Fans on the silver screen: Portrayals of fandom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Abstract

Fan culture has changed the whole entertainment industry, becoming “mainstream.” Thus, its expressions necessarily shape franchise cinema, including Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The study reacts to this shift, aiming to explore how MCU movies incorporate images of fan culture and turn some of their support characters into “fans.” The offered critical reflection on related theoretical outlines is intertwined with elements of discourse analysis. The authors focus on selected scenes from Marvel's superhero movies that depict and personalize fan culture. The examination is based on the assumption that such images function as efficient ways of celebrating and encouraging real-life fan activities.