The Super Bowl TV Spots Ranked by Popularity (According to YouTube)
By: Keaton Marcus
Last night, the 49ers and the Chiefs faced off in an epic Super Bowl, (the latter won 31-20), but it wasn’t just football that had people going crazy, or even the halftime show. That’s right, the TV spots for several movies turned out to be even better than we hoped for. They may be only 30 seconds each, but some are extremely worth it. In this article, we break down and rank the Super Bowl trailers by popularity according to YouTube views.
Sonic the Hedgehog: 208,915 views
With over 200,000 views since last night, the Sonic the Hedgehog Super Bowl TV spot claimed the throne with ease. Topping even the most anticipated movies, the quick look made clever usage of several athletes “complimenting” the fastest hedgehog alive with humor. At 1 minute 18 secs, it’s the longest of the TV spots, since it also includes some action-packed footage of the film in the final half. Overall, the views look promising, but this 90 million production looks a bit incoherent, and disappointingly unfunny, but who knows.
A Quiet Place Part II: 140,307 views
Taking runner-up was sequel to the horror phenomenon, A Quiet Place Part II which rollicked viewers with a fast-paced, tension fueled TV spot, earning over 140,000 views since last night. However, who stole the show was a quick glimpse of the return of John Krasinski, at least for a flashback. The original was an excellent horror movie, and the sequel should keep stamina without losing too much steam.
Top Gun: Maverick: 128,815 views
What’s also earning some serious popularity was reboot/sequel Top Gun: Maverick which garnered 128,815 views since last night. Still starring Tom Cruise, and introducing fresh roles portrayed by Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller and more, Maverick gives audiences a fast look at many thrilling scenes in the air to come, but the script looks a little dreary back on the ground. However, what was most beloved about the original was the cheesy tone, so what the heck, go crazy.
Minions: The Rise of Gru: 127,864 views
Another sequel in the top five happened to be the animated Minions: The Rise of Gru, generating 127,864 views so far. This sequel to the 1.1 billion dollar prequel is telling the story of young Gru (played by Steve Carell in Despicable Me), and it should still have some box office charm left. The popularity seems exceptional, and the trailer gives all the gags and colorful visuals young viewers should need.
Black Widow: 113,403 views
Rounding out the top five was the MCU’s prequel Black Widow, which has drawn a respectably good 113,403 views so far. It’s got some great sound effects, and of course, like every Marvel film, it’s full of special effects driven action infused with humor (this time brought by Stranger Things’ David Harbour). Scarlett Johansson looks full bad-ass, and it seems like a lot of good old fun. I’m psyched, and ready to head to the multiplex.
No Time to Die: 102,108 views
While it may have been a tad disappointing that James Bond installment No Time to Die didn’t reach the top five, it still bagged a solid 102,108 views so far. Also, we still can’t quite judge a movie such as this by its YouTube views, especially considering the previous flick earned over 880 million at the global box office. Quality wise, this anticipated movie has the typical stunt and set-pieced jacked action sequences, and well….Daniel Craig wearing a fancy suit. Looks good, I suppose.
Mulan (2020): 91,163 views
Disney is releasing another live-action reboot, and this time it’s Mulan, which after two full-length trailers, the remake has released its TV spot with middling signs of success. After nabbing 91,163 views since last night, we were expecting something much larger, considering the studio’s last live-action remake, The Lion King, grossed over 1.6 billion last year. We don’t think it will flop as hard as Dumbo, but it sure looks expensive, despite being beautifully shot and made.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run: 89,707 views
We weren’t projecting a great amount for CG-animated sequel The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and it seems to have done its job, sailing to 89,707 views so far. This isn’t exactly a terrific start, but it looks well on track for solid success, with the original being a reasonable hit (325.1M on a 74M budget). There’s glimpses of cameos from Keanu Reeves and Snoop Dogg, and the humor is often cute. It isn’t confirmed to be incredible, but the TV spot, and the official trailer should keep young viewers interested.
Fast & Furious 9: 77,374 views
All the way back in ninth was the TV spot for Fast & Furious 9, which only drove to 77,374 views, but this was just a highlight reel of a full-length trailer later in the game (which earned much more watchers). So while these aren’t exactly massive figures, the popularity of the franchise and the exciting return of Han should propel it to box office, if not critical victory.
The Invisible Man: 75,590 views
Obviously ranking last out of the ten TV spots was Universal’s horror reboot The Invisible Man which does look pretty interesting, and it earned 75,590 views since last night, which isn’t too shabby for an R-rated, low-budget film of that genre. The clip is tense, and well-executed, but quality won’t mean everything in the box office. Especially since all four horror films in the first five weeks of 2020 have flopped.