The top grievance regarding film previews is:
They give away too much
. No one wants to feel like they paid $20 to see a longer version of something they’ve already watched. But then the question becomes how
do
How do you persuade someone to watch a movie without revealing all the best parts?
Throughout the years, Hollywood came up with a reliable approach to tackle this issue: using trailers made from scenes not originally planned for inclusion in the actual movie. This practice isn’t common because filming extra content solely for a trailer can be costly and redundant. Perhaps due to their rarity, I find such trailers particularly appealing. They stand out as unconventional and far more inventive compared to standard two-and-a-half-minute preview snippets.
To see what I mean, watch the 20 trailers below, all of which contain scenes that were never intended to appear in the film they were created to promote. Bear in mind, this is
not
A compilation of trailer scenes that did not appear in the final versions of their respective movies due to reshoots. These instances occur when alterations were made during filming—perhaps owing to changes in strategy or direction.
the
Rogue One
trailers
that bear almost no resemblance to the movie). The trailers below are all very deliberate, very skillful acts of canny marketing.
Alien (1979)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
This initial preview for Ridley Scott’s
Alien
The movie’s famous opening title design by R/Greenberg Associates, featuring the word “ALIEN” gradually appearing from a chaotic arrangement of disjointed lines, appears here as well. However, in this initial trailer, these titles overlay scenes depicting a rugged extraterrestrial landscape and an egg that hatches slowly—all visuals differing significantly from those seen in the completed film. Fortunately for the marketing team, they could count on the powerful slogan: “In space, no one can hear you scream.”
Johnny Dangerously (1984)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
There is a long tradition of teaser trailers in which recognizable actors break the fourth wall and speak directly to the camera as part of a sales pitch to potential customers. In this clip for the gangster spoof
Johnny Dangerously
, Joe Piscopo — identified as that guy “from
Saturday Night Live
— attacks a projectionist so he can display an advertisement for his new film while maintaining his persona of Danny Vermin and commenting on the scenes unfolding onscreen (“He reminds me of Michael Keaton!” Joe/Danny remarks when his co-star shows up). This approach is either ingenious or perhaps overly intricate.
Johnny Dangerously
earned under $18 million at the box office during the winter of 1984 and ‘85.
Back to the Future (1985)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
In this additional trailer featuring a movie star who breaks the fourth wall, Michael J. Fox gazes right at the camera and responds to an off-screen voice asking him how far he’s traveling back in time. He quips, “About 30 years,” as he playfully raises his eyebrows. The iconic tune “Back in Time” by Huey Lewis can be heard, yet notably, the scene does not contain even one wide shot of the time machine. When Marty speeds away towards the past, all we catch are glowing trails left behind on the pavement; the actual DeLorean remains out of sight. This was saved for subsequent advertisements to unveil later.
READ MORE:
20 Poor Trailers for Excellent Films
Rocky IV (1985)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
The film is called
Rocky IV
However, by the time of the fourth installment, viewers had grown quite accustomed to the Italian Stallion. Consequently, this initial preview centered primarily on his adversary instead. Featuring up-and-coming actor Dolph Lundgren embodying Ivan Drago, the clip delved into the antagonist’s background, offering glimpses of his history through dialogue. “I am a combatant hailing from the Soviet Union!” booms Drago in an exaggerated yet somewhat unconvincing Russian accent. “‘Throughout my existence, victory has always been mine; soon I shall triumph over Rocky Balboa, and the globe will witness his downfall!’” This abundance of spoken lines stands out starkly since Drago remains largely silent throughout most of the movie itself. (As per IMDb data, Lundgren utters merely nine distinct phrases across the whole picture. Astonishingly enough, nearly half those utterances—about forty words—are heard within just this promotional snippet.)
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Goes to Manhattan (1989)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
In a similar manner, Drago hardly speaks more than
Rocky IV
As seen in the movie, Jason Voorhees spends nearly the entire time.
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Goes to Manhattan
Outside of New York City, the teaser focuses solely on the final—and superior—part of the movie. We see Jason looking towards the Big Apple from behind, accompanied by a rendition of “New York, New York” played on piano and saxophone. The trailer begins with an image of the city’s skyline before zooming into a close-up of Jason. As the scene progresses, he turns around holding a large knife just as a young woman passes by. This moment strikes a perfectly dark yet amusing chord. Ideally, this level of execution should have been maintained throughout.
Jason Takes Manhattan
was actually like this
.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
This preview, which came before the arrival of
Terminator 2
in theaters by months, was directed by special effects guru (and T-800 designer) Stan Winston. It depicted a factory assembling the new Terminator and, in a way, it’s almost a prequel to the film. You could envision this sequence as the creation of the specific T-800 that Schwarzenegger played in the film. (Schwarzenegger himself appears briefly, flexing his muscles and then staring menacingly into the camera with glowing red eyes.)
Toys (1992)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
The
Toys
The trailer features another instance of a movie star directly addressing the audience. Here, however, Robin Williams doesn’t try to maintain his character. Rather, he positions himself in a wheat field and performs as if he’s delivering a stand-up routine or appearing on television.
The Tonight Show
Launching into impersonations of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dustin Hoffman while making jokes about the film’s release date, this was classic unfiltered Robin Williams. However, looking back, it might not have been a good sign that the studio attempted to market the movie this way.
Toys
As an excuse to enjoy Robin Williams’ improvisation skills instead of showcasing what the content entailed or what it depicted. It simply turns into “The Robin Williams Show.”
Alien 3 (1992)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Fox was in such a rush to get
Alien 3
into theaters in the summer of 1992 that they started advertising it before they had even pinned down the final screenplay. In other words; This trailer has footage shot just for the trailer
because
the distributor wasn’t entirely sure what the actual movie would look like yet
.
That’s quite evident in the voiceover, which promises that this third
Alien
will reveal that“on Earth, everyone can hear you scream.” (When it opened in multiplexes,
Alien 3
contained exactly zero scenes set on Earth.)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Like
Terminator 2
the initial preview for
Jurassic Park
This sequence serves as an introduction to the main movie. It depicts the miners who discovered the mosquito trapped in amber, setting the stage for the genetic engineering of dinosaurs. The scene concludes with a gradual focus towards the lens of a microscope until unveiling both the film’s title and its recognizable emblem. Although no dinosaurs appear, the narrator outlines the concept centered around the mosquito, ancient blood, and DNA. This leads up to mentioning how “for the very first time,” humans coexisted with dinosaurs due to these groundbreaking advancements. Finally, it wraps up with emphasis on a central point: “Jurassic Park…this summer, director Steven Spielberg promises he’ll transport you right into it.”
GoldenEye (1995)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
This iconic preview unveiled Pierce Brosnan as the newest incarnation of James Bond to viewers worldwide. Following a sequence where title cards declare that you can “still count on one man,” a mysterious figure with Brosnan’s silhouette strides onto the screen before systematically eradicating each letter in “on one man” until just “007” stands alone. He then steps into a well-lit close-up and delivers his famous line: “You were expecting someone else?” This leads seamlessly into an exciting montage showcasing key action scenes from the film.
GoldenEye.
Just like that, the movie dispelled the notion of Bond as an outdated relic and reinstated him as the epitome of cool action heroes across the globe. (As someone who was a 14-year-old with limited knowledge about James Bond when this trailer initially surfaced, I can personally attest: It
worked.
)
Godzilla (1998)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Everything about 1998’s
Godzilla
It was substantial. (“Size Matters” for a reason, as the movie put it.) Instead of merely showcasing scenes from the film, this trailer wove its own mini-narrative—a story about a group of children on a school outing at a natural history museum, which then turns into chaos when they’re chased by their beloved nuclear-powered monster. This came several years following
Jurassic Park
, the symbolism of Godzilla stomping on a massive dinosaur skeleton was unmistakable. If only the film had actually made good on its promise to outdo Spielberg’s dino-masterpiece.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Artisan Entertainment’s promotional strategy for
The Blair Witch Project
was perhaps even more remarkable than the movie itself. By stirring up significant public curiosity in this small mockumentary, they blurred the boundary between fiction and real life, fully embracing the notion that this was an actual occurrence.
real
document regarding several missing student filmmakers. In this process, they created various custom advertisements for the movie which included minimal footage from the actual production.
The Blair Witch Project
It includes a Sci-Fi Channel special that delved into the legend of the Blair Witch, along with teasers featuring faux news reports about the vanished students. Surprisingly enough, these promotional materials were highly effective. Not only did they
The Blair Witch Project
a groundbreaking success, numerous viewers grew persuaded it
was
a legitimate documentary for a while.
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
The massive excitement surrounding the comeback
Star Wars
in
The Phantom Menace
clarifies the unusual preview for
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
(The two films hit theaters only two weeks apart.) “The story will go on!” the narrator announces, referring to
The Phantom Menace
In his advertisement, prior to Mike Myers’ reveal of Dr. Evil with the line “You were expecting someone else?”—if it was effective enough for James Bond, then why not use it similarly in a James Bond parody such as Austin Powers? Indeed, it did just that.
did
work;
The Spy Who Danced With Me
generated more than $310 million globally, almost quintupling the earnings of the initial film.
Austin Powers.
Comedian (2002)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
During the ’90s and early 2000s, Jerry Seinfeld became nearly as famous for his American Express commercials as he did from his popular NBC television show. He gained recognition as somewhat of an advertisement genius, a status further solidified by the clever trailer promoting Seinfeld’s stand-up documentary.
Comedian.
Rather than showing clips from the movie, the advertisement had one of those deep-voiced trailer narrators (portrayed by actual trailer voice actor Hal Douglas) trying to figure out how to pitch the film.
Comedian
which is “not one of”
those
The various genres of films.” Everything he typically uses (“In a world! In a land! One man!”) isn’t going to be effective here. This situation undoubtedly stems from the truth that a documentary focusing on stand-up comedy wouldn’t allow for those tactics.
isn’t
It was an easy pitch. Nonetheless, the outcomes artfully conveyed Seinfeld’s observational brand of comedy without ever displaying the comedian himself.
Spider-Man (2002)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
In one of the most well-known examples of such trailers, a band of bank robbers fleeing in a helicopter are apprehended mid-air by an unseen Friendly Neighborhood Wall-Crawler who ensnares them with webs stretched between two skyscrapers. While this makes for an excellent preview, it wasn’t solely this element that made it stand out. What truly cemented its place in memory was the fact that these twin towers were none other than the World Trade Center, serving as an early teaser for Spider-Man from 2002.
Spider-Man
played in theaters in the summer of 2001, just a few weeks before the events of 9/11. Sony pulled the trailer after September 11 — which is why, all these years later, people still talk about it.
Cars (2006)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Pixar executed a clever slight-of-hand maneuver with the teaser.
Cars
Opening with a scene of pastoral splendor, where a bumblebee pollinates a flower. It seems akin to a cut segment from
A Bug’s Life
—but then the bee crashes into Mater the Tow Truck’s windshield. When his friend Lightning McQueen attempts to comfort him, they end up driving through an entire swarm of insects. Following this scene, a series of montages showcasing NASCAR-like racing action with anthropomorphic vehicles sets the distinctive visual style and atmosphere for the film. This blend creates something akin to a mix between
Days of Thunder
And a collection of silly children’s jokes.
Transformers (2007)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Although Steven Spielberg was just the producer of the film,
Transformers
movies, this preview seems very similar to the one for his
Jurassic Park.
Rather than displaying the primary visual effect spectacle right away, you introduce a prologue that anchors an extraordinary tale within realistic scientific contexts. In this scenario, a NASA Mars rover—which garnered significant media attention during the mid-2000s—stumbles upon enigmatic extraterrestrial life on Mars. Although the blurry video does not clearly show what the alien looks like, soon after, the film’s title logo pops up on screen…
Transformers.
It’s a trendy, sophisticated place — perhaps
too
chic and sophisticated, as the film leaned more towardsBayhem and risqué comedy.
The Social Network (2010)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
Considered among the greatest movie trailers ever made, this video features a choir rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep,” combined with sequences from Facebook imagery. It slowly builds up to display an image of Jesse Eisenberg portraying Mark Zuckerberg, then shifts into several clips from the film itself.
The Social Network.
This unconventional method proved extremely successful and turned into one of the most imitated trailer styles ever; even after 15 years, such teaser trailers featuring melancholic renditions of popular old hits continue to be common.
Prometheus (2012)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
This piece walks the fine line between being a trailer and a complete short film. In Ridley Scott’s
Prometheus
Guy Pearce portrays the terminally ill CEO of the Weyland Corporation.
Alien
In the promotional video titled “TED 2023,” unveiled a few months prior, we see this concept.
Prometheus
In cinemas, Pearce portrays a significantly younger Weyland delivering a TED talk about technology in the “futuristic” year of 2023, which occurs many years prior to the events depicted in the film.
Prometheus
Directed by Luke Scott, who is Scott’s son, and penned by Ridley Scott and
Prometheus
co-writer Damon Lindelof, the short/trailer capitalized on the popularity of TED Talks in the early 2010s, and gave this sci-fi film some real-world grounding.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Open the Youtube video
Subscribe to
Efwebeon Youtube
This one contains perhaps the least amount of “exclusive” footage of any trailer on this list. That’s precisely what makes it notable. The trailer for
Spider-Man: Homecoming
contained an image of Michael Keaton’s Vulture swooping down through a hotel atrium, and concluded with an impressive shot of Tom Holland’s Spidey and Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man flying through Manhattan. Neither appeared in the final film. In
an interview with this very website
,
Homecoming
director Jon Watts confirmed both were created specifically for marketing purposes. The Vulture one was made for a Comic-Con sizzle real; the Iron Man and Spider-Man one was for the trailer, because, in Watts’ words, “they wanted a shot of Spider-Man and Iron Man flying together” but the actual footage they had from the movie “didn’t look that great.” (“I feel a little weird that there’s a shot in the trailer that’s not in the movie at all, but it’s a cool shot,” Watts added.)