Inside the Fan-Fueled Rollout of Marty Supreme | Fangirl Forward #3
From surprise screenings to sold-out merch, Timothée Chalamet and A24 built a campaign that relied on fandom, and exposed the risks of doing so.
Welcome to Fangirl Forward, a biweekly look at the people and ideas reshaping fandom, media and entertainment. Each edition bridges the worlds of fans and industry, exploring how community and creativity can shape what’s next.
In today’s edition, we’re taking a closer look at Marty Supreme and the unconventional rollout that turned an original indie film into a full-scale fan moment.
By now, it’s clear that selling original movies in 2025 takes more than trailers and talk show appearances. Even major stars aren’t guaranteed to pull people into theaters, especially for films without built-in IP.
So when Timothée Chalamet and A24 kicked off the rollout for Marty Supreme, a $60 million biopic and the studio’s biggest budget to date, they didn’t follow the traditional rules of promo. Instead, they built a campaign that invited fans into the story as participants long before the film’s Christmas Day release.
The movie was introduced through a series of viral stunts and public moments that rewarded people who were paying attention: surprise screenings announced via last minute Instagram Stories, bright orange blimps circling cities, a satirical “leaked” Zoom pitch meeting, and limited merch drops.
Even Chalamet has been unusually hands-on throughout the rollout, spending more time in the streets than in the chairs of TV talk show hosts.
In one of the campaign’s meta moments, he summed it up simply, stating, “Movie marketing is trying to be passive, trying to be chic. We’re not trying to be chic.”
That philosophy has shaped every layer of the campaign. This is a period film about table tennis, promoted with the urgency and spectacle of a franchise launch, and the contrast is doing real work.
The strategy has generated real buzz ahead of the film’s release, but it has also shifted more responsibility onto fans themselves. When hype becomes the driving force of a rollout, fandom starts doing the heavy lifting.
Much of the energy around Marty Supreme draws from Chalamet’s existing fanbase, of course, but the rollout has also pulled in people who aren’t fans of the film yet — fashion collectors, casual moviegoers, resellers and spectators drawn in by the various stunts. Everyone wants to know more about Marty Supreme, thanks to the rollout’s world-building, absurdity and word-of-mouth.
That dynamic became impossible to ignore at A24’s Marty Supreme pop-up activations. Limited to just four cities globally — New York, Los Angeles, London, and São Paulo — the events drew overlapping crowds of Chalamet and movie fans, fashion collectors, and resellers, all competing for the same scarce drop.
Fans camped overnight, shared location intel on TikTok, created their own ticketing systems and packed the surrounding areas so tightly that the police were called in to manage the crowd. Many were hoping to score the iconic Marty Supreme windbreaker — a Nahmias-designed jacket that’s become quite the status symbol of late 2025, reselling for thousands and worn by everyone from Tom Brady to Misty Copeland.
At that point, the pop-up became less about merch and more about who gets access, who gets pushed out, and what being a “real fan” even means in moments driven by scarcity and social capital.
To understand what really happened on the ground, I reached out to Corina, who attended the event in Los Angeles and managed to secure one of the coveted $250 jackets.
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Fans camped out overnight for this pop-up. How early did you get there, and what was the scene like when you first arrived, especially with the crowds and all the hype around the jackets?
I got there around 9:30 to get a ticket numbered 66. It was a fan-created ticketing system meant to create order and honor a system. I was lucky enough to make friends around me, so I didn’t sleep overnight (as a female, it did not feel safe to sleep there) and came back in the morning to meet my same crew back in line.
The vibes were anxious but very chill at that time, with most people just in disbelief that a line had already formed. It did not take long for the line to reach well over 100 people within minutes of me arriving.
You managed to get the Marty Supreme jacket, which has basically become the status item of the drop. What was it like trying to get one, and what stood out to you about the energy around the release?
I honestly felt like I was in a Ticketmaster war in real life trying to get that jacket. Neither A24 event workers nor security showed up until about two hours before the event, with no system in place because they didn’t expect the line to be so long, and it got very chaotic and scary very quickly.
Resellers threatened violence if any fans tried to get a jacket before them and their reseller crew did. It became such a scary situation, with people pushing to the front and the store only allowing about five entrances at a time, with the first entrances not happening until 5–5:30 (over an hour later than the intended 4pm start time).
Once inside, what was the setup like? What kind of merch or displays were there, and did anything about the event feel especially reflective of where fan culture is at right now?
The setup was very mellow and spacious inside due to the waves of entrances, allowing people to comfortably look around. There were three lines for registers once inside that moved somewhat quickly.
We were limited to one item each, or occasionally two additional small items, but it was one jacket specifically per person.
It was very reflective of fan culture, more so in the sense of who is a true fan and who was there just to own the item to flex or strictly to resell. There was extremely limited merchandise, and primarily the first 50 customers let inside the building were ultimately resellers there for the wrong reasons.
Many fans who truly waited 20+ hours camping all night did not receive anything. The true fans that I met there were amazing people, but it’s sad that the resellers and fake fans truly ruined and overshadowed the experience out of pure greed.
Overall, the Marty Supreme rollout shows how modern film marketing increasingly depends on fan participation not as a bonus, but as a core engine of visibility. Fans are more than willing to organize around a campaign.
This wasn’t a single stunt or a one-off pop-up. It was a months-long sequence of moments designed to draw virality and reward attention.
But the pop-ups also exposed the limits of that approach.
Fans share information, build systems, and show up early, often absorbing the stress and risk that formal structures fail to anticipate. That kind of energy can turn an original film into a cultural moment. But it also illustrates how when fandom becomes part of the infrastructure, the experience itself matters just as much as the headline.
Fans will carry a moment forward when it feels exciting and worth it. When it tips into chaos, the cost can be felt long after the merch sells out.
So while these activations succeed in generating conversation and cultural relevance, they also raise questions about responsibility, fairness and who ultimately benefits when fan enthusiasm turns into a frenzy.
As studios and brands continue leaning into experiential, fan-first marketing, the challenge moving forward isn’t only about how to get fans involved, but how we can build systems that protect and respect the communities showing up to support the work.
The dialogue between fans and the industry keeps entertainment alive. Here’s a look at what fans are saying, what the industry is doing and why both matter.
Fan Talk
What fans are saying, questioning, and celebrating across pop culture – and what the industry should be paying attention to.
The Hunger Games fandom is feeling nostalgic. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are officially returning as Katniss and Peeta in Sunrise on the Reaping, a casting that’s resonating deeply with longtime fans.
Broadway audiences are getting younger, and more online.The Broadway League’s latest demographics report shows record attendance and the highest percentage of BIPOC theatregoers in 30 years. Instagram is also now the top source fans use to decide what shows to see, edging out Google and word-of-mouth.
McKenna Grace is a part of the fan-to-pro pipeline. A red carpet moment went viral after the actress was playfully exposed for once making fan edits of her Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 co-star Josh Hutcherson, a reminder that today’s stars often come from the same fandom spaces fans still occupy.
Industry Moves
From awards to new releases and announcements, these are the entertainment world’s biggest updates fans should know about.
Disney is betting big on generative AI. The company announced a $1 billion investment in OpenAI alongside a licensing deal that will allow users to create short-form videos using Disney characters on Sora, which marks a major shift considering the company is known for aggressive copyright enforcement.
Spotify is leaning further into video. Music videos are rolling out in beta for Premium users in the U.S. and Canada, expanding how fans experience artists beyond audio and giving Spotify another way to keep fandom inside its platform.
Online impersonation scams are becoming a serious fan safety issue. A new report found hackers posing as artists like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Billie Eilish scammed fans out billions this year, highlighting how the same social platforms used to build closeness can also expose fans to fraud.
The Oscars are officially embracing AI-assisted filmmaking. After a quiet rule update earlier this year, several 2026 contenders are openly using generative AI tools in their creative process, leaving fans and filmmakers discussing what creative ownership looks like in awards season.
Netflix is expanding into video podcasts. Through a new exclusive partnership with iHeartMedia, more than 15 major podcasts are coming to Netflix as video series in 2026. The move reflects how podcast consumption has evolved beyond listening, with audiences treating their favorite shows like must-watch TV.
Letterboxd is entering the film rental space. The platform launched a Video Store that lets fans rent movies curated from what the community is actually watching and recommending.
Fandom Spark
Featuring the standout fan projects and industry tactics igniting connection right now.
Conan Gray’s fandom is mixing merch sales with community service, just in time for the holidays.
Promoted by Gray’s official HQ page, fans showed up in NYC ahead of Gray’s Z100 Jingle Ball performance for a Holiday Shop & Sweater Drive event hosted with UMusic Shop. Fans were able to donate sweaters or clothing in exchange for a merch discount, with proceeds benefiting the Ali Forney Center, which supports LGBTQ+ homeless and at-risk youth. The activation shined by reminding us how artists and fans can align around shared values, leading to collective action and community service. Let’s see more activations like this in 2026 👏🏽
Forward Motion
Keep your pop culture career momentum moving forward with these entry-level jobs, opportunities and events.
📺 Dream of turning your love of TV, media, and pop culture into a real industry pathway? The International Radio & Television Society (IRTS) is now accepting applications for its 2026 Summer Fellowship, a 9-week, all-expenses-paid program in NYC that places fellows at top media companies while helping fans build real-world skills and connections. Applications are due January 15. Apply here.
🎶 For the person who knows how fandom actually works online, Atlantic Music Group is hiring a Pop Music Community & Fan Engagement Coordinator to help build fan-first campaigns, connect with fan communities, and shape how artists engage digitally. Apply here.
🏈 Whether you’re loyal to the Chiefs, the Chargers, or anyone in between, the NFL’s Summer Internship Program offers paid, behind-the-scenes experience across league offices in New York, New Jersey, and California for students interested in the business side of professional football. Apply here.
🎭 Vineyard Theatre is hiring a Marketing Associate for someone who loves theatre, artists, and audiences and wants to help shape how new work finds its people. The role focuses on digital marketing, social content, email campaigns, and audience engagement, making it a strong fit for someone interested in the intersection of storytelling, fandom, and arts marketing. Apply here.
More from Fangirl Forward
FANFAQ: Netflix Wants Warner Bros. So does Paramount. What Does It Mean for Fans? — Two competing offers, one iconic studio, and a lot of questions about HBO, streaming, and what changes (if anything) for viewers. Read here.
Darija Katolik on Fan-Led Storytelling, Rewriting Media Narratives and Building ROARA — Drawing on a decade in fan engagement, journalism, and digital media, ROARA founder Darija Katolik is building a platform where fans help reshape how women in entertainment are seen. Read here.
FANFAQ: Is Your Spotify Wrapped Lying to You? — If your Spotify Wrapped feels off, here’s what might be the culprit. Read here.
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A stellar breakdown of this campaign!!