MoviePeek Forget trailers. If your show isn’t trending on TikTok, it might as well not exist.
In 2025, TikTok isn’t just a social media app — it’s the new Hollywood gatekeeper. From indie horror flicks to prestige dramas, Gen Z is using the platform to decide what gets watched, what gets canceled, and what becomes a cultural obsession.
Case in point: Companion, a low-budget sci-fi horror film, saw its viewership spike 300% after a single TikTok edit went viral. The clip — a haunting scene of a robot mimicking grief — was reposted over 2 million times, turning the film into a must-watch overnight.
Streaming platforms are catching on. Netflix now embeds TikTok-style vertical trailers into its app. Hulu is hiring meme consultants. And Prime Video is quietly testing “clipable” scenes designed to go viral.
Why it’s trending: Gen Z doesn’t trust critics — they trust creators. TikTok reviewers like @filmnerd420 and @sadgirlcinema have more influence than Rotten Tomatoes. Their 30-second takes are shaping what gets greenlit and what gets ghosted.
Even legacy franchises are adapting. The new Wolf Man reboot included a transformation scene specifically designed for TikTok — short, shocking, and loopable. It worked. The clip hit 10 million views in 48 hours.
Final Take: TikTok isn’t killing cinema — it’s evolving it. In a world of infinite content, virality is the new currency. And Gen Z? They’re the tastemakers now.
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