Fans discuss the 20+ worst kept film secrets of all time: 'It's so mental what they put in trailers'

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Isabella Penn
Aug 18, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

There's nothing quite like the mix of excitement and dread that comes with a new movie trailer. You're ready for surprises, twists, maybe a jaw-dropping moment that will make you gasp in the theater, but have you ever run into the scenario where the trailer has already spoiled it all? It's the modern equivalent of someone yelling the ending before you've even bought a ticket.

Movie fans have been weighing in on some of the worst kept secrets in film history. Plot twists that should have landed with a bang, climaxes that were telegraphed from the first five minutes, and entire storylines handed away in marketing materials. It's almost impressive how much a studio can reveal without any shame.

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  • From franchise finales to indie favorites, fans are calling out every “duh, we all saw that coming” moment, and the commentary is amazing. People love dissecting trailers, posters, and interviews for even the tiniest hint of spoilers, and they never miss a chance to roast filmmakers for underestimating the audience.

    So buckle up, because these are the 20+ worst kept film secrets of all time. And yes, you’ll probably be thinking, how did they put that in the trailer?!

  • What's the worst kept secret in film history?

    Cheezburger Image 10542774784
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  • Kid_Kameleon The main trailer for "castaway" revealed that Tom Hanks gets off the island, so that element of suspense was gone when I watched it.... I
    via Kid_Kameleon
  • remember when I first saw the trailer it was Helen Hunt saying "we had a funeral and a casket for you and everything" and he was like "what was in it"..... in the freakin trailer
    via Kid_Kameleon
  • GingerChic13 Arnie is the hero in T2. Could have been, and should have been, an awesome reveal but nope, they made such a point of showing it in the trailer.
    via GingerChic13
  • First_Throng Honestly every fricken movie from the last 10 years with a trailer.
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  • It's so mental what they put in trailers and how much of the story arc is shown. Just ridiculously anti movie lover.
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  • David_R_Martin_II Benedict Cumberbatch was playing Khan in Star Trek: Into Darkness.
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  • A01 1 FPS 9 CAM 23.98 18.213423A Roadside Jakob & Ryan Thomas Taugher
    via Jakob Owens For Unsplash+
  • ermghoti In The Sixth Sense, the guy with the hairpiece was Bruce Willis the whole time.
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  • redlancer 1987 I wish in the first Predator that the opening scene wasn't the spaceship dropping. off the Predator. Would
    via redlancer_1987
  • have been a great slow reveal of what's hunting them in the forest even beyond what it already is.
    via redlancer_1987
  • Fuzzy-Butterscotch86 Rosie O'Donnell famously spoiled Fight Club for millions of middle aged housewives who would've never seen it.
    via Fuzzy-Butterscotch86
  • AssaultMonkey150 I saw this in theatres and I was STILL not convinced it would happen. Or maybe a cameo. The extent that they were in this movie was such a fun experience
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  • ninfan1977 Benedict Cumberbatch as John Harrison when everyone knew he was going to be Khan Noonien Singh.
    via ninfan1977
  • That or Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate/ Talia al Ghul Both roles were denied by the cast and directors, and then the movies came out and not many were that surprised during the reveals
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  • Stolkmen Captain America should have never shown the red hulk ruined the whole frickin build up when I finally saw it. Like, get
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  • to it already, you've already spoiled it for me so just get to it already. Sad really...
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  • jurgo Thor Ragnorok with Hulk. Phantom Menace Double blade light saber.
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  • genericmovievillain BvS, the trailers straight up. showed Doomsday. Knew instantly they were doing the Death of Superman story
    via genericmovievillain
  • brownbearworld7 I saw the trailer for Thor Ragnarok a lot and they kept showing the Hulk show up to fight thor. In
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  • the actual movie they acted like it was a big secret who he would fight. Really would have been better to not know hulk would be there.
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  • ShimReturns Star Trek 3 - the destruction of the Enterprise shown in the trailer. According to the
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  • internet the studio did this despite the director Leonard Nimoy (who also plays Spock in the series) objecting.
    via ShimReturns
  • julianpoe I think it was Terminator Genisys that revealed John Conner to be a terminator in the fricken trailer.
    via julianpoe
  • mungraker That Natalie Portman was Queen Amadala. They had her stand behind the decoy as Padme in the movie until she revealed herself to be the queen.
    via mungraker
  • But, I worked at a toy store, and MONTHS before the movie was released we had toys on the shelves, including a talking Padme action figure that literally said "I am Queen Amadala."
    via mungraker

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