Why I Hate Fanboys
Wed, June 17, 2009 
Yesterday afternoon, Batman-On-Film big-cheese Bill "Jett" Ramey revealed that not only has Christopher Nolan yet to commit to helm a third Batman film, but that he's insanely hesitant to even do so and everything is pretty much at "square one" for the threequel.
So of course, we did a post on said report - as did most of the known Internet. Afterwards, I was curious to hear reactions so I surfed around to a couple of forums and what not. You saw the standard responses. Some didn't believe it (going as far to call Jett a liar), others took the report for what it's worth and of course there was the "Well, let's just wait and see" responses. And then there was another answer I kept seeing...a lot.
"If Nolan walks from making Batman 3, then fuck him!"
In the eyes of a fanboy, making two fantastic Batman films isn't considered "good enough!"Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood when I read that. But dammit if it didn't trigger a reaction outta me. "Fuck Nolan?" The man delivered the two definitive Batman films and fanboys are seriously going to bitch about not getting a possible third installment from him. Most of these fanboys basically have a "Well, what have you done for me lately?" attitude regarding these franchises, the filmmakers responsible for them, etc. Is there such a thing as being grateful for what you've been given?
It never ceases to amaze me how many times I've heard fanboys whine and bitch about what they want to see and how "the studios never listen to us!" Really? What would you call the San Diego Comic-Con coming next month? The studios have been going out of their way to garner "nerd cred" to please fanboys for the longest time, and it's never enough in their eyes. To even suggest that the studios never "listen" is laughable.
Just look at Terminator Salvation as the most recent example. All we heard after Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was how "they should do a film that's set in the future after Judgement Day with Terminators everywhere and John Connor finally becomes the 'great leader' he's been talked up as for the last three movies!" Well, McG & Co. delivered just that. And guess how the fanboys reacted? They whined and bitched. It wasn't good enough for them.
They wanted a Hulk film that was "all 'Hulk-smash!'" after the ill-fated Ang Lee film. Last summer, Marvel Studios bankrolled just that with The Incredible Hulk. And guess how the fanboys reacted? They whined and bitched. It wasn't good enough for them. They wanted to see Venom brought to life on the silver screen. By all accounts, the studio forced Sam Raimi to include the character in Spider-Man 3. And guess how the fanboys reacted? They whined and bitched. It wasn't good enough for them.
There are countless other examples I could give. There's the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Wolverine, Superman Returns, Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Hell even Watchmen. But it's safe to say that you folks get the idea.
Who made Star Trek the biggest film of the year? The general movie-going public.But here's the real irony. Fanboys.don't.matter. That's right. The success or failure of a tentpole does not (nor has it ever) lived or died by whether or not they approve. Don't believe me? The Dark Knight is the second highest-grossing film of all-time and Star Trek is the biggest film this year (so far!) That had nothing to do with fanboys loving said films. It was the general public who made them the smash hits that they are.
Hell before the J.J. Abrams reboot came along, the Trek "brand-name" was dead and nothing more than a joke associated with people walking around dressed up as characters at comic conventions.
Now to be fair, there are plenty of fans who are in fact not fanboys - if that makes any sense. Fanboys are the ones who bitch at any given notice that you always hear about and whom I'm referring to in this piece. To those said fans, I apologize if it appears that I'm lumping you in with the fanboy "community." I'm not.
To fanboys, seriously shut up and be grateful for what you've gotten so far.
Reader Comments (3)
Honestly, I'd be damn happy if they DIDN'T make a third Batman movie. In my opinion, The Dark Knight was perfection. To do anything past that would be the studios just pushing to milk the franchise for all it's worth, and all we know what happened that last time they did that with a Batman movie series.
I agree with everything you wrote. A lot of the diehard 'Fanboy's are just full of themselves. There is NO pleasing them I wish the studios would figure that out and do what is best for the franchise without regard to them. Surely the movies would be a lot better if that was happening. Movies need a lot more than brainless action and eye candy.
Strange. For once FNJ has hijacked my entire thought process.
Either that or great minds think alike.