Trek, Superman and Hunger Games Trailers Debut With Darker Flair

Three of 2013's most anticipated releases all debuted brand new trailers this past week.

There should be no doubt in anyone's minds that the marketing minds in Hollywood are certainly kicking things up into high gear as of late. After countless months of wondering when we'll witness a glimpse of 2013's tentpole release, we not only get one (no, no), but count them three major trailers in a 72-hour block.

First up to plate is the final trailer to J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness, which no pun intended is still leaving Trekkies in the dark about this sequel to the 2009 reboot. All audiences can still gather is that Benedict Cumberbatch plays a charismatic terrorist who has it out for the Federation. And despite the warnings coming from all personal and professional directions, Chris Pine's hot-headed rendition of Captain Kirk takes matters into his own hands.

Abrams has done a superb job keeping Into Darkness under wraps for so long and with even one month until its release, Trekkies are still debating the identity of Cumberbatch's character. The question whether he's one of two classic baddies Khan or Gary Mitchell straight from the 60s show or just a freshly conceived villain.

What fuels the debate even further is the way the Into Darkness trailer alludes to several references to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Alice Eve joins the cast as Kirk's former flame, Carol Marcus, straight out of the 1982 film and there's even one brief moment where the Enterprise and Cumberbatch's ship have a stare down in space that without a doubt echoes the Enterprise and Reliant confrontation.

For those seeing Star Trek Into Darkness in IMAX, the wait is over May 15 and everyone else on May 17th.

But just as Paramount was hyping Trekkies for Into Darkness, the camp over at Warner Bros. finally released a more revealing look into Zack Snyder's Man of Steel with a third trailer.

Judging by Snyder's signature dark tones in the trailer, Man of Steel will definitely divide fans the Superman fans. While Man of Steel is already showing signs of being its own type of Superman movie, straying from the feel-good Donner films of the 80s allows Superman to be seen in a different light.

From the small bit of footage, Henry Cavill is already sinking his teeth into the role of the Man of Steel. Instead of taking on the clumsy reporter role, Cavill's Superman finds himself under the radar, even compared to a guardian angel by Amy Adams' Lois Lane. And this time around, Superman finds himself entangled in a battle with Kryptonian rogue, General Zod (Michael Shannon). It doesn't look promising that the hammy "Kneel before Zod" line from Superman II will find itself in the mix. With just a few seconds of screen time in the trailer, Shannon's rendition plays up the more psychotic side of Zod.

A whole lot more promising than the previous trailers, Man of Steel definitely places itself in contention in being the superhero movie of the year against Marvel's own metal man juggernaut, Iron Man 3.

When all the superhero blockbuster come and go over the coming summer months, there's remains another highly anticipated sequel out there, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Except for just a few stills and an announcement trailer with The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 this past Thanksgiving, not much has surfaced about the latest Hunger Games movie. That is, until now.

Fans of the Suzanne Collins trilogy know point for point what will transpire in this futuristic fight to the death. After winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) finds herself with a target painted on her by President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the Panem government.

Being it's just a teaser, Catching Fire hints at the rebellion and the larger picture. We're reacquainted with Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and introduced to newer ones such as Philip Seymour Hoffman's vicious addition, Plutarch Heavensbee. Like Star Trek Into Darkness and Man of Steel, this second installment finds itself in vastly darker waters than its predecessor.  

Man of Steel hits theaters on June 14, while fans of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be waiting until November 22.