I have a duality when it comes to spoilers in the media I consume.
For movies, like anything in the Marvel universe, or Star Wars, I want to feel the shock, awe and surprise of whatever guest cameo, or plot point, unfolds in the moment.
Because of this, I tend to buy tickets for movies on opening night (as I just did with Spider-Man: Brand New Day in Ottawa) or watch TV shows that I’m attached to as soon as possible. Destination TV is something I take seriously primarily because of spoilers.
Marvel has become synonymous with Easter Eggs and special surprises and I love it.
However, there’s another part of me that spoils movies and show endings for myself so I can decide if I’m emotionally prepared to watch it. I often will look up if a romantic drama has a happy ending or not. It doesn’t mean I won’t watch, it just means I sometimes need to be prepared.
No matter how I feel about spoilers (very mad when it comes to some things), I have taught my kids to not spoil movies and shows for others. Because their mother is obsessed with certain media (Marvel, Star Wars), and they benefited from this with opening night tickets to massive blockbusters, I had to remind them not to share details when they went to school the next day. They were happy to keep it to themselves. It’s a good rule.
It always gave us plenty to chat about too.
Read about coviewing media with your kids here.
Spoilers were easier to hide once upon a time. You would either have to search really hard for them or find out in person. Social media makes things spread so quickly. It’s unfair in many ways that someone who has to wait to get to the theatre or sit down and watch their favourite show is trying to avoid the internet’s obsession with sharing details immediately.
The Threads algorithm was so bad in the beginning that it would share spoilers in people’s feeds, and this angered many fans. They now have a spoiler option where posters can block out the spoiler text. This still requires an opt-in but it’s a start. This also leads to conversations about online sharing.
I have no spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day but I will say you should see it in the theatre if possible.
In the meantime, avoid spoilers online if you can. There is fun and magic in experiencing them as a surprise.