Marvel, what’s going on with Funko Pops! seemingly spoiling your shows and movies? (Forgive my attempt at a bad Jerry Seinfeld impression, but it raises a legitimate question.)
Am I alone in finding it nearly impossible to enjoy a Marvel movie or TV show without encountering spoilers? Undoubtedly, one of the most frustrating aspects of being a Marvel fan today is dealing with online spoilers (it can be a tough experience, I get it).
It’s a recurring theme with every release. Overzealous Marvel enthusiasts on social media often share spoilers in their excitement, while malicious trolls seem to take pleasure in ruining the surprises for fellow fans.
Fortunately, it’s possible to steer clear of these spoilers by staying offline on release day, but in 2024, that’s more challenging than it sounds. Even worse, there’s a new frustrating trend that complicates things for even the most dedicated spoiler-averse fans.
It was Agatha all along…
Increasingly, we’re witnessing how tie-in merchandise spoils major reveals from upcoming Marvel films and shows. Currently, the most recent culprit is Funko Pops!, which disclosed the identities of two significant characters in Agatha All Along (I won’t share spoilers here because, well, my momma didn’t raise no hypocrite). However, these oversized, oddly-shaped figures are far from the only offenders.
In the past, we’ve seen LEGO sets spoil the Giant-Man reveal in Civil War, a toy axe leak the fact that Groot was involved in forging Stormbreaker, and action figure announcements reveal characters like Vision and Rescue ahead of their debuts. Perhaps the biggest offender is the McDonald’s tie-in toys, which is how we first glimpsed Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk.
Indeed, it’s true—our premiere look at one of the most anticipated Marvel supervillains came in the form of a deformed plushie that resembles more of Joseph Merrick than Harrison Ford. While this might not be the gravest injustice in the world, it does reflect a concerning trend whereby merchandising and major film releases are increasingly intertwined.
Years ago (circa mid-2000s), such leaks were generally confined to niche forums and blogs. Nowadays, with the explosion of social media (and “trolls”amplifying the problem), it’s far easier to stumble upon spoilers unintentionally.
It’s all part of the plan…
This morning, I fell victim to this myself after tuning into the new episode of Agatha. I clicked a hashtag to see what viewers were saying and was bombarded with countless tweets revealing spoilers. It’s exhausting, and you don’t need to be a marketing expert to solve this issue; simply avoid packaging toys with spoilers or time merchandise releases for after the film or show premieres.
But ultimately, the darker truth underlying this issue is that spoilers have become a marketing strategy.
Consider how Shawn Levy managed to share unauthorized clips of Deadpool & Wolverine online (which is illegal!), or how Ryan Reynolds brought most of the extended Deadpool 3 cast on stage at Comic-Con before the film’s release. The marketing teams behind these projects may not view spoilers as a problem; they assume you’ll eagerly seek them out.
This notion is disheartening. Remember the feelings you experienced at the conclusion of Infinity War or during the hero’s comeback in Endgame? Do you not wish to relive that excitement, to feel part of a significant pop culture moment? I know I do, and I certainly don’t want that experience to be undermined by a tie-in cereal box.
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