The 2026 Super Bowl isn’t just a showdown between the Seahawks and the Patriots—it’s also a battle for advertising supremacy.

This year, brands shelled out as much as $10 million for a single commercial, turning the game into a must-watch spectacle for both sports fans and ad enthusiasts.

The lineup reads like a Hollywood A-list reunion: Matthew McConaughey, Laura Dern, Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Kendall Jenner, and Katsey, among others. “It really feels like the money’s back,” says Zoe Kessler, Executive Creative Director at Johannes Leonardo. “People are going for it—not just celebrity, but scale.”

Experts say this year’s ads lean heavily on nostalgia, celebrity appeal, and entertainment. Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum reunited in a “Jurassic Park” spoof, imagining how Wi-Fi might have changed the 1993 classic. Instacart paired Ben Stiller and Benson Boone in a retro Eurovision-style ad directed by Spike Jonze, blending millennial humor with Gen Z appeal.

Rocket Mortgage enlisted Lady Gaga in a black-and-white ad singing “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” subtly nodding to current social issues while emphasizing community. Fanatics Sportsbook tapped Kendall Jenner to poke fun at her rumored “dating curse,” targeting audiences not typically into betting.

George Clooney starred in Grubhub’s ad, which humorously promises to “eat the fees” for diners at a lavish estate, while Uber Eats brought together McConaughey, Bradley Cooper, and Parker Posey in a whimsical campaign blending food and football.

Dunkin’ reunited ’90s stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, and Jason Alexander for a sitcom-style twist on Good Will Hunting, while Michelob Ultra leaned into nostalgia with Kurt Russell and Olympic athletes set to Eye of the Tiger.

State Farm’s star-studded spot also includes Katsey alongside Keegan-Michael Key, Danny McBride, and Hailee Steinfeld in a parody performance of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” blending humor, music, and celebrity cameos into one of the more talked-about Big Game spots.

“Super Bowl ads are no longer interruptions—they’re content people actively tune in to watch,” says Will Trowbridge, founder of agency Saylor.

With this year’s mix of clever celebrity use, nostalgia, and pure entertainment, the 2026 Super Bowl promises to be as memorable for its commercials as for its football.