The Fault in Our Stars Trailer

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox.

Getting in on a phenomenon when it is only in its infant stages is incredibly satisfying. And as a nerdfighter dating back to 2011, I feel somewhat entitled to lay claim on an early knowledge of The Fault in Our Stars, a brilliant soon-to-be-released (in June) feature length film based on the young adult book of the same name.
The Fault in Our Stars is a novel written by John Green, one half of the Vlogbrothers duo that has created a community on the internet conceived in love for awkwardness and pride of nerd-dom. Fans of the Vlogbrothers call themselves "nerdfighters" and find kindred spirits in the name of awesome.

The book debuted in the #1 spot of the New York Times Best Seller List for Children's Chapter Books and now, two years after its release, has made a return to the top slot of the Amazon.com Best Sellers list, maintaining a five star rating on the online shopping site.

Since its release in 2012, the hype has grown exponentially, not least the result of the movie adaptation which is set for release this summer. The new trailer for The Fault in Our Stars premiered on January 29th, bringing to life the story in a palpable, moving way that, despite minimal dialogue, pierces the heart in the same way that the book does so poignantly.

We meet Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters for the first time in flesh and blood, and there's something palpable about their existence. They radiate off even the tiniest screen, with eyes deep in emotion, blissfully unaware yet pessimistic about what life has in store for them.

In the day that has passed since The Fault in Our Stars film trailer was released on YouTube (following its premiere on The Today Show), it has attracted nearly 4 million views. The viewership for the trailer has even surpassed (twice over) the amount of subscribers (over 1.7 million) that the Vlogbrothers have garnered since they posted their first video in 2007.

My first encounter with what a phenomenon TFiOS (for short) would become was when I discovered that many of my closest (non-nerdfighter) friends had encountered the book, either by having read it or adding it to their to-read list. As a long YouTube advocate, I've attempted to turn many a person onto the work of John and Hank Green, with small amounts of success. Having people move in that direction on their own was an entirely new and unprecedented experience.

Seeing this novel, which meant so much to me upon my first dip into its emotional, intellectual and comedic depths, rise to such fame has been an amazing experience as a reader and a Vlogbrothers subscriber. In my heart, I wanted to keep The Fault in Our Stars for myself, but sharing it with the rest of the world reaps its own tantamount rewards.

For nerdfighters everywhere, this is an exciting occasion in which - for the first time - we can share our passion with the world without any upturned brows. The Fault in Our Stars is not just a book by one of the Vlogbrothers. It's a book by a bestselling author, it's a book that's going to be a movie and it's a book that has captured the hearts of millions. And we can say we've been there first.

See The Fault in Our Stars trailer here.