As Star Wars and Gladiator 2 are review bombed, why is it a thing?

When a new show or film is released the creative team no doubt hopes viewers will connect with and discuss it, but a new phenomenon has become more frequent in the internet sphere: review bombing.

The phenomenon has gained quite a bit of steam in recent years, with audiences using platforms like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes to post dozens of negative reviews in a deliberate attempt to make a film or TV show look bad to unsuspecting users. Unfortunately, the projects that tend to be the subject of this ire are ones that promote inclusivity and diversity.

Review bombing has been used tactically on multiple occasions in recent weeks for Star Wars show The Acolyte and House of the Dragon. Even the trailer for Gladiator 2 has been subjected to it as it now has more dislikes than likes on YouTube because of the use of a Kanye West and Jay-Z song.

The Acolyte features a diverse cast and pushes the boundaries of Star Wars lore which resulted in it being review bombed on IMDb, sometimes before an episode was released —it has a collective rating of 3.9 out of 10— and it has been the subject of dozens of negative YouTube videos.

In the case of House of the Dragon, the show's most recent episode has been review bombed on IMDb after featuring a kiss between two women.

But why has review bombing become such a prominent thing? Marshal Davis, President and Founder at Ascendly Marketing, tells Yahoo UK that the phenomenon has increased as a result of social media: "The rise of social media has given consumers a powerful platform to voice their opinions en masse.

Read more: House of the Dragon confirms Rhaenyra's bisexuality, and fans are losing it

"When fans feel passionate about a franchise or brand, they can now easily rally others to downvote content they dislike or disagree with. Social media algorithms that favour engagement, even if it's negative, have amplified the impact of coordinated review bombing campaigns in recent years."

This is a sentiment that Kiersten Alderidge, Director of Social Media at LevLane, agrees with, as she argues: "Review bombing demonstrates how accessible digital presence, including social media, has become.

"It reminds brands to approach their marketing strategies cautiously and always be prepared for potential challenges. This scenario often serves as a crash course in community management and crisis communications.

"Additionally, when numerous voices flood your reviews, it reflects a collective sentiment on a specific topic. It’s crucial for teams to listen and respond. Industries with highly loyal audiences, such as movies and gaming, can particularly benefit from this feedback."

Review bombing is also a result of negative engagement driving more traffic, according to Davis, and this is evident in the increase in YouTube videos using negative titles to gain more views.

In the case of The Acolyte this has included videos on how the show has "destroyed" Star Wars, and others that describe it as the "most hated show on TV" despite evidence of the contrary — it is the second most-watched Star Wars show on Disney+ behind Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Read more: The Acolyte defies the haters by celebrating the female gaze

Davis explained that this is a result of negative content getting more clicks than positive ones: "Social media algorithms that favour engagement, even if it's negative, have amplified the impact of coordinated review bombing campaigns in recent years. Negative commenters can quickly spread their takes, driving mass downvoting of content they dislike."

There's also a certain level of nostalgia that comes with big franchises like Star Wars, which can also impact audience response according to Davis: "Some fans likely feel protective of beloved franchises and resist any perceived changes to the original vision.

"They may be review bombing Gladiator 2 and shows like The Acolyte because the new content doesn't align with their expectations or preferences. They see themselves in the nostalgic content but cannot relate to the new versions."

In the case of The Acolyte, there is the argument that while those who review bomb do it because they don't see themselves in this new show there are others who do. Having a cast made up predominantly of people of colour allows those from minorities to relate more closely to the project, and the series is also aimed at the franchise's female fandom who have all too often been ignored in the past.

The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland has addressed this subject face on, telling Collider: "Everybody knows what review bombing is like. Truly when the show first came out, my publicist was like, 'OK, with the review…' I was like, 'Does anybody take that seriously anymore?'

"Perhaps the average… I understand the point of it, which is that the average viewer would look at the site and say, 'Oh, the user review is really low.' But I think that, if you're in the Star Wars fandom, I think you already know what review bombing is."

As Alderidge explains, even if it's important to take note of negative criticism, responses of this kind shouldn't always be taken too seriously: "Consumers should learn to approach review platforms with a grain of salt and be able to differentiate malicious reviews from genuine ones."

The Acolyte is available to watch on Disney+ while House of the Dragon airs every Monday on Sky Atlantic. Gladiator 2 will premiere in UK cinemas on 22, November.