We've Ranked Every San Diego Comic-Con Trailer, Completely Subjectively, Again
Superheroes are so 2017.
Another edition of Comic-Con is in the can and, with it, a whole new slew of trailers to get excited about. Just like we did last year, we're taking the opportunity to rank a selection of these trailers completely in order of how hyped they get us. It's simply indicative of the state of the industry that the San Diego based convention has become almost more of a studio blockbuster movie event than an annual gathering of D & D nerds.
As we noted last year, the convention is valuable because we, as audience members, finally get a chance to see if all the buzz surrounding any of these behemoth superhero titles might actually have a chance of panning out into something great. However, there is a clear shift in the type of stuff we saw come out of SDCC this year. That's right, the fatigue is real. Comic-Con's biggest draw is no longer superhero movies. It's TV. Well really, it's not even TV. It's Netflix.
10. Bright
David Ayers is no stranger to Comic-Con, but it must be quite a relief not to be back for a third consecutive year with Suicide Squad. Instead, he was showing off a new Netflix original that kind of looks like End of Watch except with fairies and orcs and junk. Neat!
9. The Defenders
Daredevil started off this whole series chain back in 2015 and now it's finally time for all of these Marvel Netflix superheroes to meet up and take on Sigourney Weaver. Let's hope it turns out better than Iron Fist.
8. Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek is back! And on cable television! CBS is pulling out all the stops for this one, and it's kind of hard not to get excited for some new, serial-driven Star Trek stories.
7. Justice League
Oh man, here we go again. The first trailer for Justice League premiered at SDCC last year and fans were rightfully skeptical. We are now closing in on the November 2017 opening date and the question has become, "are we getting another Wonder Woman or a Batman vs. Superman?" This preview certainly does its best to put this year's blockbuster queen at the center of the action. But we've seen DC use clever marketing in their trailers before. Today it was revealed that Justice League is undergoing $25 million worth of re-shoots. Also, Ben Affleck has all but dropped out of his new Batman movie. So, uh, we choose to remain skeptics.
6. The Walking Dead - Season 8
I'll be honest. I haven't seen an episode of The Walking Dead since Season 2 and I have absolutely no idea what's going on in this trailer. BUT THE FILM STOCK LOOKS SO GOOD. Clearly, the show is no longer counting on the slow-build up of tension that made the first season so great, but this trailer really does make me want to go back and check out what I've missed.
5. Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Kingsman was a really underrated (and refreshing) comic-book action movie. Matthew Vaughn, who was also behind the stellar Kick-Ass, has the franchise in good hands. The Julianne Moore/Jeff Bridges Lebowski reunion is just a bonus.
4. Thor: Ragnarok
Cleary, this is the most hyped film to come out of Comic-Con and, man, are we excited to see how this one turns out. Taika Waititi is an international treasure, and if Marvel has given him the kind of creative power he deserves, then this could be one of the all-time great super hero movies. It's seeming more and more like it has. The director revealed earlier this weekend that at least 80% of the film was improvised. That type of work is simply unheard of for this a blockbuster franchise film, but right on the money for a Taika Waiti one.
3. Westworld - Season 2
This was certainly the most surprising trailer to drop at SDCC, as the new season of Westworldisn't set to premiere until some time in 2018. Nevertheless, it is truly a sight to behold. It seems as if HBO's most successful (and expensive) show from last year is heading down an even darker avenue as them robots start to get pretty violent. As believers in the freedom of both androids and humans alike, we here at No Film School support that direction.
2. Ready Player One
Did anyone think this movie would look so cool? Are we back to peak sci-fi Spielberg here? Wait, a Delorean? And...holy shit, was that the Iron Giant?! So many questions. The adaptation of Ernest Cline's dystopian novel looks chock full of trademark Amblin nostalgia mixed in with some truly incredible visuals and action.
1. Stranger Things - Season 2
The most exciting thing to come out of Comic-Con this year is a TV show, it's on Netflix and it's the product of two brothers from North Carolina. Stranger Things took the world by absolute storm last year, and it looks like Season 2 is going to be even wilder. The upside down is coming back in a big way.
What are you looking forward to most? Will Justice League keep DC's momentum going?