2011 was a banner year for comic book movie trailers, we got to see "The Avengers" trailer that broke Itunes download records and then "The Dark Knight Rises" trailer that then shattered that record. We also got to see tons of other trailers early in the year for movies that came out during the summer, like "Thor" and "Transformers: The Dark of the Moon." The box-office receipts for these movies showed that trailers are still the most effective way to market a movie.
Nowadays, studios announce a release date for a trailer for a hotly anticipated film ahead of time. As a result, fans eagerly wait online for the release of a trailer while others flock to google and youtube looking for a trailer that hasn't even come out yet.
It's the powerful effect and almost hypnotic spell that movie trailers have over us. They give us just enough tidbits to whet our appetite before the release of the film itself, like a hot girl that makes you wait months before going all the way, but teases you in the meantime.
We all know how it was when there was a cool trailer that popped up for the first time in front of a movie, we would whisper to each other, "Damn, that looks good" or "We gotta go see that one when it comes out." The purpose of a trailer is to build anticipation for an upcoming movie.
I remember when I first saw the trailer for Independence Day, how blown away I was, the internet was still in its early stages, so there was no announcement that an alien invasion movie would be coming out and there was certainly no announced release date for that trailer, I was pleasantly surprised and my interest was piqued. In short, the trailer did its job! Now, whether or not the Internet has ruined the magic of being surprised at a movie trailer, it is certainly up for debate.
Below, I have compiled a list of trailers that did a wonderful job of creating hype for the film, some films lived up to that hype, while others fell far short of living up to the awesomeness of their movie trailer.
10. X2 :X-men united (2003)
Wow, from the confrontation with Iceman and his parents to the roll call of mutants, this trailer did a remarkable job of making you want to see it, plus it gave us a glimpse of Wolverine going berserk. More importantly, it shows you that the film is going to be bigger and better than the first one by showing you more mutants and more action! The movie certainly lived up to the trailer and Wolverine vs the cat at the end was pretty funny.
9. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
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Okay, okay so we all know the movie didn't exactly live up to the hype, but the teaser trailer did a magnificent job of making us want to see it. It promised us a different, yet interesting take for Spider-Man; it was going to be a darker film. Plus, it had been three years since we last saw Spidey in action. From the ominous music to the whispers and wonder, "Parker, what happened to you?" The trailer left audiences curious as to what would happen to Spider-Man this time around.
8. Batman Begins (2005)
This came out of left field for many people. The previous installments of Batman had left a bad taste in the mouth of movie-going audiences. This preview showed us that we were going to start from scratch and it was going to be a new beginning. When I first saw it I said, " Wow! He's back! I hadn't seen him since those Onstar commercials." My friend, on the other hand had said, "What? Another one? Where's Clooney?" Regardless, the trailer had people talking and the film did great financially and rebooted the Batman franchise.
7.Green Lantern (2011)
The Wonder-Con footage and the trailer that accompanied it shortly after, gave everyone hope that this film would kick ass, despite the less than stellar first trailer. Scratch that, the first trailer sucked and everyone was pretty vocal about how disappointed they were with it, but this footage and the second trailer, with an improved score, less Blake Lively and no Ryan Reynolds smarmy humor to be found, swayed anticipation and public opinion around 180 degrees. Shots of Oa were breathtaking and the constructs created by the ring looked impressive as was Sinestro and the rest of the Corps. However, the footage and trailer were deceiving, as only very little time was actually spent on Oa in the movie and the story wasn't up to par. Let’s not forget that it is one of the most hated films of 2011.
6.Hulk (2003)
I know, I know, another movie that failed to live up to the trailer, but this one had everyone talking when it showed up during the first Spider-Man’s previews in 2002. The teaser did a good job of well, teasing us, it was effective, starting out innocently enough with a beautiful house and light-hearted melody before slowly revealing Eric Bana staring at his reflection and then we see that something’s not quite right. He’s shaking, and then the once serenading melody transcends to a chilling music score and BOOM, he transforms into our favorite green monster and the once beautiful house now has a big beautiful hole in it courtesy of a flying sink.
5. Iron Man (2008)
If there ever were a badass superhero trailer award, this would win it, hands down. Before we even saw the movie, we got to see just how truly magnetic Robert Downey Jr.’s personality was and the AC/DC music was a nice touch. The “Good God, you’re a woman” line in the trailer told you that we’re not dealing with your ordinary superhero. Great trailer, great music, great actor and of course, a great movie!
4. Superman Returns (2006)
As the brilliant John Williams score reached a fever pitch in this trailer over Marlon Brando’s voice, I got chills. The movie may have polarized audiences, but this trailer did an amazing job of playing on everyone’s nostalgia and showing audiences everywhere that Superman is back.
3. X-Men First Class (2011)
Fans were tapping their shoes on the floor waiting for something, anything out of the X-Men First Class marketing department. When the promotion started, boy it started big, the trailer’s tone signaled that this was a more serious shift from the previous X-Men Origins: Wolverine. With the Cuban Missile Crisis serving as the backdrop and sending the stakes up higher with Nuclear Armageddon, you just knew this movie was going to be something and it was. It lived up to the trailer, as many critics and fans agree that this was the CBM of 2011. The opening shots of Professor X’s wheelchair and Magneto’s helmet let you know that this was their story and that we would go back to the beginning, I got chills when I heard JFK’s speech playing over the television. One thing I have to complain about is the lack of Kevin Bacon’s Sebastian Shaw in the trailer; he’s barely there, despite being the main villain. Also, Magneto’s final “Peace was never an option” line was just grand!
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
The word epic gets thrown around a lot these days, but this film and its trailer really own that word. From the time Joker appears onscreen in the prison cell, you know you’re in for something good. Fans that doubted Heath Ledger’s casting had a change of heart after watching him deliver the infamous, “Evening Commissioner” line. The trailer was such a favorite among fans that two fan-made versions of it were made using the 1989 Batman film and the 1966 Batman film as inspirations.
1.Watchmen (2009)
This preview had me still thinking about it far after the credits rolled for “The Dark Knight,” the film in which it was attached to. This first trailer built up so much hype, that sales of the graphic novel actually skyrocketed during 2008 and 2009, over 23 years after its initial publication date and it continues to sell well today! The odd, yet fitting choice of the Smashing Pumpkins, “The beginning is the end is the beginning” and the amazing visuals served to make this trailer a memorable one. People who came to see “The Dark Knight” were left wondering what the hell they just saw in the previews. The trailer still continues to draw viewers sitting at well over ten million views. From the opening with Dr. Manhattan’s transformation to Rorschach’s infamous “The world will look up and shout save us, and I’ll whisper, no” quote, this trailer is why people continue to love movie trailers and can’t get enough of them.
I’m sure there are many awesome trailers that I left out. Some honorable mentions go to the Transformers series, F4: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Batman Forever. I do remember the “Spider-Man” Twin Towers trailer was interesting, but it didn’t get to reach that much of an audience for obvious reasons. If you have any more trailers, feel free to comment below! Thanks for reading.