“I thought Idiocracy was just a movie”: Even DC Fans Might Disown Him after Michael Shannon Was Caught Parading a $1850 Balenciaga Chips Bag

While the comic book universe at DC Studios has been making great progress under the watchful eye of James Gunn, the same cannot be said for the former inhabitants of the DCEU branch that operated under Zack Snyder. Besides bearing the honorary title of being one of the most debated and controversial trilogies to date, the franchise’s actors too have taken a liking to being subjected to media mockery recently.

Among the leads, Henry Cavill suffers a cursed fate with every major project he touches, be it Superman, The Witcher, or Argylle. Ben Affleck seethes under rumors of marriage troubles, Gal Gadot battles controversies on the political front, Ezra Miller vanishes off the map, and Dwayne Johnson gets called out for his same old stoic act.

Among them, perhaps the least damaging controversy involves the one surrounding DC star Michael Shannon and his obnoxiously overpriced and uninspired fashion statement.

Michael Shannon’s Fashion Statement Causes Ruckus

With the world of fashion getting more ridiculously competitive by the day, it was only fair that the absurdities started to color the red carpet promos and Hollywood events on this side of the entertainment industry as well. However, despite being much more subdued than an actual runway, Hollywood did prove a suitable breeding ground for designers and fashion houses to exploit their talents.

In recent years, fans have witnessed iconic looks from Zendaya, be it on the steps of the MET or the premiere of a movie. On the other hand, visions like Rihanna‘s iconic omelet dress have supplied critics, fans, and late-night talk show hosts with much to rant about. However, one recent fashion statement, far below the likes of Zendaya and Rihanna has still managed to catch the fans’ attention due to the scale of its absurdity.

Michael Shannon, who portrayed the fearsome and vicious DC supervillain General Zod in Man of Steel (2013) and The Flash (2023), was seen lugging around a bag of chips on the red carpet as part of his ensemble outfit’s accessory rather than a mid-event snack. The bright yellow bag resembling Lay’s Cheese and Onion Maxi Pack was not a tasteless imitation of the original product but an exclusive creation of the fashion royalty, Balenciaga.

DC Supervillain Gets Taken Down By a Bag of Chips

While fans are hardly one to keep calm in the face of Hollywood artists and their characteristically ridiculous shenanigans, the Michael Shannon incident truly brought out some of the nastiest trolls in social media history.

While some purely mocked the lack of innovation in the design saying, “When humans run out of ideas, we get this,” others criticized the tasteless show of wealth and prestige that comes with it – “Another rich people cr*p… $1900 for a fake bag of chips purse.”

One social media user, amousement, went a step beyond to dish out a classy blow, both to the brand as well as the actor for flaunting the design, claiming: “I thought Idiocracy was just a movie.”

Made from leather and designed by Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia, the luxury clutch comes in 4 shades, each resembling a popular Lay’s flavor – Cheese and Onion (yellow), Salt and Vinegar (blue), Lime (green), and Spicy Chili (red). Released as a part of the Spring/Summer collection of 2023, these fashion accessories that cost a whopping $1800 are considered a status symbol for the fashion elites rather than a subject of joke on social media.