Survivor fans had to wait a bit longer on Wednesday night (Dec. 17) to see the trailer for the eagerly anticipated 50th season of the reality challenge show due to Donald Trump’s last-minute prime-time address, but the wait was well worth it.
The nearly three-minute trailer for the season bearing the theme “In the Hands of the Fans,” aired after the season 49 finale, featuring first looks at the return of White Lotus creator Mike White — who previously came in second on 2018’s season 37 Survivor: David vs. Goliath — as well a tease of a drop-in from country star Zac Brown, who is seen walking up the beach with a giant fish slung over his shoulder.
The preview also revealed that the upcoming season will feature something called a “Billie Eilish Boomerang Idol,” a totem named in honor of the Oscar- and Grammy-winning pop superstar, while also hinting at visits from YouTube sensation Mr. Beast and a tease from fellow David vs. Goliath season contestant Christian Hubicki that Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon “may decide my fate in this game.”
Though it’s unclear what role Eilish will play on the show, the “Birds of a Feather” singer is definitely a fan. Back in 2023, Eilish, who sang “I put on Survivor just to watch somebody suffer/ Maybe I should get some sleep,” on her 2022 song “TV,” told Variety that she’d totally be down to compete. “I think that the physical stuff, I’d be great at,” she said at the time. “But you have to do math and s–t, and I would not be good at.”
“Feel a little like a high school reunion meets… a massacre,” a smiling White predicts. The usual trash talk was also in the offing, with season 46 alum Q Burdette cranking up the drama before a single tribal council, warning, “Make no mistake about it, I’m thinking about winning. I’m ’bout to cancel everything that you can cancel — your Christmas, your vacation, your doctor’s appointment.”
Before the most recent season began, host Jeff Probst revealed that the 50th would feature a new twist allowing fans to decide key game elements, including immunity idols, advantages and the fire-making challenge. Survivor season 50 will premiere on Feb. 25 on CBS.
