Rating December’s Most Exciting Trailers

Looking Back at December 2018’s Most Buzzworthy Trailers

Nothing changes the debate around a movie or TV series quicker than a standout trailer. A poorly cut trailer triggers viewers’ alarm bells faster than a cold sore outbreak at a kissing booth. A well-cut trailer can set the internet ablaze, leaving behind a scorching trail of reddit frenzies, Twitter memes, and advance ticket bookings.

December saw no shortage of anticipated trailers. Two savvy media teams waited for North America’s biggest holidays, Christmas and New Year, before unleashing their most important trailers. They clearly didn’t mind sharing our short attention spans with turkey platters, Charlie Brown specials, and bottles of champagne. Meanwhile, the rest of their competition fought for our attention the old-fashioned way: bludgeoning our social media feeds and then fading back into the night. So, let’s dive in and look at which of December’s trailers made us the most excited for 2019 content.

Honourable Mention: Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Director: Michael Dougherty
Trailer Release Date: December 10, 2018
11,594,284 YouTube Views

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (KOTM) is the extended universe movie we didn’t know we wanted. Warner Bros. took Gareth Edwards’ excellent 2014 Godzilla film and combined it with Kong: Skull Island’s bloated mythology to create cinema’s most epic monster mash-up.

With its dazzling visuals, KOTM’s is to kaiju flicks what Mad Max: Fury Road is to post-apocalyptic films mass destruction never looked so beautiful. KOTM may have what it takes to wash away the bitter taste Skull Island left in moviegoers’ mouths.

Synopsis:

The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

Release Date: May 31, 2019
Excitement Meter: 3/5 Hungry kaijus.

 

Men in Black: International
Director: F. Gary Gray
Trailer Release Date: Dec 20, 2018
16,472,502 YouTube Views

It’s been 22 years since Men in Black launched in theatres and confirmed Will Smith was less a mortal man than a box office supernova. But in the years since, the MIB series suffered a massive drop-off in quality (and interest). Nowadays even old fans like me aren’t clamouring for more sequels. It’s impressive what a cast shakeup and new director can do. After helming The Fate of the Furious, director F. Gary Gray knows a thing or two about shooting long in the tooth movie franchises. Also working in MIB International’s favour, its pair of charismatic new leads (Thor: Ragnarok costars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson).

Part X-Files and part Ghostbusters, the MIB universe is ripe with storytelling potential. At times this trailer plays more like Meh-n in Black, which won’t help the film climb up many people’s must-see lists. However, a few tweaks to the MIB formula could transform this unabashedly zany series into a legitimate treat.

Synopsis:

The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Release Date: June 14, 2019
Excitement Meter: 2/5 Neuralyzers

 

Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Trailer Release Date: December 07, 2018
78,842,089 YouTube Views

In 2018, Avengers: Infinity War obliterated its box-office competition. So, the sequel, Avengers: Endgame really needs no introduction — unless its from the knowledgeable @EM6211. To say Infinity War ended on a bitter note is like saying that the Titanic sprung a leak. When this much-anticipated sequel hits theatres, expect long-time fans to storm the doors like they’re at a Black Friday sale. It would take a middle finger from an actual Infinity Gauntlet to prevent Marvels fans from seeing this movie. A two-minute trailer won’t change that.

Synopsis:

Part of the journey is the end.

Release Date: April 24, 2019
Excitement Meter: 5/5 Infinity Stones

 

Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Trailer Release Date: December 25, 2018
9,966,957 YouTube Views

Get Out will live on in pop culture for years to come. Equal parts social-commentary and blood-curdling thriller, it’s the rare genre picture that appeals to film snobs and Joe Public alike. Get Out remains such a mainstay in 2019’s cultural conversation that it’s hard to believe that director Jordan Peele’s follow-up is only a few months away. Sure, topping Get Out may seem like a superhuman task, but if anyone can do it, it’s Peele. And the trailer for his next film, Us, shows us exactly why.

The Us trailer is a ghastly watch that practically commands the weak, fearful, and timid to sleep with their lights on. Kudos for casting underutilized Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o and Black Panther’s breakout star Winston Duke. But most importantly, shout out to Us for taking Luniz’ hypnotic get lit anthem, I Got 5 on it, and turning it into the soundtrack to our nightmares. This chilling horror flick trailer will leave you with two impulses: walling yourself indoors like you’re living through The god-damned Purge, and scrambling online to reserve your tickets.

Synopsis:

A mother and father take their kids to their beach house, expecting to enjoy time with friends, but their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some visitors arrive uninvited.

Release Date: March 15, 2019
Excitement Meter: 4.5/5 Terrified Lupitas

 

Stranger Things 3
Creators: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Trailer Release Date: December 31, 2018
2,379,574  YouTube Views

Stranger Things is an undeniable pop culture sensation. Season one flew in under the radar and took people by surprise, but that anonymity didn’t last. We’re talking about a show so massively popular that even an underwritten side character developed a cult following. Fans devoured season two faster than Eleven consumes toasted Eggos and they’ve waited over a year for their season three fix.

Stranger Things’ latest teaser trailer doesn’t offer much in the way of details, and the official synopsis serves up even fewer hints at what’s ahead. I suspect that if Netflix doesn’t drop more info soon, the show’s fans with transform into a swarm of Demogorgons and turn their offices into a real-life upside down.

Synopsis:

1985 will never be the same.

Release Date: July 4, 2019.
Excitement Meter: 4/5 Eggos

 

 



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