While the series emphasizes horror, science fiction, fantasy, cult, and exploitation cinema, films from a wide variety of genres have been covered.
[1] Trailers from Hell launched as a website in October 2007,[2] as a collaborative project by film director Joe Dante, new media entrepreneur Jonas Hudson, graphic artist Charlie Largent, web developer Tom Edgar, and producer Elizabeth Stanley.
[4] Regular Trailers from Hell commentators, referred to as "gurus" on the series website, include (in addition to Joe Dante) John Landis, Guillermo del Toro, Roger Corman, and Eli Roth.
Film editor and critic Glenn Erickson writes, "The host commentaries provide the real added value, cramming a wealth of information, humor and insights into the two- to four- minute trailer running times.
[2] The previously mentioned Erickson has referred to Trailers from Hell as "one of the brightest web destinations for fantastic film fans...."[5] while the horror and suspense genre journal Cinefantastique called it "fabulous".