12 Best Superhero Movie Trailers Of All Time

5. Iron Man

No one really knew what to make of Iron Man when it was first announced by Marvel. Prior to 2008, Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t the King of Hollywood, but merely a talented but oft troubled actor who wasn’t a bankable box office star. Shellhead himself was considered a B-list hero who was only getting the movie treatment because the movie rights to Spider-Man and the X-Men were held by other studios, and the Avengers were just a gleam in Marvel’s eye.

For pure historical value, then, this trailer ranks right near the top. It gave us the very first signs that the Marvel moviemaking efforts might grow into a force to be reckoned with, though no one could have known at the time how true that would become. Filled with instant classic bits, it also did an excellent job of laying the foundation for RDJ’s interpretation of Tony Stark, one that took on a life of its own in short order.

Fittingly, this preview put the man before the suit. We saw the cocky Stark (backed by AC/DC) knocked down a peg, humbled and forced to use his intellect to build the only thing that could save him. After that, it’s a whirlwind of creation, conflict and self-discovery.

Like Spider-Man, this trailer also reassured us that technology made the previously unthinkable a reality. A man in powered armor is just plain cool, and we saw that come to life here. Great music and great editing also played their parts, and the final scene of Iron Man walking away after firing a missile he knows is going to destroy the tank attacking him is a bona fide classic.

Next: 4. Superman II