Social Representations of Geek Culture and Fandom in Contemporary Cinema: The Case of Fanboys (2009), Kick-Ass (2010), and Ready Player One (2018)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24137/raeic.13.26.5

Keywords:

cinematografía, representaciones sociales, cultura friki, fandom, narrativa audiovisual

Abstract

This study analyzes the construction of social representations of geek culture and fandom in contemporary cinema, using a qualitative approach based on narrative and semiotic analysis. The corpus consists of Fanboys (2009), Kick-Ass (2010), and Ready Player One (2018), selected for their relevance in representing these subcultures at different points in time. Within the theoretical framework of social representations, the study examines how cinema shapes imaginaries surrounding fandom and geek culture. The results reveal a shift from marginality toward forms of growing cultural legitimation. In Fanboys fandom is represented as an affective community based on belonging and loyalty; in Kick-Ass, the geek is constructed in tension between social invisibility and media visibility; and in Ready Player One, geek 

culture is consolidated as a cultural norm, where media knowledge is a central form of capital. The discussion shows that this process is ambivalent, since the legitimization of fandom also implies its integration into market logic and digital platforms. In conclusion, cinema acts as an active agent in the redefinition of the geek imaginary, highlighting its transformation into a central form of sociality in contemporary culture.

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Author Biography

  • Galo Vásconez Merino, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo (UNACH)

     

    Full professor in the Social Communication program at the National University of Chimborazo (Ecuador). He holds a Ph.D. in Audiovisual Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Artistic, Literary, and Cultural Studies at the Autonomous University of Madrid. He has completed postgraduate studies in audiovisual communication, narrative, and screenwriting at academic institutions in Argentina and Spain. He has taught at various institutions of higher education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and has participated as a writer, producer, and audiovisual director in diverse cultural projects promoted by the Ministry of Culture of Ecuador. He has also served as a communications director in public institutions, integrating processes of communications management and cultural production. His research focuses on the study of communication and contemporary culture, with a special interest in cinematography, audiovisual semiotics, urban cultures, postmodernity, and screenwriting. He is the author of more than a dozen indexed scholarly articles and book chapters, and has served as an academic editor for scholarly publications. In addition, he directs research and community engagement projects in national and international contexts.

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Published

2026-08-04

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 26 (2026): The "Other" cultural industry. Communication, fandom, and geek subcultures (Otaku, Gamers, K-pop Fans, and Geeks)

Section

Thematic issue

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Galo Vásconez Merino

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Social Representations of Geek Culture and Fandom in Contemporary Cinema: The Case of Fanboys (2009), Kick-Ass (2010), and Ready Player One (2018). (2026). Revista De La Asociación Española De Investigación De La Comunicación, 13(26), raeic132605. https://doi.org/10.24137/raeic.13.26.5