Super Bowl 2026 Commercials: The Mandalorian, AI Wars, and 50 Cent’s Trolling

So, you’re sitting on the couch, wings in one hand, waiting for the halftime show, but honestly? The commercials are kind of stealing the spotlight this year. CNET and other outlets are calling Super Bowl LX an absolute masterclass in advertising, and I have to agree. It’s blending heavy doses of nostalgia with some seriously futuristic tech battles. We aren’t just seeing beer ads anymore; we are watching a cultural snapshot of where entertainment and technology are actually heading. And that’s a big deal—brands are moving away from simple product pitches and leaning hard into mini-movies and aggressive industry rivalries.

The Hollywood Blockbusters Are Back

Let’s be real, movie trailers during the Big Game are usually the highlight, but this year feels different. It’s not just about explosions; it’s about the franchises that defined us. First off, we got a look at The Mandalorian and Grogu. Seeing Din Djarin and the little green guy trekking through the snow with the tagline “the journey never gets any easier” hit hard. It feels like a massive play by Disney to remind us that Star Wars belongs on the big screen, not just on Disney+.

Then there’s the horror crowd. Scream 7 dropped a trailer that has everyone talking. Bringing back Sidney Prescott and tossing fuel on the fire of the “Stu Macher is alive” fan theories? That is brilliant marketing. It acknowledges the die-hard fans who have been obsessing over message boards for decades. And we can’t ignore the DC universe—Supergirl popping up in a teaser during the Puppy Bowl? It’s cute, sure, but it’s also a strategic move to humanize a superhero movie before it even hits theaters in June.

The Battle for AI Dominance

If you thought you could escape the AI conversation just because it’s game day, think again. This might be the first Super Bowl where artificial intelligence isn’t just a backend tool—it’s the main character. Google’s spot for Gemini was genuinely touching. They moved away from the cold, robotic side of tech and showed a kid using AI to design a dream home for his dog. It’s a smart pivot: make the scary new tech feel warm and fuzzy.

On the flip side, we have the challengers. The Claude ad from Anthropic was fascinating. Word is, it takes shots at OpenAI’s ad plans while Dr. Dre’s “What’s The Difference” plays in the background. That is bold. Using a classic hip-hop track to throw shade at a tech rival on national television? That’s the kind of corporate beef we live for. And then there’s Oakley Meta. Seeing sports stars like Marshawn Lynch and Sky Brown through the lens of AI-powered glasses basically brings the “POV” trend from TikTok onto the biggest screen in the world.

Celebs, Comedy, and Beef

You can’t have a Super Bowl without celebrities making fun of themselves. 50 Cent’s DoorDash commercial is probably the winner for “most self-aware.” The man has built a second career on trolling people on Instagram, and DoorDash capitalized on that perfectly. Watching him lecture us on the “art of delivering beef” while making a subtle jab at Diddy is peak 50 Cent. It works because it feels authentic to who he is, rather than a forced script.

Southwest Airlines also deserves a nod here. They recently switched to assigned seating—a massive change for them—and their ad looking back at the “mayhem” of the open-seating era was hilarious. It’s a great way to control the narrative: acknowledge the chaos of the past to sell the order of the future. And for the music fans? Seeing the Backstreet Boys in a T-Mobile ad with Druski was pure 90s nostalgia mixed with modern internet humor.

Why This Matters

You might look at these ads and just see 30-second clips, but they tell us a lot about the current state of media and business. Here is my take on why this lineup is actually important.

First, nostalgia is the safest bet in a volatile economy. Notice how many ads leaned on established IPs? Jurassic Park (Xfinity), Scream, Star Wars, Backstreet Boys. When consumer spending is unpredictable, brands are terrified of taking risks on new concepts. They want to trigger a memory you already love. It’s safer to sell you a feeling you had in 1999 than to try and invent a new one in 2026.

Second, the “Tech War” has gone mainstream. A few years ago, AI companies wouldn’t have spent $7 million on a Super Bowl slot. Now, they are fighting for market share just like beer and car companies used to. This signals that AI tools are no longer niche products for coders; companies like Google and Anthropic are battling to become your default daily assistant. They are fighting for “household name” status.

Lastly, the blurring of content and commerce. The Eos body spray ad spoofing Netflix’s Is It Cake? is a prime example. Commercials are no longer just interrupting entertainment; they are mimicking the entertainment we watch on streaming platforms. Brands know you skip ads, so they are trying to trick your brain into thinking you’re watching a sketch comedy skit or a movie trailer.

Looking Ahead

So, where do we go from here? If Super Bowl LX is any indication, I have a few predictions for the next few years of advertising.

I expect we will see more “Universe” building in ads. We are already seeing it with State Farm. Danny McBride and Keegan-Michael Key aren’t just doing a skit; they are building a “Halfway There Insurance” world. Brands are going to stop doing one-off funny ads and start creating serialized storylines that play out over months on social media, culminating in the Big Game.

Also, watch out for real-time reactivity. With the speed of AI production, I wouldn’t be surprised if, by Super Bowl LXI or LXII, we see commercials that were generated or tweaked *during* the first half of the game to reference plays that just happened. The technology is getting there, and the brand that pulls that off first will win the night.

FAQ

This article is sourced from various national news outlets. All presentation and analysis represent our editorial perspective, without any intention to disparage or harm any party.