Super Bowl halftime show: Here's who Justin Timberlake's guest performers might be
It might sound silly to football fans who can't wait for the Eagles and Patriots to battle on Sunday, but there is one thing that's actually bigger than the Super Bowl, and that is the Super Bowl halftime show.
For Super Bowl LII, there are going to be millions and millions of viewers tuning in Sunday who will be more interested in what Justin Timberlake has in store for everyone at halftime than what the Eagles' defense has in store for Tom Brady.
But who will JT bring on stage with him? That is one of the biggest questions surrounding the halftime show in Minneapolis. While he shot down the possibility of an *NSYNC reunion or having Janet Jackson get a do-over on the most memorable moment in Super Bowl halftime history, that doesn't mean we can't engage in some wild speculation as to who might be in store for us during his 12-minute set. Even if Timberlake himself seemed to suggest that the only special guests he has in store are the members of his band.
If Timberlake does share the spotlight (and there's no guarantee), we've got some ideas who it might be.
Check out SportsLine's look at the top 10 craziest prop bets for Super Bowl Sunday.
Jay-Z
Jay-Z reportedly turned down the Super Bowl LII halftime show before it was offered to Timberlake, but maybe he's more willing to make an appearance in a guest role alongside his friend. Timberlake and the rapper have a great relationship, as the two have collaborated together on several tracks in the past. They also co-headlined the "Legends of the Summer" tour together back in 2013.
However, all of that may not matter if Jay-Z, who has been a vocal supporter of Colin Kaepernick over the past few years, decides he doesn't want to align himself with the NFL. Then again, maybe he'll be willing to show up if he feels he can use the opportunity to send a message.
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell has a longstanding relationship with Timberlake and has done production work for him, including on "Man of the Woods," which is set to release two days before the Super Bowl. But Pharrell also brings a stage presence and has achieved success as both a rapper and a singer, so he's more than just a guy who'll just stand behind a computer and wave his arms.
Plus, he'd probably wear a funny hat that Twitter can make fun of, and why would we root against that?
Andy Samberg
If Timberlake's halftime show is going to include private parts, they may as well be in a box.
Britney Spears
If we can't have the nostalgia that comes with an *NSYNC reunion, a Justin and Britney reunion is probably the second-best option. The Mickey Mouse Club alums came together to form one of the biggest heartthrob celebrity couples of the 1990s and early 2000s, and they even hit the Super Bowl stage together in 2001. The world would lose its mind if it happened again, especially if they brought back those glorious all-denim matching outfits.
Oh, memories Getty Images
Chris Stapleton
Timberlake has enlisted the services of Stapleton, who is currently one of country music's biggest stars, for his new album. The two are featured on a song set to release this week, so it's possible that Stapleton heads to Minnesota to perform it with Timberlake on the world's biggest stage.
Timbaland
Timbaland has produced a good number of hits from Timberlake's catalogue and, much like Pharrell, he also brings a stage presence and can contribute on the mic himself. It would actually be somewhat of a surprise if Timbaland wasn't involved in the show.
Jimmy Fallon
Fallon hosts a late night show on NBC. This year's Super Bowl is on NBC. Fallon and Timberlake are longtime friends.
It was inevitable that they were going to link up, and Timberlake is already booked to appear on Fallon's live postgame show as both a guest and musical performer. With that in mind, it's probably overkill to have Fallon also involved in the halftime show, but overkill and Fallon have been a happy couple for a while now.
A Michael Jackson hologram
Watching Timberlake and MJ perform "Love Never Felt So Good" together on stage would be something of a "Black Mirror" nightmare, but it would also generate an insane amount of buzz and be a wild spectacle to behold. (We would also accept a hologram of Prince in his hometown of Minneapolis.)
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars has established himself as one of the best entertainers and live performers in the world currently, which is why he's landed spots on two of the last four Super Bowl halftime shows. It seems unlikely that they'd go back to him once again (especially considering it would mean Timberlake is giving up the honor of being the only artist to perform at the Super Bowl three times) but would anyone really be opposed to a new NFL tradition of Bruno performing every other year? If so, I don't want to know them.
Danny DeVito
It's already been teased that Danny DeVito will star in a Super Bowl commercial this year, but there's reason to get him involved in the halftime show as well. DeVito's character played a troll in the stage production of "The Nightman Cometh" on "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia." Justin Timberlake starred in "Trolls" the movie. With the Eagles in the Super Bowl, it's the perfect opportunity for DeVito to get in character as Frank Reynolds and invade the stage in a troll costume as J.T. performs "Can't Stop The Feeling."
Janet Jackson
Double or nothing, you cowards.