The Creator is next-level sci-fi. So why isn't it being promoted that way?

The response from critics who’ve gotten a chance to see The Creator at preview screenings has been overwhelmingly positive (on social media at least, full reviews are still embargoed). The film will probably need that good word of mouth when it opens in theaters on September 29, because the rest of the marketing campaign for the sci-fi epic has been rather lackluster.

It’s not like New Regency, or its parent company 20th Century Studios, itself now a division of Disney, haven’t made an effort. They previewed the film for exhibitors at CinemaCon in April, introduced it to fans at San Diego Comic-Con in July, and there was that creepy stunt at a Los Angeles Chargers football game. And while it’s true that the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike has prevented the cast from promoting the film, there have been plenty of trailers, ads, and billboards. But none of that has really managed to get casual moviegoers hyped for The Creator in the way they might be for a big franchise release.