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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Stuart Heritage

Did Superman kill the press junket? How TikTok clips conquered movie publicity

David Corenswet at a fan event in London.
Who is this guy? … David Corenswet at a fan event in London. Photograph: Kate Green/Getty Images for Warner Bros

The new Superman is a tricky proposition to market. Not only does it represent a new reimagining of an 87-year-old character, but it also has to tell everyone who David Corenswet is. The new Superman is a complete unknown to many of us, and you suspect that a hefty slice of the film’s promotional budget has been given over to selling the guy to the world.

In the old days, this would have been achieved with wall-to-wall press interviews. Big, hefty cover stories in key publications in every territory, where interviewers would attempt to plumb the depths of his psyche to see if he can pass muster. But that hasn’t really happened. Instead, there is a very big chance that – if you’re the right age – you will have learned everything you need to know about David Corenswet from a couple of TikToks.

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