The 5 Best Trailers From The 2024 Super Bowl, Ranked
A wild blend of memes, roller skates, and celebrity romance. Super Bowl LVIII really did have it all, and then some. However, if there's one thing that regularly steals the show from the main event, it's the movie trailers among the many new commercials. This year was no exception, as between wings and yelling at bad calls from the ref, we were gifted with massive previews crammed with tornadoes, talking apes, and the long-awaited return of a hero finally wrecking a cinematic universe. The only question is, which ones scored big enough points to come out on top and leave as the best Super Bowl trailers of the year?
Well, worry not. After sitting through this new batch of previews, we've selected which of the biggest Super Bowl trailers earned the most flowers and, more importantly, which ones have us at the highest hype levels for what's in store. Careful assessments were made, raised hairs were counted, and the number of times "oh, let's go," was tallied accordingly. We've got to admit, though, when it came to flying monkeys and witches in bubbles, things really weren't as wicked as we'd like them to be.
Wicked looks gorgeous but it still doesn't sound like a musical
The trailer for Jon M. Chu's "Wicked" has quite the task. Not only is it daring to tease a new version of Oz when there's a 1939 classic and a 1985 sequel that runs on nightmare fuel to compete with, but there's also the common trend of trailers for musicals hiding that they are, in fact, musicals. For that, "Wicked" certainly achieves its goal, but does it have to? With the incredible double-act of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, you'd think that the stunning vocal talent available would be front and center. Instead, we're treated to a mischievous voice-over from Jeff Goldblum's Wizard and flashy special effect-laden sights, with only a morsel of a musical number to keep fans of the original happy.
For those who might not be familiar with the musical the film is based on, barely seeing one of the many musical numbers from Stephen Schwartz's stage show does feel like a misstep and one they should rectify for future previews. X, formerly known as Twitter, didn't hold back on "Mean Girls 2024" with theatre footage from audiences dismayed that they'd sat down for a musical. Here's hoping that whenever something wicked this way comes in the future, it actually has a song in it to provide clarity for the audience before they buy their ticket.
Twisters blew in with a good old-fashioned action-packed trailer
Tornados seem a popular cause for concern in some of 2024's biggest films. Not only will they be causing problems in "Wicked," but they'll also be pursued by a young generation of storm chasers in the upcoming sequel, "Twisters." We know what you're thinking — "Who asked for a sequel to 'Twister'?" "Is simply pluralizing a previous movie the way to do things now?" Well, all we're going to say is that James Cameron did that once with "Alien," and look how that turned out.
We're not comparing Lee Isaac Chung's upcoming adventure thriller with Cameron's classic, but what's on show in this brand-new trailer seems like a bucket load of fun. Similar to Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in the original movie from 1996, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell look like the new mismatched meteorologists chasing the danger, and the trailer has them go through cars like dollar-store umbrellas. Powell seems to be replicating the same charm and headstrong hero schtick he delivered in "Top Gun: Maverick" as Hangman, which is nothing to complain about. Here's hoping that this retread over the natural disaster movie (that doesn't star Gerard Butler for a change) could lead to a promising forecast when "Twisters" rolls into theatres on July 19, 2024.
The Fall Guy trailer boasts romance, action, and quality comedy from Ryan Gosling
If the world wasn't fully aware of how funny Ryan Gosling could be under the right circumstances, his sublime performance in "Barbie" should've clarified that further. It's that turn as the dunderheaded lover of horses and the beach that bumps any glimpse of "The Fall Guy" from being "one to look out for" to "absolutely essential." Locking in a balance of action and comedy with extra Taylor Swift, he looks to be going for laughs again, with added car chases and dangerous boat handling. Also, unicorns.
In the trailer titled "Everything," the newest preview for the David Leitch-directed film is crammed with great little moments that make Gosling's high-octane outing look worth the admission. Here, his sexy bacon stuntman, Colt Seavers, surfs down a highway on a car door, bickers with old flame and film director Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), and reports the concerning issue of an ice crime. Compared to some of the other big movies on show during Super Bowl LVIII, this might go under the radar for some, but then the best surprise hits always do. It's also one of the biggest risks. As a reboot of the 1980s TV show, "The Fall Guy" mostly has the names on the cast list to carry it, so a successful run in theaters will be a stunt in and of itself. We'll see if "The Fall Guy" sticks the landing when it arrives on May 3, 2024.
The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer takes some great big swings
Like its advanced species at the center of the franchise, "The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" feels like the secluded, unique blockbuster with just as much potential as what came before it. This might be the first new franchise installment in seven years without Andy Serkis, but the latest trailer should assure fans that returning to this world is a trip worth taking. Following on from Matt Reeves, now that he's off busy handling "The Batman Part II," Wes Ball took over the director's chair for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," which takes place some 300 years after Caesar's (Andy Serkis) reign. At the core of this new story is Noa (Owen Teague), whose curiosity sees him put into question all that he's known, sparking unrest among his people and the ruler of them all, Proximo Caesar (Kevin Durand).
The magic of motion capture is again on full display here, and the film gives more winks and nods to the original films that began in 1968 and had Charlton Heston punching a beach and calling everyone "maniacs." There are also more exciting elements showing the ape society's progression that just look cool. The world may have gone to hell for humanity, but look! There are apes with eagles as pets learning about space. What's not to like here?
Deadpool & Wolverine stole the show (and we barely saw one of them)
Was there really any question about which trailer would take the No. 1 spot for this year's Super Bowl? Whether you've trailed off the recent events of the MCU or not, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's first venture into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was bound to draw attention, and the most reassuring part of the "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer is just how little we saw of their highly anticipated arrival into it. With just a brief visit to the Time Variance Authority and Wade wandering through various locations that may or may not be neighboring realities to his own, the preview's biggest move was showing only flickers of Jackman's iconic X-Man on screen. The "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer really was mostly the former character, and if Marvel Studios are daring enough, they'll keep it that way until the film finally gets released.
Cast your mind back to the promotional effort for "Avengers: Endgame" or "Spider-Man: No Way Home," when the cats had already been let out of the bag, and the world was waiting to see the outcome. There's no reason the same could happen here, and we could get perhaps one or two more trailers teasing Wolverine's return until the film's final release. Go on, Marvel Studios; we dare you. Save all the buddy movie brilliance for the big day when "Deadpool & Wolverine" finally arrives on the big screen on July 26. Bring your own chimichangas.