This past weekend was the Super Bowl. I know that it’s a sports thing in America that gets about a third of the country in front of their TVs at the same time. But that’s basically the full extent of my knowledge. The only other thing I know is that Americans (specifically Hollywood) love using the opportunity to release a ton of new TV adverts. Which means new peeks at upcoming movies. Here’s the selection:
Alex Proyas’ Gods of Egypt
From the Egypt-born director of The Crow, Dark City, and I, Robot, comes Gods of Egypt. With his credentials and skills, it’s bound to be a well-made film, but everything we’ve seen so far seems too familiar – like we’ve seen this movie before.
Gods of Egypt releases in South Africa (including IMAX screens) on 26 February.
Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book
My two biggest concern about the previous trailer was:
a) The footage is quite (visually) dark, and that this might cause problems with 3D viewing.
b) That we haven’t seen the realistically rendered animals talk, and that human voices might sound very strange coming from animal mouths.
While the TV spot isn’t really long enough, the accompanying online trailer (below) alleviates those worries. [But what is up with the characters crossing over into the black letterbox space like the jumping fish did in Life of Pi?]
Paul Greengrass’s Jason Bourne
They’ve finally revealed the title of the upcoming Jason Bourne movie, and it’s… Jason Bourne? Who cares. The title isn’t terrible, the action looks amazing, and there’s at least some kind of plot going on. Plus Tommy Lee Jones!
Dave Green’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows
As much as I grew up on a diet of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Biker Mice from Mars, the Transformers series might’ve ruined Michael Bay movies for me. I want to see Bebop and Rocksteady, but we’ll have to see if this movie is enough to drag me out of my chair.
Bryan Singer’s X-men: Apocalypse
After Days of Future Past, franchise originator Bryan Singer returns again for the last film in this second X-men trilogy. It might be a close second to the title of Most Successful Superhero Movie Franchise, but it’s certainly the longest-running. And Singer has yet to make anything less than an excellent installment. This movie can’t come fast enough.
Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day: Resurgence
If there’s one thing Mr. Emmerich loves, it’s large-scale destruction. It focuses on American patriotism, tons of explosions, and glimpses at familiar faces: Jeff Goldblum as David Levinson, Bill Pullman as a bearded (surely no-longer-)President Whitmore, as well as Jessie Usher as Dylan Hiller (the little boy & Will Smith’s son in the first film), and Liam Hemsworth as a new character.
Dan Trachtenberg’s 10 Cloverfield Lane
I’d seriously recommend NOT watching this spot. Or probably any more trailers or marketing material for this film. It looks like an amazing film (and surprise sequel?), where the filmgoing experience would be better, the less you know in advance. In my opinion the first teaser is all you need, if anything. Proceed at own peril to watch the Super Bowl spot on YouTube.
The Russo Brothers’ Captain America: Civil War
This new TV spot gives us just enough glimpses at characters and consequences to illustrate the scale and stakes of this superhero ensemble. With chants of “United we stand! Divided we fall!” to set the tone. Can we book tickets for opening night yet?
Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Ooh. I love these kind of ads. They’re a couple in-universe travel ads, marketing the fictional cities of Metropolis and Gotham City as tourist destinations.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comes to local cinemas (incl IMAX 3D) on 25 March.
Tim Miller’s Deadpool
Like all of this film’s (extensive) marketing campaign, this TV spot is fun, funny, and self-referential. These ads really promise that Deadpool will be a comic book movie with a difference. Deadpool opens in local cinemas THIS FRIDAY, 12 February.
Chris Renaud & Yarrow Cheney’s The Secret Life of Pets
Basically Toy Story but with animals? This looks cute, but unoriginal…
James Bobin’s Alice Through the Looking Glass
The first film in the series focused too much on Johnny Depp pulling silly faces, and everything being ludicrous. We’ll still see how the film comes out, but this TV spot is a work of art!
