Marvel Sitting Out The Super Bowl Looks Worse Now

February 9, 2026

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The Super Bowl is normally a marvelous time to be a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios spent the last 16 years marketing something during the National Football League’s biggest game. That’s why it was so widely expected that we’d see something from Avengers: Doomsday or Spider-Man: Brand New Day during the Super Bowl.

Reports ahead of the Big Game pointed to this not happening, which gave us plenty of time to accept the reality of the first MCU-less Super Bowl since 2009. That didn’t stop conspiracy theories from rising that a surprise could be in store, especially after Robert Downey Jr.’s Doomsday-themed Super Bowl post.

In place of any MCU footage, though, Disney and other Hollywood studios spent big bucks to deliver a massive lineup of Super Bowl 2026 trailers. But even with nine movies coming from major franchises and legendary directors represented, Marvel’s absence became even worse afterward.

The 2026 Super Bowl Trailers Were Lacking Overall

With the high cost of Super Bowl commercials, studios often want their trailers to over-deliver, creating tons of hype that makes the marketed titles memorable amid the onslaught of competing trailers and star-studded ads. But I found this year’s Super Bowl trailers to largely be underwhelming overall.

Spots for sequels like Scream 7 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie mostly relied on footage previously in official trailers. Hoppers continues to look cute and fun, while Minions & Monsters‘ spot directing you to the full trailer online probably landed a lot better with kids. None of these movies used the Super Bowl to really get viewers buzzing.

The Mandalorian and Grogu did not have that problem, albeit for less-desirable reasons. The TV spot spoofing famous Super Bowl beer commercials has proven to be wildly divisive. While some appreciate the fun it’s having, the majority of fan reactions have been confused and disappointed. The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Super Bowl commercial feels more like a random use of IP than a promotion for the first Star Wars movie in seven years.

It wasn’t all bad or underwhelming, though. Trailers for anticipated sci-fi films in Project Hail Mary and Disclosure Day worked really well, with Steven Spielberg’s being the biggest winner of the Super Bowl. It was also wonderful to catch the first glimpse at Netflix’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel with Brad Pitt, even if a title and release date were not revealed.

But even in the cases of those three films, they didn’t totally steal the show. No movie trailer truly popped and made waves online during the Super Bowl, which the MCU has had a knack for doing for over a decade. When you look at the whole of the trailer offerings, Marvel sitting out the event is felt a lot more.

Marvel Could’ve Dominated Super Bowl Chatter With Avengers: Doomsday Or Spider-Man: Brand New Day Trailers

Thor is crying while praying to Odin in Avengers Doomsday teaser

There is no doubt in my mind that Marvel would’ve gotten audiences talking more if they had shown anything from its 2026 movies: Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The movie trailer offerings were weaker overall this year. Even the general Super Bowl commercials didn’t stand out that much. The influx of AI-focused commercials was more notable than any singular star-studded brand-focused ad.

That’s where Marvel could’ve really won this year. The first look at RDJ’s Doctor Doom would’ve caught the eye of everyone watching, and discussion of the content of the footage would’ve spread all over the internet. And considering Marvel’s excellent track record with the quality of MCU Super Bowl trailers, one for Avengers: Doomsday could’ve really increased buzz for this one.

Similarly, the first official trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day arriving during the Super Bowl would’ve worked too. There is a desperation to see Tom Holland’s web-slinger back in action in an official capacity. Sony dropping some footage during the game would have dominated social media, Reddit, and more, especially since it would’ve come as a surprise.

This was a chance for the MCU to really recapture audiences’ interest, get them pumped to see either of its 2026 offerings, and make whichever movie was promoted feel like the biggest theatrical event of the year. And after the MCU’s down 2025, its not difficult to argue they really needed that boost right now.

Both movies will still be fine without the extra visibility, but in a year when the Super Bowl was missing that one buzzy trailer for an upcoming blockbuster, Marvel should regret its decision not to promote Avengers: Doomsday and/or Spider-Man: Brand New Day here.