The 14 Best AI-Generated Fake Movie Trailers, Ranked

Trailers have been a big part of the movie industry since 1913, so the practice has been in place for quite some time. Granted, they've changed a lot over the years, though the primary mission remains the same: convince paying customers to part with their cash. Nowadays, the big studios tend to stick with tried and tested formulas, especially when there's a lot of money riding on the picture. However, when it comes to fan-made trailers, the rule book goes out of the window.

Since artificial intelligence tools became widely available, some creative folks have keyed in just the right information to create AI-generated trailers for some of the most iconic movies ever made. If you've ever wondered what some of Hollywood's most iconic films would look like reimagined by a different director or set in a totally different time period, you're in the right place. The fake trailers detailed below were all AI-generated by fans, and they're spectacular.

One of the most creative and fun uses of AI when it comes to making fake movie trailers involves reimagining the cast, and it's especially entertaining when the time period of the film is also changed. YouTuber @stryderHD did just that when they created a rather ingenious AI trailer for a "Justice League" movie if it was made in the 1980s.

Many of the biggest stars of the day are present in AI form: Harrison Ford plays Batman, John Travolta is Superman, Mia Sara is Wonder Woman, Tom Cruise is the Flash, Mel Gibson is Green Lantern, Kevin Costner is Green Arrow, and the list goes on to include Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Hasselhoff, and many more. Perhaps the standout is Willem Dafoe as the Joker — he looks incredible as the Clown Prince of Crime.

While the trailer doesn't show much of what this 1980s DC flick would actually be about, it's still gripping in that you can't wait to see who pops up next. The dramatic music makes the reveals even more exciting. It is beautifully made and gives the viewer something to think about.

1999's "The Matrix" is very much a product of its time, but what would it look like if it was made decades earlier? The YouTube channel Abandoned Films put together a 1950s Super Panavision 70-style trailer for "The Matrix" using artificial intelligence, and (while the use of AI is a bit sardonic, given that this is what allowed the Machines to take over in the seminal sci-fi action flick), it's a fascinating watch. The trailer dumps the late-90s imagery for '50s tech and decor, and it somehow works.

We're introduced to a square-jawed, quiff-sporting Neo as the narrator explains the basics of the plot in a dry, dated tone. "Neo discovers the truth: That the world he knows is a simulated reality created by machines to subdue and control humanity." Some of the best design elements include the Sentinels, which look like they were taken straight off the cover of a pulp science fiction magazine. This aesthetic carries through the entire trailer, making the viewer long for a movie they'll sadly never see.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's career exploded after he starred in "The Terminator," which technically could have taken place in the 1950s – thanks to the time travel mechanics at the heart of the franchise, there's no reason why it couldn't take place decades years earlier. Abandoned Films created a "Terminator" trailer as if it was shot in '50s Super Panavision 70, and now we kind of wish the real film had been set back then.

The narrator explains that franchise heroine Sarah Connor is "an ordinary woman unaware of her extraordinary destiny until a cyborg assassin from the future arrives with a mission to alter the course of history." We then get to see the film's titular killing machine both with skin (looking remarkably like Schwarzenegger) and without. It's not the most consistent of trailers – the skeletonized T-800 has hair and parts of a face in some shot, and it's almost completely human with bits of skin floating above its metallic body in others. However, it succeeds in transplanting this famous story into a different time period and is one of the best examples of how AI can be used to create interesting concept trailers.

While it's best known as a TV show, 2007's "The Simpsons Movie" remains a highlight of the animated franchise, making $536 million worldwide and going down a storm with the critics. Fans have often discussed who they would cast in a live-action "Simpsons" movie, though they don't have to wonder what it would actually look like anymore — demonflyingfox put together an AI "Simpsons" trailer made in the style of 1950s-era Super Panavision 70.

Visually, the Simpson household and the town of Springfield don't look much different from the series or "The Simpsons Movie." It's fascinating to see each character reimagined as live-action humans set against a backdrop of pure Americana. While none of the characters look exactly like their cartoon counterparts, one character looks like a real person: Milhouse is clearly based on Josh Saviano's Paul Pfeiffer from "The Wonder Years."

Elsewhere, Krusty the Clown is almost as disturbing to look at as Pennywise, and Mr. Burns looks exactly like you'd expect him to appear in live-action. Ned Flanders is a true standout, looking great as a normal human with his bushy mustache and green sweater. It's a fun exploration of the classic series, and it reminds us that this franchise deserves at least one more movie.

There are few characters who get fancasted as much as James Bond. In terms of who fans want to see take on the British secret agent, a name that pops up pretty often is Henry Cavill, who inarguably has the look and style needed to play the character. Thanks to artificial intelligence, we can now see what these fancasts might look like: KH Studio threw together an AI trailer for a James Bond movie with Henry Cavill playing the lead alongside Margot Robbie. The opening narration comes from Robbie's character, who talks about Bond and the world in which they live being "too small for both of us."

It has the look and feel of a modern Bond movie, but what's especially great about this trailer is that it combines AI with other elements. "I have meticulously incorporated various effects, sound design, AI technologies, movie analytics, and other elements to bring my vision to life," the creator states in the video's description. It's creative and interesting, but more than that, it's exciting to see what a Bond film would look like with Cavill starring opposite Robbie — that's a movie a lot of folks would be interested in watching.

If you've ever fancasted a live-action "Shrek" movie, chances are you didn't have David Harbour as the big green ogre. You might change your mind after seeing this video from Multiverse a.i., a YouTube channel dedicated to creating AI trailers. It opens with the narrator explaining the set-up, which will be familiar to fans of the animated DreamWorks franchise: "Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who had fallen under a powerful curse. This curse could only be broken by a single act: true love's first kiss. She was hidden away in a distant tower high atop a mountain, protected by a fierce and terrifying dragon."

The narrator goes on to explain that many heroes have tried and failed to rescue the princess, which is where Shrek comes in. "Don't let his looks fool you — he's no ordinary hero," the trailer tells us. "In fact, he never wanted to be one at all." We're also introduced to Princess Fiona (played by Emma Stone), the villain Lord Farquaad (Peter Dinklage), the fabulous Fairy Godmother (Lady Gaga), and Shrek's loyal sidekick Donkey (who would be voiced by Kevin Hart). Prince Charming, meanwhile, is played by Jacob Elordi, best known for his work in Netflix's "The Kissing Booth" films and HBO's teen drama "Euphoria."

Director Wes Anderson has such a unique style of filmmaking. Over the years, fans of his have wondered what other films would look like had he been at the helm. Now, thanks to AI, we don't have to wonder anymore. YouTube channel Curious Refuge has used artificial intelligence to create a trailer for an Anderson-directed "Star Wars" flick, a reboot named "The Galactic Menagerie." The name is very on-brand for Anderson, and the trailer nails the director's quirky aesthetic.

The world created by George Lucas is reimagined in traditional Anderson style, and the characters are all played by actors from the filmmaker's regular pool of collaborators. Timothée Chalamet plays Luke Skywalker, Scarlett Johansson is Princess Leia, Edward Norton becomes Han Solo, Bill Murray appears as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and, the absolute highlight of the trailer, Owen Wilson is the film's Darth Vader (the actor's famous "wow" said through Vader's mask is something everyone needs to hear at least once).

While it's fun to see what a movie might look like if filmed by a different director, it's never a bad idea to imagine an entirely new movie. That's what VJ4rawr2 did in creating a trailer for a hypothetical sequel titled "Home Alone 3 – Kevin's Revenge." Of course, there's already a "Home Alone 3," but it doesn't star Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister — fortunately, this one does. This trailer is not fully AI — it was made "by splicing together existing content, adding voiceovers, effects work, and heavy editing," according to the description — which makes it all the more impressive.

"Kevin's Revenge" sees the Wet Bandits get out of prison and threaten the kid who had them locked up. By this point, Kevin's an adult with a family of his own, so he goes all out defending his home from the bad guys. This time, instead of Micro Machines and paint cans, he's got guns, blades, fire, and more. The tables are completely turned as the police are told about a guy reportedly torturing two elderly men in his home. Kevin's brother Buzz, who is now a cop, gets the call and ignores it. If you adore "Home Alone," you're going to either love or hate this parody sequel, which abandons Kevin's childlike innocence for outright homicidal rage.

Abandoned Films' expertise in creating 1950s Super Panavision 70-style AI trailers is on full display in its "RoboCop" reimagining. It kicks off with chaos and explosions on the streets of Detroit as the era-appropriate narrator takes the viewer through the horrors unfolding there. "In a city overrun by crime and corruption, a new kind of justice is about to hit the streets," he tells us before introducing Robocop by saying, "Welcome to the world of tomorrow, where justice wears a metallic face."

The trailer also shows how Officer Murphy is transformed into the titular hero. However, as is often the case with AI trailers, the design changes from shot to shot. While Murphy retains some design elements of Robocop from the original film in most cases, he also looks like a mashup of Bender from "Futurama" and a knockoff Robocop action figure in some shots. However, this only adds to the vintage feel of the trailer, which concludes with a modified version of Murphy's catchphrase: "Dead or alive, you're coming with him."

Plenty of big events in the "X-Men" timeline have taken place in the 1950s, and thanks to Schrödinger's Film Club, we can now see what an "X-Men" movie from the '50s would actually look like. The trailer introduces viewers to "The Uncanny X-Men," as the narrator calls them. He goes on to explain that they are "a team of extraordinary mutants each blessed with powers that defy the limits of mortal understanding."

What's particularly great about this trailer is that it recognizes that many of the issues addressed in "X-Men" stories were present in the United States in the 1950s. In fact, Stan Lee (who created the X-Men in the early 1960s) once told The Guardian that Marvel's mutants worked as "a good metaphor for what was happening with the Civil Rights Movement in the country at that time."

In the trailer, the narrator asks the viewer to "put your prejudices aside to witness the electrifying presence of the exotic Storm, an African goddess who can unleash the very wrath of nature itself." There's also some subtly great humor here: For example, Iceman is introduced as a hero who can "whip up a milkshake straight out of a cow's teat." Cyclops and Wolverine are of course present, as are Jean Grey and The Beast.

The 2023 film "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" blew everyone away at the box office and put the titular Nintendo characters back in the spotlight. The first game in the series came out in 1983 and an ill-fated live action film dropped in cineplexes a decade later in 1993, but an AI trailer from PT5 takes us in the opposite direction: back to the 1950s. As you've no doubt figured out by now, the '50s is a popular decade for AI movie trailers, and this is definitely one of the most intriguing.

The trailer imagines what a Mario movie would look like if it was shot in 1950s-style Super Panavision 70. It's narrated in the style of the era, detailing the situation: A plumber named Mario visits the Mushroom Kingdom, where he and his brother Luigi must save Princess Peach from the dreaded Bowser. There's a calming quality to the narration despite the increasingly dark imagery, which works as a movie trailer because it makes you want to see more. Some of the best images include the Koopa Troopas, the Goombas, and Toad, who is shown as a young child cheerfully clutching a toadstool.

We've already seen what a "Star Wars" film directed by Wes Anderson might look like, but the unorthodox filmmaker's take on "The Lord of the Rings" takes it to another level. Curious Refuge explores this by reimagining Tolkien's classic as a Wes Anderson movie called "The Whimsical Fellowship." Just like "The Galactic Menagerie," it casts several Anderson stalwarts in the main roles, and it's pretty much perfect.

Bill Murray plays Gandalf, Timothée Chalamet is Frodo Baggins, Tilda Swinton plays Galadriel, Edward Norton is Aragorn, Léa Seydoux plays Arwen, Adrian Brody is Legolas, Jeff Goldblum plays Elrond, and Benicio del Toro looks surprisingly great as Gimli. The trailer is presented as a true adaptation of Tolkien's immortal work as directed by Anderson, something that actually looks like it would be a great time. The visuals, the style of narration, the symmetrical fantasy settings, and the characters themselves align perfectly with what you'd expect to see in an Anderson film, making this an ingenious and creative AI trailer that truly stands out.

2023 was the year of "Barbenheimer," a cinematic and cultural phenomenon that mashed together two movies that had absolutely nothing to do with one another: "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer." The juxtaposition fascinated movie-goers and both films ended up being critically and financially successful. Of course, there is no actual "Barbenheimer" film, but, thanks to AI, there is a trailer for it. Created by Curious Refuge, the AI "Barbenheimer" trailer imagines a world in which Barbie gets recruited to the Manhattan Project.

Barbie becomes the lead scientist, apparently replacing Oppenheimer as the developer of the atomic bomb. It truly is a mashup of themes that could only be realized in such a way via AI. The characters all look somewhat close to their real-life actor counterparts, and there's a lot of color-based visual humor: When the atom bomb is finally detonated, the mushroom cloud is, of course, pink. At the end of the trailer, Barbie says, "I am become death, destroyer of worlds," a line from Hindu scripture that J. Robert Oppenheimer referenced in a 1965 interview. Ken responds with: "That's so awesome."

This one was uploaded as a music video rather than a trailer, but it's certainly effective as the latter, because the AI creation "Star Wars – Return of the Redneck" looks like a hilarious film. YouTuber demonflyingfox created this video, which comes complete with a catchy country song that really makes you realize just how suited the "Star Wars" story is to this new setting. The chorus goes: "Here in the bayou, the family's a twist, Vader's your daddy, and your sister you've kissed. Luke's dodgin' gators with Yoda's advice, Sippin' moonshine under swampy skies. Deep in the night with the gators' song, Luke's risin' up where he belongs."

"Return of the Redneck" plays fast and loose with "Star Wars" tropes using the southern United States as its backdrop. You've got an occasionally jacked Luke growing up on a farm while sporting a mullet, and there's also Yoda living in the backwoods wearing a trucker cap (though, to be fair, pretty much everyone wears a trucker hat here). Han and Chewie are seen driving a very retro-looking car through some beautiful southern scenery, but the highlight is definitely Darth Vader: The franchise's most memorable villain is wearing his famous helmet, but there's a camo cap on top of it and a big beard poking out of the bottom.