If the major studios actually listened to fan petitions, then Hollywood would be a very different place. While amassing thousands of signatures gives a good indication of what the general feeling is among the fanbase of the movie or TV show in question, the folks in charge of the properties generally fail to even acknowledge them, never mind act on them.
The Snyder Cut may have been born from an online campaign, but Warner Bros. were also keenly aware that it would be of huge benefit to their recently-launched streaming service. Netflix, meanwhile, have canceled a much higher number of shows than usual this year, many of which swiftly had petitions launched in the desperate hopes of a revival, but the company know that their position as the leader in the streaming wars is unassailable regardless of whether subscribers get another season of GLOW or not.
Following Johnny Depp’s dismissal from Fantastic Beasts 3, support for the actor has been unwavering. Having lost out on two major franchise roles over the last year, the 57 year-old’s career has fallen on tougher times than ever before, but at least he knows he has a dedicated and loyal following.
The petition to have him reinstated as Grindelwald has already raced to almost 150,000 signatures, and when you factor in the near 250,000 that also want him back as Jack Sparrow, then there’s close to half a million people that could vote with their wallets and refuse to see the next installment in either franchise. Multiply those numbers by the cost of an average movie ticket and the minds behind Fantastic Beasts 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean could be set to lose out on a huge amount of revenue if Depp’s fanbase stick to their guns.