What makes a great trailer? If you were to ask acclaimed director David Fincher, he would probably say quick cuts that keep you on the edge of your seat. But to me, nothing makes a trailer better than some amazing music.
Within the last 10 years, trailers have moved away from the classic voice-over model and have evolved into using popular music to establish the necessary tone for advertising the film.
Last week, the first trailer for David Ayer’s new film SUICIDE SQUAD hit the web. Ayer, best know for directing END OF WATCH and FURY, created quite an internet storm with the release of the new trailer. Set entirely to Queen’s classic hit “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the song perfectly embodies the pure chaos of the trailer.
With the new SUICIDE SQUAD trailer fresh on our minds, we took a look back at some of our favorite trailers set to music. While the films may not have all gone on to be Best Picture winners (ARGO), these trailers left us begging for more, all thanks to the perfect song (or songs).
Suicide Squad (2016)
Director- David Ayer
Starring- Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, and Jai Courtney
Song- “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
The Martian (2015)
Director- Ridley Scott
Starring- Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, and Chiwetel Ejiofor
Song- “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix
Cinderella (2015)
Director- Kenneth Branagh
Starring- Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgard, and Helena Bohem Carter
Song- “My Blood” by Ellie Goulding
Aloha (2015)
Director- Cameron Crowe
Starring- Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, and Alec Baldwin
Song- “First” by Cold War Kids
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Director- John Lee Hancock
Starring- Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Colin Farrell and Ruth Wilson
Song- “Lost and Found” by Katie Herzig
Great Gatsby (2013)
Director- Baz Luhrmann
Starring- Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, and Jason Clarke
Songs- “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West
“Love is Blindness” by Jack White
The Counselor (2013)
Director- Ridley Scott
Starring- Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt
Song- “Sail” by AWOLNATION
Epic (2013)
Director- Chris Wedge
Starring- Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Pitbull, Chris O’Dowd, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, and Beyoncé
Song- “The Lightning Strike (What If the Storm Ends?)” by Snow Patrol
Argo (2012)
Director- Ben Affleck
Starring- Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman
Song- “Dream On” by Aerosmith
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Director- David O. Russell
Starring- Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, and Chris Tucker
Song- “Hey Ho” by The Lumineers
Flight (2012)
Director- Robert Zemeckis
Starring- Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman and Brian Greenberg
Songs- “Gimmie Shelter” by The Rolling Stones
Life of Pi (2012)
Director: Ang Lee
Starring- Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, and Rafe Spall
Song- “Paradise” by Coldplay
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Directors- Stephen J. Anderson and Don Hall
Song- “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane
Crazy Stupid Love (2011)
Directors- Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Starring- Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, and Kevin Bason
Song- “Starlight” by Muse
Easy A (2010)
Director- Will Gluck
Starring- Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Hayden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, and Stanley Tucci
Song- “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga
The Departed (2006)
Starring- Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nickolson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Anthony Anderson, and Alec Baldwin
“Gimme Shelter” by Rolling Stones
“I’m Shipping Up To Boston” by The Irish Travelers
Miracle (2004)
Director- Gavin O’Connor
Starring- Kurt Russell and Patricia Clarkson
Songs- “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult
“Dream On” by Aerosmith
American Beauty (1999)
Director- Sam Mendes
Starring- Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Pater Gallagher, Allison Janney, and Chris Cooper
Songs- “Baba O’Riley” by The Who
