Last week, San Diego Comic-Con again delivered on all things pop culture. Fans received a first look at the culture’s most anticipated shows and films, all while celebrating with the casts of our favorite properties. We also got some exciting new trailers that set new expectations for studios, shows, and franchises. How do the films stack up? Well, it is my job to rank them! I based these rankings on the actual trailers, the franchise or property’s previous success, and overall fan reactions. With that, here is the ranking of all eight Comic-Con trailers and the films they preview.
I’m Out
8. Teen Wolf: The Movie
October 2022
Full disclosure, I have never watched MTV’s Teen Wolf. The show had a six-season run on MTV in the 2010s, a true accomplishment. However, why is Teen Wolf: The Movie being released so long after the end of the tv show? Maybe there is an audience that is clamoring for a proper ending. Or perhaps Paramount+ believes it can cash in on the popularity of Stranger Things. Whatever the reason, it is obvious this movie was made for its fans. The Comic-Con trailer indicates that you must be familiar with the show to understand what’s happening. The trailer’s subpar visual effects and melodramatic dialogue didn’t help either. I’m sure the fans will geek out, and I am excited for them.
I’ll Watch It, but I’ll Probably Not Enjoy It
7. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (Toei Animation)
August 19, 2022
I sincerely wish that the Dragon Ball franchise did not have a chokehold on so many anime fans. I understand that Dragon Ball was many anime fans’ introduction to the genre (it was certainly mine). Yet, nostalgia has us constantly overrating a show that rarely does anything interesting. Sure, the fight scenes are fun fireworks displays, but I wouldn’t exactly call it cutting edge by any account. Plus, the storylines get dumber by the series.
That said, I recognize that Dragon Ball has some very likable characters, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero seems to be focusing on my two favorites: Piccolo and Gohan. This movie looks like it will finally give fans what they want by making Gohan relevant again. Will I watch this? Probably, but I am going to feel guilty afterward.
6. Black Adam (DC/Warner Bros.)
October 21, 2022
First, let me say that I love Dwayne Johnson movies. I believe Johnson comes the closest to reaching Arnold Schwarzenegger’s level of action stardom. I can watch a marathon of his films, even the “bad” ones, because “The Rock” is a force of charisma on screen. I also appreciate how passionate Johnson was in getting this movie made.
With that, I must say that these Black Adam trailers look bad. What we have is the titular character being supercharged and wrecking through stuff. There doesn’t seem to be anything resembling a threat to Black Adam after he receives his powers. All the special effects and badass stares from the Rock ring hollow without any actual stakes or conflict to balance it. Couple that with DC/Warner Bros having such a lackluster showing at SDCC in general, and the Comic-Con trailer may have hurt this movie more than it helped. Still, Dwayne Johnson is the box office king for a reason.
Cautiously Optimistic
5. Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu)
August 5, 2022
A predator movie set in Colonial America centered on indigenous peoples. What could go wrong? I am excited to see Amber Midthunder (Legion) do more work on the large screen, and director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) has talent. However, The Predator franchise almost seems cursed at this point. No movie in the franchise has come close to capturing the success of the first Predator film (although I am a bit partial to Danny Glover-led Predator 2). Shane Black, a fantastic writer/director, and original Predator cast member, even dropped a dud when trying to revive the franchise.
I also worry about the cultural correctness of such films. Hopefully, plenty of Indigenous peoples consulted on the film to ensure visual and cultural accuracy. If so, Trachtenberg can produce a great action horror. Still, it feels like this franchise will be chasing the ghost of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Major Dutch in perpetuity.
4. Shazam: Fury of the Gods (DC/Warner Bros.)
Release Date – December 21, 2022
Shazam was a joyous surprise when it premiered in 2019. Not many predicted how light, heartfelt, and funny the new superhero would be, and the franchise was one of the few bright spots of the DCEU. Asher Angel and Zachary Levi were both great in the titular role, and you fall in love with the family dynamic of the orphaned Vasquez clan. With the dynamic Helen Mirren as the big evil villain, it looks like Shazam: Fury of the Gods is ready to run it back.
However, I do have some minor concerns. Djimon Hounsou’s character seems even hammier than he did in the first one, and the absurd locks that he sports are ridiculous for multiple reasons. Also, it looks like Zachary Levi may be doing his best Ryan Reynolds impersonation. It is tough to successfully pull off an action-comedy sequel, as there is pressure to deliver more laughs and action than the previous film. Shazam: Fury of the Gods seems to be the only forthcoming DC film not marred with controversy or summarily dismissed by fans. For the studio’s sake, let’s hope that it delivers.
You Have My Curiosity
3. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves (Paramount Pictures)
March 3, 2023
Maybe it is just me connecting with my inner geekdom, but everything about this film seems excellent. The visual effects look good, the characters are funny without trying too hard, and even the music pumps you up. When I learned that the name of the movie’s characters were the actual classes from D&D, I was all in.
Based on the Comic-Con trailer, the movie seems to have learned some lessons from other video game/card game adaptations. It looks like the movie will use the source material for universe building but will create a unique story that translates to the big screen. Most game-based movies fail because they were too married to the lore that is relatively thin when the gaming experience is removed. Sandwiched between Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and John Wick: Chapter 4, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves will have its work cut out for it in trying to make a box office dent. But, if the trailer is any inclination, it may very well be the highlight of the spring season.
You Now Have My Attention
2. John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate)
March 24, 2023
The John Wick franchise has already established a Hall of Fame resume with its first three entries. Not counting superhero franchises, you’ll be hard-pressed to find many action trilogies as highly rated as John Wick. The John Wick: Chapter 4 Comic-Con trailer looks like the series will pick up where it left off, both in story and quality. John Wick has proven himself unstoppable, yet there are enough challenges that you still believe his luck may run out.
Since it looks like Wick is going after The Table (the governing body of assassins) directly, this may very well conclude the John Wick franchise. But with rumors of a John Wick 5 already in development, who knows what outlandish conclusion comes from this. It doesn’t matter. As long as the quality doesn’t drop (and there is no inclination that it will), Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski can give me ten more of these movies, and I’ll be the first to the theaters.
The Phenom
1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
November 11, 2022
Was there any surprise that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would take the number one spot? Not only did Wakanda Forever steal the show, but it was the most impactful Comic-Con trailer in recent memory. The meaningful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman was exceptionally well done, and I can’t wait to see how it translates throughout the movie. However, the essence of the trailer, set to the Tems’ soulful rendition of No Woman, No Cry, blended with Kendrick Lamar’s Alright, is a message to all of us who are coming out of the hardship of the pandemic.
It was shockingly revealed that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will end Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, meaning that the film’s impact will significantly reverberate throughout the MCU. How Wakanda, Namor and Atlantis, and other surprises further integrate into the MCU will be telling.
Black Panther was a cultural experience, to say the least. The movie resonated with all audiences, but the response from African American moviegoers turned Black Panther into a phenomenon. African Americans went to the theater in droves, wearing kente, dashikis, and other culturally relevant pieces. I was among them, overjoyed to see Blackness centered in a superhero world. I saw Black Panther five times in theaters. I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t get enough of Ryan Coogler’s world-building or the pathos created by the movie’s underlying racial themes.
Ultimately, this is why some consider Black Panther the greatest superhero movie of all time. I suspect that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will outperform the success of its predecessor. I predict we should prepare for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to shock the movie world again, outpacing Top Gun: Maverick and becoming the year’s highest-grossing movie.
