Marvel Comics and Star Wars both owe their mega-franchises to hard-core fans. Now those fans have the power to help promote. For this summer’s release of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, London-based Picture Production Company (PPC) created a wiki-an online resource users can write and edit themselves-about the Silver Surfer character where fans can alter the character’s history. Lucasfilm, on the other hand, a company notorious for its tight control of the Star Wars brand, is loosening up in honour of the film’s 30th anniversary. Fans are invited to “remix” the movies by cutting and pasting footage and dialogue available at starwars.com. Many fan-produced Star Wars films already exist, with surprisingly high production values. Now those armchair auteurs will get a crack at the real deal-and help promote the anniversary while they’re at it.
