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Are Movie Trailers Giving Too Much Info And Spoiling Cinema?

Home > Movies > Are Movie Trailers Giving Too Much Info And Spoiling Cinema?

Are Movie Trailers Giving Too Much Info And Spoiling Cinema?

Staff WriterbyStaff Writer
April 19, 2018
in Movies
Tags: Movie TrailerMovies

There seems to be a new trend in Hollywood: movie trailers that reveal far too much about the film, giving away the entire setup and sometimes even the outcome within a 2-minute montage. I recall a time when movie trailers were equally exciting as a trip to the cinema – the perfect blend of teasing the story, its characters and the setup without giving away any surprises. That art seems almost forgotten. I suppose the real question we need to ask ourselves, is whether movie trailers are spoiling cinema or whether a lazy generation is to blame?

It’s easy to admit that movie trailers can make or break a film. There are numerous examples of films that seemed destined to doom even before their release date, mostly due to an awful two-minute introduction. 2016’s Ghostbusters is a perfect example of a bad trailer happening to a fairly decent film. Regardless of all the marketing that followed the first trailer for the film, nothing could be done to rectify the negative publicity.

So why do studios seem to be getting it so wrong? Why are they giving away entire film plots and twists? Why are spoiler-heavy trailers getting longer?

In their heydey, trailers were an art. They were simply there to whet our appetites for what’s to come. However, things have changed. Unfortunately, audiences are to blame. According to experts in the business, the more audiences know about a film, the likelier they are to go see it. Audiences are demanding to see what they are paying for before they go see it. Sadly, the numbers prove this to be true. And all of this results in the studios overselling their products.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s reveal of Doomsday is the perfect example. While many fans have mentioned that they would have preferred if the character remained a secret, there were audiences that still needed to be convinced to go see the film. So what did the studio do? They gave you another reason why you should go see Batman v Superman.



Of course, that’s not the only problem. Audiences also are quick to grumble when trailers are shorter or “misleading”. In 2011, a woman sued the makers of Ryan Gosling’s Drive because she was expecting something along the lines of The Fast & the Furious. It sounds completely insane, but the trailer probably didn’t do enough to convince her otherwise. So in order to have audiences fully understand what they are buying tickets for, and to avoid all this chaos, we get trailers that overexplain what the film is about – with no secrets and very little surprises.

The balance is incredibly tricky. We no longer have voice-over narration to spell out the plot of a film without showing too much footage. Instead, we get a Terminator: Genisys trailer that reveals that John Connor has become a bad guy or a Jurassic Park trailer where the monster dinosaur is revealed ahead of the release. What makes matters worse is that most trailers are cut by a distributor or studio and not the film’s director. Sometimes these surprises aren’t meant for the trailers at all. Jurassic World director, Colin Trevorrow, told IGN that the trailers showed “far more of the movie than [he] would ever have wanted”.

So what does a good trailer look like? Let’s take a look at the trailer for Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining as an example of how it was done in the past:



In 90 seconds the film tells me everything I need to know in order to go see The Shining without showing any footage aside from the bloody elevators. It tells me who is in it, who made it and is creepy enough to intrigue me and convince me to go see it.

Not everyone is the same though. Some people want much more.

I had way too much déjà vu watching Spider-Man: Homecoming and kept waiting for the beats I had seen in the trailer (which even shows part of the ending).



The solution for me has been watching the first minute of the trailer and then switching it off. Anything more than that and I feel like I’ve watched a summary of the entire film. Part of the beauty of the film is the mystery created. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to see the best parts of the film before I sit down to watch all of it.

Hollywood really needs to fix this movie trailers problem. Do we really need three 2-minute clips to convince us to go see a film?

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Comments 78

  1. Avatar Rudolph Venter says:
    4 years ago

    Preach

    Reply
  2. Avatar Justin Willson says:
    4 years ago

    Nowadays watch first 30-45 seconds and if its something i want to see i stop. Trailers literally show the entire movies at this point. The actual movie is just padding

    Reply
  3. Avatar Isaiah Rogers says:
    4 years ago

    Too damn true.

    Reply
  4. Avatar Gavin Wilson says:
    4 years ago

    Ahh let them do 15 trailers. Keeps the kids attention and they’re the ones spending the money. Just don’t watch them. Simple.

    Reply
  5. Avatar Tito Guillen says:
    4 years ago

    Yes.

    Reply
  6. Avatar Tito Guillen says:
    4 years ago

    Batman v superman is the best recent example.

    Reply
    • Avatar Cat-El Danaher says:
      4 years ago

      So is civil war

      Reply
  7. Avatar Ben Abrigil says:
    4 years ago

    if a trailer can spoil a movie then it has not enough content

    Reply
  8. Avatar Linda Nel says:
    4 years ago

    Definately! They show all the best parts!

    Reply
  9. Avatar Ron Dorney says:
    4 years ago

    Yes as always

    Reply
  10. Avatar Dave de Burgh says:
    4 years ago

    Definitely not just you – I used to allow myself to watch the first two trailers of new movies (because the third gives almost everything away), but after watching Homecoming I don’t think I’ll be watching any more trailers. The movie was awesome, but would have been even better if, for example, Iron Man hadn’t been revealed as being in the movie, or that Peter had to give the suit back, or revealing anything about the final battle.

    And wayyy too many trailers give important, cool, epic stuff away – like Skull Island revealing Kong in all his glory; the stuff that isn’t revealed in trailers is simply sub-par in comparison, and even though I still enjoy the movies, there are just some things I don’t want to know.

    Reply
  11. Avatar Nick Rogerson says:
    4 years ago

    Yes

    Reply
  12. Avatar Zaakir Deminck says:
    4 years ago

    Yes. They show waaaay toooooo much.

    Reply
  13. Avatar Roy Lopez says:
    4 years ago

    Spidey just sucked tho

    Reply
  14. Avatar Kerwyn Fourie says:
    4 years ago

    Yes! Make them STAHP!

    Reply
  15. Avatar Stacy Marinaro says:
    4 years ago

    Yes yes they are I often feel like I have watch the entire movie from just the preview

    Reply
  16. Avatar Martin Cheetham says:
    4 years ago

    Yup

    Reply
  17. Avatar Christian Rz says:
    4 years ago

    I believe the answer is duh.

    Reply
  18. Avatar Marisa Hilliard Booth says:
    4 years ago

    I say sometimes yes, they absolutely do. The worst offenders are the ones that show parts that got cut from the movie.

    Reply
  19. Avatar Rob Williams says:
    4 years ago

    The article is well done, but you have to remember with YouTube there are a number of content creators that dissect every second of the trailer (“As you can see here Peter’s hair has 2 strands out of place which indicates Gwen and Mary Jane’s inner conflict with Parker’s alter ego”) so if you missed something these sites are sure to let you know.

    Reply
    • Avatar Frank Lindner says:
      4 years ago

      but unlike on tv where a trailer suddenly comes in between commercials and totally surprising, on youtube everyone decides for themselves if they wanna see it.

      Reply
  20. Avatar Quade McDonald says:
    4 years ago

    I think the problem is that trailers and marketing for a movie is for people that are on the fence on the movie. If you are already going to see the movie then don’t watch all the trailers.

    Reply
  21. Avatar Frank Lindner says:
    4 years ago

    #spoilerphobia

    Reply
  22. Avatar Keaven N.R. says:
    4 years ago

    Yup

    Reply
  23. Avatar Ozzie TrésceroCincó Mayón says:
    4 years ago

    just dont watch the movie trailers its that simple

    Reply
  24. Avatar Jack Andrews says:
    4 years ago

    Nah but other people are, can’t remember the last time I went to the cinema and someone didn’t talk through it or have their phone out.

    Reply
  25. Avatar McGaughy Michael says:
    4 years ago

    Yea especially when the trailer is all the best parts of the movie terrible

    Reply
  26. Avatar Amalia Leione says:
    4 years ago

    This just now being noticed? Terminator 3 gave away the reprogramming scene, star wars gave away the dual sided lightsaber scen. This crap has been done for 20 years.

    Reply
  27. Avatar Robert W. Wood says:
    4 years ago

    I watch the 1st trailer released. Skip the rest.

    Reply
  28. Avatar Ted Bannister says:
    4 years ago

    to me its all the rebooting/re-imagining/remaking of movies that are killing cinema, there is no originality, i blame the writer’s strike of the 1990’s, after that it was all reality shows and remakes

    Reply
    • Avatar Jerome White says:
      4 years ago

      Seeing as comics get rebooted all the time, rebooting a comic book movie should be no surprise. And when they can’t get it right, rebooting it is necessary. If you were complaining about rebooting something like Back to the Future or The Gladiator, then I would understand though.

      Reply
  29. Avatar Wayne Allen Jerdon says:
    4 years ago

    They have been for years its the main reason I do not watch trailers

    Reply
  30. Avatar Darren Foster says:
    4 years ago

    Well, duh.

    Reply
  31. Avatar Rosy Hardie says:
    4 years ago

    Short answer: yes.

    Reply
  32. Avatar Jason Farrell says:
    4 years ago

    Yes, I knew the plane with Peter in his old suit would be the final act, wish they’d leave a little for surprise

    Reply
  33. Avatar Michael Strobelushi says:
    4 years ago

    Yes

    Reply
  34. Avatar Jeremy Chabot says:
    4 years ago

    Yes.

    Reply
  35. Avatar Max Frankow says:
    4 years ago

    I was worried for spider-man, but there was a lot that surprised me in it. Trailers didn’t give away shit.

    Reply
  36. Avatar Rob Wilkinson says:
    4 years ago

    Sometimes, it definitely depends.

    Reply
  37. Avatar Jason Lederman says:
    4 years ago

    Absolutely. I don’t watch them anymore for that reason. It’s not supposed to be a highlight real or it spoiles too much.

    Reply
  38. Avatar Carryn Paikin says:
    4 years ago

    Absolutely!! I watch the first few seconds then talk to my husband to avoid watching or seeing the trailer otherwise it’s ruins it for me when I get to watch that movie!

    Reply
  39. Avatar Richie Nadal says:
    4 years ago

    Yeas and for years

    Reply
  40. Avatar Ryan Simpson says:
    4 years ago

    Yes!!! My only complaint about the new spidey!! Kasey

    Reply
  41. Avatar Timothy Aviles says:
    4 years ago

    Yes they are. You watch a 2 minute trailer, and feel like you watched all the best parts.

    Reply
  42. Avatar Brendon Bosch says:
    4 years ago

    Agree

    Reply
  43. Avatar Josh Zirpoli says:
    4 years ago

    Yeah, which is why I only watch teasers and then nothing else

    Reply
  44. Avatar James Spencer says:
    4 years ago

    The main problem is they keep rehashing the same old crap. Staying in the superhero genre how many more freaking times must we see batmans parents die? For the love of god we all know by now, move on with the story

    Reply
  45. Avatar Brett Paikin says:
    4 years ago

    Totally agree! Often have to resort to looking away if it’s a movie I really want to see!

    Reply
  46. Avatar Weston C Farmer says:
    4 years ago

    This is Rhetorical right?

    Reply
  47. Avatar Joe Ike Capone Moore says:
    4 years ago

    Movie Trailers were supposed to be cut down from 2minutes and 30seconds to 2minutes, but that’s still too long. A minute in a half is long enough for me.

    Reply
  48. Avatar Julian Roche says:
    4 years ago

    Social media certainly is!

    Reply
  49. Avatar Pete Caccavari says:
    4 years ago

    Yes!!

    Reply
  50. Avatar Joel Franco says:
    4 years ago

    YES

    Reply
  51. Avatar Matthew Luke says:
    4 years ago

    Eh, I tend to forget what happens in the Trailer while I’m watching the movie. Trailers just make it more exciting and myself hungry for more. :3

    Reply
  52. Avatar Matthew Vallee says:
    4 years ago

    Yes

    Reply
  53. Avatar David Erb says:
    4 years ago

    So. Much. Yes. And it’s impossible to avoid the ads even when you’re trying. I feel like I spoil 1/2 the stuff I see between trailers, teasers and pics from the sets.

    Reply
  54. Avatar Scott Prince says:
    4 years ago

    Yes

    Reply
  55. Avatar Shelly Roosevelt says:
    4 years ago

    If I’m pretty sure I’m going to want to watch a movie I avoid watching the trailers for this very reason.

    Reply
  56. Avatar Jake Allen says:
    4 years ago

    Simple answer, no

    Reply
  57. Avatar Liam Makausky Lopez says:
    4 years ago

    If studios stopped putting deleted material in their trailers, stopped making them 2 and a half minutes long and pace them like a mini film, AND limit it to no more than 2 trailers, it wouldnt be so bad. Id also like to not see anything from the last act of a film as well

    Reply
  58. Avatar Mitchell Banks says:
    4 years ago

    Yes. I’ve been saying that for year!

    Reply
  59. Avatar Darnell J Reed says:
    4 years ago

    Simply yes just flash that shit maybe a simple joke that’s all

    Reply
  60. Avatar Reece Bartram says:
    4 years ago

    Yes

    Reply
  61. Avatar Travis Praker says:
    4 years ago

    Stopped reading after the “2016 Ghostbusters is a perfect example of a bad trailer happening to a deeent movie”.
    Wrong, crappy trailer for a crappy movie.

    Reply
  62. Avatar Finnius Meilyr Sharples Murray says:
    4 years ago

    Yes. They even be releasing movie clips before the movie is released.

    Reply
  63. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    This is why I feel, that the trailer for VENOM is great as you see very little (blink-and-you-miss-it) of the life-form and nothing of Hardy/Brock covered by the symbiont. Yet for showing too little many fans dismissed the trailer straight away…

    Reply
  64. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    Well people have made it a business model breaking down every detail of every trailer and theorizing, just look at how many YouTube channels do this. So will it go away? I don’t think so, but for me I prefer not getting that many trailers. It spoils the entire experience. Teasers is all we should have.

    Reply
  65. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    I’ve always said so! A trailer should be a 10 second flash and then logo!

    Reply
  66. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    I don’t even watch trailers anymore, my last one was BvS.

    Reply
  67. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    Stopped watching trailers for the most part.

    Reply
  68. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    YES!!!!! >:(

    Reply
  69. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    I watch the first, maybe second trailers, then that’s it

    Reply
  70. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    You think of many plots and twists theories and such after watching trailers especially marvel does anyone remember the trailer of antman such epicness but in the movie it was a tiny miniature of cross industries was epic man

    Reply
  71. Avatar Anonymous says:
    3 years ago

    I don’t watch trailers at all anymore

    Reply
  72. Avatar Calvin says:
    3 years ago

    I would have been completely happy with only 1 trailer for “Infinity War”. There isn’t a geek on the planet who needs to be convinced to see this film.

    Reply
  73. Avatar RICARDO VIEIRA STANTON says:
    3 years ago

    AVENGERS INFINITY WAR SPOILERS

    When Thanos gets the fourth infinity stone I knew he would get the fifth and be successful because I’d seen him extracting it from vision in the trailers

    Reply
  74. Avatar Sreekiran says:
    3 years ago

    Need not be. Batman v superman first imax teaser trailer was all enough. The brooding darkness, the venge to fight each other was all wrapped. That was the best one. I need no more. Neither anyone. But see what happened? Second trailer full of plot elements. Zod’s body. Lex luthor uttering dialog if god doesnt kill man, the devil will do it. Have they really spoilt the film here. Yes it is clear that now from this shit trailer that lex has made superman to kill batman. When that does nt occur. Doomsday the devil will do it. How much they have spoilt here. And oh the wonder woman cameo. Whole movie revealed except climax. Now why should i watch the film. They should have stuck with the action scenes little bit of drama and no spoilers. But alas whole movie spoilt. Seriously zack snyder needs to avoid this in future. Every director out there please dont make your efforts wasted.
    According to me trailer must just tease. Should not be more than a minute.
    Introduce characters
    Show some drama
    Keep the background score moving
    Build up to an epicness
    Bang ! Finish the trailer. This is what trailers are to do. So i always prefer the first teaser. All movies first teasers are the best. They do not reveal much.

    Reply
  75. Avatar Duane says:
    2 years ago

    I actually came to this conclusion with Xmen Apocalypse. I was so excited for this film that i ended up watching all the trailers, all the promos and assumed that the best was yet to come… And ended up being bitterly disappointed. It turned out that Id seen all the exciting moments before i even sat down in the cinema and all that was left was exposition and dialog, and considering this was a shitty film, meant there was nothing to see. This is when i decided that i won’t even watch trailers anymore. Except for cases where it deals with films that arent adaptions of something.

    Reply

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