As the movie adaptation of "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret" struggles at the box office, the film's makers partnered with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney with a paid promotion.
"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" was a coming-of-age novel written by Judy Blume that was published in 1970. While the Lionsgate film has a star-studded cast, it appears to have floundered at the box office so far.
Hollywood In Toto editor Christian Toto reported on Monday that the film "earned just $16 million after three weeks of release, and the drama shed more than 900 screens over the weekend." The movie's budget is reportedly $30 million.
The same pop culture outlet noted further that "Lionsgate is bringing out a last-minute paid partnership to draw attention to the film."
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Mulvaney, who was in a now-infamous promotion with Bud Light, interviewed Blume in a conversation that can be seen on TikTok. Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch have faced a massive PR crisis to the point where, as OutKick founder Clay Travis observed, "many don’t even want to be seen" with Bud Light after the PR gimmick with the influencer went public.
Mulvaney’s official channel shared the interview with Blume on TikTok with a label noting it is a "paid partnership."
"Chatting with one of my heroes, Judy Blume!! Get tickets and take your mom, grandma, or the mother figure in your life to see Are You There God? #ItsMeMargaret this Mother’s Day weekend. It’s the iconic story we all love finally on the big screen! #lionsgatepartner," Mulvaney’s channel wrote.
The author spoke with Mulvaney about the history of the original book and the process of adapting it into a movie. She also spoke about her concern over "book bans."
"What I am saying now is, having lived through the ‘80s with the book banning, what’s going on now is scarier and much worse," Blume claimed, likely referring to books on gender ideology and Critical Race Theory being removed from schools.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Lionsgate, the distributor of "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret" for comment, but has yet to hear back.
Mulvaney asked Blume for advice on how "young creatives" that want to share their personal stories "but are scared of societal backlash."
Blume suggested that one should never write with a censor or a critic over their shoulder, but she herself has an infamous switch over defending a fellow author. In a Sunday Times interview, Blume initially defended J.K. Rowling.
The "Harry Potter" author has faced liberal criticism for disagreeing with some aspects of transgender ideology. Blume initially defended her.
"I love her," Blume told The Sunday Times. "I am behind her 100 percent as I watch from afar."
However, less than 24 hours later, she backpedaled, hedging that she merely was standing up for an author who is being harassed, declaring that she "vehemently disagree[s] with anyone who does not fully support equality and acceptance for LGBTQIA+ people."
