The reason people enjoy movies so much is because they’re a getaway to fantastic, magical, and imaginary worlds. If you want to temporarily escape your daily stresses, movies are the way to go. There are plenty of films that are close to perfection, but nothing in this world is entirely flawless. Even some of the best directors make mistakes once in a while.
The problem with movie mistakes is that they could snap you back into reality, minimizing your cinematic experience. Whether it’s a historical inaccuracy or editing mistake, most of the time these bloopers go unnoticed. However, some of them are just so obvious that you wouldn’t believe these errors weren’t caught before the movie’s release. Sit back, make some popcorn, and get really to laugh your face off with these hilarious bloopers!
These are the best mistakes that actually made it into the final cut!
The Disappearing Crowd – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, director Quentin Tarantino’s long-awaited film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was released. The movie had a remarkable cast including A-listers Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio. It follows a movie star and his stunt double as they try to navigate the evolving Hollywood scene at the end of the Golden Age era.
Although the movie was executed brilliantly, there was one fight scene where small details were missed. Bruce Lee and Cliff Booth are beating each other up in a best of two out of three fight. When Cliff throws Bruce into the car, where does the crowd go? One minute everyone is watching, and the next they’re all gone.
Lord of the Rings
In the Lord of the Rings franchise, Gandalf was a mighty wizard. There are a lot of things wizards can do with their magical powers, but you may not expect some of them from a Tolkien character. Apparently, Gandalf had so many mystical abilities that he was able to travel to our world, buy a watch, and go back.
Most people don’t notice this detail, and whoever did didn’t really care. After all, the movie garnered $3 billion in earnings and won no less than 17 Oscars. Not too shabby. Needless to say, nobody cared about this minuscule detail. Lord of the Rings is one of the most epic franchises in history, and it’s going to take more than a misplaced watch to change that.
Django Unchained
Jamie Foxx did an incredible job in the Quentin Tarintino masterpiece, Django Unchained. The role of Django was a career-defining moment for the aspiring actor. Luckily, he used his horse-riding skills to snag the role he so badly wanted and even used his own horse in the movie. So, you’re probably thinking, what’s wrong? This is a classic film, after all.
Well, this may come as a surprise, but John Lennon style glasses weren’t around back then. In fact, a quick google search confirmed that sunglasses didn’t even exist in the Wild, Wild
West. Even though the historical accuracy is a little off, the movie did most things right. Plus, Django wouldn’t have looked as cool without his shades.
Titanic
When Leonardo DiCaprio was cast as Jack in Titanic, girls all over the planet were so excited. Even though he wasn’t nearly as famous as he is now, his charming good looks won over the hearts of all the ladies. Director James Cameron notoriously tried to make the movie as accurate as possible, so what’s the problem?
The cast members and love story got fans excited, but there was one little part of the script that audiences couldn’t quite get over. Jack mentioned trekking with his dad on Lake Wissota. As it turns out, that manmade lake was dug up in 1917, five years after the Titanic sank in 1912. Unless we have a time-traveler DiCaprio over here, this detail was overlooked.
The Book of Eli
Denzel Washington did a remarkable job in the flick The Book of Eli. He portrayed the nomadic warrior, who was tasked to get the last existing bible to a safe location. The Book of Eli had a beautiful message and became a huge box-office success. People loved the film, but there was one giant problem… or little problem, depending on how you look at it.
So, what’s wrong? Well, the bible was written in Braille. The bible in Braille is way bigger than just one book; it’s closer to 40. That’s not something that even the legendary Denzel Washington would be able to carry around with him. This is a slight inaccuracy, and can easily be overlooked because the movie is extremely clever.
Missing a Year – Ford v Ferrari
Ford v Ferrari is a film about an iconic battle between the two-vehicle manufacturers. Ford wanted to try and take down Ferrari by building a car that would win the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. However, there is one notable blooper in the movie. In real life, there was one more year of competing before Ford finally came out victorious.
The movie depicts one loss before the team came back in 1966 to snag the win. What actually happened, however, is that Ford lost twice, first in 1964 and then in 1965, before they finally took the crown. Even though it’s not exactly accurate, the movie does cover the important basics of the real story.
Back to the Future
Back to the Future has become one of the most epic movies ever. It wonderfully predicted advancements in technology. Every detail ended up being true… well, almost every detail. We’re still waiting for hoverboards to be used more regularly, but the self-tying sneakers are a reality!
However, not every minute detail was well thought out. Do you remember the classic scene when Marty plays the guitar in the 1950s? Well, the only problem is that the specific guitar he used came out three years after the movie was set. But other than that, the movie is perfection. He can also be forgiven considering the fact that he’s a time traveler – he totally could have snuck the guitar back.
Panic Room
In the thriller Panic Room, Kristen Stewart and Jodie Foster try to escape a deranged Jared Leto. In one particular scene, Foster is cornered by Leto and decides to light some propane so that she can escape. It sounds like a rather strange thing to do anyway, but what do I know?
Luckily, the propane rises to the ceiling and stay there. So, what’s the issue here? Propane happens to be heavier than air, meaning they would stay on the ground. If it were accurate, the set would have been on fire, and Leto’s character would have had his evil way. Science always wins. If you’re going to include a scene that involves physics, at least make sure it’s accurate.
300
In this fictional story, the director gifts us with the portrayal of one of the most famous battles ever: 300 brave Spartans vs. the enormous Persian Army and Thermopylae. The movie itself is a complete masterpiece, but history buffs pointed out plenty of things that were wrong with it. The director likely saw it coming though.
Even though the Spartans lost, they were praised for their efforts, and it’s a fantastic movie tribute. The issue is that there were bombs and other weapons in the movie when they were not even invented for another 1000 years. To be fair, the movie took a comic book route on what really took place, so a few irregularities should be expected.
Independence Day
Independence Day isn’t a movie people are iffy about; you either love it or hate it. Fans of the alien flick love seeing these extraterrestrial invaders trying to take over our planet. If you pay attention, you’ll notice in some scenes that world-famous landmarks are being destroyed. Seems normal during an alien invasion, right?
Well, there was one scene when we see the Empire State Building getting totaled. In the film, it’s located at the end of an avenue before the aliens take over. However, anyone who has been to the Empire State Building knows this is incorrect. It’s a small mistake, but people couldn’t help but point it out.
The Aviator
While preparing for a role, Leonardo DiCaprio always focuses on details. When he portrayed the mad director Howard Hughes, Leo imitated his tics, rituals, and other bizarre obsessions. We now from his other roles that Leo puts efforts into method acting so that he can depict his characters in the most accurate way possible.
In one scene, he asks his assistant to bring him exactly ten chocolate chip cookies. The movie was set in 1928, and chocolate chip cookies weren’t invented until 1938. It’s weird to think of the world without chocolate chip cookies, but that was the reality of life back then. I wonder if Leo knew that when he asked for his delicious snack.
The Changing Reaction – The Irishman
Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro are all A-list actors who have portrayed some of the toughest characters in Hollywood over the years. The talented stars all came together in The Irishman as Frank Sheeran (played by Robert De Niro) partners up with a mobster and his crime family. The film is based on a true story, and Joe Pesci even came out of retirement for the movie.
A three-and-a-half hour-long movie means that a bunch of scenes had to be shot multiple times to make sure everything was perfect. Toward the end of the movie, Frank calls Jimmy’s wife after she just lost her husband. Different cuts show Frank reacting in different ways. This is a small editing mistake but didn’t go unnoticed.
Django Unchained
Part of Quentin Tarantino’s style is to overdo things, but some of his antics are genius. This is more like that than an actual movie mistake. You probably remember that one scene when DiCaprio’s character is giving a haunting monologue about the differences in human skulls based on racist philosophies.
During that scene, the character gets angry, slams his hand on a table, and starts to bleed. What you may not have known is that this wasn’t part of the script. Leo actually cut his hand on the glass on the table, but the cameras continued rolling. Tarantino decided to keep filming, and Leo acted through it. It ultimately became one of the most memorable scenes in the movie.
American Sniper
Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, a traumatized war veteran, in American Sniper; his character fights against his demons and enemies simultaneously. Despite the storyline and Cooper’s performance, not everyone rated the movie so highly. Don’t get me wrong, Clint Eastwood is a brilliant director, but there is one particular scene that people couldn’t help but laugh at.
You can see Cooper holding a baby, but there is one major issue. It’s clearly a doll! We know real babies are difficult to work with and aren’t always used in films, but come on! You can at least try to make it look realistic. No one even tried to hide the fact they were using a plastic baby doll, and it’s pretty hilarious.
Rumble in the Bronx
In Rumble in The Bronx, Jackie Chan memorably played a young martial artist coming from China to his uncle in the Bronx. Throughout the entirety of the movie, he fights dangerous gangs, but I would expect nothing less from Jackie Chan.
It’s a thrilling martial arts movie, and Chan got to show off his skills as a martial arts hero. However, there is one major problem with his appearance in some of the scenes. During filming, the actor got injured and was required to wear a cast on his leg. Some of the clothes he wears don’t cover it up well, and you can see it. It’s not too big of a deal, though; I’m honestly just impressed that he continued filming with an injury.
Gothika
Gothika is a psychological thriller starring Halle Berry as a psychiatrist who wakes up as a patient, with Robert Downy Jr. portraying her old colleague who is now treating her. The movie includes several twists and turns, keeping you on your toes. But there was a problem during filming that caused the movie to be put on hold for three months.
The two main characters fight in one scene, and apparently things got a bit out of hand. Robert Downey Jr. broke Halle Berry’s arm, by accident, of course. Still, the actress needed to take some time off to recover. It took three months for her to get well enough for production to continue.
The Lion King
The Lion King is a classic Disney movie that has been suspected of some odd activity by the directors. Grown-up themes seem to be included on purpose, and it makes the movie hilarious to watch as an adult. Disney is known for its strange innuendos, but you should watch out for more than just their deliberate additions.
In some parts of the movie, you’ll notice that Nala has green eyes. But, in other scenes, she has blue eyes. This is interesting because Nala is Simba’s best friend and one of the main characters of the film. You would think such a big production company like Disney would get her eye color right, or at least keep it consistent!
Accidentally Falling Down – 1917
1917 is a magnificent war film. But it becomes even more impressive when you realize that it’s all shot in one take. The cast was required to shoot long scenes at a time so that it could be edited in a way to make it look the action never stops. As you can imagine, this led to quite a few bloopers that made it into the final cut.
In one battlefield scene, George Mackey’s character is running down the frontlines as explosions go off in the background. The actor revealed to Vanity Fair that he never meant to fall down. He got knocked over, and with so much preparation for each scene they kept the shot in the final movie. They just edited out some cuss words before the film was released.
Braveheart
When you’re creating a movie based on a historical event, it’s essential that you pay attention to the smallest details, unless you want history buffs coming after you to point out all of your mistakes. In Braveheart, there was a small error that even some of the most detail-oriented people missed, but history lovers were all over it.
The medieval Scottish soldiers all wear kilts in the movie, which sounds pretty normal to me. I mean, kilts are a huge part of Scottish culture. Well, it turns out, nobody wore kilts back then. The soldiers actually wore yellow shirts that were dyed that color by using horse urine. Yum. A simple costume adjustment would have fixed this inaccuracy.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
A movie that primarily has kids as the cast is bound to have some bloopers or mistakes. It’s only normal because nobody could be perfect at that age, and a large group of kids is even more difficult to organize. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a great example.
To be fair, this isn’t an issue with the child actors on set; it’s more of a production mistake. There is one scene when Harry and Malfoy are battling, and Malfoy ends up falling down. The kids are playing their parts flawlessly, but there is a cameraman who ruins the whole scene. He is so obviously there. I mean, I even noticed him the first time I saw this movie in theaters.
Troy
Making a movie on Homer’s classic The Iliad is no easy feat. Wolfgang Peterson is a veteran when it comes to well-executed, remarkable action movies. His brilliance can be seen in Troy, with the one and only Brad Pitt playing Achilles. The movie was critically acclaimed, but still filled with historical inaccuracies.
One of the most notable and obvious problems with the movie is when an airplane appears in the background during one of the scenes with Pitt. Obviously, you can’t stop planes from flying, but editors could have easily edited it out. I wonder if the editing team even noticed this huge mistake, but it didn’t take long for audiences to recognize it.
The Matrix
When movies involve a lot of reflective surfaces like water or, more specifically, mirrors, it can get difficult to film. Think about it, if you don’t get the angles just right, bloopers are evident. The classic sci-fi film The Matrix of 1999 is a perfect example. Even though it’s considered one of the best movies of all time, it still has its imperfections.
There is a scene where Morpheus and Neo are looking at a doorknob, and a reflection of the camera can be seen. The funny part is that they didn’t even try to hide the obvious camera. It goes to show that if there’s a glitch in the Matrix, then there’s a glitch in the Matrix. Of course, it doesn’t make me love the movie any less.
Pirates of The Caribbean
No one played a more stylish pirate than Johnny Depp in The Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. His captain’s hat, dreadlocks, and goatee make him look convincing, yet incredibly attractive. Rumor has it that Captain Jack Sparrow’s swagger was inspired by Mick Jagger. But there is one subtle mistake in the first film.
If you look at Jack’s hat/bandana, you will notice an Adidas tag sticking out. The movie was exceptional, and Johnny Depp did an unbelievable job. However, this photo has been circulating on the web for years. Do you think this was a simple mistake? Maybe they were doing a sponsorship with Adidas and thought this was a sneaky way to throw the brand’s name in there.
The Moving Blanket – Marriage Story
Shooting the same scene more than once means things won’t look exactly the same, especially if the actors are set in different positions. In Marriage Story, Scarlett Johanson and Adam Driver play Nicole and Charlie. Things weren’t going great for the married couple who ended up filing for divorce.
The pair stays with Nicole’s mother, but each time the camera looks at them, they are different. Sometimes Nicole’s hand is behind her head, and other times it’s on her chest. Her son’s positioning also changes. Sometimes he is out of the blanket, and other times he is covered up to his neck.
Spy Kids
It’s been almost two decades since Spy Kids was first released, but it was a classic fantasy for ‘90s kids everywhere. The story is about two kids who find out their parents are spies, so you know there are going to be some fun shenanigans. Plus, it stars the legendary Antonio Banderas as the dad.
But this looks like another movie where they didn’t get the memo about mirrors. Actress Carla Cugino, who plays the mother, sat at her dresser, and you can see a cameraman’s reflection in the mirror. This is a rookie mistake, if you ask me. I’m surprised nobody noticed this and cut it out during production.
Deadpool
Marvel’s Deadpool is the literal definition of a smash hit movie. The incredible movie made an astonishing ten times its budget and remains as popular as ever. The movie is filled with special effects, but there are some blunders in there too. Even Hollywood hunk Ryan Reynolds wasn’t immune to some production mistakes.
There is one scene where Deadpool falls into a dumpster after getting defeated. It looks like his swords were on his back and had been all along. But then, in the next shot, they disappeared once again. The case of the missing swords is an interesting one. Not even Deadpool himself could get to the bottom of it.
Jungle Book
The remake of the classic animated Disney film Jungle Book was a huge hit and made a whopping $1 billion at the box office. Since it wasn’t filmed on location, some computer animation was required to make the movie as accurate as possible. It makes sense; it must be difficult to find a jungle good enough for filming.
Animation has a way of replicating life, but it’s rarely ever perfect. Despite all the money that was poured into special effects, they still didn’t get it quite right in the final cut. The mistake here is that, throughout the whole movie, you never see rain bouncing off of Mowgli. I think it’s safe to say that physics wasn’t the editor’s strong suit.
Star Wars
Stormtroopers are the cloned warriors of the Republic, and we can see different variations of them throughout the Star Wars movie franchise. They may not be the sharpest of shooters, but they are still a powerful force that you definitely don’t want to run into on a dark night. Well… that’s until you see this mistake.
During the scene where the Stormtroopers chased our heroes into the Deathstar control room, one of the clones accidentally smacked his head on the doorframe. This was actually an accident, and the actor revealed that he was sick during filming, so he was a little off. Somehow, it made it into the final cut and is one of the funniest Star Wars bloopers!
Braveheart
When you sit down to watch a movie about medieval Scottish warriors, you expect it all: the beards, swords, and kilts. Thanks to history fanatics, we now know that kilts shouldn’t have been in this movie at all, given the time period. But there are some other things in Braveheart that are out of place.
I’m no history expert, but I’m pretty sure baseball caps weren’t around either. Who is this man, and how did he get there? He’s probably a time traveler, but maybe a crew member. I’m going to go with a time traveler who went back in time to tell the Scottish warriors that if they want to be historically accurate, they should lose the kilts.
Props Coming and Going – Joker
Throughout the years, plenty of actors have tried to portray the Joker over the years, and, in 2019, it was Joaquin Phoenix’s turn. He stepped up and did an incredible job playing Arthur, who becomes the Joker, and we get to see the character’s twisted life and how he became one of the most popular villains in superhero history.
In one memorable scene, the Joker dances down the stairs. During part of the dance, the character is holding a cigar in his hands. Although we watched him throw it away, it mysteriously reappears when the police get there. Most people were so captivated by Phoenix’s acting skills, that they didn’t even notice this blooper.
Saving Private Ryan
Steven Spielberg is a genius when it comes to movie directing. His ideas, creativity, and attention to detail made Spielberg a household name and the highest-grossing director ever. Saving Private Ryan is Spielberg’s 1998 war flick and is widely considered to be one of his best works. It won a remarkable five Oscar awards and made it to number 27 on IMDb’s best-ever movies, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have flaws.
Captain Miller, played by Tom Hanks, leans on a motorcycle while wounded. So what the problem? That bike was a 1962 model. You don’t need to be a history expert to know that it’s physically impossible for that bike to be around in 1944 when the movie was set.
Gladiator
One of the biggest hits of the year 2000 was Gladiator, which earned Russell Crowe an Oscar for his role. Ridley Scott directed this cinematic masterpiece which is often regarded as one of the best films of all time. We can’t forget the incredible soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, too. It’s almost perfect but also contains one of the biggest movie mistakes in cinema history.
During a chariot race in the Colosseum, something seemed wrong with one of the chariots. It was powered by a gas canister. I get it, horsepower is important, but I didn’t know that Romans cheated this much. By the way, if you still can’t see the issue, Google the history of gas canisters.
The Princess and the Frog
Animated movies are like a dream for perfectionists. Characters tend to wear the same outfit throughout the movie, and we don’t find mistakes too often. I mean, whoever draws these cartoons simply uses templates to duplicate their characters into different poses and change their facial expressions. That’s why you wouldn’t expect too many bloopers.
Well, The Princess and the Frog seems to be an exception. Some audiences noticed that Tiana loses her earring in one particular scene. Mistakes like this shouldn’t happen in animation. I guess the artist forgot she was wearing earrings? And the editors didn’t notice either? Come on, people! Rookie mistake!
Furious 7
Okay, so when you’re shooting a movie filled with special effects, there is a naturally higher risk of mistakes. It’s important to put in the extra effort to avoid errors. In Furious 7, directors were especially careful. Unfortunately, they needed to take a lesson in explosive devices before the movie came out in 2015.
When Jason Statham’s character, Deckard Shaw, sent a bomb, it should have blown up everyone and everything near the kingdom. But after the explosion, the house appears to be left standing. Everything is intact. How is that even physically possible? It’s not. The whole house should have crumbled down or caught fire at the very least.
Rain Man
Rain Man took the movie world by storm when it came out in 1998. The film won an astonishing four Oscars and 22 other awards for its remarkable acting and beautiful storytelling. But not everything in filming went according to plan. This isn’t really a blooper; it’s more of an unplanned addition to one of the scenes.
Dustin Hoffman goes into the phone booth to make a phone call, and, apparently, he used his time in there to pass gas. Tom Cruise was, of course, right there, and it reportedly made him laugh. It’s a serious movie that touches on sensitive subjects, so it’s important to let loose a little bit. It’s nice to see these actors having fun during filming.
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a beloved classic film. It’s a big favorite all over the world, and if you say you didn’t cry at least once during this movie, I don’t believe you. But just because it’s amazing, doesn’t mean it’s completely blooper-free. There is a hilarious scene at the end, when Forrest says that he invested in some kind of fruit company, aka Apple.
However, the famous tech company didn’t go public until 1980. Since he made the investment in 1974, after Hurricane Carmen, he couldn’t have actually invested in Apple stocks. This seems like a careless mistake to me. Either they really didn’t know when Apple went public, or they just hoped viewers wouldn’t notice.