As the summer movie season heated up with splashy red carpets, film critics set Twitter abuzz with complaints about the arrival of social media influencers at the premieres of “Barbie” and Disney’s “Haunted Mansion.”
The actors’ strike has amped up the controversy, with studios looking to find ways to bring excitement to events without stars. But the smartphone-wielding video creators also play into worries about the movie audience’s shifting media habits, as traditional reviews make way for short TikTok clips that play off film soundtracks and outfits.
It’s “weird” to see “influencers do red carpet interviews instead of journalists who have been on their grind for years and years and aren’t allowed the same opportunity,” tweeted independent film critic Shannon McGrew.