Top 10 Best Movie Trailers

Top 10 Best Movie Trailers

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We arrive early to the theater just to see what else is in store. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 best movie trailers. For this list, we’re taking a look at those movie trailers that mastered the art of the tease. These trailers manage to be entertaining, exciting, and keep the spirit of the feature length film without revealing too much of the plot. But, we’re leaving off teaser trailers, because they don’t tell much of a story. Most importantly, they make us want to see the entire film whether or not the actual movie sucks.

#10: “The Dark Knight” (2008)

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Director Christopher Nolan’s gritty take on the Batman franchise was a stark deviation from some of the campier iterations. This trailer emphasizes the “dark” in “Dark Knight,” giving us glimpses of a decidedly grimmer Joker and a Gotham City at the mercy of a madman. It also highlights Heath Ledger’s brilliant turn as the sadistic villain with a penchant for chaos – all without ruining the film by giving the audience too much info.

#9: “Godzilla” (2014)

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Cities and towns destroyed, dramatic dialogue, people running, and relevant backstory – yeah it’s formulaic for a man against monster movie, but we’ll be damned if it’s not effective. In spite of views of pulverized cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas, including a mauled replica of the Statue of Liberty, the audience is only given glimpses of the eponymous creature. Plus, it stars everyone’s favorite chemistry teacher-turned-meth kingpin, Bryan Cranston.

In ’95 we got a new Bond, and with him, we got a pretty exciting trailer. Pierce Brosnan saunters his way into his role as 007, establishing his himself s the new “Bond,” debonair and dangerous enough to handle the tough stuff. And from all the explosions, gunplay, sex play and angry villains, it appears that he is. It’s a whole new era of Bond – played by the dude from “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

#7: “Watchmen” (2009)

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We may not know who watches the Watchmen, but we do know who watched the trailer. Fans of the comic were treated to an expertly crafted preview, one that managed to mask how underwhelming the actual film was. We get to briefly witness the makings of Dr. Manhattan, as well as fairly exciting appearances by Silk Spectre II and Rorschach. It seemed like it was going to be a must-see, even if it actually wasn’t.

#6: “The Social Network” (2010)

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Who knew making a social media site could be so dramatic? Apparently, when you’re behind the most popular social networking site in history, things can get a little hairy, as evidenced by the scenes in the trailer. There’s drama, there’s friction, there’s friendships being ended by court proceedings. There’s even Justin Timberlake, for whatever reason. And, who can forget the unforgettable and haunting soundtrack?

Audiences probably hadn’t expected to see John Travolta in this intersecting crime drama. And while he does end up dancing in the film, the trailer gives us just enough to make us realize that that’s not the focus of the story. Between guns being drawn, drugs being consumed, and Samuel L. Jackson verbally castrating someone, the trailer reveals almost nothing other than delightful chaos.

Trying to figure out the film based on the trailer alone is a fruitless effort, particularly given the complexity of the entire film altogether. Nonetheless, the preview does an incredible job of making you HAVE to see this Christopher Nolan movie. Between the folding cityscapes, frozen action sequences, and surreal dream elements, it succeeds in looking immensely interesting. And watching Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a fight is always entertaining.

#3: “Cloverfield” (2008)

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From the start of the trailer, it looks like the movie could’ve easily been some sappy rom-com full of attractive 20-somethings in the city. Instead, the trailer reveals that these attractive 20-somethings are under attack by… Well, you never really see. But what you do see is the Statue of Liberty’s severed head hurtled down a city street like a bowling ball. Too bad the rest of the film wasn’t as wickedly exciting.

#2: “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002)

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The first installment in the trilogy, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” had already set audience expectations. Even without reading the Tolkien novels, we knew there was a ring, some hobbits, and a lot of danger. The trailer for the second installment not only shows us the advancement of the story, but what really makes this trailer epic is its soundtrack: the reworked theme from “Requiem for a Dream” drives the action, making this a chilling teaser for the franchise’s second installment. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “Battle: Los Angeles” (2011) - “Spider-Man” (2002) - “Star Trek” (2009) - “Man of Steel” (2013) - “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014)

#1: “Alien” (1979)

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This film was groundbreaking in a number of ways, and that extends to its trailer. One can’t typically expect much terror in a 2-minute trailer, at least usually. But the sneak peak for this epically creepy film manages to pack in just enough darkness, dread, and horror to give audiences nightmares, and that’s BEFORE they saw the film. The trailer doesn’t give us all the details, but it does give us just enough to make us thankful that it’s just a movie. Do you agree with our list? What do you think is the best movie trailer? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.