For many, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest and most important events of the year. For the rest of us, the commercials are the true superstars. The Super Bowl is the most-watched televised program of the year, so advertisers pay big bucks to have some air time during the commercial breaks, and movie studios are no exception. Whether it is the first look at an upcoming project or some last-minute hype, a movie’s most important advertising could very well take place during the game. For those of us who aren’t sports fans but still want to partake in the festivities, here are the 10 best Super Bowl movie promos that have aired over the years.
10. Independence Day
The marketing for Independence Day took the phrase “less is more” to heart. Not much was shown for most of the teasers, just alien destruction. It was known that the film had an all-star cast such as Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum, but that was it. The promo aired during the Super Bowl of 1996 offered little answers. Alongside the now-iconic image of a UFO blowing up the White House, an ominous tagline was offered. “Enjoy the Superbowl, it could be your last.” The film already had hype surrounding it, and this promo with the tagline just added fuel to the fire. The film’s director Roland Emmerich used a similar marketing campaign two years later for his version of Godzilla, which, in a clever use of viral marketing, did not show the titular creature in any advertising.
9. Batman Begins
While not as secretive as Independence Day, Batman Begins was still kept mostly under wraps. This short promo featured the first look at Johnathan Crane in his Scarecrow mask, the best look at Batman to date, and most importantly, the first full look at the Batmobile. The name Batman alone was enough to fill seats, but featuring a promo during the game was a smart move. Not only did it have non-sports fans tune in, but it also showed the trailer to those who may not have seen anything of the film yet. While perhaps not thanks to this specific Super Bowl movie promo, the film was, of course, a massive hit and led to one of the best movie trilogies of all time.
8. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
In 1999, the movie that earned the most hype and was most destined to become the biggest movie of the year was Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. New Line Cinema knew their Austin Powers sequel couldn’t compete, so they decided to have some fun at Lucasfilm’s expense. The promo features what appears to be the remains of the Death Star. Darth Vader’s breathing is heard as a figure is shown. The figure turns to reveal he is actually Dr. Evil. The narration says that if only one movie is shown in 1999, it should be Star Wars. If two are shown, then it should be this film. This tongue-in-cheek promo piggybacked off of the Star Wars hype and earned its own hype for the sequel.
7. Hulk
After the massive success of Spider-Man the previous year, Marvel decided to cash in on another one of their popular characters. Similar to Spider-Man, the marketing for Hulk was full force, including a Super Bowl ad. While the marketing campaign was massive, it seemed as if the movie was marketed to a different demographic than the film was intended for. The trailer had rock music put over explosive action set pieces. The movie looked to be an adrenaline-filled thrill ride. The finished product was instead a somber affair, with only a handful of action scenes. Even the titular character himself wasn’t as present as he probably should have been. While the film didn’t enjoy the same success, it is still interesting to look back on the marketing and see it as a cautionary tale to not put your eggs in one basket.
6. The Avengers
Back when the idea of a shared cinematic universe was still seen as a gamble, the first Avengers movie was a risky film that paid off in a huge way. Nothing like this had been done in the lives of fans in 2012. This Super Bowl movie promo showed some new footage and sent fans’ excitement through the roof. Like Batman Begins, fans who typically weren’t interested in sports-tuned in. In this day and age, fans only need to wait a few minutes after a promo airs to see it drop online. While this was still the case in 2012, this may be one of the last examples where it felt like an event waiting for the trailer to drop.
5. Men In Black 2
Some of the best kinds of Super Bowl movie promos are ones that are aware they are being played during the game. Take Men In Black 2, for instance. The 2002 game featured an ad stating that while the world watches the game, two men are watching the world. Those two men are, of course, Agents J and K, played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, respectively. The footage isn’t massive, but it focuses on the return of the two fittingly set to Back in Black by AC/DC. 2002 was a big year for movies, and this Men in Black sequel was one of the most anticipated.
4. Monsters vs. Aliens
In the late 2000s early 2010s, 3D seemed to be taking over the world. One of the biggest gimmicks that didn’t last long was 3D TVs. Outside of films getting 3D versions released on Blu-Ray, these TVs were scarcely utilized, which led to their eventual demise. One way they were utilized was in the 2009 Super Bowl. A promo for Monsters vs. Aliens was shown. While the trailer wasn’t anything new, it was unique in that it was 3D. If viewers owned a 3D capable Tv, they could put their glasses on and enjoy the trailer in 3D. While seen and gimmicky today, back in 2009, it was a fun way to advertise a 3D movie the way it should have been advertised.
3. Deadpool
The Friday following the 2016 Super Bowl was the day Deadpool hit theatres. Even though it was less than a week away, Fox decided to get in one last bit of advertising. In typical Deadpool fashion, this Super Bowl movie promo was very much aware of what it was. The ad featured Deadpool talking to the audience about how he wished he was a professional athlete. The movie was highly anticipated ever since its official announcement, and this promo showed Fox wanted to get as much advertisement out of the movie as possible.
2. Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions
What makes this promo so unique is the fact that it is an advertisement for two movies. The second and third Matrix movies were filmed simultaneously. While this isn’t uncommon, most of the time, the two movies are released at least a year from each other. In the case of Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions, they were released only months apart in the same year. Because of this, this promo features scenes from both movies, and both titles are shown at the end. The Matrix was a groundbreaking film. The sequel was guaranteed, but double the films meant double the hype, so it is no surprise as to why the films were marketed this way.
1. Mulan
While kinda hard to find, there was an advertisement promoting the home video release of Mulan that aired during the 1999 Super Bowl. The film was released on home video on Groundhog’s Day that year, so the promo referenced that. A groundhog hole is shown when Mushu pops out of it. He begins his usual shenanigans when he is hit by a football. This promo not only references the fact it is released on Groundhog’s Day, but it also references the fact that is a Super Bowl movie promo.
