Which movie trailer releases had us tingling with anticipation most in 2021? The old mantra "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" feels even more apt in the movie business, where perception is king. Trailers are the audience's earliest glimpse at an upcoming feature, and not only determine whether folks bother buying a ticket, but also color pre-release public opinion. Sometimes trailers will promise quality the finished film can't deliver (see the MCU's Eternals). Equally, a mediocre trailer may not effectively convey the strengths of its subject movie (hello, The Last Duel). Either way, the power of the trailer is not to be underestimated.
After a spluttering 2020 marred by production shutdowns and theater closures, 2021 proved a (somewhat) better year at the movies. Though you'd be hard-pressed to describe the past 12 months as "normal service resumed," the box office showed tentative signs of recovery, and plenty of 2021 blockbusters actually hit theaters when they were supposed to (even if they hit our streaming devices at the same time). With so much to catch up on, the art of the trailer proved especially vital in 2021, where simply getting patrons into theaters was a challenge worthy of Hollywood movie treatment.
2020's trailer ranking was dominated by Dark Knights, A24, and Keanu Reeves. 2021's list proves the more things change, the more they stay the same. Honorable mentions should go to Netflix's slick promo for neo-western The Harder They Fall, the glamorous House of Gucci trailer featuring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, and Idris Elba's Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
11. Titane
Julia Ducournau's critically-acclaimed, Cannes-dominating Titane is not a film any trailer could encapsulate with success. On paper, the Black Swan meets Fast & The Furious via Fifty Shades of Grey plot sounds like a car crash, and yet the finished movie brings those madcap, disparate concepts together into an utterly original collision of body and psychological horror. Wisely, Titane's trailer doesn't even bother trying to explain itself inside a 2-minute runtime, and although prospective viewers walk away knowing almost nothing about Ducournau's story or characters, the shocking clash of tones represents Titane far better than any conventional trailer could.
For the first minute, Titane's trailer is a car mechanic's sexually-confused nightmare. Foreboding, metallic music overlays images of brutal violence, automobile gyration, and a collage of creepy characters looking suitably intense. Then someone puts "She's Not There" by The Zombies on the stereo, and the trailer's tone totally flips. Previously miserable faces turn joyous, the violence is replaced by hugging, and neon darkness gives way to swirling flame. The stark gear shift says everything about Titane's originality and inherent weirdness, and instills a curiosity that can only be satisfied by watching the finished film to find out what the hell those 2 minutes were actually about.
10. The Matrix Resurrections
The long awaited return of Keanu Reeves' Neo and Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity in The Matrix Resurrections was debated and discussed extensively before a slither of footage from Lana Wachowski's sequel even landed. But when the first footage did finally arrive in September 2021, the payoff more than justified Hollywood's 18-year wait for another trip into the Matrix. The Matrix Resurrections' trailer successfully balances a ruthlessly modern aesthetic with narrative nostalgia. The visuals and themes are dragged into 2021, but subtle (and, indeed, not so subtle) story beats from 1999's original The Matrix allude heavily toward the past. From the trip-induced strains of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" to Neo's condescending therapist wearing blue glasses, the long-awaited first trailer is dripping with clues, hints and metaphors.
New characters played by Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick and Priyanka Chopra Jonas are all shrouded in mystery, while Neo and Trinity rightly take center stage as The Matrix Resurrections' returning stars. Predictably, there's a glut of action on offer - new One powers, explosive motorcycle chases, kung-fu, etc. - but The Matrix Resurrections' trailer surprises fans with an offbeat humor that's completely new to the franchise. In many ways, The Matrix Resurrections' first look is a typical Hollywood action promo, but the context of Neo's return and those ever-present meta undertones add a unique quality among 2021's selection of trailers.
9. Pig
The world has come to recognize Nicolas Cage for his knowingly overacted performances and aversion to bees, so when the actor was confirmed as playing a truffle farmer who goes on a desperate search for his prized pet pig, the reaction was more stifled laughter than genuine curiosity. And yet Pig arguably became 2021's most pleasant cinematic surprise, with Nicolas Cage dropping his eccentric reputation to deliver a touchingly poignant performance in a story that - despite the weird premise - is packed with heart and beauty. And the trailer is where everything began for Pig. Adopting a "less is more" philosophy, Pig's trailer relies on stunning imagery, sparse dialogue, and gentle musical accompaniment to offer an authentic taste of the porky delights to come.
An understated opening immediately cements the relationship between Nicolas Cage's Rob Feld and his curly-tailed companion, giving the sudden arrival of dastardly pig thieves all the more punch when Pig's fateful robbery eventually happens. Patrick Scola's stunning cinematography and Michael Sarnoski's deft direction do the heavy lifting, allowing Cage's subtle mannerisms (yes, you read that correctly) to paint Pig's storytelling canvas. The trailer touches upon all of Pig's central themes, but gives away very little about the plot, leaving a ravenous hunger for more. Few trailers had a harder job of selling a movie than Pig's, but this promo succeeds on every level.
8. The Tragedy Of Macbeth
Whereas Pig faced an uphill struggle convincing audiences the film was more than the sum of its parts, A24's The Tragedy of Macbeth had Joel Cohen directing Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in one of William Shakespeare's many dramatic masterpieces. Realizing these individual components are selling points enough, The Tragedy of Macbeth's trailer doesn't overwork itself persuading you of the film's merits. The promo comprises staccato snapshots highlighting each major figure, key moments from Shakespeare's iconic yarn, and Coen's typically rich imagery. There's barely any dialogue or music alongside the visuals, but the sound vacuum only accentuates the eye candy, and even without clocking the title or knowing anything about the project in advance, the scant sub-minute compilation is immediately recognizable as Macbeth.
The Tragedy of Macbeth's real trailer trick, however, is shaking off the typical depiction of a Shakespeare movie adaptation. The stereotypical perception of "big screen Bard" is Kenneth Branagh bringing classics to the masses with stage costumes and thespian beards. The Tragedy of Macbeth feels modern and sleek, despite remaining faithful to Macbeth's original period, and the trailer succeeds in making Shakespeare look cooler than he ever has. Perhaps more than a trailer like Pig's, The Tragedy of Macbeth's promo footage could be considered a work of art in itself.
7. Shiva Baby
Rules of marketing dictate that commercials should illicit positive feelings in their target audience - and that applies as much to movie trailers as it does toilet paper ads. Action trailers make us pumped and energized, horrors aim for frightened but curious, and comedy teasers want viewers beaming ear to ear. The Shiva Baby trailer defies those expectations by leaving everyone who watches at least 15% more stressed than when they clicked play - but is infinitely better off for doing so. Given that Shiva Baby takes place almost entirely within a single setting (a Jewish shiva), the marketing team weren't blessed with an abundance of footage or characters to play with. Shiva Baby's trailer circumvents that issue by following lead protagonist Danielle (played by Rachel Sennott) in near-chronological order. Her day goes from bad to worse, first evading needy romantic partners, then entering the battlefield of distant family members asking invasive questions.
Rather than cramming all the best gags into 90 seconds like a conventional comedy trailer, Shiva Baby gradually turns up the tension, climaxing at an unbearable level of entirely relatable cringe. The authenticity of Danielle as a bisexual and Jewish character comes across immediately, but the social claustrophobia and anxious pressure will be familiar to a more universal 18-30 audience. For the sheer boldness of subverting your traditional comedy trailer, Shiva Baby ranks highly among 2021's most memorable movie promos, promising a hilarious cinematic slant on college life that you won't have seen elsewhere.
6. C'mon C'mon
If the best trailers can be appreciated independently of their respective movies, few from 2021 can outdo C'mon C'mon. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny, a radio journalist interviewing children, C'mon C'mon's protagonist finds himself lumbered with annoying nephew Jesse in New York City. C'mon C'mon is about their emotional relationship, and how the uncle and nephew help each other grow over the course of 108 minutes. That doesn't necessarily c'mon across in the trailer, which instead comprises a predictably well-delivered Joaquin Phoenix monologue taken from "The Star Child" by Claire Nivola.
The black-and-white visuals form a cinematic photo album filled with shots of Johnny and Jesse's time together, from the piggyback-riding highs to the bathroom door-banging lows. Given absolutely no context whatsoever about C'mon C'mon's story, the trailer relies upon the onscreen chemistry between Phoenix and his youthful co-star Woody Norman, which is enough to bring a tear to the eye, conjuring memories of the audience's own familial relationships. That in itself is a sign of an effective movie trailer, and represents another attention-grabbing promo from A24 alongside The Tragedy of Macbeth and The Green Knight.
5. The Green Knight
Speaking of which, The Green Knight dropped another fantastic trailer in 2021, following the previous year's initial teaser, which was also stunning. Though some footage has been recycled, the new additions within The Green Knight's May 2021 offering - plus the wider context of David Lowry's modern Arthurian legend - provide an even more appetizing sample of the buzz-laden final product. Mirroring other A24 trailers, The Green Knight lets beautiful imagery and tonal essence take center stage, avoiding the abundance of exposition and dialogue many modern trailers fall victim to. Similar to The Tragedy of Macbath, The Green Knight sells viewers on the mythical premise. Headless trees, talking foxes, and the naked giants from Attack on Titan all risk seeming silly outside of their intended context, but The Green Knight trailer presents these ideas with utmost fidelity.
Arguably the most atmospheric trailer released in 2021, The Green Knight gets across a sense of honorable adventure without belittling the foreboding shadows of doom following Dev Patel's every move as Sir Gawain. The ethereal soundtrack compliments The Green Knight's epic scale and magical themes, but still finds time to establish Gawain's founding motivation without giving away anything but the bare bones of his cinematic quest.
4. Licorice Pizza
Despite a title that promises an even worse topping than pineapple, the trailer for Licorice Pizza is a perfect 1970s mini-movie that beautifully demonstrates the spirit of Paul Thomas Anderson's teen romance. If David Bowie's iconic "Life On Mars" didn't already have an accompanying music video, the late singer could've done much worse than using Licorice Pizza's 2-and-a-half minute trailer as the visual backdrop for his 1973 hit. Wielding Bowie's song as its centerpiece, the Licorice Pizza promo follows Alana Haim's Alana Kane (yup) and Cooper Hoffman's Gary Valentine during their youthful relationship, moving with the couple as they experience friendship, sexuality, romance, jealousy and innocence - all wrapped up in one expertly-edited montage.
Alana and Gary's tale is smartly interrupted by Bradley Cooper getting angry over the pronunciation of "Barbara Streisand," showcasing Licorice Pizza's era-centric eccentricity, as well as the sprinkling of Hollywood glitz upon a smaller narrative of two friends aspiring toward showbiz greatness. Similar to The Tragedy of Macbeth and C'mon C'mon, the Licorice Pizza trailer works just as effectively in isolation as it does selling Anderson's finished film. One could come away satisfied as Bowie's voice fades out on the two leads walking into the distance holding hands, and it's that ability to tell a self-contained story that elevates Licorice Pizza's trailer over so many of its 2021 contemporaries.
3. Last Night In Soho
For a long time, no one knew anything about Edgar Wright's Last Night In Soho, other than its star-studded cast and the vague description of "psychological horror." Last Night In Soho's trailer finally landed in May 2021, and though movie-goers were left none the wiser, Wright's visual taster did enough to incite mass intrigue among his legion of followers. The dazzling 1960s London setting took center stage, shining a spotlight on Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith's past-timeline leads. In the present, Thomasin McKenzie's time-traveling added science-fiction intrigue, and the gradual escalation of wonder and violence built toward an unexpectedly dark crescendo.
But the true genius of Last Night In Soho's trailer only became clear after the finished film premiered. Whereas the promotional material strongly positioned Last Night In Soho as a celebration of 1960s London, Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns' story proved to be anything but. Instead, Ellie's jaunts into the past as "Sandie" serve as a warning of how nostalgia so often overshadows the darker side of history. The trailer is all part of Wright's grand deception, inviting viewers to conjure up their own wistfully unrealistic memories of times gone by, only to swerve those expectations entirely with the full film.
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home
No trailer in 2021 came as hotly-anticipated as Spider-Man: No Way Home, and by the time Marvel finally blessed the world with official footage in August 2021, it felt like Kevin Feige was deliberately seeing how long he could avoid showing anything. That the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer faced such intense expectations - and yet somehow managed to avoid either disappointing fans or revealing too much - is testament to the promo's delicate balance. Early scenes focus on Tom Holland's Peter Parker and Zendaya's MJ, exploring the immediate fallout after Spider-Man: Far From Home. We then get the central premise of Doctor Strange casting a spell to restore Spidey's anonymity, resulting in the two Avengers accidentally cracking the multiverse.
But despite fans theorizing everyone from Tony Stark to Tony Soprano might appear through a multiverse portal, Spider-Man: No Way Home's trailer showed remarkable restraint. Instead of giving away all surprises at once, the initial trailer only explicitly revealed Alfred Molina's Doc Ock from Spider-Man 2 - a villain already as-good-as-confirmed for his MCU debut. Marvel and Sony could've set the internet alight had they revealed the full extent of their multiverse hand in advance, but by giving Molina that initial exclusivity, Spider-Man: No Way Home ensured the impact of each returning villain would be felt. Though subsequent trailers afforded the same treatment to Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin, Spider-Man: No Way Home did a remarkable job of navigating anticipation and predictions to protect the film's biggest secrets - while still offering enough to keep audiences buzzing. Perhaps not as artistically valuable as other trailers on this ranking, Spider-Man: No Way Home certainly won the marketing game.
1. The Batman
The first trailer for DC's The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the brooding hero, was among the very best 2020 had to offer. In 2021, it's Bruce Wayne who must once again find space in the Batcave for another accolade. Released in October, The Batman's second trailer comprises almost entirely fresh footage compared to the promo released 12 months prior. Matt Reeves' depiction of Gotham City comes to the fore, announcing the infamously sketchy locale as a character in its own right, while Pattinson's status as Hollywood's most ruthless and unhinged Batman is explored in greater depth. Closer looks at Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman and Colin Farrell's Penguin ramp up excitement for their respective Batman returns, and the 2021 trailer generates a stronger film noir tone, homing in upon Riddler's villainous scheme and Bruce's ceaseless investigation.
But The Batman trailer's pièce(s) de résistance come via a pair of spine-tingling action sequences - the first with Batman dispatching goons upon a staircase on his way to visit Penguin, and the second a hallway scene to rival Darth Vader's in Rogue One. Given how much we've seen DC's Dark Knight over the past 20 years of big screen releases, a Batman trailer probably shouldn't be this exciting, but as Reeves and Pattinson strike upon a version of the character live-action is yet to depict, it's impossible not to get swept up in the Nirvana songs and grungy aesthetic of The Batman's trailer, which still protects the essence of the film's plot with its life. Some trailers on this list are worthy short films in their own right; others are perfect promotional tools. The Batman's second trailer manages to blend both purposes.