There are two specific reasons I think the current state of fandom could be seen as a successor — or at least a second cousin twice removed — of classical cinephilia, and the first one is this: just as cinephilia came into (or perhaps more accurately closest to) the mainstream was when the first generation of cinephiles grew up and started working behind the camera, creating entire film movements like the French New Wave, some devoted fans have started getting their hands on the reins of long-running franchises.
Is Fandom the New Cinephilia?