Another year, another Super Bowl championship game to captivate audiences around the globe. This time around, Super Bowl LI will see the New England Patriots go up against the Atlanta Falcons for the greatest prize in NFL. Even for those with only a passing interest in the sport, the Super Bowl tends to pull in huge viewing figures with each year that passes, giving film studios the impetus to showcase their upcoming blockbusters in front of what is no doubt one of the biggest audiences on the planet.
And so, as Sunday’s main event draws near, Deadline brings word that Paramount has secured enough screentime to roll out new trailers for both Transformers: The Last Knight and Ghost in the Shell, Rupert Sanders’ live-action manga adaptation that thrusts Scarlett Johansson into the title role of Major Motoko Kusanagi. From one pocket of science fiction to another, there’s also mention of a new sizzle reel for Life, the star-studded space thriller in which Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson uncover proof of extraterrestrial intelligence. It marks the first time Sony has booked a spot during the primetime Super Bowl window since The Amazing Spider-Man 2 three years ago. Elsewhere, Universal, 20th Century Fox and Disney also have trailers to unveil, and we’ll keep you posted should we learn of any new developments.
Of the three movies in question, Life is scheduled to launch first on March 24th, followed in quick succession by Ghost in the Shell on March 31st. Last and certainly not least, Transformers: The Last Knight will see old friends become enemies – and vice versa – when Michael Bay’s blockbuster sequel slams into theaters on June 23rd.