From Smurfette to Stitch: Ranking the Super Bowl LIX Trailers

Super Bowl LIX is in the books.

If you are a Philadelphia Eagles fan then this was an all-time game for you. It was “Go Birds” from the jump and your team absolutely performed at a dominant level. If you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan … remember those other wins and try to forget that awful affair. For those with no horse in the race, this was a one-sided affair that was okay. It was pretty much over before halftime, and unfortunately this year’s slate of trailers seemed to stopped (minus M3gan 2.0) before halftime ended as well. And if we’re being honest outside of the new Dunkings commercial and that wild ass Seal as a seal commercial, even the commercials felt a bit lifeless. Also, if we never have to see those Tubi ads again, our lives will be so much better.

10. Smurfs
Release Date: July 18, 2025
Starring: Rihanna, John Goodman, Nick Offerman, Sandra Oh, James Corden, Natasha Lyonne, Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris, Nick Kroll, Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña, and Kurt Russell.
Directed by: Chris Miller (Puss in Boots)
Thoughts: A reboot of a film series that was a reboot of an animated series. No one asked for this. This trailer is for the little kiddos and little kiddos alone. They definitely try to pander to adults by including Nick Offerman, but even the mighty ‘stache of Saint Nick could save this very “meh” trailer.

9. M3gan 2.0
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jermaine Clement.
Direct by: Gerard Johnstone (M3gan)
Thoughts: Sigh. The original M3gan was a weird cultural phenomenon, and yes the trailer does a good job of keeping that vibe. However, this lacked all of the originality of the original and you definitely get “we’re going to milk this franchise for as long as possible vibes.” Also, the CGI on M3gan looked pretty terrible.

8. F1
Release Date: June 25, 2025
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damon Idris, Lewis Hamilton, Kerry Condon, Simone Ashley, Javier Bardem.
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun Maverick)
Thoughts: Hollywood has been obsessed with finding the next big racing movie hit since Tom Cruise took on Cary Elwes 35 years ago in Days of Thunder. This $300 million dollar “Top Gun on the Race Track” looks like every other racing film we’ve seen since then (we’re looking at you Gran Turismo, Ford vs. Ferrari, Rush, etc.). The racing looks excellent here, but everything else looks like soapy nonsense with a plot that’s all too familiar.

7. Novocaine
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Starring: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh.
Directed by: Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
Thoughts: This film looks like a lot of fun, but it’s wild that it got Super Bowl treatment. Maybe it’s because of Quaid’s role in The Boys, but this really feels like a solid late winter release that’ll do nicely in theaters and really hit on streaming. Yet, Paramount is going all in on Novocaine. It’s a weird flex, but this trailer is a fun one … but not fun enough to be like “run to the movies!”

6. Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Tim Blake Nelson, Carl Lumbly, Shira Haas, Giancarlo Esposito
Directed by: Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox)
Thoughts: “Can we start this?” An accurate statement! So many trailers, clips, sponsorships have dropped in the past few months for this film — can finally get this movie on screen? This trailer was all thrills, no stills, and was done in order to promote the film’s IMAX release. It’s simple and effective. Nothing crazy, but it did the job.

5. Jurassic World Rebirth
Release Date: July 2, 205
Starring: Scarlett Johnasson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Rupert Friend.
Directed by: Gareth Edwards (Rogue One)
Thoughts: This was the trailer we saw earlier this week, so this didn’t have any new footage in it that was super obvious. This trailer works on a lot of levels. First, it definitely reignites interest in the well-worn Jurassic universe. The cast is filled with top names in Hollywood, giving this even more of a blockbuster appeal. The action scenes feel fresh, yet have an air of Jurassic nostalgia. This is the type of Super Bowl popcorn film trailer we’re accustomed to, and this one was a home run.

4. How to Train Your Dragon
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Starring: Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Peter Serafinowicz, Ruth Codd, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn.
Directed by: Dean DeBlois (How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World)
Thoughts: Universal has a lot riding on this film — both in terms of box office and the fact the world HTTYD is going to be a part of the new Epic Universe part of their Florida theme park. While this writer was never over the moon about the original animated film, this live action version looks excellent. The flight cinematography, the animation, accurate characters and of course, the details on Toothless are all the reasons you go to the movies, and why this was a killer trailer.

3. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Henry Czerny.
Directed: Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1)
Thoughts: This trailer really sold two things here. 1. This is going to be another absolutely bonkers adrenaline-fueled installment of the near 30 year old Mission: Impossible franchise. 2. The stakes of this film really emphasize the idea that this really will be the last hurrah for Ethan Hunt and company.

2. Thunderbolts*
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurlyenko, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Wendell Pierce, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris Bauer.
Directed by: Jon M. Chu (Beef)
Thoughts: Wow. Thunderbolts* trailers have been some of the best Marvel has done in a minute, and this one just hit on all aspects of the film. Action. Emotion. Drama. Comedy. Suspense. Mystery. World-building. While everyone is hyped for Fantastic Four, Superman and Captain America — Thunderbolts* is this writer’s A #1 movie for 2025. This trailer is an eye-opener and probably put a lot of people in theaters opening weekend. Watch the extended trailer below to really get the full feel.

1. Lilo & Stitch
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Starring: Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders, Sydney Agudong, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Courtney B. Vance, Jason Scott Lee.
Directed by: Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On)
Thoughts: Why is this trailer #1 over Thunderbolts? This trailer seems to be designed for the Super Bowl itself, and not part of the film. So, we still have no idea what this movie is about, except that the Stitch character is ludicrously cute and charming. Disney’s live action adaptation department has been 50/50 in recent years in terms of hits (who knows how Snow White will do), but this trailer shows us how much fun this film could be without giving literally anything away. It creates more hype, buzz, and want for more on this film and that’s something this brand of Disney hasn’t had in quite some time.