LOS ANGELES — Recently, a Saturday afternoon saw enthusiasts of the film “Anora” queue for numerous hours along Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, all eager to purchase unique merchandise linked to Sean Baker’s latest movie. The film portrays a stripper who ties the knot with the son of a Russian oligarch. The one-day pop-up shop was organized by distributor Neon, building on the triumph of a similar event that had taken place in New York at the strip club where the film, awarded the top prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was shot.
Film aficionados, many already sporting apparel inspired by other successful films like Cannes favorite “The Substance” and Nicolas Cage’s horror thriller “Longlegs,” celebrated their dedication as they reached the front of the line, showcasing their newly purchased T-shirts and thong underwear. “Exclusive is a buzzword, but it really is. It’s an exclusive event because we all waited in line,” shared Nathan Zakim, who had arrived as early as 10 a.m. for the 3 p.m. event. “We all saw the movie. I think the movie merch mania should go on for as long as it can.”
The phenomenon of movie-themed merchandise is far from a recent occurrence. Who can forget the popular “Vote for Pedro” T-shirt from the 2004 film “Napoleon Dynamite,” which seemed to fill closets during that era? However, in the past few years, the appetite for film-related streetwear has surged dramatically among cinema buffs, largely thanks to creative marketing strategies developed by independent film studios. This surge has led to the emergence of clothing designed in collaboration with renowned brands, often marketed as limited edition and trendy.
For many film enthusiasts, such as Natanael Avilez, who traveled over 50 miles just to attend the “Anora” pop-up, owning merchandise is a way to express a love for movies that transcends simply collecting Blu-rays or 4K copies. “Merch is the second-best option of saying like, ‘I do love movies and this is the way to express that,’” Avilez explained. T-shirts remain the predominant form of such merchandise, with notable examples including Neon’s Oscar-winning “Parasite” and A24’s “We Live in Time,” which features a striking carousel horse graphic on the front.
Certain movies allow for more thematic approaches to marketing. Fans of “First Reformed” clamored for denim hats featured in Paul Schrader’s 2017 film, which delves into a pastor’s struggle with despair regarding the environment. Additionally, J. Hannah’s gold locket inspired by Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” which was released in 2023, is available for a staggering $1,480. The rise of this trend can be traced back to an influential collaboration in 2018 between the clothing company Online Ceramics and the studio A24. The brand, co-founded by artists Elijah Funk and Alix Ross, initially aimed to create bootleg T-shirts inspired by the Grateful Dead. A pivotal moment in their journey occurred when Pete Davidson was spotted wearing a “Good Time” shirt on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.” “I was really jealous that we didn’t make that,” Ross recollected, reflecting on the branding possibilities.
The duo’s second moment of clarity was the instinct to create “Hereditary” T-shirts merely from the trailer’s impression, leading them to secure A24’s backing just before the film’s release. Aspiring online customers may find disappointment as they scroll through numerous sold-out items from the collaboration, which has found inspiration in films such as “MaXXXine,” “Midsommar,” and “Love Lies Bleeding.” As movie-going has transitioned into a less communal experience due to the pandemic and the advent of streaming services, fans have turned to wearing their favorite films as a way to rekindle that bond. “It’s so fun knowing that everyone loves the movie so much to go stand in line for multiple hours,” Sabrina Bratt expressed, illustrating the excitement of connecting with fellow fans through physical souvenirs.
For film studios, the advantages are notable. Apart from a supplementary revenue stream amid a slowdown in Hollywood productions, merchandising is an effective method to keep fans engaged and maintain the conversation surrounding their films well after they have left theaters. Christian Parkes, Chief Marketing Officer of Neon, highlighted, “People, and particularly younger people, they want to be a part of something. Wearing a shirt for a movie is no different than sporting merchandise from a concert. There’s cachet to it. It’s a sign of who I am.”
Alex Ng, co-founder and creative director of the LA-based brand Brain Dead, which also operates a movie theater, believes that the merging of fashion and film will only become more significant as the film industry adapts. “What people want is like a token or a souvenir. They go to Disneyland and they get a Mickey, right? So, if you go to an arthouse cinema, it’s hard to find mementoes from films you love,” he noted, fostering a new cultural intersection in the moviegoing experience.
As demand for film-inspired merchandise has surged, studios and brands have quickly capitalized on both classic and modern films. Recently, Searchlight Pictures offered products celebrating the 20th anniversary of the cult classic “Sideways,” including T-shirts, hats, and wine keys. Collaborations by Brain Dead with studios such as A24, Focus Features, and Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions have also produced limited-edition merchandise, referencing cult classics like “Being John Malkovich” and “The Big Lebowski.” Within days of the announcement of a limited-edition shirt for “The Substance,” the online stock was exhausted. While Ng expresses discomfort with the term “hype,” he acknowledges the authentic popularity of movie merchandise: “I think when we can speak to someone who loves films in that, that’s really cool to me.”
Ross shares a complex relationship with the burgeoning trend in merchandise. “I cringe at seeing how many movie companies are trying to rip off what we did,” he stated, reflecting on the challenges that come with commercialization. “But at the same time, it’s just kind of like, ‘Damn.’ Like I can’t believe it got to this point.”