5 Best Star Wars Trailers Of All Time, Ranked

Everything related to "Star Wars" ends up inspiring discussion and debate. It's inevitable, and unfortunately, much of that discourse can head in toxic and negative directions. The cliche of "Star Wars" fans being the ones who are most critical of "Star Wars" certainly sounds like the truth if one wanders into any typical discussion about this franchise. The five worst "Star Wars" trailers of all time certainly reflect that there is material out there for people to justifiably criticize regarding this saga. 

However, there are also so many positive elements about this fictional universe that should also get highlighted. The cuteness of Porgs! Max Rebo's musical skills! Cad Bane's immense charisma! Those virtues also extend to the five best "Star Wars" trailers of all time. These are pieces of marketing that have become legendary for how they built up excitement for some of the biggest blockbusters ever. To boot, the editing, narration, and music choices (among other qualities) they exhibited have made many of these trailers beloved pieces of art beyond their relationship to the films they were promoting.

These five especially exquisite "Star Wars" trailers are an exciting reminder that trailers don't have to be paint-by-numbers or disposable promotional materials. They're also an exciting encapsulation of the ambiance and artistry that define the very best "Star Wars" media. Let's all cease bickering about the prequel trilogy just long enough to give these five "Star Wars" trailers their roses.

Old-school movie trailers did not respect modern spoiler culture. Those wary of seeing trailers that give away all the plot points would have a heart attack watching certain vintage trailers that end up giving away entire narratives in order to get audiences into theaters. The theatrical "Empire Strikes Back" trailer, thankfully, doesn't adhere to this trend. On the contrary, so much of the final film is kept under wraps that there isn't any audible dialogue spoken by the characters. This trailer's soundtrack belongs to voice-over narration and soaring music.

This piece of "Empire Strikes Back" marketing solidified itself as one of the best "Star Wars" trailers simply by having Harrison Ford narrate the piece. It's almost bewildering to hear Ford trying his best announcer voice as he accentuates vocal "excitement" relaying to audiences what Luke Skywalker and company are facing off against next. All the while, a flurry of exciting images (including a brief glimpse of Lobot) fill the screen. 

There are plenty of thrilling glimpses at the new realms "The Empire Strikes Back" will bring audiences to. Happily, though, much is left to the imagination, including any extended looks at Yoda. This trailer pulls off a great balance of showing off the unexpected without unveiling every one of "The Empire Strikes Back's" surprises. There's even a brief moment of a deleted scene of C-3PO tearing off a Hoth base poster. In every respect, this trailer excels.

Even with so many features now making up the "Star Wars" film franchise, "Attack of the Clones" remains for many the nadir of live-action "Star Wars" movies. Out of all the prequel trilogy installments, this tedious production (with its lengthy romantic scenes between Anakin and Padme) is the most reliant on the kind of tin-eared dialogue George Lucas just couldn't shake. Monotony weighs down this enterprise like a massive anchor and the big spectacle scenes (including an embarrassing Yoda showdown) are nowhere near good enough to compensate for these flaws. In short, "Attack of the Clones" is a bust.

That first teaser trailer for "Attack of the Clones," though, remains a masterpiece. Running just 71 seconds long, it's set to Darth Vader's famous breathing, with each new inhale and exhale inspiring a cut to a new "Attack of the Clones" shot. This alone is a genius element to set a prequel trilogy teaser to, as it ominously suggests how Anakin succumbing to evil and becoming Darth Vader is just around the corner. Devoid of context, various images of Jango Fett flying away or high-speed chases in the sky are also quite striking in this context.

This being a dialogue-free teaser also ensures that the greatest shortcoming of "Attack of the Clones" isn't a problem here. The sharp visual eye George Lucas had for blockbuster action is instead the focus, as well as a tense atmosphere. "Attack of the Clones" remains a lousy movie, but its teaser trailer is superb.

The most pause-worthy moments in the original "Star Wars" trilogy are just some of the many elements in these three films that have made them beloved pop culture classics. They have countless "Star Wars" moments that stunned audiences and redefined what blockbuster movies could look like. Cinema has never been the same since the debut of the motion picture trio kicked off by 1977's "A New Hope." These titles are especially glorious when witnessed on the big screen canvas that they were made for.

The importance of theatrical exhibition for the initial "Star Wars" movies was cleverly reinforced in a trailer promoting the 1997 theatrical reissues of these three classics. This trailer begins by focusing on a TV showing off "A New Hope" footage while an announcer observes that an entire generation had only experienced "Star Wars" at home. This narrator then proclaims that if you've only seen "Star Wars" via VHS tapes, you've never really seen them at all, before cosmic imagery suddenly fills up every inch of the screen.

From there, a lively montage begins relaying the most iconic details of those "Star Wars" features, letting viewers appreciate the majesty and imagination of these seminal films. Plus, this trailer feels so decidedly 1997 (including its depiction of home video media). That makes an already enjoyable trailer also function excellently as a thrilling time capsule.

In hindsight, there were many Disney decisions that damaged the "Star Wars" franchise forever. However, initially, the Mouse House was taking great care of this saga. That included making sure the sequel trilogy trailers really went all out on pomp and circumstance. These couldn't just be mistaken for any other blockbuster movie marketing materials. They had to resonate as special to live up to the "Star Wars" legacy. This approach was alive and well with the first proper glimpse audiences got of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" via the film's teaser trailer.

This 133-second piece of marketing begins on an impactful note, with Rey's hand slapping some rocks as the budding Jedi warrior takes rapid breaths. From there, John Williams' compositions exuding a mystical aura play against images of Luke's island and his voiceover. The music and subtle voiceover elements in this trailer are spectacular, with Leia, a charging Poe Dameron, and a battered Darth Vader helmet getting impactful music cues. 

Ending on a shadowy Luke declaring "it's time for the Jedi to end" concludes things on a devastating note. Contrasting that ending with the opening music cues really makes viewers feel like they've gone on a wild tonal journey just within this teaser. It instantly threw the gauntlet down and prepared audiences for something different and meticulously well-crafted. Years later, it remains a triumph of editing and creativity.

It's November 2014. A new "Star Wars" film is in post-production, and the world has been waiting on pins and needles for any information about this title. Then, over Thanksgiving weekend, a teaser drops. This 99-second collection of footage plays things close to the chest and doesn't spoil any of the moments we didn't see coming in "The Force Awakens." Towering horns from the orchestral John Williams music cue up the world's first proper looks at Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Poe Dameron.

Each of them is shown in wildly disparate places rather than hanging out together, which just makes it all the more intriguing to consider how their paths will cross. There's also a striking visual of Kylo Ren (seen only from the back) lumbering through a snowy forest and unleashing his homemade lightsaber. Then, the Millennium Falcon bursts onto the screen blasting at TIE fighters. The soaring "Star Wars" theme plays against this briefly-seen showdown before the "Force Awakens" title is shown.

"Less is more" is a wise phrase. It was put to masterful use in this "Force Awakens" teaser. While some of the prequel trilogy trailers got too spoilery, this teaser only gives off impressions of what's to come. With such a phenomenal marketing kick-off, it's no surprise "The Force Awakens" became one of the biggest movies of the decade.