Cult Following

A cult following is a small group of fans that are extremely dedicated to a particular work, which is referred to as a cult classic. In media and pop culture studies and articles, the terminology is most often used in the context of film and television shows. However, the terminology has also been used to describe fan followings for works in other mediums, such as video games.
Cult followings often form around works that failed to garner a larger fandom, often due to commercial or critical failure. One such example is the film Newsies; the film was a box office bomb and a critical failure but gained a cult following after being released on home video.
The development of a cult classic often has wide variation, with some media not developing a following until years later. Technology such as social media and home video, as well as changing cultural attitudes, may result in the development of cult followings years after release. One such example is The Thing, which developed a cult following after being released on home video. Film scholars and researchers attribute part of the film's initial failure to its nihilistic tone, which was at odds with the early 1980s economic recession and E.T. The Extra-Terrestial, which was released two weeks prior.
== Definition & usage ==
The definition of cult followings and a cult work is often debated and unclear. 
Mainstream media/journalists sometimes use the phrase and idea as a shortcut to describe something they don't understand, or to highlight the "strangeness" of others. "Cult Following" is also used in place of "fans" or "fandom."
The editor of TREKisM #54 (1987) wrote of the mixed blessing of the media spotlight on Star Trek: TNG and how reporters and other focus on the extreme fans:
==Cult Classic or Small/Obscure Fandom?==
(what is the difference)
A fan in 1982 wrote about a very unique Starsky & Hutch zine called Decorated for Death: 
== Effects ==
Fan's interest in a cult show can sometimes help to grow its fandom to the point of shaking market structures, even leading to the revival of the content they acclaim. 
An older example would be the movie Nosferatu. Based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, the film was lost for many years after a copyright lawsuit, but a small group of fans managed to get a copy that was remastered, and distributed elevating it to a cult classic.
Another example is Star Trek: TOS's cancellation. After intense fan campaigns, fans managed to turn a small series into a classic leading to a series of films, novelizations (tie-in) and consequently the elevation of the franchise Star Trek.
Another more recent example is Futurama, which was originally put on permanent hiatus after its initial 72-episode run. The series was revived in 2010, after strong DVD sales and consistent ratings.
Often a media with a large cult following can leave the cult context and become seen as mainstream due to its great popularity. An example is Spongebob Squarepants .
==Achieving Cult Status==
===So Bad It's Good===
A show or book or game may become a cult classic because it is so "bad," it is good. An example would be trash movies, like The Blub and Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988).
===Different Eyes, Different Package===
A product may be "repackaged." 
The second release of Gabriel Knight's The Beast Within received in a boost of Fannish activity after German Youtube web channel RocketBeansTV did a complete play through to the German dubbed version of the game as part of their Spiele mit Bart series in 2016 which resulted in various audiovisual memes and production of fan works, especially in Fan art. The game takes place in Bavaria and Munich and in the original version, some actors attempt to speak German in their dialogues, the results (weird stressing of words and a sub-par German localisation) lead to unwanted comedic effects which made the second installment to some kind of cult-hit in parts of the German-speaking Gaming community.
The 2009 teen horror film Jennifer's Body was originally marketed as "Twilight for boys" and failed to receive much acclaim or success, but is now viewed as a feminist cult classic due to a change in audience.
===Due to Content or Presentation===
Buckaroo Banzai combines and crosses genres (including science fiction, action/adventure, and comedy) in a way that was probably somewhat ahead of its time. It is fast-paced and crammed full of story details that require at least a second or third viewing in order to grasp what's going on. It didn't do well at the box office when first released, probably at least partly for these reasons, but over time has gained a small but very loyal cult following.
==Leaving Cult Status==
A fan's object of admiration and desire may start out as a cult, or underground, fandom, but then become more mainstream. One example is slash fanworks themselves. 
From a fan in 1999: 
==Examples of Use==
 
== Further reading ==
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