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Remember the days when Iron Man 3‘s Mandarin was still terrifying, or when the identity of Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Star Trek Into Darkness villain was (more or less) a mystery?
This year we had movie trailers that tantalized, teased and deceived — showing us team-ups between two generations of X-Men and the return of Despicable Me. As part of 2013’s Year In Review, The Hollywood Reporter looks back at 10 of the most talked about trailers of the year.
PHOTOS: Todd McCarthy’s 10 Best Films of 2013
Iron Man 3
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is in a bad place in the theatrical trailer for Iron Man 3, admitting that he’s unable to sleep after saving the world in The Avengers. The Mandarin’s (Ben Kingsley) menacing work in this trailer had Marvel fans buzzing, though his portrayal in the film ultimately proved controversial.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
After exploring World War II in the first Captain America film, the star-spangled Avenger is back — this time for a political thriller that sees Cap (Chris Evans) at odds with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford). The mysterious Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) is also in the mix.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Keeping on the Marvel tip, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 reveals quite a bit — from Jamie Foxx‘s Electro to Paul Giamatti‘s Rhino suit. It also has hints of someone on a Green Goblin glider and introduced Norman and Harry Osborn into the rebooted franchise.
Gravity
Awards contender Gravity got a lot of attention by unveiling a series of breathtaking teasers that gave people an extended look at one scene from the film. Things go very, very wrong for Sandra Bullock and George Clooney‘s astronaut characters in the trailer.
Star Trek Into Darkness
Four years after introducing his reboot, J.J. Abrams returned to the U.S.S. Enterprise for Star Trek Into Darkness. The identity of Cumberbatch’s villain — though speculated to be Khan — was officially kept under wraps, and the actor managed to dominate the trailer. “No ship should go down without her captain,” is among his chilling lines.
Despicable Me 2
Steve Carell made the anticipated return as Felonious Gru in Despicable Me 2. The trailer teased Kristen Wiig‘s Lucy Wilde, a partnership that would help the film earn more than $900 million worldwide.
Man of Steel
Anticipation for Man of Steel was at a fever pitch by the time Zack Snyder‘s Superman epic hit theaters. The trailers for the film were filled to the brim with action, but still left plenty on the table for fans to see in theaters.
Elysium
The return of District 9 helmer Neill Blomkamp sees Matt Damon in a race to get to Elysium, a space station where the elite live in splendor. Unlike a lot of summer blockbusters, Elysium didn’t release its first teaser a year ahead of its release. Instead, audiences saw the first trailer in April — a relatively short four months before it hit theaters.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Jennifer Lawrence returned as the girl on fire in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The trailer played up the film’s political themes and the antagonistic relationship between Katniss (Lawrence) and President Snow (Donald Sutherland).
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Bryan Singer‘s return to the director’s chair will unite two generations of mutants. The first trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past highlights X-Men mainstays Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Hugh Jackman, along with X-Men: First Class castmembers Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy.
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