Spoiler alert! Movie fans ‘fed up with trailers that ruin the film’

Trailers for films are frustrating cinemagoers because they are giving away too much of the movie’s plot-line or are better than the actual film. A new study, based on responses to a 2013 trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, found that more than 80% of people were left disappointed with a film after seeing its trailer. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK said audiences want trailers which excite, tease and leave them emotionally engaged, without revealing excessive narrative.

Despite the enduring appeal and apparent popularity of these coming attractions, modern trailer releases arrive with a perceived popular stigma - the presumption that they actively mislead or deceive audiences.

Lead researcher Keith M Johnston

"Our research confirms this complaint. But we also found that audiences are aware of those issues when they watch a trailer, and find trailers enjoyable despite the expectations that a marketing campaign might set up," said Lead researcher Keith M Johnston. In some cases the promos create expectations that feature films are unable to deliver on and are often considered better than the full film, the researchers added. And many viewers were frustrated at spoilers contained within the trailers. The findings are part of an ongoing research project about audience attitudes and reactions to film trailers.

The key message to trailer producers, however, is that audiences want to be excited and teased about forthcoming films, to be emotionally engaged without feeling pummelled by excessive narrative revelation.

Keith M Johnston

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