Top Super Bowl Trailers of 2016

While millions of people all over the world tune into the annual competition of brute skill and game strategy known as the Super Bowl, for its many eye-popping events from the hilarious commercials to the flamboyant Half-Time Show...oh, and the football, of course, the one thing I always look forward to seeing are the trailers. Ultimately teasing a handful of films that'll hit the theaters in the coming months, the Super Bowl trailers offer both a mesmerizing and tantalizing peek at some of the biggest films of the year. From the many sequels and spin-offs of Marvel to the much-anticipated return of master spy Jason Bourne, here are just a few of my favorites of the night:  

10 Cloverfield Lane - Described as a "blood relative" of the 2008 horror flick Cloverfield, the vague and mysterious 10 Cloverfield Lane offers up a bit more story in its second tease at the March release. Telling of a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who survives a car accident, only to wake up in a murky underground bunker, shielded away from the world above, this unexpected spin-off/sequel jumped out of the shadows just a month ago to deliver us with something both risky and promising to look forward to. Equipped with producer J.J. Abrams and star John Goodman at its head, whatever this manifestation holds, it'll certainly be a surprise. 

Captain America: Civil War - Rolling in with an almost Dark Knight Rises-esque chant behind it, along with new peeks at characters like Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch, and Black Panther, the newest teaser of Marvel Studios' third Captain America film showcases not only a true division between our top two Avengers, but also some more of the dynamic action sequences the film has in store. Hoping to be just as successful as its predecessor, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, while continuing the build-up towards the third round for the Avengers in 2018's Infinity War - Part 1, Civil War looks like it could be just what the fans are asking for, with a gracious line-up -- minus a certain webhead -- set to butt heads.     

The Jungle Book - From the mind of author Rudyard Kipling and the director of Iron Man, Hollywood's newest reboot brings us back into the magical world of the jungle with another take on The Jungle Book. Mixing 3D animation with live-action to bring us into a visually-intriguing version of the story of young Mowgli and his animal allies, The Jungle Book looks like it could be quite entertaining to see in theaters. Looking to be a fun ride with thrills around every corner, with an exciting voice cast including Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, and Bill Murray, the newest trailer for this reboot offers up a magical peek inside a place we haven't visited in quite a while.  

X-Men: Apocalypse - Already fully on-board the hype train for this film, as it continues the brilliant yet still somewhat confusing rebooted timeline of Fox's X-Men universe, I had a strange feeling we wouldn't be seeing anything from Bryan Singer's newest chapter during the big game tonight. Unexpectedly flying in with new footage and a somber song behind it, X-Men: Apocalypse offers a tad more excitement as it nears its much-anticipated May release. Throwing us a few new peeks at new characters like Olivia Munn's Psylocke, as well as more of Jennifer Lawrence's blue-skinned Mystique, the newest teaser only managed to increase my anticipation for this sequel even more.

Jason Bourne - One of the more surprising films to see earn a spot during the commercials was the quite elusive fifth film in the Jason Bourne saga, simply titled Jason Bourne. Reuniting the duo that took the series by storm after its first film, director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon, Jason Bourne hopes to both revamp the franchise, while also drawing a line through whatever happened in 2012's misstep The Bourne Legacy. Whether the film will completely ignore Legacy's influence or its main character Aaron Cross is unknown now, but what we do know is that the newest Bourne looks like it just wants to regain the popularity it had in the franchise's two heaviest hitters, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.   

Independence Day: Resurgence - The final trailer on my list is another one of the biggest summer releases coming later this year, as the much-anticipated sequel to 1996's Independence Day dives in with explosive new footage. From a few peeks at newcomers to the franchise, Liam Hemsworth and Jesse Usher (who plays Will Smith's character's stepson), to a stunning shot of Dubai's Burj Khalifa piercing the heart of London as it falls from a blackened sky, the continuation of this alien-invasion series packs both patriotic and chaotic scenes into this nearly 40-second tease. Whether or not the sequel can live on without Will Smith as its lead may be unknown as of now, but what is clear is that the damage is far from done this Independence Day. 

Whether your team took home the title or not in the end, this year's Super Bowl offered a plethora of amazing trailers to chew on. From Jason Bourne to Marvel superheroes, the coming spring and summer seasons will surely be packed full with exciting new films to enjoy. With that being said, what films are you most excited to see this summer? Let me know in the comment section below. 

Curious about what other films to check out this Spring? Stay tuned soon for my breakdown of the biggest releases that are hitting theaters just next month, from Batman v Superman to Disney's Zootopia.