Every year, advertisers spend millions of dollars to premiere their content during the US’s ultra-popular Super Bowl.
The massive event, scheduled for 4 February, has a sad effect on the week preceding, with studios holding back their major trailers — either storing them for the Super Bowl itself or holding them back to avoid being overshadowed.
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Needless to say, last week’s trailers were nothing to write home about. But if you still need that fix, here they are.
Pacific Rim Uprising
The only major release last week was for the sequel Pacific Rim Uprising.
The trailer promises action from Star Wars‘ John Boyega as he joins a team ready to fight a new legion of Kaiju and one mysterious Jaeger.
Pacific Rim Uprising opens in South Africa on 23 March.
Love, Simon
This is the third trailer for Love, Simon to appear on this roundup series, but, hey, I warned you it’s a slow week.
Based on the novel Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the teen rom-com tells of a young, closeted Simon who finds solace with an anonymous classmate online. Beware: this trailer is rife with spoilers.
Catch the film in SA on 29 June.
Dundee
Dundee, starring Danny McBride and Chris Hemsworth in his natural Aussie accent, isn’t actually going to be a film.
Instead, this trailer (and two others, one of which stars Hugh Jackman), is actually an elaborate ad campaign for Australian tourism, the climax of which will premiere during the Super Bowl.
I warned you it was a slow week.
Looking Glass
This is actually a real film, but it stars Nicolas Cage, so it’s a win-lose situation.
Looking Glass tells the story of a man who discovers that the motel he recently bought has back tunnels that allow him to spy on guests through one-way mirrors. He becomes the small town’s prime suspect when one of his guests is murdered.
The film doesn’t yet have a local release date, but will be in the US on 16 February.
The Ritual
The tagline for this Netflix original is “the deeper you go, the scarier it becomes” and I know I’m not the only one who giggled.
In spite of this, The Ritual really wants you to take it seriously. It’s about a group of white men who don’t follow the glaring signs to get the hell out a haunted forest,
You’ve probably seen at least three variations of it before, but here’s another one and it premieres on Netflix 9 February.
Seven Seconds
This Netflix original series follows a grieving mother who searches for the truth about her son’s murder.
Set in a US rife with racial tension and police brutality, Seven Seconds looks to explore the inner lives of individuals existing in broken systems.
The first season premieres on Netflix on 23 February.
Status Update
Sometimes teen films can blow you away, and other times they’re Status Update.
Starring Disney alum Ross Lynch — who looked like he was heading towards edgier roles with his stint in My Friend Dahmer — Status Update follows the nerdy new kid in school who discovers that everything he posts on an app will come true.
Status Update opens in SA 30 November.
André the Giant
Famous wrestler André the Giant was known for his larger-than-life persona — but his gigantism wasn’t always a blessing.
In the new HBO documentary André the Giant, prominent figures from the wrestling world sit down to discuss the life and career of one of the industry’s biggest stars.
It premieres in the US on HBO 10 April.
