6 Movie Trailers That Fooled Us All: Better Than the Actual Film

Trailers are made for the sole purpose of enticing the audience to see the full film in theaters. And these days, cutting a trailer is an art and an integral part of the film’s marketing campaign. Editing trailers needs a different set of sensibilities than that of a movie. It should capture people’s attention in minutes and evoke powerful emotions to leave people wanting more.

Sometimes it’s worth the wait, but other times, you realize they tricked you into thinking the movie would be better than the trailer.

It’s important to note that movies themselves aren’t necessarily bad, but they didn’t live up to the hype that their trailers created among audiences. This list consists of six such movies that promised big in their trailers but delivered less than promised.

6 Movies That Delivered More in Their Trailers

1. Suicide Squad (2016)

After years of Marvel releasing one action-packed movie after another, DC has tried several times to replicate the same, but ended with lackluster results. After Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice could not fulfill the audience’s expectations, 2016 appeared to be a promising year for DC with the release of Suicide Squad.

David Ayer’s movie was supposed to bring the much-needed push the DC universe needed on screen, and the movie’s trailer delivered. With Bohemian Rhapsody in the background, lots of guns, and fast car chases, the first trailer hit a home run. A stunning cast with Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Viola Davis, and many more made the anti-heroes likable on screen.

But the actual movie was just par for the entertainment. Looking at the warm reception of the trailers, Warner Bros. had a huge hand in editing the film to match the trailer-like energy, which backfired. The end product looked like artificially arranged together rather than an organic narrative.

2. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

There were plenty of expectations on Zack Snyder’s much-awaited Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which two of the biggest DC superheroes settle their scores.

After the second trailer was released, which had snippets of Bruce Wayne meeting Clark Kent, the fans jumped in their seats. The trailer also introduces us to Superman’s nemesis, Doomsday, and the inclusion of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) was also a point of interest.

When the film was released, it received mixed reviews, with some even saying the movie was a drag with tiring and long fight sequences. The backstories were stretched out, and no one can forget when Batman spares Superman’s life after knowing their mothers have the same name. There were holes in the narrative, but overall, Batman v Superman was a decent watch, which is way less than what it promised in the trailer.

3. Terminator: Salvation (2009)

According to the blood-pumping trailer of Terminator: Salvation, Judgment Day happened, and John Connor (Christian Bale) is in the middle of a war, leading the resistance against the age of robots. The special effects of the movie looked promising enough to attract the audience.

Ultimately, the movie was disappointing despite a solid marketing campaign. It had major studio-based changes and rewrites following script leaks. Moreover, the rating of the movie was downgraded to PG-13, making it devoid of its original, darker vision. Terminator: Salvation became the franchise’s first critical failure with 33% Rotten Tomatoes score.

4. The Last Airbender (2010)

After raising expectations in its trailer, The Last Airbender became one of the most forgettable movies of all time. The teaser and trailers featured some cool special effects for their time, with plenty of scenes of characters bending different elements of nature. Not to mention the Avatar signature arrow tattoo.

When The Last Airbender was released, it was a catastrophe on all fronts. The movie lacked in crafting compelling character arcs and action-packed sequences that the trailer had promised. Moreover, director M. Night Shyamalan cut down on comedy, resulting in a dull slog of a movie with awkward action.

5. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

The Star Wars franchise is one of the most remarkable feats in the sci-fi movie genre, with iconic films one after another. However, one of them was way better in the trailer than in the movie itself. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was a highly anticipated film of the 1990s.

After the first trailer, fans were amazed. Once it was released, the movie had almost everything—great music, lightsabers, Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor), and exciting new characters. But the movie did not live up to the expectations.

The Phantom Menace lacks compelling dialogue and character development. In the end, it delivered just enough thrills to please the audience, but was a less satisfying prequel entry to the franchise.

6. Prometheus (2012)

Ridley Scott’s Alien is one of the best sci-fi horror franchises of all time, and Prometheus is a prequel in the series. Scott was back in the directing chair, and honestly, the trailer sold it with genuinely creepy moments.

The movie’s premise follows a few explorers, eager to find mankind’s origin, who arrive at a distant moon to meet their creators, based on a clue. But they are not prepared for the truth.

The movie had a tremendous cast, including Michael Fassbender, Idris Alba, and Charlize Theron, but did not deliver the entertainment it promised in the trailer. Prometheus’s logic ultimately spirals into a mixture of hysteria and horror. But don’t get me wrong, even though Prometheus might not be a satisfying prequel, it definitely makes up for a fascinating sci-fi film to unpack.

Summing It Up

Which movie did you have high hopes for just from the trailer?

Did we miss any?

Let us know in the comments.