Summary

• There are many movies d as something they're not, which for better or worse can lead to unmet expectations.
• A negative example: Suicide Squad's promotion and trailers were misleading, suggesting that the Joker would play a major role, but many of his scenes were cut, leaving the movie feeling underdeveloped.
• A positive example: Barbie exceeded expectations by delving into feminism and challenging societal norms, showcasing a deeper narrative and impressive humor and musical numbers.

Some movies end up being drastically different from what audiences are expecting given how they were hyped. Notable changes to the source material or incredibly misleading promotion can foster disappointment in an audience and produce movies that do not live up. On the other hand, some movies manage to completely exceed any expectations by having more substance than previously presumed.

Certain movies nurture a fervent hype in the build to their release. While this in many ways assists in the movie's promotion, it can trigger a certain degree of expectation in an audience. For better or for worse, sometimes this hype and anticipation is not reflective of the actual movie that's released. Occasionally, a movie's trailer is better than the movie itself. Whatever the case, these movies failed to deliver or went above what was expected.

10 Suicide Squad (2016) - The DCEU Movie's Promotion Was Misleading

Jared Leto's Joker Was Deceptively Prominent In Suicide Squad's Promos

Despite announcing that Batman's arch nemesis would not appear prominently, promotion for Suicide Squad featured Jared Leto's Joker extensively. During the production, Jared Leto's Joker role in Suicide Squad was expanded greatly, with the actor shooting numerous additional scenes. Furthermore, Leto's role received the majority of media coverage surrounding Suicide Squad. As a result, audiences — and even Leto himself — were anticipating the Joker to feature heavily throughout. However, facing time restrictions, much of Leto's Joker was cut from the movie. The final edit of Suicide Squad ultimately felt underdeveloped and aimless.

9 Barbie (2023) - The Doll Adaptation Exceeded Expectations

Barbie Was Promoted As A Rom-Com But Was So Much More

When the Barbie movie was enjoying its extensive promotion, the film largely presented itself as a romantic comedy with a slightly tired narrative of Barbie and Ken visiting the real world. Despite this, expectations remained very high, particularly considering the impressive reputation held by director Greta Gerwig. Upon its release, however, Barbie proved to be an astute exploration of feminism, the patriarchy, and the role the Barbie dolls originally played in this. Additionally, audiences were not prepared for the quality of the humor, the musical numbers, or Barbie's dramatic ending. Overall, Barbie managed to completely outdo all expectations.

8 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) - The Tolkien Adaptation Failed To Recapture The Magic Of The Lord Of The Rings

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Made Many Changes After The Lord Of The Rings

After Peter Jackson's wildly successful The Lord of the Rings trilogy, there were nine years of anticipation and speculation of a subsequent adaptation of The Hobbit. When The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was finally released, there were expansive and unexpected changes to the beloved original novel. These occurred so that the book could be stretched into three movies, though it should have been one. Additionally, The Hobbit used computer graphics extensively, despite part of the original trilogy's strength being its impressive practical effects and filming locations. These aspects were ultimately deemed disappointing and distracting, and certainly not the Hobbit movie many were expecting.

7 Bridge To Terabithia (2007) - The Adaptation Was Not The Same Movie As d

Bridge To Terabithia's Trailers Depicted A Family Fantasy Adventure

Trailers for Bridge to Terabithia presented the movie as a children's fantasy adventure in line with the Harry Potter franchise. However, instead, Bridge to Terabithia is a stark exploration of grief, with the fantasy elements that featured heavily in the trailer only figments of the protagonists' imaginations. Bridge to Terabithia’s tragic death surprised viewers, many of whom criticized the filmmakers for surprising swathes of children who were expecting a fantastical romp. Still, the actual narrative in Bridge to Terabithia is substantially better than the one d, and in many ways created a much longer-lasting and respected reputation.

6 Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) - The Trailers Sold It As Just Another Quirky Rom-Com

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind Was An Artistic Masterpiece

Trailers for Michael Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind did not truly convey just how impressive the movie would prove to be. This is likely due to the trailer's use of Electric Light Orchestra's "Mr. Blue Sky," which appeared in a multitude of romantic comedies around the same time. As a result, the trailer suggested that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind would be a quirky rom-com. Instead, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an impressive masterclass in art design, practical effects, and cinematography. It completely sured expectations, handling much deeper themes regarding love and loss, with highly compelling performances from its ensemble cast.

5 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) - The First Prequel Was Not The Movie Fans Were Looking For

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Disappointed Audiences

Decades after Star Wars first debuted, George Lucas released a prequel trilogy. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace enjoyed years of hype, and many expected it to be the greatest cinematic event of the year. Several missteps in the production ended up creating a movie based primarily around trade agreements and peace treaties, with scant excitement or action throughout. The Phantom Menace has since become infamous and is widely considered the weakest in the saga, by a substantial amount. It also completely wasted one of the franchise's best villains, Darth Maul.

4 Pearl Harbor (2001) - The Historical Action Movie Had A Misleading Trailer

Pearl Harbor's Trailer Depicted Extensive War Scenes

With Pearl Harbor, audiences expected an impressive war movie built upon standard Michael Bay spectacle. The film's trailer was very suggestive of this, featuring blockbuster-style special effects sequences throughout. However, despite Pearl Harbor's grueling 184-minute runtime, only 40 minutes is dedicated to the historic bombing of the eponymous harbor. The majority of Pearl Harbor is a romance story concerning the movie's principal stars. While the 40 minutes of action was very highly praised, it did not deliver the same narrative as audiences were promised.

3 Marley & Me (2008) - The Dog Movie Was Much More Dramatic Than d

Marley & Me's Trailer Suggested A Light-Hearted Comedy

Marley & Me features an incredibly surprising final act that seems at odds with the gentile romantic comedy proposed by the trailer. The Marley & Me trailer depicted a happy-go-lucky couple and their exploits with the titular Labrador retriever. During the final scenes, however, Marley is rather dramatically euthanized while the movie also explores themes of grief, heartbreak, and postpartum depression. It is quite a dramatic shift that surprised audiences, who were expecting a light-hearted dog-focused rom-com during the festive Christmas period.

2 Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008) - The Fourth Indiana Jones Movie Was Underwhelming

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull Could Not Live Up To The Hype

Expectations were very high when a fourth Indiana Jones movie was announced. Anticipation for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was bolstered further when Harrison Ford agreed to return to the titular role, accompanied by Shia LaBeouf, who was enjoying immense popularity at the time. Both stars ultimately delivered an underwhelming performance, though this was overshadowed by a bizarre plot twist at the climax of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which revealed the eponymous crystal skull was an alien head. Many felt this move drifted too far into science fiction, and consequently, audiences were disappointed.

1 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - The Action Movie Exceeded Expectations

Mad Max: Fury Road's Trailer Suggested A Standard Action Movie

After a string of disappointing franchise sequels, expectations were fairly low for Mad Max: Fury Road, though it did receive extensive coverage. The movie's trailer seemed to confirm it would be an unassuming action romp, offering very little other than elaborate car chases. What audiences were not expecting, however, was the scale and immensity of said car chases, which proved to be an unparalleled cinematic feat. Moreover, Mad Max: Fury Road was filled with sterling performances and complex themes and plots, that demonstrated a substantially more sophisticated movie than many were expecting.