Don LaFontaine

Don LaFontaine (1940–2008) was an American voice actor whose deep, resonant delivery shaped film-trailer narration. His work helped make “In a world…” a signature trailer opening.

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Hal Douglas: Hal Douglas was an American voice actor known for narrating film trailers and television advertisements. A contemporary trailer narrator whose career invites comparison with LaFontaine’s.
Film trailer: A short promotional film assembled to advertise an upcoming or recently released motion picture. This was the format in which LaFontaine’s voice became widely recognizable.
Voice-over: A production technique in which an unseen speaker’s recorded voice accompanies images or other sound. LaFontaine’s narration is a prominent example of voice-over in film promotion.
Trailer parody: Comedy that imitates and exaggerates the conventions of film-trailer promotion. Parodies often reproduce the deep narration and escalating drama associated with his style.
James Earl Jones: James Earl Jones was an American actor celebrated for his resonant voice and performances on stage and screen. His distinctive vocal presence shows another path from acting to iconic narration.
In a World...: A 2013 comedy film written, directed by, and starring Lake Bell, centered on the film-trailer voice-over industry. The film examines the profession LaFontaine helped make culturally familiar.
Trailer voice-over: Spoken narration added to a film trailer to introduce its story, performers, or dramatic stakes. This specialized form is the work most closely associated with LaFontaine.
Lake Bell: Lake Bell is an American actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter who directed and starred in In a World…. Her film satirizes the voice-over industry shaped by figures such as LaFontaine.
George Lucas: George Lucas is an American filmmaker who created the Star Wars franchise and directed several of its films. LaFontaine narrated trailers for films in Lucas’s Star Wars universe.
Movie theater: A venue designed for public exhibition of films on a large screen. Theatrical trailers brought LaFontaine’s narration to audiences before feature films.