The Super Bowl is the most-watched television event of the year, with advertisers paying millions of dollars for merely 30 seconds of increased product awareness across the nation. Movies are products, and thus Hollywood has also very much found itself taking advantage of all the eyes glued to football. Studios airing trailers for their biggest upcoming movies has been a Super Bowl trademark since the 1990s when Independence Day‘s spot made a huge splash. These days we tend to get about a half dozen brief teasers for the biggest movies coming out either within the next month or a little later during the summer.
This year is no different, because we’re getting some sneak peaks of some particularly exciting films, some aiming for families and others featuring either an iconic musician or man in a mask. However, there are also a few you might be expecting to see, but will be disappointed to learn will not be a part of the Big Game.
10) Expect Michael
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
We don’t often get trailers for high-profile musician biopics during the Big Game. There wasn’t one for Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018, Rocketman in 2019, nor was there one for either I Wanna Dance with Somebody or Elvis in 2022. but this year marks an exception with the teaser for the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua.
9) Expect Disclosure Day
image courtesy of universal pictures
Disclosure Day‘s spot won’t be the first for a Steven Spielberg film. As one might expect, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull got one in 2008, but there was also an E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial cast reunion commercial for Xfinity back in 2019. That’s something that is going to continue this year, too, with a similarly cute Xfinity commercial reuniting the Jurassic Park cast.
8) Do Not Expect Avengers: Doomsday
image courtesy of walt disney studios motion pictures
If someone wants to see a teaser for Avengers: Doomsday during the game, they’re going to have to pick up their phone and go to YouTube, because we’re not getting a new one. At least, should they go to YouTube, they’ll have four different teasers to choose from.
7) Expect Scream 7
image courtesy of paramount pictures
The marketing campaign for Scream 7 has ramped up to its max, which makes sense considering the movie’s release is right around the corner. Specifically, February 27th. And, just as we’ve gotten the Ghostface movie’s final poster and full trailer, we’re getting another little 30-second taste of it this Sunday. Scream VI also got a Super Bowl trailer in 2023.
6) Expect The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
image courtesy of universal pictures
Like The Super Mario Bros. Movie before it, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will be getting a spot this year. Between the similar marketing campaign strategy and nearly identical release during the first week of April, Universal Pictures is assuredly hoping Galaxy replicates the massive success of its predecessor.
5) Do Not Expect Spider-Man: Brand New Day
image courtesy of sony pictures releasing
In an age where big studios feel the need to reveal every tentpole project’s full plots and secrets ahead of time, it’s admirable how little we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We’re less than six months away from the release and we haven’t seen so much as a teaser, and that’s not going to change with the Super Bowl. For reference, the first trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming came out seven months before its release, which was also applicable to Far From Home. That said, No Way Home‘s teaser trailer was only four months in advance, so we could be looking down the barrel of a similarly cagey marketing strategy here.
4) Expect The Mandalorian and Grogu
image courtesy of walt disney studios motion pictures
Of the five Disney Star Wars movies released thus far, only two have received a Super Bowl spot. Those would be Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Solo: A Star Wars. That list of two can be bumped up to three now because, while Disney is letting Marvel sit this one out, they are expected to have a teaser for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.
3) Expect Hoppers
image courtesy of pixar
One would think that Pixar would have a Super Bowl spot for most of their movies, but that’s not really the case. There was one for Toy Story 4 in 2019 and Inside Out 2 in 2024 but nothing for Onward or Soul in 2020, Luca in 2021, Turning Red or Lightyear in 2022, Elemental in 2023, or Elio in 2025. But this year we might just get a two-fer. Hoppers is a sure thing but, as for Toy Story 5, that’s a little more up in the air. It would be logical to spend the marketing money on Hoppers, considering its release is right around the corner and, let’s face it, Toy Story sells itself.
2) Do Not Expect Supergirl
Image via WB
Like Marvel, DC appears to be sitting out this particular Big Game. It’s odd, considering its success isn’t as assured as Avengers: Doomsday or Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Plus, we’ve already gotten a sizable trailer and Lobo-focused teaser, it wouldn’t be but so difficult to stitch together a short spot. Regardless, considering it’s scheduled for release in less than five months, we can expect this marketing campaign to ramp up sooner rather than later.
1) Expect Minions 3
image courtesy of universal pictures
Since its 2010 origin with Despicable Me, Illumination has accrued a substantial list of films that got themselves a Super Bowl ad. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax had one in 2012, Minions got one in 2015, The Secret Life of Pets in 2016, and the aforementioned The Super Mario Brow. Movie in 2023. Add Minions 3 to the list, because it is expected to debut it first teaser trailer this Sunday.
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