the actual releases of the movies they’re meant to be promoting. It’s easy to fall victim to a hype machine that’s built solely around advertising and products that are ephemeral and instantly forgettable in favor of the Next Big Thing.
I fear the misplaced value in these things myself, though not to the point of panic. There remains something magical about the communal experience of seeing a heavily pushed movie on its opening weekend with a buzzing crowd. That doesn’t happen without work by some savvy or at least well-funded promoters. And it’s often a result of people getting to use their eyes to see something they had been envisioning in their head for sometimes a significant period of their lives.
The best approach, by my estimation, is to maintain a level head through the hype stage and try really hard to root for the success of a project like this. I’m certainly rooting for Ender’s Game, because if it’s good enough, we all win.
