Just over three weeks away from its theatrical release, Paramount released a third (and presumably final) trailer for Star Trek Beyond. The sudden ramp up in promotion shouldn’t be a surprise, considering how close we are to the movie’s July 22 premiere. But maybe it does seem a bit sudden, considering Paramount went approximately five months without saying anything about its Star Trek sequel.
Did the studio think the movie was a bust? Did the film need to be revised or overhauled in any way? (Presumably, there weren’t reshoots, as those things tend to get out in the press.) Was the idea to get some distance from other fanboy blockbusters like Deadpool, Batman v Superman and Captain America: Civil War? Or even family-friendly fare like The Jungle Book?
Whatever the reasoning, the third trailer for Star Trek Beyond is notable for one thing. Unfortunately, it’s not very much new footage. (Nor any story points besides Captain Kirk looking for affirmation and the Enterprise crew encountering a formidable alien race.) But OK, we’re three weeks away; we’ll wait to see what’s hopefully the good stuff when we go to the theater. No, this new trailer features a new single by Rihanna, titled “Sledgehammer.” Take a look (and listen):
Wouldn’t this have been more fun with Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” instead? Especially when those little spaceships batter the Enterprise and beat the beloved starship into submission? Of course, outreach to the younger audience would have been far less. And this trailer probably wouldn’t compel too many sales for a new song from a huge pop star. You can also see the appeal for Rihanna and her music label, Roc Nation. Being featured in a Star Trek trailer probably gets this song into ears it might not normally reach. When radio play doesn’t mean what it used to, musicians and labels have to do whatever they can to get songs to the audience, whether it’s being in a commercial or scoring a guest spot on a show like Dancing with the Stars.
Attaching a song to a trailer can make it more memorable. Paramount certainly did that with the first Star Trek Beyond trailer set to the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” which seemed entirely too loud and manic for the Trekker audience. But personally, I remember that preview far more because of that song and how it fit with motorcycle jumps and explosions. I think featuring this new Rihanna single would have been far more effective had it been attached to the very first trailer. But maybe the song wasn’t ready yet, or the schedules didn’t quite line up for maximum exposure and music sales.
All of these corporate machinations might make you as cranky as Dr. “Bones” McCoy or wish you could jump on a spaceship and head for another planet. Or just keep your head down and wait for Star Trek Beyond‘s July 22 release. It’s almost here.
