Top 10 Hyped Action Movies

On the heels of its profitable predecessor, the initial sequel to “Transformers” was given $150 million just for its global marketing campaign. Hasbro meanwhile merchandised the hell out of the picture with a slew of shiny new toys. If that wasn’t enough to bait audiences, the movie whored itself out to every product placement partner imaginable to get word out. And, it paid off as the film made enough cash to rebuild the ancient pyramids. Although critical reaction wasn’t as booming, all the negative reviews in the world couldn’t kill the hype as evidenced by its massive box office success.

Like “Super 8” did after it, “Cloverfield” built incredible hype through viral marketing and a strong sense of mystery. After its teaser hit, everybody wanted a peak at the concealed beast that decapitated the Statue of Liberty. Fans even created websites dedicated to studying the trailer and sharing concept art. As an extra push, the Viral Factory was hired to fabricate eight news clips, each centered on the monster attacking a different part of the world. It made “Cloverfield” feel like a universal event, ensuring millions around the globe would buy tickets.

After “The Matrix” practically spawned a new religion with its intriguing philosophies and revolutionary visuals, moviegoers couldn’t wait for Neo’s return to the big screen. We got even more excited when “The Matrix Reloaded” produced one epic trailer after another. The highly anticipated follow-up was certainly a financial success, scoring one of the biggest opening weekends of 2003. It turned out the best sequences were all in the ads, however, as many complained this sequel failed to live up to the original - or the hype for that matter.

After Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford finally hopped onboard for a fourth “Indiana Jones” installment, the public was spoon-fed little details about the plot. All we really learned was the movie’s title, which Shia LaBeouf announced at the MTV VMAs. The film was essentially the Ark of the Covenant and everybody wanted a look inside. Never giving too much away, the $150 marketing campaign generated an old school adventure vibe that appealed to nostalgic fans and new audiences alike. The advertisements also wisely neglected to mention the aliens, gophers, and refrigerator.

Taking a page from “Jaws,” the ads for “Jurassic Park” only offered audiences a small glimpse of the dinosaurs Steven Spielberg had cooked up. The mere sight of the T-Rex’s eye was more than enough to guarantee people would be standing in line during opening weekend then immediately rushing out to buy merchandise. Considering “Jurassic Park” came out before the innovation of viral marketing, it’s truly remarkable that the trailer alone garnered so much buzz. Positive word-of-mouth additionally helped to make this kickass blockbuster one of the biggest films of Spielberg’s career.

Whether it’s an established franchise or an original idea like “Inception,” it’s hard not to get jazzed-up when Christopher Nolan’s name is attached to a picture. After “The Dark Knight,” countless questions started circulating around the Internet concerning the final chapter in Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy. Who were the villains going to be? What would the film’s title be? After years of rumors and fan-made posters, we were finally treated to the real deal through a huge viral marketing campaign, rousing trailer, and advanced IMAX screenings that immediately sold out.

Subsequent to a lengthy sabbatical, James Cameron announced that “Avatar” would be his triumphant return to mainstream blockbusters. Four months before Cameron’s prolonged passion project even came out, he declared August 21st to be ‘Avatar Day’ for the theatrical release of the movie’s first trailer and later offered select press the chance to see about fifteen minutes of the film for free. Given the unbelievable hype, nobody was sure if “Avatar” would be the game-changer Cameron promised or a colossal disappointment. The whole world had to find out, though, resulting in “Avatar” blowing Cameron’s previous box office champion out of the water.

Nowadays, movie studios commonly buy Super Bowl airtime as means to promote their upcoming summer blockbusters. “Independence Day” started this trend when it unleashed a mind-blowing ad during Super Bowl XXX. While little was revealed about the film’s characters or story, seeing the White House explode instantly had us hooked. Anticipation escalated in the months to come with memorable taglines and Apple’s “The Power to Save the World” campaign. The film’s success really stems from that ingenious teaser trailer, though, which popularized promotional methods marketing gurus still utilize.

For the longest time, the idea of a Marvel cinematic universe seemed unfeasible. When Nick Fury showed up after “Iron Man,” however, all the comic book fans in the audience knew “The Avengers” was officially coming. Marvel continued to build hype in the following years with four more films prepping us for the main event. Revealing the principal cast in arguably the most awesome Comic Con panel ever didn’t hurt either. Throw in a thrilling trailer with our favorite superheroes fighting side by side and Marvel had a surefire success.

Before we build up our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “The Hunger Games” (2012)
- “Man of Steel” (2013)
- “The Expendables” (2010)
- “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004)
- “Terminator Salvation” (2009)
- “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” (2011)

In the months leading to its premiere, “The Phantom Menace” dominated the world. It was impossible to turn on a TV without seeing a commercial tie-in. Even if the film disappointed at the box office, it still would have been a gigantic success based on early toy sales. Can you blame people for giving into the hype, though? After all, this was the long-awaited prequel to the most beloved movie trilogy of all time. The monumental buzz surrounding “Phantom Menace” was only matched by the disappointment it spawned upon release.

Do you agree with our list? What movies were you psyched to see based on all the hype? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.