Movie trailers are an art in their own right. Everything you need to know about a movie must be revealed in about a minute, but it must also be captivating and entertaining. A large part of the allure is sound and music. If a trailer is dead silent, it won’t seem very interesting and will kill any hype for the movie. However, in recent years, movie trailers have been hit with a musical phenomenon: dramatic song remixes. Plenty of trailers nowadays use operatic, drawn-out remixes of well-known songs. Here are some of the best ones.
Us
Lupita Nyong'o
Winston Duke
Elisabeth Moss
Tim Heidecker
Shahadi Wright Joseph
Evan Alex
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Anna Diop
Cali Sheldon
Noelle Sheldon
Madison Curry
Ashley McKoy
“I Got 5 On It” - Luniz
The trailer for Jordan Peele’s Us (2019)–starring Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke–is one of the pioneers of implementing dramatic songs in trailers. It uses one of the most iconic hip-hop tracks of all time, Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It,” and flips it on its head. The song already has a flare with Michael Marshalls’s smooth vocals, but the film’s composer, Michael Abels, transformed it into the creepy, thrilling “Tethered Mix,” which can be heard in the film’s trailer and the film itself.
Check out the full Us soundtrack here.
Joker
Joaquin Phoenix
Robert De Niro
Zazie Beetz
Frances Conroy
Brett Cullen
Shea Whigham
Bill Camp
Glenn Fleshler
Leigh Gill
Josh Pais
Rocco Luna
Marc Maron
“Smile” - Jimmy Durante
Todd Phillips directs Joaquin Phoenix in one of the most complex comic-to-film adaptations of all time with Joker (2019). The trailer is gritty, suspenseful, and eerie, with dark colors accompanied by the contrasting, bright sound of “Smile” by Jimmy Durante. But not a moment too soon, the song begins to fade into a grand operatic remix, interpolating the melody of the main chorus, which was expertly crafted by the film’s composer, Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Check out the full Joker soundtrack here.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Anthony Ramos
Dominique Fishback
Peter Cullen
Ron Perlman
Peter Dinklage
Michelle Yeoh
Pete Davidson
Liza Koshy
Cristo Fernández
Luna Lauren Velez
Dean Scott Vazquez
Tobe Nwigwe
“Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” - DMX
Anthony Ramos and Pete Davidson star as human and transformer duo in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), directed by Steven Caple Jr. Set in Brooklyn during the 1990s, the film and trailer had to feature legendary hip-hop tracks. No one could have paired with giant dueling alien robots than better DMX and his track “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem.” The track is blended with thunderous percussion and grinding metal, an intense sonic representation of the film, arranged masterfully by the film’s composer, Jongnic Bontemps.
Check out the full Transformers: Rise of the Beasts soundtrack here.
Gladiator II
Paul Mescal
Denzel Washington
Connie Nielsen
Pedro Pascal
Joseph Quinn
Fred Hechinger
Derek Jacobi
May Calamawy
Lior Raz
Peter Mensah
Matt Lucas
Alexander Karim
“No Church in the Wild” - Jay-Z, Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean
The upcoming sequel to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000), cleverly titled Gladiator II, stars Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington, featuring Harry Gregson-Williams as the film’s composer. During the climax of the film’s trailer, a thrilling remix of “No Church in the Wild” by frequent collaborators Jay-Z and Kanye West plays over remarkable glimpses of Ancient Rome. An already chilling ballad of the fragility of power and order scores the trailer for this upcoming epic historical drama of one of History’s greatest Empires. The film is slated for a November 2024 release.
Lightyear
Chris Evans
Keke Palmer
Peter Sohn
Dale Soules
James Brolin
Uzo Aduba
Mary McDonald-Lewis
Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Bill Hader
Efren Ramirez
“Starman” - David Bowie
Semi-regular Disney/Pixar composer Michael Giacchino used his musical prowess to score a revisit of the lovable, loyal, and selfless Buzz Lightyear of Star Command in Lightyear (2022), directed by Angus MacLane and starring Chris Evans as the titular character. The trailer for the film is appropriately scored by none other than David Bowie and an ethereal remix of “Starman,” using Bowie’s isolated vocals over triumphant violins. Walt Disney Studios would be remiss if they did not feature any of David Bowie’s discography.
Check out the full Lightyear soundtrack here.
A Minecraft Movie
Jack Black
Jason Momoa
Emma Myers
Danielle Brooks
Sebastian Eugene Hansen
Jennifer Coolidge
Matt Berry
Kate McKinnon
Jemaine Clement
Valkyrae
“Magical Mystery Tour” - The Beatles
One of the most popular and influential pieces of entertainment, the top-selling video game of all time, and an international phenomenon on the internet. What has dominated the gaming scene for over a decade will now hit the silver screen. A Minecraft Movie directed by Jared Hess stars Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge. The teaser fittingly features the whimsical Beatles hit “Magical Mystery Tour” remixed to sound far more magical and mysterious than it already does, thanks to legendary composer Mark Mothersbaugh. The film is set to be released in April 2025.
