The eyes and ears of the film world are fixed on Santa Clara this coming Sunday for Super Bowl LX. While the on-field battle between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will be intense, the “trailer wars” during the commercial breaks are equally breathtaking. This year, the cost of a single 30-second spot has broken records at $10 million. According to the latest Deadline report, however, giants such as Disney, Universal, and Paramount are more than willing to pay that staggering sum. Because this Sunday is not just a game day — it is the decisive showdown that will determine who owns the summer box office of 2026.
The biggest surprise — and perhaps the riskiest move — of the year is coming from Lionsgate. The studio is returning to the Super Bowl stage to promote its Michael Jackson biopic Michael, scheduled for release on 24 April. Lionsgate, which last shook this arena in 2012 with The Hunger Games, now aims to make a cultural power move by presenting the King’s legacy to 128 million viewers. This spot is not merely a film trailer; it is a make-or-break bet on which the studio is staking its entire commercial fate for the year. If this 30-second piece manages to capture the audience, Michael could shatter box-office records.
Universal and Illumination are preparing to turn Sunday night into nothing short of an invasion. The Nintendo collaboration Super Mario Galaxy Movie and the ever-reliable box-office guarantee Minions 3 will be among the loudest voices on NBC screens. But the real excitement lies in the first-ever reveal of Steven Spielberg’s new space epic Disclosure Day. When Spielberg’s vision meets the massive Super Bowl platform, Sunday night will transform from a mere sporting event into a global cinematic spectacle.
Disney, staying true to tradition, has loaded its arsenal with its strongest brands. After a long absence, a new Star Wars film — The Mandalorian and Grogu — will light up its lightsabers on the Super Bowl stage. In addition to this Memorial Day weekend release, we may catch the first hints of Pixar’s highly anticipated Hoppers and possibly Toy Story 5. Interestingly, Marvel Studios has chosen to sit this massive showdown out for now. Meanwhile, Paramount plans to kick off Sunday night with Scream 7, locking horror fans to their screens.
In the end, this Sunday will not only crown a champion on the field — it will also redraw the cultural hierarchy of the 2026 film calendar. These $10-million, ultra-short yet ultra-intense spots represent not only the studios’ budgets but also their unwavering confidence in their vision. When the game kicks off on Sunday evening, we will all see together that the real excitement is hidden in those captivating 30-second worlds during the commercial breaks.
