“Star Wars,” Steven Spielberg and the Minions are getting ready for the Big Game as Hollywood taps the Super Bowl to generate hype for several of its more anticipated blockbusters.
Disney is expected to air a trailer for “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” the first theatrical “Star Wars” film since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” It’s also possible the company might release a spot for “Toy Story 5,” one of the studio’s summer releases. But there won’t be trailers for “Avengers: Doomsday” or Marvel’s other upcoming superhero adventure, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” In fact, Sony, which releases the “Spider-Man” films, is sitting out the Super Bowl entirely, as are Netflix, Apple and Amazon/MGM, according to people familiar with the studios’ various plans.
Warner Bros., which typically doesn’t spend heavily in the Super Bowl, also isn’t expected to have much of a presence during the game. However, DC Studios will tease “Supergirl” during the Puppy Bowl, which is airing on Animal Planet — a TV network owned by corporate parent Warner Bros. Discovery. Love that synergy!
The audience for the Super Bowl can’t be matched, but studios may face some sticker shock when it comes to purchasing ads. NBC has sought between $7 million and more than $10 million for 30 seconds of ad time, making these promotions a costly expenditure.
That hasn’t stopped Universal, which, like NBC, is owned by Comcast. The studio is expected to run trailers for Spielberg’s alien invasion thriller “Disclosure Day,” as well as “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Minions 3.” Paramount, which was recently purchased by David Ellison’s deep-pocketed Skydance, will launch a trailer for “Scream 7” during the gridiron festivities.
Then there’s Lionsgate, which may use NBC’s hours of pre-game coverage to tout “Michael,” its upcoming biopic about Michael Jackson. That seems fitting given that the King of Pop’s Super Bowl halftime performance at the 1993 Super Bowl is considered to be one of the greatest ever.