Movie trailers are an essential part of promoting and advertising movies. Without them, many would avoid the theater and home movies altogether. Movie trailers offer a glimpse at the adventures that are to come, so making sure those movies are top-notch is essential. But what are the best movie trailers of all time?
It can be challenging to encapsulate a couple of hours within a few minutes, but these trailers have done an outstanding job of grasping the attention of viewers without giving too much away. From action movies to horror, these are the best movie trailers of all time, and why they will go down in history.
5. 300, Prime Video (2006)
When it comes to historical action movies, 300 is one of the best. Starring Gerard Butler as King Leonidas, the 2006 movie tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. The Zack Snyder movie shows Leonidas leading 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian “God-King” Xerxes played by Rodrigo Santoro for Greek Freedom.
300 itself is revered for its uniqueness and intensity, and the movie highlights this from the start, showing deep contrasts of light and darkness when showing off the 300 spartans, the ravenous sea, the land of skulls, and the bloody wars. Even the quick moments of Gerard Butler saying the most well-known quote “This is Sparta” before kicking someone down a deep hole. As one of the best movie trailers of all time, and maybe one of the best soundtracks, 300 is a beautiful example.
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4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Prime Video and Disney Plus (2015)
Star Wars is the leading name when it comes to science fiction movies. The franchise continues to grow through movies, television shows, comics, books, games, and more. So of course it’s included in being one of the best movie trailers of all time. While many might adore the initial trilogy movies, one of the favorites is The Force Awakens.
The 2015 movie brings the franchise back, which of course put many fans on edge. It’s hard to fit in the shoes of what the initial series was. Plus the new character introductions spiked nerves even more. But the trailer did a fantastic job of hyping the movie up. The introduction shows Rey wandering the galaxy as a desert scavenger, until she, Finn, and the amazing Han Solo must come together to restore peace.
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3. Logan, Prime Video and Disney Plus (2017)
The 2017 film stars Hugh Jackman as old-man Wolverine and Dafne Keen, a young mutant, along with Patrick Stewart in his classic role of Professor X. The movie is set in the future when nearly all the mutants are extinct. Logan is the first R-rated Wolverine and is a finale in a dark alternate future, exceeding the expectations of many fans.
And thankfully the trailer did it justice. It hits all the right notes by establishing its dark tone early on, showing off Wolverine with somber music, highlighting the tremors in his hand along with the blood covering his knuckles. It establishes early on that Logan is on the run to avoid being captured, and sets an even more dangerous tone when he comes across Laura who is being pursued by scientists.
2. The Social Network, Prime Video and Max (2010)
The Social Network is an interesting example of some of the best movie trailers of all time. It takes a turn from the action-packed adventures that are commonly the highlighted trailers and films of the year. In this movie, Jesse Eisenberg plays the role of Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder. The 2010 biographical drama brings insight into Zuckerberg’s Harvard years the evolution of his website, and when he was eventually sued.
The trailer starts with a montage of old Facebook posts and what it’s been designed to do, by updating friends, showing relationship statuses, uploading photos, and befriending others. Then it starts to dive into Eisenberg’s amazing acting with the invention and then the frustration of the lawsuit, all while the cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” is playing.
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1. Alien, Prime Video and Hulu (1979)
Alien is a revered movie already, and the trailer does everything it should. Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror movie follows a crew of commercial space tug called Nostromo, who encounters a deadly lifeform, an aggressive extraterrestrial known as Xenomorph.
The trailer highlights the horror themes brilliantly, even though it doesn’t include any spoken words to do this. The powerful line, “In space no one can hear your scream,” really sets the tone for what’s to come. The trailer includes a close-up shot of the egg with a bright shining light emerging once it’s cracked, which foreshadows what is happening in the movie. All-in-all, it’s the best movie trailer of all time by just doing exactly what it needs to promote the terrifying adventure that viewers will be taken on.