Epic Trailers of Disappointing Movies
We all know that movie trailers have one purpose: to sell us on the idea of paying to see a
movie! And since all�s fair in war and advertising, movie trailers put their best, most exciting
foot forward, no matter how much remixing is done to make them look amazing.
In the case of the films on this list, their trailers were much more interesting, entertaining,
and in some cases moving than the actual full-length film.
Watchmen
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons� acclaimed graphic novel Watchmen had been through so many failed
movie attempts that for a long time it was deemed �unfilmable.� When the full-length
trailer was released for the Zac Snyder adaptation in 2009, fans went wild over how the visuals
looked like they were lifted right out of the comic book, while the haunting soundtrack
perfectly captured the dark and bleak tone of the Watchmen story.
�.Unfortunately, when Watchmen finally hit theaters it was nearly 3 hours long; with
some questionable performances, a jarring �80s pop-song soundtrack; and a controversial
change to the ending. Comic book fans learned the hard way that having source material translated
directly to the screen does not always result in a great comic book movie.
Cloverfield
A good mystery often draws people into the theater, and producer J.J. Abrams, writer
Drew Goddard and director Matt Reeves used a veil of mystery and a hint of epic peril
to sell their 2008 found-footage monster movie, Cloverfield.
It may be fair to look back and see this trailer as a cheap ploy that played off post-9/11
fears (or copied another film on this list), but it worked; Cloverfield lured a lot of
people into the drive-through to see the monster show. Too bad the movie itself was also a
painful lesson about why the found-footage movie format may not be the best trend Hollywood
ever came up with.
Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation was scrutinized from the moment it went into production, and the
stories that surround it are still talked about today (that Christian Bale on-set rant
anyone?) But somehow, out of that storm of scrutiny, doubt, and uncertainty, emerged
�what is arguably one of the best blockbuster movie trailers ever cut together.
From the darkly beautiful music to the gritty futuristic world, thrilling action and intriguing
sci-fi concepts, this trailer did everything right in selling a new vision of the Terminator
franchise. When Terminator Salvation finally hit theatres, it quickly became clear that
the studio had loaded all of the best moments from the movie into the trailer. The full-length
film was pretty forgettable - and ironically, the trailer, for all its epicness, spoils
what is arguably the best twist in the movie. So much hype, for so little payoff.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
One of the biggest movie events of a generation happened when George Lucas announced that
he would end the 20th century with the release of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
in 1999. All the world was buzzing for the prequel story of how Anakin Skywalker fell
to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader, and when the first trailer arrived, it seemed
as though Lucas would deliver the magic all over again.
The first trailer teased us with heroes, a fearsome villain, epic lightsaber duels, space
battles, and an air of ominous mystery hanging over it all. Everything we could want from
a new Star Wars adventure.
By now, debate over the Star Wars prequels has gone on so long that it�s pointless
to try and sway opinions one way or the other. However, one thing I think everyone can agree
on: The Phantom Menace trailer in no way prepares you for the abomination that is Jar Jar Binks.
Tron: Legacy
The 1982 film Tron looks incredibly dated now - and its ideas about technology may seem
even more dated - but at the time of its release, Tron�s visual effects pushed the boundaries
of film technology closer to what we see today. Twenty-something years later, we got our first
look at Tron: Legacy, and at first it seemed like the wait had been worth it.
We had Jeff Bridges back as both his character from the original - and as a younger, villainous
program version of himself and like so many other entries on this list, the musical score
just elevated the footage to a whole new level. For all the hype built by the trailers, the
actual film would turn out to be somewhat mundane, undercooked, and filled with clear
signs of director Joseph Kosinski�s inexperience.
Pearl Harbor
Before Michael Bay ever put his hands on the Transformers franchise, he attempted to tell
the story of one of the most tragic and heroic days in American history, with a cast of stars
like Cuba Gooding Jr., Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale helping to bring history to life,
and when the Pearl Harbor teaser trailer hit, audiences were instantly moved by what they
saw. �
Based on the trailer, people thought Pearl Harbor would be some kind of awards -worthy
war drama; instead, they got over 3 hours of Michael Bay�s signature combination of
overblown effects work and under developed story. In the end, this was a failed ode to
an important piece of US history.
Godzilla
You could never prove it in court, but Cloverfield�s successful teaser trailer seems all-too-similar
to what the 1998 Godzilla trailer did: A normal everyday event in NYC suddenly turns into
a disaster-level event with the emergence of a large - but mostly unseen - monster.
Then again, it�s a trick that worked twice, so why cry foul?
Ronald Emmerich�s version of Godzilla stunk so bad that the Japanese creators of the character
had his version of the monster officially reprinted under a different name, �Zilla.�
If that doesn�t say how bad this movie was, nothing will. Nonetheless, that teaser was
so good that to this day, we still can�t walk by a NYC pier on a rainy day without
looking at the water, wondering� �
Sucker Punch
It�s not a coincidence that Zack Snyder appears on this list more than once - it seems
that telling cinematic stories in the span of a trailer works out much better for him
than sustaining a full-length movie.
The trailer for 2011�s Sucker Punch had two impeccable song choices, not to mention
a whole lot of visual flare and gorgeous actresses kicking ass. In the end though, Snyder never
really pulled his ideas for the film together well enough, and the result was a messy (and
even controversial) reception.
Iron Man 3
Fresh of the crazy success of 2012�s The Avengers, the trailer for Marvel�s Iron
Man 3 looked great. War Machine (now called Iron Patriot) was back, the superhero action
looked better than ever, there were Iron Man suits galore, �and iconic Iron Man nemesis
The Mandarin was being played by Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley. Many expected this to be the
Dark Knight of Iron Man films.
But when the movie came out, the joke was on fans. Tony Stark was onscreen more than
Iron Man; Kingsley�s Mandarin was literally a joke character; and that gallery of Iron
Man suits never really got their due. Even if you were in the camp that enjoyed it, Iron
Man 3 just did not live up to the dark, brooding superhero action flick the trailer sold.
That�s it for our list, but we�re sure you have your own movies to suggest and opinions
to share about the films we chose. Leave your thoughts in the comments - and be sure to
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