18 Movie Trailers from the ’90s That Were Actually Better Than the Films
Remember rushing to the theater in the ’90s after seeing a mind-blowing trailer, only to feel totally let down by the actual movie? I sure do! Movie studios mastered the art of cutting together two-minute sizzle reels that promised way more than filmmakers could deliver.
So let’s rewind to those pre-YouTube days when these 18 trailers had us all fooled into buying tickets for disappointments.
1. The Phantom Menace (1999)
Goosebumps covered my arms when Darth Maul ignited that double-sided lightsaber in the trailer. Pure cinematic electricity! The teaser masterfully played on our Star Wars nostalgia while promising an epic new beginning.
What we got instead was Jar Jar Binks, trade federation disputes, and midi-chlorians. The actual film buried its coolest character (Maul) under hours of political mumbo-jumbo and wooden dialogue.
2. Godzilla (1998)
That teaser where Godzilla’s foot crushes a museum dinosaur skeleton? Marketing brilliance! I watched it repeatedly on my VHS recording of Men in Black, convinced this would redefine monster movies forever.
The finished product delivered a glorified iguana running from Matthew Broderick. Director Roland Emmerich somehow made a 200-foot lizard destroying Manhattan boring. Even the Baby Godzillas subplot felt lifted from Jurassic Park’s raptor scenes.
3. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
That eerie teaser had me believing those students vanished, fueled by clever marketing like missing posters.
The picture, though, was endless shaky footage of trees and arguments, with a strong final scene unable to offset the nausea-inducing journey.
4. Batman & Robin (1997)
Warner Bros’ trailer wizards somehow made Bat-nipples and ice puns look cool! The preview promised dark action with slick visuals and an all-star cast including Schwarzenegger and Thurman as iconic villains.
My childhood Batman dreams shattered upon seeing the neon-drenched disaster. The film replaced Tim Burton’s gothic vision with campy nonsense, ridiculous gadgets, and that infamous Bat-credit card moment.
Even George Clooney apologizes for this one to this day!
5. Lost in Space (1998)
The teaser suggested a bold sci-fi epic, upgrading the ’60s show with dazzling effects. The picture faltered with confusing time twists and squandered talent, despite Gary Oldman’s flair.
Those spider creatures linger as a nightmare, not a highlight.
6. Wild Wild West (1999)
Will Smith’s charm, steampunk gadgets, and a catchy song made the preview irresistible. The feature stumbled with a spider-obsessed plot and awkward humor, leaving Barry Sonnenfeld’s effort disjointed.
Smith later called it his worst career choice.
7. The Avengers (1998)
This British spy teaser hinted at a chic thriller with Fiennes and Thurman facing Connery’s villain.
Studio cuts turned the feature into a jumbled wreck, with the teddy bear disguise epitomizing its failure, far from the promised fun.
8. End of Days (1999)
Schwarzenegger versus Satan at the millennium! The apocalyptic trailer promised dark theological horror with Arnold returning to badass form after his heart surgery. Perfect for pre-Y2K anxiety!
The actual movie delivered a bizarre mix of action clichés and religious mumbo-jumbo. Despite Gabriel Byrne’s creepy Devil performance, the film collapsed under its own self-importance.
I still laugh thinking about Arnold punching the Devil while yelling “You’re a choirboy compared to me!”
9. The Beach (2000)
Technically squeaking in as a ’90s trailer for a 2000 release! The preview promised a visually stunning adventure with post-Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio discovering paradise, suggesting a profound exploration of utopian society breakdown.
Instead, director Danny Boyle delivered a tonally inconsistent mess that couldn’t decide if it was a thriller, romance, or social commentary. The video game sequence? Pure early-2000s cringe.
Even paradise can’t save a script this confused, proving that not even Leo’s star power could rescue this vacation gone wrong.
10. Sphere (1998)
An underwater alien mystery with Hoffman, Stone, and Jackson seemed like Crichton gold in the teaser.
The picture sank under vague psychobabble and weak reveals, wasting its cast and premise, leaving the shiny sphere as its only memorable trait.
11. The Postman (1997)
Kevin Costner’s post-apocalyptic epic trailer gave me chills! It presented a heartfelt story about rebuilding America through mail delivery (more inspiring than it sounds) with gorgeous cinematography and emotional weight.
Then came the three-hour slog itself. Costner’s self-indulgent direction turned what could’ve been a tight, meaningful film into a bloated mess of sentimentality.
The “Shakespeare scene” alone had my entire theater groaning. Even Tom Petty’s bizarre cameo couldn’t save this misguided vanity project.
12. Alien: Resurrection (1997)
That underwater chase sequence in the trailer? Absolutely! The fourth Alien installment teased a fresh take with French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s unique visual style and Ripley’s intriguing clone storyline.
The actual film felt like fan fiction gone wrong. Despite Sigourney Weaver’s valiant efforts, the bizarre tone shifts and cartoonish characters undermined any tension.
The human-alien hybrid creature (affectionately nicknamed “Newborn”) ranks among sci-fi’s most laughably bad creations.
13. Spawn (1997)
As a teenage comic book fan, this trailer blew my mind! The dark visuals, hellish transformations, and John Leguizamo’s creepy Clown promised the mature superhero film we’d been waiting for.
The finished product? A CGI nightmare with effects that looked dated even in ’97. Despite Michael Jai White’s committed performance, the film neutered the comic’s edge to secure a PG-13 rating.
The Hell sequences resembled a PlayStation 1 cutscene, and not even the awesome cape animation could save this underfunded adaptation.
14. The Haunting (1999)
Jan de Bont’s trailer for this haunted house remake sent shivers down my spine! The gothic visuals, stellar cast (Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson), and promise of psychological horror had me counting days until release.
What we got was a CGI ghost fest that abandoned the subtle terror of the 1963 original. The house looked amazing, but the digital effects removed all mystery and dread.
15. Event Horizon (1997)
Space horror with Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill? The trailer promised Alien-level tension with a psychological edge as a rescue crew encounters a ship that literally went to hell and back.
Studio interference gutted what could’ve been a cult classic. Director Paul W.S. Anderson’s original vision was reportedly much darker and coherent before Paramount demanded extensive cuts.
The theatrical version felt like a highlight reel of cool moments without connective tissue. The “Hell dimension” glimpses still haunt me though!
16. Judge Dredd (1995)
Stallone as comic book anti-hero Judge Dredd seemed perfect casting! The trailer showcased a dystopian Mega-City One with amazing production design, promising faithful adaptation of the British comic’s satirical ultraviolence.
Then Stallone removed his helmet (sacrilege to fans!) and the film devolved into generic ’90s action schlock. The comic’s dark humor and social commentary vanished, replaced by buddy comedy elements with Rob Schneider.
Even with Armand Assante’s scenery-chewing villain and cool Lawmaster motorcycles, this missed the mark by lightyears.
17. Congo (1995)
Michael Crichton adaptations were box office gold after Jurassic Park! The Congo trailer promised exotic adventure, high-tech exploration, and dangerous gorillas guarding diamond mines. What’s not to love?
Everything, as it turned out. Despite the talented cast, the film delivered laughable animatronic apes and a talking gorilla named Amy who communicated through a ridiculous sign language glove. Even as a 12-year-old, I knew this was ridiculous.
18. Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Keanu Reeves in a William Gibson cyberpunk adventure directed by a renowned artist? The trailer sold a stylish near-future thriller where information couriers smuggle data in their brains. Pre-Matrix Keanu seemed perfect!
The actual film? A watered-down mess that butchered Gibson’s vision. Despite cool concepts like dolphin hackers and Ice-T as a revolutionary, the execution felt like a bad music video. Keanu’s infamous “I want room service!” meltdown became legendary for all the wrong reasons.