More times than not, when a popular upcoming film project is approaching it’s not the actual movie or TV show that I’m excited for, but instead the subsequent press tour. I remember being younger and watching hours of Marvel cast compilations and interviews whenever a new superhero movie was announced, and even now I still love watching actor interviews for projects I’m excited for when I have free time. Press tours have always been used to hype up audiences for new projects and get conversations going about them, but they’re so much more than that. Press tours give us insights into the hard work that goes into projects; they can turn previously unknown actors into stars we’ve felt we’ve known forever, and sometimes they generate some of the most talked about moments and cast drama in pop culture.
The modern press tour has evolved over the years and now, along with sit-down interviews, talk shows, and red carpets, celebrities have to go through a circuit of social media posting and appearances on certain milestone press tour stops such as the infamous BuzzFeed Puppy Interview and Hot Ones, as well as guest appearances on celebrity channels and podcasts such as Britney Broski’s Royal Court, Jack Shane’s Therapuss, Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy and more.
Regardless of its evolution over the years, several main elements have stayed in place to ensure that a press tour is entertaining and generates hype for new film projects.
- . Cast Chemistry
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Have you ever witnessed the difference between a friend group where it’s obvious they don’t like each other and a group where everyone gets along well? This is where cast chemistry plays an important role. When actors don’t mesh, you can see the obviously palpable tension within movie casts during press tours and it completely ruins the vibe. It shows just how important cast chemistry is for making a press tour entertaining. I remember last summer when the final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty came out, as well as its subsequent press tour. Despite the hype and online conversation regarding the new episodes, looking back I don’t think I could name a single interesting moment during the press tour and I firmly believe that a large part of that was due to tensions within the cast. Fans pointed out how many of the interviews with the main cast seemed awkward due to a dislike of actor Gavin Casalengo, who played Jeremiah which was widely speculated to be due to differing political views and on-set drama. In comparison, watching actors who consider themselves friends as opposed to simply coworkers is always more fun. Think of actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storie from the recent hit show Heated Rivalry who have talked extensively about how close of friends they are. All of their press tour interviews and interactions become incredibly fun to watch because of how much love and the level of comfort they had with each other and witnessing close friendships such as theirs only increases the likeability and relatability of these actors.
- . Viral Moments
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Although this isn’t exactly something that can be controlled by the actors or producers themselves and is more so in the hands of the fans, viral moments from press tours that spread online can draw in and promote the project to new audiences and draw in more hype and excitement. If I mentioned the Wicked press tour I’m sure your first thought would be of the iconic “holding space” interview that generated months of memes and references over the past year. I think I can safely say that social media, specifically TikTok, is one of the biggest driving forces when it comes to recommending new movies or shows to watch and in this day and age, having moments go viral is crucial to bring in large audiences.
- . Drama
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I remember in 2022 when the film Don’t Worry Darling starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles came out and although the general consensus of the movie was that it wasn’t that good, the absurd drama surrounding the press tour managed to skyrocket its popularity and turned an ordinarily mediocre movie that would have normally been forgotten into the catalyst for celebrity drama that lived rent-free in everyone’s heads. From Olivia Wilde getting served custody papers onstage at CinemaCon to the rumours of Harry Styles spitting on Chris Pine to the alleged drama between Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde, the press tour generated a multitude of memes and speculation online. It was so entertaining that people reminisced on it as a time where “real Hollywood was back for a second.”
Along with dramatic celebrity beef, alleged romantic allegations and “shipping” between actors is also a foolproof formula for creating buzz around new projects. This goes hand-in-hand with cast chemistry, but debates and speculation over suspected celebrity romances has always been a hot topic of conversation. I still remember watching compilations of Tom Holland and Zendaya flirting during the Spider-Man press tours in 2019 which is fun to look back on now that the two are actually engaged, but at the time the debate between whether they were friends or something more was heated online and drove fans to the theaters to see if their onscreen chemistry was the same as off-screen.
From being entertained by endearing actor friendships to online memes and jokes over viral moments to buzz surrounding celebrity drama, it’s safe to say that press tours are vital to the entertainment and film industry. I personally can’t wait for the next entertaining press tour moments that 2026 will hopefully bring and the subsequent new films that will be introduced to the public through the interest brought from these tours.