Another year has come and gone, and as we look back at what 2016 has given us, we think about some stellar films, killer soundtracks and thrilling TV shows. But one of the best things 2016 gave us were some incredible trailers for films released both this year and for the upcoming years. As the year nears its end, let's take a look back at some of the best trailers released in 2016 for films that came out this year and films yet to be released.
10 Cloverfield Lane
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.
Trailer Drop: January 15, 2016
Release Date: March 8, 2016
In addition to being one of the best trailers featured in 2016, this is easily on my personal top 10 list for this year. Rather than setting itself up as a direct sequel to the surprise 2008 hit Cloverfield, the film took a script for another film and was reworked to loosely connect itself to its predecessor, and thanks to its intriguing mystery and captivating performances, 10 Cloverfield Lane became another surprise hit for the franchise. The first trailer, which was secretly attached to another Paramount release 13 Hours, in January offered viewers a glimpse into why the film would be so successful, as it was eerie, tense, stylish ans very well-edited, effectively using a seemingly upbeat song to create a quietly suspenseful atmosphere. Here's the trailer for the sci-fi thriller:
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Hardcore Henry
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Stars: Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett, Tim Roth
Trailer Drop: February 10, 2016
Release Date: April 8, 2016
Even if it received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences upon release, Hardcore Henry was still one of the most unique experiences delivered to us this year, as well as one of the most technically groundbreaking films in recent history. There have been very few movies filmed entirely from the first-person perspective, and Henry became a smash viral hit leading up to the film's premiere thanks to its stylish and fast-paced trailer that shows off how stellar the first-person perspective was for the film and how much fun could be had watching the movie, also making solid use of the classic rock song "Don't Stop Me Now" by British rock band Queen. Here's the trailer for the thrilling action-packed joy ride:
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Keanu
Director: Peter Atencio
Stars: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Method Man, Will Forte
Trailer Drop: January 21, 2016
Release Date: April 29, 2016
Equal parts a love letter to fans of their series and a chance to draw in new fans not used to their brand of humor, Keanu was the first on-screen reunion of stars Key and Peele following the conclusion of their hit Comedy Central sketch series, Key & Peele. Following two cousins posing as drug dealers so one may get his cat back from the gangster who stole him, the film itself features all of the humor that mad the show the fan-favorite that it was. The first trailer premiered on the stars' home channel, Comedy Central, and featured much of the uncut humor that made the movie hysterical, as well as some good music to appropriately capture the film's fast-paced and zany tone. Here's the NSFW trailer for the film:
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Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Stars: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloe Moretz
Trailer Drop: April 7, 2016
Release Date: May 20, 2016
Technically, the first trailer for this film dropped in January, but the first red band trailer for it dropped in April and truly showed how hysterical the film was going to be. Though the film did hit a lot of the same notes as its predecessor, it also featured a lot of good messages about feminism and equality without hitting audiences over the head with them. Red band trailers for R-rated comedies are always the ones people should look for when trying to determine whether to see a movie or not, because even if they give away some of the better jokes, they still give audiences a good idea of the fun times to be expected, and the Neighbors 2 trailer was no exception, delivering plenty of raunch, partying and shirtless Seth Rogen and Zac Efron to draw in fans. Here's the NSFW trailer for the comedy sequel:
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Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Directors: Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone
Stars: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Tim Meadows
Trailer Drop: March 10, 2016
Release Date: June 3, 2016
Effectively bringing back the rock mockumentary for the modern generation, Popstar reunited the comedy musical trio, The Lonely Island, for one of the funniest and smartest satirical comedies in a while. The red-band trailer for this film did a great job at showing exactly how wrong and how explicit the film would get, both in its clever soundtracks and hilarious lead performance from Sandberg. Here's the hilarious R-rated trailer for the comedy mockumentary:
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The Conjuring 2
Director: James Wan
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O'Connor, Madison Wolfe
Trailer Drop: March 26, 2016
Release Date: June 10, 2016
Easily one of the most terrifying movies this year, the follow-up to the 2013 smash horror hit saw our real-life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, travelling to London to help a family of five who are being haunted by a spirit targeting and seemingly possessing the second oldest daughter. After patiently waiting three years since the horrifying first entry in the franchise, fans were both elated and scared shitless upon the release of the first trailer for the sequel, which promised a fast-paced and intense story again adapted from a very real-life occurrence, as well as a new villain even more terrifying than the famed Annabelle doll: The Nun. Here's the intense first trailer for the 2016 hit horror sequel:
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Central Intelligence
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Stars: Kevin Hart, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Amy Ryan, Aaron Paul
Trailer Drop: March 16, 2016
Release Date: June 17, 2016
When the first trailer for Central Intelligence dropped, many fans of the lead actors became hyped for the movie and found it to look funny, while most general audiences looked at it and saw a generic buddy action comedy. However, upon release, the film turned out to be one of the funniest comedies of 2016, further solidifying Kevin Hart's reign over the comedic industry and Johnson's range of more than just an action star. The first teaser trailer was a really good indicator of why the film would work, giving The Rock a bizarre and unique character not performed by him before, while also showing off some solid chemistry between its leads. Here's the hilarious teaser trailer for the action buddy comedy:
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Lights Out
Director: David F. Sandberg
Stars: Teresa Palmer, Maria Bello, Gabriel Bateman, Alexander DiPersia
Trailer Drop: March 26, 2016
Release Date: July 22, 2016
Widely hailed as one of the most ingenious and inventive horror movies in years, Lights Out was a smash hit this year with both reviews and at the box office, scoring a "Certified Fresh" approval rating of 76% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and earning nearly $150 million at the box office against a small $4.9 million budget. The first trailer is a great sign of why the film was set to succeed, as it was an eerie, stylish and very creepy insight into the world of villain Diana's victims. Here's the terrifying trailer:
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Suicide Squad
Director: David Ayer
Stars: Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis
Trailer Drop: January 19, 2016
Release Date: August 5, 2016
This one pains me to include on the list because, even though it is one of my favorite movie trailers of all-time, the end result of the film was still a let-down compared to its trailer. However, we are not here to discuss the quality of the film itself, we are here to discuss the trailer, and boy oh boy is this trailer amazing. You know a trailer has succeeded in hyping up an audience when it currently holds nearly 80 million views on YouTube. It introduces us to nearly all of our major players, it showcases much of the film's stylish action, it illustrates that the film's tone is a more comical approach compared to the previous DCEU's downer feel, and some fantastic performances from the cast encompassing their comic book roles, especially Margot Robbie, who earned universal praise in a movie that earned generally negative reviews. Here's the fast-paced, and insanely re-watchable, trailer:
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Pete's Dragon
Director: David Lowery
Stars: Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Robert Redford
Trailer Drop: June 14, 2016
Release Date: August 12, 2016
I'm going to be honest here, when I first heard the news of the plan to remake this classic Disney film, my heart sank, because I think the original is such a charming and underrated film that it needed to be left alone. I almost universally ignored all news and updates on the film in the following months, not seeing a trailer for the film until attending a Finding Dory screening in the summer. This trailer blew me away, hitting on all the right nostalgic notes and being such a moving trailer, it even brought me to tears, easily earning a spot on this list. Here's the adventurous and awe-inspiring trailer:
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Sausage Party
Directors: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon
Stars: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Edward Norten, Salma Hayek
Trailer Drop: March 14, 2016
Release Date: August 12, 2016
Equally recognized as being one of the most offensive, controversial, original and funniest comedies of the year, Sausage Party was one of the most talked about films of 2016, and for good reason. Its genius premise is supported by some phenomenal animation, hilariously clever writing and voice acting, and all of this is shown in the first trailer dropped for the film, which happened to be the red band trailer. Here's the hysterical NSFW trailer:
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The Magnificent Seven
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
Trailer Drop: April 20, 2016
Release Date: September 23, 2016
Whenever Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua get together, it's practically a recipe for success, and The Magnificent Seven is no exception, especially with its trailer. Though seemingly a simplistic plot, the trailer does a fantastic job of highlighting the film's fast-paced and explosive action, as well as wonderful humor from its leads and a great cover of the classic rock song, "House of the Rising Sun," to add to the adventurous feel. Here's the stylish and very well-edited trailer:
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The Accountant
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Stars: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow
Trailer Drop: May 12, 2016
Release Date: October 14, 2016
Both an intriguing character study of a highly-functioning autistic man leading a double life and an action thriller of the man's secret life coming back to get him, The Accountant was one of the most intriguing stories told all year. The first trailer did a phenomenal job of drawing in audiences to be captivated by the world of the titular character, being stylishly edited and creating a thrilling atmosphere thanks to the inclusion of the song "Everything in its Right Place" by Radiohead. Here's the suspenseful and mesmerizing trailer:
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Collateral Beauty
Director: David Frankel
Stars: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris
Trailer Drop: September 7, 2016
Release Date: December 16, 2016
Even if the film didn't quite turn out the way critics and audiences were hoping for, the reasons expectations were so high for this film were thanks to the trailers promoting it, especially the first trailer. The film follows a man who copes with the death of his daughter by writing letters to death, time and love and in turn begins receiving visits and having conversations with personified versions of each. The film's premise combines a unique fantasy element reminiscent of It's a Wonderful Life with a familiar story of love and loss to be carried by a powerful lead performance from Smith, and the first trailer showed all of these elements, personally bringing a tear to my eye seeing Smith's emotionally committed performance. Here's the moving and captivating trailer:
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Split
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Stars: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Haley Lu Richardson
Trailer Drop: July 27, 2016
Release Date: January 20, 2017
After over a decade of making consecutive stinkers, once promising writer/director M. Night Shyamalan finally seems to be re-discovering his prime, beginning with his previous work, The Visit, and now with what may be his next masterpiece, Split. Following a group of girls kidnapped by a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder with 23 different identities, the film looks to be carried by two things, Shyamalan's assured stylish direction and a stellar lead performance from McAvoy. The first trailer for the film showed how it will be an effectively eerie and tense thriller and how mesmerizing McAvoy will be portraying 23 different identities in one film. Here's the thrilling trailer:
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xXx: The Return of Xander Cage
Director: DJ Caruso
Stars: Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Ruby Rose, Deepika Padukone
Trailer Drop: July 19, 2016
Release Date: January 20, 2017
After 15 years of a lackluster sequel and fans demanding a return of the franchise's original star, xXx is finally returning to the big screen with star Vin Diesel returning as Xander Cage for another mission to save the free world from terrorists as only xXx can. The first trailer did a great job to tease at a big story full of stylish and well-choreographed action, as well as another charismatic and thrilling lead performance from Diesel. Here's the first trailer for the upcoming third installment in the extreme sports/spy thriller franchise:
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John Wick: Chapter 2
Director: Chad Stahelski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Ruby Rose, Common
Trailer Drop: October 8, 2016
Release Date: February 10, 2017
The first John Wick was a very welcome surprise when it came out in 2014, and thanks to its critical and commercial success, parent company Summit Entertainment quickly greenlit a sequel with both the original writer and original director returning alongside star Keanu Reeves. While the first didn't need to offer much in the way of a plot, many were worried about just how a sequel could possibly top the first, but those worries were put to bed with the release of the first trailer, which featured more of the same stylish action, calm demeanor and stunning cinematography that made the first film such a hit. Here's the first trailer for the upcoming action thriller sequel:
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The Lego Batman Movie
Director: Chris McKay
Stars: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Ralph Fiennes
Trailer Drop: March 24, 2016
Release Date: February 10, 2017
The Lego Movie was one of the most original and unique animated movies of the millennium, and amidst all of its smart humor and vibrant characters was the heavily exaggerated version of the famous DC Comics superhero, Batman, wonderfully voiced by comedy star Will Arnett. After the film's major success and the widespread praise for the portrayal of Batman, Warner Bros. immediately ordered a spin-off film for the hero, with Arnett returning to voice the character, and the first teaser trailer debuted with the release of Batman v. Superman, showing how hilarious the solo film will be and how Arnett will keep the animated Lego streak going. Here's the trailer for the upcoming animated comedy:
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A Cure For Wellness
Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth, Adrian Schiller
Trailer Drop: October 19, 2016
Release Date: February 17, 2017
Having directed one of the most famous horror films from this generation, Gore Verbinski has an eye for directing some very stylish and very intense films, and his upcoming return to the horror genre, A Cure For Wellness, looks no different. The first teaser trailer for the film drew us in with an overall ambiguous and mysterious atmosphere that blends a sense of gothic horror and psychological thriller with some stunning visuals and direction to add up to a potentially terrifying journey. Here's the trailer for the upcoming horror thriller:
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Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Trailer Drop: October 4, 2016
Release Date: February 24, 2017
Normally well-known for his comedic talents, the world received a major shock when it was announced that Jordan Peele was going to write and direct a horror film, finding it bizarre and an intriguing idea at the same time. When the trailer for it finally dropped in October, it was a major surprise to everyone, as it pointed towards being a truly chilling and intense psychological thriller. Here's the trailer for the upcoming horror film:
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Logan
Director: James Mangold
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Elise Neal
Trailer Drop: October 20, 2016
Release Date: March 3, 2017
As the X-Men film franchise looks to be coming to an end with a potential reboot planned for the future, the storylines are all wrapping up in major fashion, but the one set to wow us all and bring us to tears by the end is the upcoming conclusion to everybody's favorite X-Man, Logan. Taking inspiration from the "Old Man Logan" storyline, Logan follows our titular hero as his healing factor begins failing him as he and Professor Xavier protect a young mutant with powers similar to Logan from a sinister group. The trailer pulled at every Wolverine fan's heartstrings thanks to its quieter approach showing off the action, a slower opening to the trailer and the emotionally deep Johnny Cash song, "Hurt." Here's the emotional and thrilling trailer for the upcoming Wolverine conclusion:
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Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2
Director: James Gunn
Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista
Trailer Drop: December 3, 2016
Release Date: May 5, 2017
The 2014 superhero origin of the space superhero team became one of the biggest and most talked about superhero movies in the past 15 years, not doing much in the way of reinventing the superhero formula, but offering such a unique style, humor and soundtrack that put it to the top of many reviewers' lists for the top superhero movies of all time. Based on the trailers released for the sequel, it looks to continue the streak with another hilarious, incredibly stylish and fast-paced joy ride, throwing everyone's hype levels through the roof. Here's the trailer for the upcoming comic book action comedy:
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Alien: Covenant
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Danny McBride, Katherine Waterston, Demian Bichir
Trailer Drop: December 24, 2016
Release Date: May 19, 2017
One of the longest running sci-fi franchises with the least amount of entries in cinematic history, the Alien series has long been both a fan and critical favorite, making an accumulative $1.1 billion at the box office and holding an average of 73% approval ratings from critics on review aggregate website, Rotten Tomatoes. After a couple middling sequels in the '90s, the franchise remained dormant for nearly two decades before returning with a prequel offering a new storyline and new captivating characters bringing us back to the universe, and thanks to a thrilling first trailer, the sequel Alien: Covenant looks to up the ante on the action and terror. Here's the first teaser trailer for the sci-fi horror action thriller:
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Baywatch
Director: Seth Gordon
Stars: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Alexandra Daddario, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra
Trailer Drop: December 9, 2016
Release Date: May 25, 2017
Movies based on TV shows have had a tough time over the years in finding success, some becoming huge hits such as the Jump Street franchise, while some fall flat, including The Last Airbender. However, the first NSFW trailer for the next entry into the genre, Baywatch, looks to bring us one of the funniest and most epic adaptations sure to rewrite the genre, featuring plenty of scantily clad ladies, shirtless Zac Efron and The Rock, clever humor and fast-paced action to thrill all viewers. Here's the hysterical NSFW trailer for the upcoming action comedy:
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Spider-Man: Homecoming
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya
Trailer Drop: December 8, 2016
Release Date: July 7, 2017
In his third big-screen portrayal, Marvel superhero Spider-Man has had a tough go at trying to stay on the big screen, but in the latest iteration yet, they may have found not only the best actor for the hero, but also the best way of telling the hero's story. Rather than again go for a straight origin story, Spider-Man: Homecoming is picking up shortly after the events of Civil War, and in telling Peter Parker's struggles with both high school and becoming a hero, the first trailer does a fantastic job of setting up a solid premise thrilling action, semi-quirky vibe and great humor, sending the hype levels for the film through the roof. Here's the stylish, funny and action-packed trailer:
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Blade Runner 2049
Director: Denis Villenueve
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Robin Wright
Trailer Drop: December 19, 2016
Release Date: October 6, 2017
Widely hailed as one of the greatest science-fiction films in cinematic history, the first Blade Runner has lasted throughout all this time thanks to the visionary genius of Ridley Scott's direction and the truly thought-provoking storytelling. After years of struggling to get a sequel made, the time has finally come for a follow-up to the hit sci-fi thriller, and the first trailer for the film showed that with the talent involved on the project, the wait has been worth it, delivering another beautifully shot, stylish and intriguing mystery. Here's the mesmerizing and goosebumps-inducing trailer:
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What was your favorite trailer released in 2016? Which movie are you really looking forward to in 2017? Let us know in the comments below!