Super Bowl LIX 2025 delivered an epic showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Equally anticipated were the commercials and trailers accompanying the game, a staple of Super Bowl Sunday that often steals the spotlight with its mix of star-studded ads and teaser trailers for the year’s most awaited films.
Fans got a sneak peek at the eighth and final instalment of Mission Impossible and a fresh look at the animated classic turned live-action, Lilo & Stitch. The event also served up previews featuring everything from dragons needing training to dinosaurs from a rebooted franchise, and not to forget, a slew of new superhero adventures.
Lilo & Stitch
During the Super Bowl, audiences saw a quirky TV spot for the live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch featuring Stitch darting across a football field, maintaining the film’s unique promotional style. The live-action version is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, known for Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, and introduces a new cast primarily of Hawaiian descent, while Chris Sanders, the original director, returns to voice the mischievous alien, Stitch.
How To Train Your Dragon
Universal is set to release a live-action version of How To Train Your Dragon in 2025, with director Dean DeBlois at the helm. DeBlois, who directed the first three animated films, showcased new footage of the film during the Super Bowl. This preview included glimpses not previously revealed, focusing on the central characters, Hiccup and his dragon Toothless.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Paramount unveiled fresh footage for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning during Super Bowl 2025, teasing what could be Tom Cruise’s last mission as Ethan Hunt. Cruise has long been synonymous with the franchise, performing increasingly audacious stunts with each new film. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning promises to push the boundaries once again, delivering intense action sequences and high-stakes espionage.
Thunderbolts*
Marvel Studios debuted fresh footage from Thunderbolts* during Super Bowl 2025, highlighting the unconventional team of antiheroes. One of the most significant reveals comes in a brief but striking moment where the group looks up in fear at the arrival of Robert Reynolds, also known as Sentry. Unlike the Avengers, this team consists primarily of skilled fighters with no superhuman abilities, making their chances against such an unstoppable force look increasingly bleak.
Jurassic World Rebirth
Universal brought dinosaurs back to the spotlight with a Jurassic World Rebirth TV spot during the Super Bowl, offering a condensed look at the upcoming film directed by Gareth Edwards, known for Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Taking place five years after Jurassic World Dominion, the story follows Zora Bennett, played by Scarlett Johansson, and Dr. Henry Loomis, portrayed by Jonathan Bailey, as they embark on a mission to collect DNA from three of the largest dinosaurs.
F1
Brad Pitt takes the driver’s seat in the new F1 Super Bowl TV spot. The 30-second ad, released online rather than airing during the game, highlights intense racing sequences alongside brief shots of Pitt’s character. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for Top Gun: Maverick, the film tells the story of a retired Formula One driver who returns to the sport to mentor a rising star, played by Damson Idris. As an Apple Studios production, F1 was filmed specifically for IMAX to enhance the racing experience on the big screen.
Smurfs
Paramount unveiled a 30-second TV spot for Smurfs ahead of the Super Bowl, releasing it online before the game. This condensed version of the official trailer focuses on Rihanna’s role as Smurfette, emphasising her involvement as the film’s lead voice actor. Directed by Chris Miller, known for Shrek the Third and Puss in Boots, the movie follows Smurfette and her fellow Smurfs as they embark on a journey into the real world after mysterious wizards abduct Papa Smurf. This marks the first Smurfs film under Paramount’s banner, following three live-action/animated adaptations previously produced by Sony.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
Kevin Low
