Trailer Round-up: Boy, That Escalated Quickly

There were a bunch of big name trailers dropping this week…and they’re all sequels in some shape or form. While some deserve a chance, there are clearly a few sequels in this week’s round-up that shouldn’t exist at all. The biggest sequel trailer? Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. It brought us our first look at the story and will hopefully fare better as the months go on. The biggest original property? The LEGO Movie because it was a such a wonderful surprise. 

There were a few other notable trailers we didn’t get to cover, so they’re here too. The World’s End dropped a very spoilerific trailer (which is why we didn’t cover it. No one on staff wanted to spoil it for themselves),  Free Birds (some Thanksgiving movie), and Killing Season, a hilarious for all the wrong reasons movie. Hit the jump for the full kit and kaboodle. 

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (December 20th)

Starring: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, James Marsden, and a load of other funny or notable faces

Synopsis: The Channel Four News has fallen on hard times as the 70s ended, and are now trying to work their way back in as the start on a 24 hour news channel. 

Comments: The jokes are more miss that hit, but I’m hoping the better jokes are being saved for later. 

Verdict: It’s Anchorman, so everyone is seeing it regardless. 

Free Birds (November 1st)

Starring: Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson

Synopsis: Reggie and Jake are two turkeys who use a time machine to travel to the first Thanksgiving in order to save the rest of their kind. 

Comments: Harrelson seems to be the stand out, and the actual premise feels fresh and interesting. 

Verdict: There are worse looking holiday movies out there.

Frozen (November 27th)

Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gadd, and Jonathan Groff

Synopsis: Anna and Elsa are two sisters. Elsa wants to turn their home into a eternal winter place. Anna has to stop her. 

Comments: This is a teaser, so it doesn’t show much of the story or actual movie, but it’s hard to deny its charm. 

Verdict: Well, we should wait a little more to see how this turns out. 

Kick-Ass 2 (August 16th)

Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Jim Carrey, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Synopsis: Now that Kick-Ass has become a household name thanks to the events of the first film, other folks have donned superhero outfits leading to a big fight between two sets of teams. 

Comments: I didn’t want to feature this trailer here since it’s pretty much the same as the other trailer, but…here we are. 

Verdict: Eh yup. 

Killing Season (July 12th)

Starring: John Travolta and Robert DeNiro

Synopsis: Robert DeNiro is a veteran who meets a European John Travolta, but now has to protect himself from Travolta and his accent. 

Comments: lol that Travolta accent. 

Verdict: Haha, nope nope. 

The LEGO Movie (February 14th, 2014)

Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson and other notable names

Synopsis: Emmet is suddenly destined to save the world of LEGO from President Businessman and who cares because LEGO is cool. 

Comments: Gosh the animation is superb. Is it stop motion or just really good CG? It’s spectacular to look at. 

Verdict: GIMME GIMME

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (August 21st)

Starring: Lily Collins, other people. 

Synopsis: Clary finds out she’s actually half-Angel and joins a group that hunts down demons living on Earth. Also romance because Twilight. 

Comments: I still think COB has the best chance of being the next Twilight, and this trailer doesn’t make me change my mind. 

Verdict: If you liked Twilight there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this. 

Only God Forgives

Starring: Ryan Gosling and his beautiful face. 

Synopsis: Julian (Gosling), runs a boxing club front for his drug smuggling family in Thailand has to hunt down his brother’s killer (because his mom said to), a guy who believes he’s the law like Dredd.

Comments: It’s a little more accessible looking than Drive was, so I’ll expect a bigger response to it. 

Verdict: Only god forgives those who don’t see this. 

Riddick (September 6th)

Starring: Vin Diesel…and no one else because I’ll always look at Vin Diesel. 

Synopsis: Pretty much the same story as Pitch Black. Some folks are hunting down Riddick and then monsters attack. 

Comments: Other than the rumors that Riddick is made on a budget, Vin Diesel still looks on point. 

Verdict: We family. Ride or die. 

The Smurfs 2 (July 31st)

Starring: Ugh. 

Synopsis: Ugh. 

Comments: Ugh. 

Verdict: Smurfy Smurfsmurffer

The Wolf of Wall Street (November 15th)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaghey

Synopsis: A film about the rise and fall of Wall Street juggernaut Jordan Belfort.

Comments: Nice to see DiCaprio playing Gatsby again.

Verdict: “Baby we living in the moment, I’ve been a menace for the longest, But I ain’t finished, I’m devoted, And you know it, and you know it…”

The World’s End

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, and Rosamund Pike

Synopsis: Five childhood friends reunite for a second chance at an epic pub crawl. Along the way, something strange happens around them.

Comments: There are reports that this trailers ruins the biggest mystery of the film (more so than the first trailer), so watch at your own risk.

Verdict: I didn’t watch the trailer myself, but I’ve been all in since Shaun of the Dead.