Peter Fonda and 'Easy Rider' Inspire Super Bowl Commercial Directed By the Coen Brothers
It’s likely more people will be glued to their televisions (and streaming devices) this Sunday night than at any other point during 2017, all to watch Super Bowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots in Houston. As always, most of us will be timing our bathroom breaks carefully, since the debut of A-List commercials during game breaks has become almost as big a part of the day as the action on the field. To help with our Sunday time management, we can cross the first Super Bowl commercial directed by Oscar-winning pair Joel and Ethan Coen in 15 years (when, according to AdWeek, they helmed an H&R Block spot) off our must-see list right now.
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Given their love of old-school cinema, it should surprise no one that the Coens’ “Born to Be Wild” spot for the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster is an extended shout-out to a beloved American classic, 1969’s counterculture touchstone Easy Rider, including an appearance by the movie’s star, Peter Fonda.
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Like their latest feature, Hail, Caesar!, the new spot advertises not only the car, but the Coens’ ongoing romance with Hollywood’s past. In advance of the commercial’s TV bow this Sunday, Feb. 5, you can watch the clip above.
Watch Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper in the credits scene from ‘Easy Rider’ featuring Steppenwolf’s ‘Born to Be Wild’: