Super Bowl 2026: A Sneak Peek at the Year’s Biggest Movies
The Super Bowl isn’t just about football; it’s become a massive platform for movie marketing. With over 128 million potential viewers, a 30-second ad spot now costs a record $10 million – up from an estimated $7.5M-$8M last year. Studios are strategically leveraging this exposure to boost box office success, and 2026 promises a thrilling lineup of previews.
Lionsgate Bets Big on the King of Pop
Lionsgate is making a significant play with a Super Bowl spot for Michael, the highly anticipated biopic about the life of Michael Jackson, set to release on April 24th. This isn’t Lionsgate’s first rodeo; they previously utilized the Super Bowl stage in 2012 with The Hunger Games and in 2016 with Gods of Egypt. The studio clearly believes a Super Bowl ad is crucial for the global launch of this major film.
Scream 7: A Chilling Return
Paramount is set to unveil a chilling trailer for Scream 7, opening February 27th, during the pre-game coverage. Paramount has a strong track record of success in this time slot, with last year’s Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning fueling a record Memorial Day weekend gross of $330 million. Disney’s Lilo & Stitch also benefited from the exposure, opening to $79 million over four days.
Disney’s Powerhouse Lineup
Disney is, as always, a major player. Expect to see spots for Pixar’s Hoppers (March 6th) and Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (Memorial Day weekend, May 22nd). The last Star Wars film to receive a Super Bowl ad was 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Pixar’s Toy Story 5 (June 19th) is also a strong contender. Interestingly, Marvel Studios, despite having Avengers: Doomsday (December 18th) and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31st) on the horizon, is reportedly sitting out this year – a rare occurrence.
Dwayne Johnson isn’t expected to feature in a Super Bowl spot for his live-action Moana (July 10th), though he’s known for surprises.
Illumination Doubles Down
Illumination, through Universal, will be making a splash with not one, but two tentpole films: Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Easter weekend, April 1st) and Minions 3 (July 1st). Additionally, Steven Spielberg’s new alien movie, Disclosure Day, will invade the broadcast on June 12th.
Who’s Sitting This One Out?
Netflix, Apple Original Films, Sony, and Warner Bros. are typically absent from the Super Bowl ad lineup, opting to release their spots in the week leading up to the game, aligning with other brands’ strategies.
February has been dubbed ‘Legendary February’ by NBCUniversal, which will also be broadcasting the Winter Olympics from Milan-Cortina, Italy, and the NBA All-Star game.
Stay tuned for more updates as Super Bowl 2026 approaches!
