We love trailers here at The Comeback and try to cover the best of them, big and small, in our coverage during any given week. But we can’t always get to all of them, which is why pooling them together in a one-stop shop for movie and TV anticipation seemed like a fun thing to do.
This week provided new scenes to upcoming films, largely thanks to the MTV Movie & TV Awards. But a hotly anticipated new trailer for Blade Runner 2049 was the notable release, joined by a few previews for indie and streaming films that look like they could be intriguing.
Here are the best trailers from the past seven days.
Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7
This wasn’t a trailer, so much as a “first look” shown during the MTV Movie & TV Awards. Basically, it’s the full scene of something we’ve seen clips of in earlier trailers: Peter Parker’s best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) discovering that his buddy is that Spider-Man who’s been seen on YouTube. This is a dynamic we haven’t seen in previous Spider-Man films, which promises to make this reboot stand apart. At the end, we also get a clip of classmate Michelle (Zendaya) calling Peter on some suspicious behavior.
It – Sept. 8
Another package from the MTV Movie & TV Awards, this new look at It gives us more on the seven kids who make up the “Losers Club,” giving us a better sense of their personalities and the relationships between the characters. We get a sense of the crush between Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) and Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), in addition to the wise-ass Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), who has the most sense about entering a sewer. And there’s just enough Pennywise to provide some terror.
Wonder Woman – June 2
The MTV Movie & TV Awards provided one last look at Wonder Woman before its theatrical release. We’ve gotten to that point in the promotional schedule where anything more revealed seems like too much besides what’s already been shown. And really, the so-called new stuff is just extended versions or new angles and cuts on previously released clips. The Amazon warrior Diana deflects bullets with her gauntlets. Steve Trevor has a funny quip. Let’s just see the movie already. We’re sold.
Blade Runner 2049 – Oct. 6
This was the big trailer release of the week, a longer look at Blade Runner 2049 following a previously released teaser. Really, this new preview is just a teaser too, presenting far more questions than answers. But a trailer should tantalize, rather than give away most everything that we’d prefer to see while watching the movie.
Director Denis Villeneuve and cinematographer Roger Deakins pay tribute to the original Blade Runner and its iconic look, but add their own visual flair — notably in the dusty, burnt orange scenes that presumably take place outside Los Angeles. Given the wider scope and action that the trailer promises, could the sequel surpass what so many consider as one of the most visionary sci-fi films of all time?
Band Aid – June 2
Personally, I’m as jaded on the idea of marriage than I’ve ever been, so this trailer for Band Aid really appealed to me. Regardless of your views, this looks to be a different take on a marriage gone bad with a couple (played by Zoe Lister-Jones and Adam Pally) deciding to work out their issues through music and the emotional release it allows. It’s also a new take on the “Let’s start a band!” idea that people should probably give up by their 30s.
Fred Armisen provides some additional comic relief, and maybe a stand-in for the audience as well, wondering why these two people stay together. The theatrical release is scheduled for June 2, but Band Aid will be available on demand June 9.
Cars 3 – June 16
The marketing campaign for Cars 3 began with a bizarrely dark teaser that looked nothing like a Disney Pixar film. Since then, Pixar has released more conventional previews which lends some credence to the theories that our Jay Rigdon posed after that first teaser came out. The old being phased out by the new is kind of a prevalent theme in Pixar films, and it applies here with Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) being pushed aside by Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), which looks like something out of a Tron movie. Maybe there’s a little Iron Man in here too. Disney corporate synergy!
Mindhorn – streaming on Netflix
This looks like something of an acquired taste, but it’s on Netflix, which will compel plenty of people to give it a whirl when looking for some entertainment. Mindhorn has a Galaxy Quest vibe to it, with a formerly popular, but forgotten TV show and star (Julian Barrett) suddenly called back into action when someone believes what he saw on television is the real thing. Could Mindhorn become a cult hit, with scenes and lines frequently quoted for years to come? Hopefully, enough people see it to know who you’re dressing up as if this is an easy Halloween costume choice for you.
Orange is the New Black, season 5 – June 9
https://youtu.be/NzJATbm8U98
Where does Orange is the New Black go after — SPOILER ALERT — the surprising death of Poussey in season 4? The corruption of the prison and criminal justice systems in this country has been a prevalent theme throughout this series, overshadowing the initial premise of an affluent, first-world white person going to jail.
Season 5 reportedly takes place over three days, focusing largely on the protest of the Litchfield inmates following the death of their friend at the hands of a security guard. Many have already drawn parallels with the protests and outrage in our culture tied to the Donald Trump presidency and the oppression it threatens.
Flatball – available on iTunes
There will be plenty of sports documentaries and biopics populating our screens this year, but could the best of the bunch end up being a film about ultimate frisbee? Based on this trailer, Flatball appears to have key components to a compelling documentary, notably a curiosity that audiences may not be entirely familiar with and a central figure who may or may not be likable, but is someone worth watching in Dennis “Cribber” Warsen. Warsen is that guy whom you might admire for his competitiveness and passion, yet may also dislike for taking himself far too seriously.
6 Days – TBD
A gripping trailer doesn’t necessarily mean a good movie, but 6 Days looks like it could be an action thriller worth seeing when it hits theaters. A little bit Munich, a little bit Argo, with maybe some 13 Hours, Sicario or even The Raid (without the martial arts, of course) sprinkled in, 6 Days depicts the events of the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege in London during which 26 people were taken hostage by six gunmen. The cast looks promising, headlined by Mark Strong as the lead negotiator, Abbie Cornish as a BBC News reporter and Jamie Bell playing the leader of a SAS (Special Air Service) assault team.
