Every year at San Diego Comic Con AMC releases a trailer for the latest season of The Walking Dead. As we wait for the Season 9 trailer to drop we thought we’d re-visit and rank all the previous Walking Dead Comic-Con trailers thus far. Let’s dive in.
8. Season Two
Song: “Civilian” by Wye Oak
Best Tease: Hershel’s Farm
Post Trailer Scene: Rick saying “A slim chance is better than none”
The Walking Dead had a lot to live up to after its monster inaugural season. The Season 2 trailer gave fans enough to get excited about, including more Rick/Lori/Shane drama, but didn’t acknowledge Hershel’s farm or Sophia’s absence until the very end. It made for a great teaser, but the trailer could have leaned more into the top two storylines of the season instead of Rick and the gang hanging out on the highway.
7. Season Eight
Song: “Prisoner’s Song” by Drop-kick Murphys
Best Tease: All Out War battles
Post Trailer Scene: Old Man Rick
The highly-anticipated All Our War between Rick and Negan’s people kicked off in the Season 8 trailer…eventually. After watching ALL of our survivors get in position to strike the trailer finally accelerated from 0-100 with explosions, gunfire, and epic battles all set to the Drop-kick Murphys. It concluded with a memorable post trailer scene of an elderly-looking Rick waking up in a bed that set the Internet ablaze. Was this the time jump? Was he stuck in a coma this whole time? Watch fans react to it below:
6. Season Six
Song: “Arsonist’s Lullaby” by Hozier
Best Tease: Morgan’s Return/Ricktatorship
Post Trailer Scene: Dwight capturing Daryl
The fifth season left off with Rick getting the OK to kill Pete just in time for Morgan to arrive in Alexandria. In the Season 6 trailer fans got a juicy taste of the aftermath of that scene along with the town’s resistance to Rick’s new world order, but didn’t provide much more than that. Although we liked this trailer a bit more than some of the ones we ranked higher, this one just wasn’t very memorable. However, we did really dig the Hozier song – it was arguably the best part aside from Ron getting tackled.
5. Season Five
Song: “Brennisteinn” by Sigur Rós
Best Tease: Escaping Terminus
Post Trailer Scene: Grady Memorial Hospital
Season Four left our characters in the clutches of Terminus, the brutal cannibal community that promised sanctuary to anyone who took shelter there. Although our heroes worked together to destroy and escape Terminus in the very first episode, the trailer expertly avoided that spoiler while also teasing the subsequent storylines with Gareth, Gabriel’s church, and more. Plus, we got the longest post trailer scene yet with Beth trapped in the hospital from hell.
4. Season Seven
Song: “Take It All” by Ruelle
Best Tease: Negan’s victim/King Ezekiel
Post Trailer Scene: Tara and Heath battling walkers/Oceanside
WHO DID NEGAN KILL?!?! That was the question on every fan’s mind as they watched the trailer for Season 7, which opens with Negan’s eeny-meeny rhyme. Of course we didn’t get an answer, so the trailer pivoted to the other exciting storylines of the season: namely the major comic character King Ezekiel making his first appearance with his tiger Shiva. I mean let’s be honest, the trailer is ranked this high mostly because of Shiva’s glorious roar. Watch fans react to it all here:
3. Season Four
Song: “Serpents” by Sharon Van Etten
Best Tease:
Post Trailer Scene: Terminus Radio Broadcast
Rick and the gang are in more danger from The Governor than ever, and this Season 4 trailer showed that their time at the prison is coming to an end. We liked this trailer mostly for getting to the point quicker with precise edits that reminded you of the danger our heroes faced.
2. Season Three
Song: “Black” by Kari Kimmel
Best Tease: The Prison/The Governor
Post Trailer Scene: Merle Returns
The Walking Dead Season Three completely flipped the show on its head with the introduction of the prison, Woodbury, and The Governor. The Comic-Con trailer teased all of that and more, and made the wait between the prison tease in the Season 2 Finale and the premiere of Season 3 bearable. It improved on everything the Season 2 trailer got wrong, including Merle’s shocking return in the post trailer teaser.
1. Season One
Songs: “Mr. Splitfoot” by Paris Motel and “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” by The Walker Brothers
Best Tease: The onset of the apocalypse
The trailer that started it all! We didn’t hesitate to rank The Walking Dead Season One trailer at the top because it allowed comic fans to experience the book they love come to life. The trailer let fans experience the zombie apocalypse through Rick’s eyes and witness the swift devastation of a society following an outbreak. The buzz around it alone is enough to prop this trailer up as the best Walking Dead Comic Con trailer ever.
That wraps up our rankings of all Walking Dead San Diego Comic-Con trailers. Which trailer was your favorite? Where do you think the one for Season 9 will rank? Let us know in the comments and keep it here and our social channels all week to stay up-to-date with all Season 9 news.
No, no, no, no, NO! N-O!!
Season 5’s trailer (& season, for that matter) is HANDS DOWN the best one! From the music to the solemn feel to how it was tactfully done to avoid TMI was FANTASTIC! I was completely blown away & couldn’t get enough of watching it! Even now, “Brennisteinn” gives me chills & makes me think about that trailer.
Yep….4 and 5 were the good ole days for me…
I don’t share the same disappointment with you on this past season & maybe the one before that, but I certainly agree with you that those earlier seasons were better. 🙂
I also remember the comment section on this site blew the hell up with that post. It’s a wonder there wasn’t a space limitation cutting us off.