Trailers are a key part of the marketing for movies, otherwise no one would know a given film exists. However, in an effort to showcase what a movie is about, certain trailers end up spoiling key moments, or sometimes, the very ending.
For some viewers, it doesn’t ruin the experience, but for others, it takes away the suspense that the movie worked hard to build. These are the films where the trailer didn’t just tease what’s to come, it practically laid it all out, leaving audiences with fewer surprises once they finally sat down to watch.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The trailer revealed that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator is the protector, spoiling what was meant to be a major mid-film twist.
Cast Away
Marketing showed Tom Hanks returning home, removing any suspense about whether his character survives the island ordeal.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
The trailer revealed Doomsday, effectively spoiling the film’s final act and surprise escalation. It was known the heroes would stop fighting, but not who they would fight against.
Quarantine
The final scare shot was included in the trailer, removing the impact of the film’s ending. Not to mention that every single death can be seen on teasers.
The Island
Trailers revealed the clone twist and much of the third act, undercutting the mystery and making the initial moments more of a drag.
The Grey
The marketing suggested a final wolf fight, but also gave away the film’s core confrontation and tone shift.
Oblivion
The trailer revealed the existence of clones, a central twist meant to unfold gradually in the story and certainly not something you know from the start.
FreeWilly
Not that the ending was hard to guess with such a title, but the iconic whale jump over the barrier was the emotional climax, completely spoiled in marketing.
What Lies Beneath
The trailer gave away the identity of the threat, something only revealed far past the mid-point of the movie, undermining the film’s suspense.
The Mummy Returns
Major reveals about the Scorpion King and final battle were prominently featured in trailers, something meant to be a surprise in the film.
The Wolverine
Marketing revealed the Silver Samurai, a key final act reveal. Unlike other comic book adaptations, Wolverine in Japan didn’t immediatly translate to the Silver Samurai appearing.
The Lone Ranger
Climactic train sequences and final set pieces were showcased extensively in marketing, removing any surprise or suspense during the film.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Trailers hinted strongly at character fates and plot direction, spoiling key dramatic turns and plenty of setpieces and deaths.
Pet Sematary
The trailer for the 2019 remake revealed the major twist involving which child dies, removing the film’s biggest surprise.
