Buzz
The very first movie trailer is said to have premiered in 1913 for the musical The Pleasure Seekers. Over time, trailers have evolved into their own industry, developing unique formulas to captivate audiences and often referencing earlier trailers through shared music or techniques. Today, teasers for trailers have emerged, tailored to shorter attention spans and designed to engage viewers across multiple platforms.
To celebrate this enduring tradition, we’ve curated a collection of the most remarkable movie trailers ever made. The list leans toward modern films, not only because these trailers are more vividly remembered but also due to their advanced technical quality compared to older ones.
Here they are: 25 trailers from cinematic history that broke new ground, inspired countless imitations, and showcased the creative potential of the format—even when the movie itself didn’t quite match the excitement the trailer promised.
1. Citizen Kane (1941)
Often hailed as the greatest film ever made (at least until recent years), Orson Welles’s debut masterpiece also features an exceptional trailer crafted by Welles. Drawing from his radio and theater background, he introduces his Mercury Theatre ensemble, shares insights about the film, and even includes chorus girls—purely for dramatic effect, as he admitted.
2. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock was a master showman, and his films often came with brilliant trailers. The trailer for Psycho, though lengthy by today’s standards, stands out as one of his finest. Hitchcock personally guides viewers through the Bates Motel and the chilling murder sites. The trailer’s brilliance lies in its slow, deliberate tour of the house and its rooms, culminating in the infamous bathroom scene—a masterful blend of charm and terror.
3. The Exorcist (1973)
The trailer for The Exorcist is renowned not just for its overwhelming intensity but also for incorporating music by composer Lalo Schifrin, which director William Friedkin ultimately rejected (Schifrin claimed to have destroyed the tapes, though some tracks resurfaced on a 1998 CD, now out of print).
Even now, enduring more than a few seconds of the trailer is a challenge (those sensitive to strobe effects should avoid it entirely). Yet, given the film’s lasting impact, the trailer set expectations that Friedkin undoubtedly met, whether or not he intended to frighten audiences before they even entered the theater.
4. Jaws (1975)
Before the legendary Don LaFontaine, there was Percy Rodriguez, whose voice became iconic for trailers, especially in horror. While Jaws is historically significant as the first major summer blockbuster, its trailer is equally impressive, opening with John Williams’s score and Rodriguez’s chilling narration: “It is as if God created the Devil, and gave him Jaws.” Though it later shifts to summarizing the plot, the opening moments are so powerful that they overshadow the rest.
5. Alien (1979)
The trailer for Alien was so iconic that when Ridley Scott revisited the franchise with Prometheus, he reused the same sound effects from over 35 years earlier. Notably, this trailer includes nearly every scene featuring Jones the cat, making it a standout for fans.
6. Friday the 13th (1980)
By 1980, Friday the 13th was riding the wave of the slasher movie craze. As one of the earliest and most successful entries in the genre, its trailer made no secret of the film’s focus: a high body count rather than deep character development. This approach set the tone for the franchise, with later trailers continuing the trend of emphasizing the thrill of seeing how each victim meets their fate.
7. The Shining (1980)
Among the most iconic trailers is The Shining's, which opens with the eerie sight of the Overlook Hotel’s elevator doors. Accompanied by credits announcing Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s bestseller, it immediately sets a haunting tone.
As the credits roll, the elevator doors open, releasing a torrent of blood so massive that it shifts furniture and splatters the camera. This single moment is enough to either compel viewers to watch Kubrick’s masterpiece or scare them away entirely. Decades later, it remains just as chilling as it was upon its release.
8. The Abyss (1989)
James Cameron has a knack for building immense anticipation for his films. This early trailer captivated audiences by showcasing the rigorous process of transforming an abandoned nuclear power plant, innovating new diving technology, and filming entirely underwater—long before they witnessed the film’s revolutionary visuals and gripping narrative.
9. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
In 1991, Cameron delivered one of the finest sequels (and action films and CGI milestones) with his follow-up to 1984’s Terminator. The teaser trailer, narrated by the legendary Don LaFontaine—known for his iconic “In a world ...” voiceovers—reveals nothing from the actual movie. Instead, it emphasizes the threat of the Cyberdyne Systems Model T-800, cleverly omitting that, in this film, the Terminator is an ally.
10. Pulp Fiction (1994)
By 1994, independent cinema was already thriving, but it’s hard to envision a world without Quentin Tarantino and his unique creative vision, especially after this Palme D’Or winner hit the screens.
While many trailers use multiple songs to set the mood, this one features a lineup of tracks that became inseparable from the film, enjoying a second life in commercials and broadcasts. Pulp Fiction revolutionized modern cinema, and its trailer played a pivotal role in that transformation.
11. Goldeneye (1995)
Trailers for James Bond films have ranged widely, from the straightforward showcases of girls, guns, and gadgets in the 1960s and ‘70s to the sleek previews of the Daniel Craig era. However, after the hiatus following License To Kill, the announcement of Pierce Brosnan as 007, and evolving audience expectations, only a spectacular trailer could reintroduce the iconic spy.
Thankfully, this trailer encapsulates everything that defines Bond’s greatness—his nonchalant reaction as bullets whiz past his head remains one of the most iconic moments in Bond history—and concludes with an unforgettable bungee-jumping sequence that feels endless. Welcome back, Mr. Bond.
12. Strange Days (1995)
If you weren’t present (or simply not paying attention) when this trailer first debuted, it’s hard to grasp how pervasive Ralph Fiennes’s monologue—a fresh rendition of his in-film sales pitch—became.
Addressing viewers directly while phrases flash around his face, Fiennes became the face of this film from the powerhouse duo of Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron, long before either won Oscars for Best Director.
13. Independence Day (1996)
This trailer needed just one iconic image: the White House engulfed in flames. Disaster films thrive on destruction, and when this clip debuted, that single shot became a magnet for audiences seeking escapism. While Roland Emmerich’s summer blockbuster is undeniably over-the-top in its portrayal of an alien invasion, it’s amusing to think extraterrestrials would recognize the significance of that landmark—even if watching it explode is thrilling.
14. Godzilla (1998)
Emmerich has always infused his films with a playful sense of humor, often reveling in humanity’s downfall across one story after another. Beyond the clever nod to Jurassic Park with the Tyrannosaurus skeleton, this trailer stands out because it was filmed separately from the movie itself. Such trailers were common in the 1990s, but this one perfectly captures the film’s tone without revealing any actual footage.
15. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The concept of found footage wasn’t widely recognized until The Blair Witch Project became a cultural phenomenon, drawing even those who hadn’t seen a horror film since The Exorcist. Its impact was undeniable.
This trailer brilliantly markets Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez’s vision in all its grainy, Hi8 authenticity, luring audiences with the tale of three individuals venturing into the woods—unlike the typical slasher movie teens, but this time, with real-life consequences.
16. The Matrix (1999)
The finest trailers spark excitement without revealing too much—or sometimes, anything at all. With a lesser-known Enigma track and a showcase of groundbreaking bullet-time effects and wire-fu action unseen in American cinema, the The Matrix trailer captivated audiences the moment Carrie-Anne Moss defied gravity and Keanu Reeves uttered his iconic “whoa.” As Laurence Fishburne cryptically states, “no one can tell you what the Matrix is,” viewers were left eager to experience the mystery, ready to invest in the spectacle.
17. Dinosaur (2000)
While much of this trailer was pulled from the film’s opening sequence, its theatrical debut left audiences awestruck by its then-revolutionary CGI. The clip follows a dinosaur egg’s perilous journey after being separated from its mother, showcasing visuals that were unparalleled at the time.
While the final product didn’t quite meet expectations, especially once the dinosaurs began speaking, this trailer was a mesmerizing glimpse into the future of computer animation, offering something entirely unprecedented at the time.
18. Spider-Man (2002)
Similar to the Godzilla trailer, this promotional clip was crafted exclusively for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and wasn’t intended for the film itself. It’s a shame, as the sequence—featuring thieves fleeing in a helicopter only to be caught by the web-slinger—was thrilling. However, after 9/11, the image of a helicopter trapped between the Twin Towers was deemed inappropriate, leading to its replacement with something more conventional.
Nevertheless, the shot of the helicopter’s blades straining against Spider-Man’s webs, with the Twin Towers looming in the background, remains an indelible visual.
19. Cloverfield (2008)
While opinions vary on how well Matt Reeves’s Cloverfield delivered on its promise, the trailer set expectations soaring by blending the disaster movie aesthetics of filmmakers like John Carpenter—highlighted by the unforgettable image of the Statue of Liberty’s head tumbling through New York streets—into the now-familiar “found footage” style.
20. A Serious Man (2009)
The Coen Brothers consistently deliver a rich tapestry of visuals, and this trailer masterfully strings them together to captivate audiences. Opening with Sy Abelman (Fred Melamed) rhythmically banging Larry Gopnik’s (Michael Stuhlbarg) head against a chalkboard, it perfectly captures the mounting frustrations of the film’s protagonist, a physics professor grappling with life in 1967 Minnesota.
21. The Social Network (2010)
David Fincher earns a double mention here for his exceptional work. The trailer for The Social Network stands out for its striking blend of music and visuals, which not only teases the film’s premise but also delves into the deeper societal and psychological themes of Mark Zuckerberg’s journey to founding Facebook.
A children’s choir performing a haunting rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep” would have sufficed to captivate audiences. Yet, even before Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Zuckerberg (or Justin Timberlake’s flamboyant Sean Parker) appears, a montage of social media elements—likes, comments, and messaging shorthand—clearly signals that this film is a defining work of the modern age, both reflecting and critiquing it.
22. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Fincher’s trailers are often exceptional—a teaser for The Game contrasted Michael Douglas’s desperate chase with a puppet on strings, while Gone Girl used a cover of Elvis Costello’s “She” to underscore its toxic romance. This trailer, however, set to Karen O’s version of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” is a masterclass in editing, syncing each drumbeat with striking visuals from Fincher’s take on the Swedish thriller.
23. Man of Steel (2013)
Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is another case where the trailer may have overpromised. This teaser, featuring Russell Crowe’s narration about the ideals his son Kal-El would uphold, paired with visuals reminiscent of Terrence Malick rather than Snyder’s usual style, left the internet buzzing with anticipation upon its release.
While the film itself fell short of expectations, the trailer’s brilliance lies in its ability to make you want to revisit it, hoping to experience the version of the movie it promised—not the final product.
24. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The opening shots of this trailer are stunning, but what follows is even more breathtaking. While it may not redefine the genre, the sheer intensity and relentless energy of the visuals are impossible to ignore.
The image of Tom Hardy’s Mad Max swinging into frame as the War Boys chase him is undeniably iconic. Even without delving into the film’s deeper themes, Mad Max: Fury Road stands as one of the greatest action films ever, and Warner Brothers wisely showcased its full spectacle in this trailer.
25. Us (2019)
It’s a testament to how times have evolved that in 2018, press members were invited to a special event hosted by Jordan Peele to debut this trailer.
By the time this film’s marketing campaign was conceived, slow, eerie covers of popular songs had become a staple of horror trailers. However, Peele subverted this trend by reimagining Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It,” transforming the iconic hip-hop track into a growing sense of dread for a family facing their murderous doubles.
This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for 2023.
