The Surprise Return of This Actor in Star Wars Increases Excitement for Season 2 on Disney+ A dystopian paradise… or nightmare? Inside a tightly controlled facility, The Island follows Lincoln Six-Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan Two-Delta (Scarlett Johansson), whose lives revolve around the dream of reaching a supposed utopia for the chosen few. The story pivots when the truth emerges: the residents are clones created for organ harvesting. The problem is that this reveal was already laid out in the marketing. Steve Buscemi’s character, McCord, who articulates the residents’ grim purpose, was prominently featured in the campaign, undercutting the film’s mystery-driven appeal. A marketing misfire with lasting consequences When The Island arrived in 2005, it seemed poised for success. Backed by a $126 million budget and headlined by major stars, it ultimately took in $162 million worldwide, a disappointing result that many attributed to the overly revealing campaign. Audience expectations: By stripping away the central mystery, the trailer reduced the incentive to discover the story’s turns firsthand. Confusion: Exposing the clones-for-organs twist muddied the perceived genre and focus, blurring suspense with spectacle. Michael Bay aimed for a blend of propulsive action and human drama set within a suspenseful dystopia, but the marketing choice blunted the film’s impact and its initial reception never fully recovered. From misstep to cult status Over time, The Island has been reappraised as a cult classic. Viewers now highlight its themes of identity, bioethics, and corporate overreach, which feel increasingly relevant amid rapid technological advances. Modern audiences can find it on platforms like HBO Max, where new viewers can approach it without the baggage of a spoiler-heavy campaign, and longtime fans can revisit its ideas with fresh context. Source: https://3dvf.com/en/20-years-ago-the-trailer-for-an-sf-monument-spoiled-its-major-twist-and-ruined-the-surprise-for-millions-of-fans/