More and more these days, the trailer can make or break a film. And with studios spending hundreds of millions of dollars to make their movies, there is a lot riding on the coming attraction. There were hundreds of them that debuted through 2015 and in the first of The Movie Mensch’s series of top 10s, we break down the Top 10 trailers of 2015.
Who makes our list? We guarantee there will be some surprises. So sit back, grab your headphones and prepare to relive the most tantalizing teases of the year.
10. The Secret Life of Pets
Ever wonder what your pets do when you leave the house? Universal Pictures and the people who brought us Despicable Me and Minions presents The Secret Life of Pets, which seeks to answer that very question. When the trailer arrived, we were as smitten as if it was the cutest kitten!
The voice cast brings to life a bevy of adorable pets that inhabit our story, from Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart to Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks.
If the film is half as entertaining as the above teaser, audiences are in for a treat.
9. Creed Official Trailer
One could say that one of the reasons that Creed became the sensation it did upon its Thanksgiving was this first official trailer.
People may have scoffed when they first heard that we would be getting a seventh installment in the Rocky series that began with the Oscar winning film in the 70s. But upon seeing what director Ryan Coogler did with what could have been seen as a cash grab, audience anticipation immediately went through the roof.
Coogler’s Fruitvale Station standout star Michael B. Jordan was tapped to play the son of the boxing legend, who the story (and franchise) would now follow. He seeks to make a name for himself, so he enlists his father’s old foe-turned-friend Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) to train him under an alias. Before long, the world learns this boxing prodigy is Creed and the story involves into a lesson about legacy. What else this teaser did was show audiences that this tale would be heartfelt and wholeheartedly inspiring.
8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser #2
With the simple words uttered by Harrison Ford, “Chewie, we’re home,” a fan base of billions cried nerd tears instantly and the must-see film of the century became something even more than that.
The second teaser took all who saw it back to their youth. They say there is no fountain of youth. I’d disagree. Just watch this teaser and be prepared to go back to those moments when you were younger and first witnessed the Star Wars movies. It wasn’t just a trailer for an upcoming movie, “teaser #2” was a time machine of emotion.
7. Mad Max: Fury Road Official Main Trailer
The best quote of the year certainly came out of the “main trailer” for Mad Max: Fury Road. “What a lovely day!” it was whatever day we first saw this teaser for George Miller’s return to the post-apocalyptic world of Max.
It also teased the story, which was revolutionary. Sure, Mad Max would be involved… but this was Charlize Theron’s film and together, her and Tom Hardy, would surely give us one of the biggest thrill rides of the year. Little did we know at the time that it would be one of the best movies of the year!
6. Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice Trailer #2
All previous teasers and clips failed to light the fire in fans the way the second trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice did.
The way that Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor introduces Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne to Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent is priceless. The intellectual debate that ensues lays the groundwork for the battle to come. And then… the big reveal! Ladies and gentlemen, we give you Wonder Woman.
5. The Nice Guys
We loved Shane Black the moment we saw Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and adored what he did with Iron Man 3. So, his first non-marvel movie and first movie without Robert Downey Jr. had to be greeted with uber excitement and anticipation. Then, late in 2015 we saw the trailer for The Nice Guys. One of our most anticipated movies of 2016 it became within the first few frames.
Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as private eyes in 1970s Los Angeles in a crime caper comedy? Let’s watch it again. And again. And again. And again.
4. Hail Caesar!
The Coen brothers’ latest has them going back to Hollywood’s so-called Golden Era in a tale about how a super-huge movie star is kidnapped on the eve of his latest big budget studio epic being shot. No one does this type of farce like the Coen brothers and when the trailer dropped, another gem for 2016 had arrived.
With George Clooney as the Cary Grant-type star who is kidnapped and Channing Tatum as a Gene Kelly type song and dance man is just the tip of the talent iceberg for this latest film from the fraternal film pair who are among our absolute favorites.
3. Suicide Squad
After footage leaked from Comic-Con that was only meant for those in attendance of the annual pop culture conclave, Warner Bros. and director David Ayer had to go back and put together a three-minute trailer worthy of what they had been working on. What was released to the masses, is nothing short of emotionally riveting and all together mind-blowing.
Using the song I Started a Joke, Ayer interwove scenes from a movie that he hadn’t even completed filming yet and produced a moving, compelling and highly stylized teaser for the latest from WB and DC Comics that takes some of the comic book institution’s most feared villains and puts them together in “some sort of Suicide Squad.” Is it 2016 yet?
2. Captain America: Civil War
After the excellence that was Captain America: The Winter Soldier, expectations were high for the third film to focus on Steve Rogers and his heroic alter ego. Then, we heard that it would serve as the crack in the armor that would split apart the Avengers and force our heroes to choose sides between Cap and Tony Stark’s Iron Man. That trouble started in Avengers: Age of Ultron and we were told that by the end of Captain America: Civil War, things would never be the same. Then, we saw the trailer.
Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Cap’s BFF Bucky and the debut of Black Panther are just a few of the heroes who battle each other in the first entry in the third and final phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (at least for now). Other than what is at number one, this is the trailer we’ve watched repeatedly more than any other in 2015.
NUMBER ONE IS…
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer (Official)
Between the voice overs that are shared between several characters (like Daisy Ridley’s) and the images that feature familiar faces (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher), the “official trailer” for Star Wars: The Force Awakens had it all. Then, there’s that iconic music. I mean, who didn’t tear up with the Han and Leia theme song?!
There is no question that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most anticipated movie of the year. So, it should hardly be a surprise that its full trailer is our best trailer of the year as well.