'Game of Thrones,' 'Avengers,' 'Toy Story 4' and more Super Bowl commercial highlights
Even if the pre-game buzz isn't what it once was, advertisers are still spending tens of millions of dollars to buy prime on-air real estate during the Super Bowl.
Fans even got a look at some upcoming Marvel movies.
Was it worth it? You decide!
Here's a look at some of the more memorable ads that debuted during Sunday's big game.
Movies
Marvel gave us a fresh look at two of their highest-profile releases this year, starting with an ad for "Avengers: Endgame."
"Some people move on -- but not us," says Captain America (Chris Evans) as he straps on his shield. "Avengers: Endgame" debuts April 26.
Marvel also shared another look at the upcoming release of "Captain Marvel."
In a lighter vein, Pixar provided a new peek at "Toy Story 4" that opens with Woody and Bo Peep at a carnival, wondering where Buzz Lightyear is. Cut to a carnival game, where Buzz is zip-tied to a wall of prizes while new characters Bunny and Ducky -- voiced by Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key -- talk smack to him. Look for "Toy Story 4" in theaters June 21.
Marvel and Pixar are owned by Disney, parent company of ABC News.
Humor
Jason Bateman stars as an elevator operator in an ad for Hyundai. The joke is that buying a new car can be a worse experience than root canal surgery, jury duty and talking to your kids about sex. But we soon learn our car-buying couple is using Hyundai's Shopper Assurance -- a much more pleasant experience.
Jeff Bridges and Sarah Jessica Parker invoked two of their best-known characters in an ad for Stella Artois beer. Parker enters a bar and instead of ordering a cosmopolitan, her "Sex and the City" character's signature beverage, she shocks the patrons by ordering a Stella Artois. Same for Bridges, who next enters as The Dude from "The Big Lebowski" and orders a "Stella Artose," as he pronounces it, rather than his usual white Russian, and ends the spot with "The Dude abides."
We're neck deep in past and present NFL legends, including Super Bowl 53 champ Tom Brady, in an ad celebrating the league's 100th season. Set at a celebratory banquet, things get out of hand when a golden football being used as a cake-topper winds up on the floor and everyone scrambles to field the "fumble." A free-for-all ensues.
In an ad for Amazon's Alexa, Forest Whitaker tries out an Alexa electric toothbrush, while Harrison Ford's dog tries an Alexa dog collar and winds up ordering a truckload of dog food and treats. Astronaut Mark Kelly also appears, watching from the space station as Alexa flicks the power to the entire U.S. off and on.
Tearjerkers
Verizon's ad "The Team that Wouldn't Be Here" featured first responders and the real-life people -- all of them athletes -- whose lives they saved. Yet another Verizon ad features Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn in a firehouse, talking about how he almost died in 2005 when he was hit by a car but was saved by first responders. It's then that he learns the first responders he's talking to are the very ones who saved his life. Better grab a tissue.
Inspirational
Toyota introduced us to Antoinette "Toni" Harris, the 5'6'', 135-pound female free safety for East Los Angeles College, in an ad about not letting anyone stop you from achieving your dreams.
Epic
Bud Light aired a handful of ads, including one in which a group of travelers crosses land and sea to deliver an enormous cask of corn syrup. First stop was the Miller Light castle and then the Coors Light castle -- all to point out how Bud Light isn't brewed with the sweetener. But the ad that'll have everyone talking Monday mashes up our Bud Light "dilly dilly!" pals with "Game of Thrones."
It begins with the usual lighthearted tone, with the Bud Knight battling an unseen opponent in a jousting tournament, who shocks the crowd by unhorsing him. The mystery opponent is revealed to be The Mountain: the hulking, undead knight from "Game of Thrones." Things immediately take a darker turn as The Mountain proceeds to crush the Bud Knight's skull -- a throwback "Game of Thrones" fans will remember -- at which point a dragon flies overhead and proceeds to torch everything in sight as the "Game of Thrones" theme swells and the show's logo appears, with the final season premiere date of April 14.
