Nothing builds anticipation for an upcoming movie like a stellar trailer – a reel that gives a sense of tone, of rhythm, of broadly what to expect, while also holding back all the best bits. Cut with the right piece of music and teased with a sense of genuine excitement, a trailer can be a brilliant bit of filmmaking in its own right. Here are the movie trailers that got everyone talking – mostly for better, occasionally for worse – in 2019.
Cats
If the job of a trailer is to get people talking, then the Cats trailer was the most successful of the year. For months, we’d wondered exactly how this ‘digital fur technology’ would look, how it would work that the cats were intended to be the size of actual cats, that they shot with giant oversized furniture. The Cats trailer answered all those questions – and yet, it posed so, so many more.
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
The first trailer for Episode IX not only confirmed the title of the final film in the Skywalker Saga – it hinted at its biggest surprise, the return of Emperor Palpatine. Beyond that, we got Rey at her most powerful in a confrontation with Kylo Ren’s speeder, a glimpse of the remaining Leia footage, and a spine-tingling shot of the crashed Death Star II remains. Beautifully done.
Bombshell
The first teaser for Jay Roach’s film – about the Fox News employees who spoke out against Roger Ailes in an early #MeToo case – delivers so much from mere glances. Margot Robbie, a near-unrecognisable Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman exchange tense looks in a lift… and that’s basically it. But it’s incredibly impactful, saying so much through what goes unsaid.
The Invisible Man
Forget the Dark Universe – what do you mean you already had? – because the first look at Leigh ‘Upgrade’ Whannell’s new take on the Universal classic monster promises a new, timely take. This Invisible Man is a gaslighting arsehole torturing his former partner (Elisabeth Moss, yet again terrorised by the patriarchy) after his supposed suicide.
Joker
If those early images on Todd Phillips’ Instagram hadn’t tipped you off that Joker would be a very different kind of comic book movie, the first trailer made it none-more-clear. It promised a dark, brooding, wounded character study with stunning cinematography – and whether you loved or hated the finished film, it delivered exactly what the teaser sold us.
No Time To Die
Could Bond well and truly be back at his best? The first No Time To Die trailer offers some hope of that, with Daniel Craig back in action, the return of Christoph Waltz’s Blofeld, and Rami Malek’s intriguing, theatrical new villain Safin. Plus, by the looks of things, the British spy saga might have a brand new ace to play in Lashana Lynch’s ridiculously cool new agent.
Read Empire's No Time To Die trailer breakdown with Cary Joji Fukunaga
Spider-Man: Far From Home
It was only weeks before release that we learned Far From Home would indeed be set after Avengers: Endgame, taking in that big universe-rattling death, the effects of what we now call ‘The Blip’, and the possibility of a multiverse. This trailer, released after Endgame laid waste to the box office, stoked up all kind of possibilities for the final film in the Infinity Saga.
Wonder Woman 1984
We waited a long time to see any footage from Patty Jenkins’ superhero sequel – but it was more than worth holding out for. That New Order sample! The shiny new costume! The Golden Eagle armour! Diana quite literally riding the lightning with the help of the Lasso Of Truth! Bold, thrilling, colourful stuff.
Top Gun: Maverick
The follow-up to Tony Scott’s beloved fighter pilot drama langoured in development hell for so long that when the first trailer arrived, it seemed like a minor miracle that Tom Cruise was back in the cockpit at all. Just seeing Maverick return was exciting enough – but the possibility that Cruise might actually be doing some of his own flying adds an extra frisson.
Black Widow
Our first glimpse of Marvel’s upcoming slate teases a Jason Bourne-esque solo outing for Scarlett Johansson’s former Russian agent. Promising punchy combat, an action-heavy role for the ever-brilliant Florence Pugh, and David Harbour as a big, beardy Soviet equivalent of Captain America, it seems Kevin Feige and director Cait Shortland have plenty up their sleeves.
In The Heights
If you’ve seen Hamilton, you’ll know that a Lin-Manuel Miranda musical is something to be very excited about. Throw in a thorough sense of identity and visual pazzazz from Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu, and you have one of the most exciting-looking movies of 2020. Bring it on.
Read Empire's In The Heights trailer breakdown with Jon M Chu
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
After the initial reveal that Jason Reitman was picking up his dad’s legacy and continuing the original Ghostbusters saga, audiences had to wait for this first proper look. With tantalising hints of Egon’s legacy, a Goonies and Stranger Things-inspired feel, and a tone that emphasises spooks over gags, it looks like ‘Bustin will make us feel good all over again.
Promising Young Woman
Arriving seemingly out of nowhere, the feature debut of writer-director Emerald Fennell (who was showrunner on Killing Eve’s second season) got a trailer that demanded immediate attention. With razor-sharp dialogue about so-called “nice guys”, Carey Mulligan seemingly shape-shifting from scene to scene, and plenty of barbed humour, this is one to watch in 2020.
Read Empire's Promising Young Woman trailer breakdown with Emerald Fennell
READ MORE: The Best Movies Of 2019
READ MORE: The Best TV Of 2019
READ MORE: The Best Movie Soundtrack Songs Of 2019