Comic book movie fans can be a passionate and highly defensive group, and one only has to take a quick scan of your average comments section to see that many will start some online drama at the drop of a hat. With a film as big as Aquaman it was only natural that emotions would run high, but director James Wan has taken it upon himself to remind his followers that it’s okay to have a differing opinion.
The Conjuring helmsman took to Twitter after observing how some of his fans were harassing critics and viewers who didn’t like the new Aquaman, arguing that this isn’t an acceptable way to show enthusiasm for his work:
“It has come to my attention that some folks are getting harassed by some fans for not liking AQM. Please don’t do that. Not the kind of support I want. Be respectful. Vice versa, it’s ok to not like my film, but there’s no need to attack me personally, or tag me on hates. Peace”
Wan isn’t the only DCEU director to call out the petty squabbles between fans this month, with Shazam! helmsman David F. Sandberg also taking to Instagram to argue that “The seriousness of the Marvel/DC rivalry is so god damn stupid.”
Sadly, it’s become commonplace these days to see fandoms take a turn for the toxic – and as any follower of the backlash to Star Wars: The Last Jedi can tell you, it’s not a problem that’s relegated to the superhero genre, either – but if there’s any movie in cinemas right now that doesn’t need anyone to come to its defense, it’s Aquaman.
Over this past weekend, Wan’s film brought its global total to a whopping $748 million, edging out Suicide Squad as the third highest-grossing DCEU title so far, and if the recent projections are anything to go by, then the feature is on its way to being the first of its cinematic universe to cross the $1 billion mark.
Evidently, a few dissenting voices can only do so much to slow the commercial momentum of Aquaman, and regardless of where you stand on Arthur Curry’s solo debut, it’s clear that we haven’t seen the last of the hero on our screens.
