Excitement for the new Black Panther film has been taking over social media in recent weeks, but not everyone is equally thrilled. Over the last few days, a group has emerged on Facebook attempting to organize commenters to flood the film with bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Using hashtags like #DCOverMarvel and #BringDownDisney, organizers claim to be frustrated with Disney for its “treatment of franchises and its fanboys,” according to the page’s description.
The group’s event page has now been removed by Facebook, who shared their disapproval of the organizer’s message. “People often use Facebook to challenge ideas, institutions, and practices,” a spokesperson from Facebook shared with CNN. “Such discussion can promote a diversity of perspectives and greater understanding. However, we’re opposed to hate speech and bullying, and don’t allow either on our platform.”
Given that the film has an all-black cast and touches on themes of race and cultural heritage, it’s hard not to see the move as racially motivated. In response, Rotten Tomatoes has also taken a stand against attempts to sabotage the film’s reputation on its review site.
“While we respect our fans’ diverse opinions, we do not condone hate speech,” Rotten Tomatoes said in a statement. “Our team of security, network, and social experts continue to closely monitor our platforms and any users who engage in such activities will be blocked from our site and their comments removed as quickly as possible.”
Black Panther opens February 16 nationwide, with a star-studded soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar with music from The Weeknd, Vince Staples, Travis Scott and more. So far, we’ve heard the song “Pray For Me,” Kendrick’s standout collaboration with The Weeknd. According to Fandango, the film has so far outsold all other superhero films in ticket presales.
