Timothée Chalamet's unconventional and highly creative marketing campaign for the film Marty Supreme has garnered significant attention and success, highlighting the evolving landscape of movie promotion in 2025 where surprise, memorability, and social media engagement are key to attracting audiences to original and indie films.
Apple's F1 movie, featuring Brad Pitt, has generated over $40 million in sponsorships from brands like Mercedes and IWC, blurring the lines between cinema and commerce and potentially shaping future film marketing strategies.
A24's new AI-generated posters for the film "Civil War" have sparked controversy as they depict post-apocalyptic scenes not actually in the movie, leading to criticism over false advertising and the use of AI technology. The images, which show war-torn destruction in iconic U.S. cities, have resulted in backlash for their inaccuracies and "uncanny valley" weirdness. Despite the controversy, the film has opened to better-than-expected box office numbers, drawing an equal number of liberal and conservative moviegoers, and sparking online buzz as it heads into its second weekend.
Hollywood actors and studio marketers are rushing to promote movies and shows after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended. Actors like Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson are booking TV appearances and surprise screenings to promote their projects. The strike prevented actors from promoting any movie or show from a struck member company, causing a nightmare scenario for marketers. The end of the strike is timely for studios with upcoming star-studded releases. The ban on using influencers during the strike has also been lifted, providing additional promotional opportunities. Marketers express relief and are now focusing on maximizing the star power to break through the cluttered media environment.
In anticipation of the release of the "Barbie" movie, parent company Mattel has launched an extensive product marketing campaign, with over 100 brands participating. The marketing blitz includes pink-themed merchandise, collaborations, and promotions across various industries, from fashion to food. While some experts believe the widespread marketing will benefit the iconic brand, others argue that the saturation of pink-themed products may make it difficult for individual offerings to stand out. Nevertheless, Barbie remains a popular fashion doll, accounting for a significant portion of Mattel's revenue, and the movie-related merchandise has seen positive sales performance so far.
Warner Bros. and Mattel are using a hot pink movie marketing strategy to build excitement for the new Barbie movie, set to open on July 21. The film has already dominated the cultural conversation with product tie-ins, viral social media buzz, and meme-worthy experiences. Lead actor Margot Robbie has been promoting the movie worldwide, and there are numerous brand collaborations and immersive experiences for fans. Mattel aims to leverage its intellectual property into a cinematic universe, and if the Barbie movie is successful, it could pave the way for other Mattel franchises. The film's marketing plan seems to be resonating with the culture, and it is expected to perform well at the box office.
Major studios promoting their summer blockbuster movies may face marketing campaign disruptions due to a potential actors strike. If a new SAG-AFTRA contract is not agreed upon by June 30, union members, including movie stars, could hit the picket lines, leaving studios scrambling to promote their latest films. Studios are shifting their plans to get ahead of the deadline, with some moving press junkets to earlier dates. The strike could impact the marketing campaigns of several major film releases, including "Oppenheimer," "Barbie," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem."
Studio Ghibli will release Hayao Miyazaki's final film, How Do You Live?, without any trailers or promotional materials ahead of its July 14 release in Japan. The studio has only released one poster for the film and has not revealed any plot details or voice cast. The decision is in line with Ghibli's approach of prioritizing a pure experience of its works over commercial considerations. Lead producer Toshio Suzuki contrasted the move with Hollywood's usual marketing methods and said it was inspired by a compliment from Miyazaki about the poster.
Studio Ghibli's highly anticipated film, How Do You Live?, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, will be released in Japan on July 14 with no trailer or promotional materials. The studio has not revealed any plot summary, voice cast, or setting for the film. The decision to forgo marketing is in line with Ghibli's approach of prioritizing a pure experience of its works over commercial considerations. The film is loosely inspired by a 1937 novel and is described as a grand fantasy.
The ongoing Writers Guild strike has left Hollywood movie marketers without access to late night shows, one of their most important publicity assets. Late night shows like SNL, The Tonight Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! have gone dark, leaving studios scrambling to revamp their publicity campaigns for upcoming summer blockbusters like Fast X and The Little Mermaid. While morning network news programs and daytime talk shows are being utilized, some marketers believe the loss of late night is unfortunate and hope the strike will end soon.
The success of the Super Mario Bros movie at the box office was not just due to its marketing machine, but also its faithfulness to the source material and involvement of the original game architect, Shigeru Miyamoto. The film easily notched an A CinemaScore and 88% PostTrak exits, with a 75% Definite Recommend, as opposed to the 1993 film’s B+ and 29% Rotten Tomatoes audience score. The movie's marketing campaign included partnerships with McDonald's, Shake Shack, LUSH Cosmetic, and TRUFF hot sauce, as well as promotions at Universal Theme Parks and on NBCUniversal's Symphony program.