They certainly did with Zoolander. The trailer contained hilarious parts of three scenes I think. So you’re thinking “Should be a very funny movie”, but the 1:30 or whatever that was in the trailer was the only funny 1:30 in the entire movie.
I was stuck watching that movie on a very long flight, somehow it was the perfect entertainment at the time. I’m sure the drinks helped.
You know, for years I liked that scene where Al Pacino says "No, you're out of order, you're out of order!" in Justice For All. I finally watched the whole thing on TV and this came at the very end, and it was a real letdown after the long wait.
So, I have elevated this idea to a general principle, and content myself with trailers. Only trouble is you have to see a movie once in a while to see the trailers! Unfortunately the last movie I saw in a theater was John Carter of Mars. Maybe that will be on my tombstone, "Last movie he saw ..."
Back in 1980, when the movie “First Family” with Bob Newhart opened, the previews showed three very funny scenes. You guessed it, those were the only funny scenes in the movie.