Super Bowl time across the pond means one thing: food. All right, also the culmination of the NFL season. So... two things. Well, three if you count the proliferation of ads for all sorts of products. And included in that last group are the big movie trailers and extended TV spots that studios spend millions to get in front of as many eyes as possible. And since they also go online, we can serve them up on one handy page. So no matter which movie team you're cheering for, you can find something to enjoy here.
Ghost In The Shell
Premiering a few days before the big game (it's cheaper that way), the Ghost In The Shell spot took the cut-down-previous-trailers approach, with footage we've largely seen. It may be too late to win over some naysayers, but the movie certainly has visual razzle-dazzle to spare.
Life
Another trick for Super Bowl ads is to air a usual-length spot that point you towards a longer online experience. So it was with the sci-fi thriller that sees Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson confronting some microbial danger in space. The new trailer continued the theme of historical off-Earth exploration tied to the terror of the new threat.
A Cure For Wellness
We've seen enough of Gore Verbinski's Hitchcock/Polanski-channeling spa-set thriller to get an idea for what you'll be in for: Dane DeHaan investigating the weird health farm and discovering something more upsetting than regular hospital food.
Transformers: The Last Knight
Michael Bay's particularly brand of explosions, massive robots and improbable plot turns melds as well with Super Bowl viewing as nachos and cheese dip. So it's perhaps not surprising that The Last Knight's ad went as big as possible. Of course, we're sure the movie will be a quiet reflection on ethics and friendship. And if you believe that, we've got a talking bridge we'd like to sell you.
John Wick: Chapter 2
Taking a pop at a rival movie is nothing new in ads, but John Wick: Chapter 2 took solid aim at US release slot opponent Fifty Shades Darker and gave it a swift punch up the bracket before filling it with lead. Or something. Regardless, it firmly set out its stock in trade – beautifully choreographed action and tough guys being tough.
Baywatch
Part One Of Dwayne Johnson Dominates The Super Bowl in this line-up... He's the lead for the movie version of the beaches 'n' bods series that adds an extra layer of comedy. You know what you're getting from this one already.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge
Never a series to skimp on the spectacle, Pirates feels like another natural fit for a Super Bowl ad. And, hoping to raise the franchise's profile after the less well-received last outing, we'll have to see if the mixture of supernatural madness and yo-ho pirate action works this time.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
Set to a version of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain (happy birthday, Rumours!), the latest glimpse of the Guardians held true to what we like about the first film: audacious space adventure with characters we care about that never take themselves too seriously. And a talking raccoon saying "frickin'". You know, the basics.
Logan
The latest – and as he keeps saying, final – outing for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is nearly with us, so the new ad didn't mess around with too much plot. Mostly, it focused on the action that will tempt the sports fans.
Fast & Furious 8
Known as The Fate Of The Furious in the land of the Super Bowl, the latest adventure for Dom and the rest posits the unthinkable: can Vin Diesel's Toretto really have turned against the family? And will he start living his life half a mile at a time, the traitorous baldy bonce? We'll have to find out what's really going on in the movie, but suffice to say the ad comes loaded with the sort of vehicular mayhem we've come to know (and, in our secret hearts, love) from this lot. Oh, and this is Part two of Dwayne Johnson Dominates The Super Bowl.
Stranger Things Season 2
Yes, in this age of quality TV, it's hardly surprising that a show would match up to the spending power of the studios. Netflix, knowing the popularity of its supernatural series amped up the '80s nostalgia and got us all stoked for the return of the show... In eight months' time. Son of a diddly!