Super Bowl Movie Trailers: Higher Costs For Commercial Time Means Fewer Trailers, But Here's What We Expect To See
I remember when it was a big deal that a 30-second ad slot at the Super Bowl cost $1 million. But in the twenty-plus years since then, the price has climbed to new heights: this year, every 30-second spot during the game itself will cost $5.6 million. That price is becoming a bit too much for Hollywood, and a new report says Universal and Disney will be the only major studios releasing trailers during the game itself. Here's what we're expecting to see during the big game this Sunday.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney and Universal will be debuting trailers during the game and Paramount "will have a major presence in the pregame," where TV spots don't cost nearly as much. Here's a quick breakdown by studio of what we should see.
Paramount
THR says Paramount will run pregame spots for A Quiet Place Part II, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. A trailer for Top Gun: Maverick also seems inevitable, and I'm guessing they'll shell out enough cash to have that air during the game.
Universal
Insiders told THR that Universal will be airing commercials for Illumination Entertainment's Minions: The Rise of Gru, as well as F9. The full trailer for F9 is coming out this Friday tied to a huge trailer release party in Miami, where this year's Super Bowl is being held. I suppose there's a chance the two trailers could contain different footage, but the studio will likely just air the same one (or a shortened version of Friday's trailer) during the game.
Disney
THR speculates that Disney could debut new looks at Mulan, Marvel Studios' Black Widow, and this year's two Pixar titles, Onward and Soul. And don't count out Disney+ titles, either – this would be a good time to debut the first footage from Marvel shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and Sony are reportedly sitting out the festivities altogether. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lionsgate pop up with a trailer for I Still Believe, the biopic of Christian musician Jeremy Camp (religion has become just as intertwined with football as patriotism and the military), or maybe even our first look at Searching director Aneesh Chaganty's new thriller Run, which is hitting theaters this summer. (There's also an outside chance the studio could debut a spot for Chaos Walking, Doug Liman's long-delayed sci-fi film that stars Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, but since that film doesn't have an official release date yet, that seems less likely.)
And don't forget about Netflix, which has an absolutely packed roster of films on its 2020 schedule. The streamer has proven in the past that it's willing to shell out money to get attention during the Super Bowl, like when they surprise-released The Cloverfield Paradox after the game a couple of years ago. We'll be keeping an eye out during the game on Sunday, so check back with us then to find out what you need to see.