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Hollywood isn’t immune from the occasional error in films. While directors and producers are obsessively detail-oriented, it turns out Hollywood actually messes up quite a lot. However, these gaffes have become iconic on their own, adding to the legacy of these legendary films. In this article, we honor our 25 favorite Hollywood gaffes that somehow made the final cut.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End — Singapore?
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With memorable characters and entertaining stories, the Pirates of the Caribbean series has spawned five films that have raked in over $4.5 billion in box offices worldwide. That figure certainly makes up for the $1.5 billion it cost to produce the series. Even with that gaudy budget, the Pirates films haven’t been able to elude the occasional slip-up.
Aside from a few continuity errors (Orlando Bloom’s disappearing Elven tattoo), Pirates suffers from a handful of historical inaccuracies. In the third film, At World’s End, the characters travel to Singapore during their epic adventure. However, modern Singapore wasn’t founded until 1819 — over a hundred years after the film is suggested to take place. Let’s just say the writers weren’t overly concerned with facts when they made a movie based on a theme park ride…
American Sniper — The Fake Baby
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Released in 2014, American Sniper is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of the past decade. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the biographical war film stars Bradley Cooper as real-life US Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. In telling the story of the Texas-born soldier, Cooper delivers arguably the best performance of his career — for which he earned a nomination for Best Actor at the 87th Academy Awards.
Perhaps his most impressive piece of acting in the film comes when Kyle is shown taking of his newborn child. Audiences quickly noticed there was something off with this particular scene — namely, the baby was a prop. Yes, American Sniper used a baby doll as a stand-in for Kyle’s daughter. Cooper even tries to sell the scene by playing with the doll’s arm to simulate movement. According to reports, the film had a real-life child in line for the role, but were forced to pivot at the last moment. It served as a bit of humor in an otherwise somber film.
Django Unchained — Where Did Those Sunglass Come From?
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Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to take some liberties with his 2012 revisionist film Django Unchained. In the movie, Jamie Foxx plays the titular character Django, a slave who was separated from his wife, Broomhilda. After escaping from his captors, Django has nothing but revenge on his mind. Before setting on his journey to free Broomhilda, Django outfits himself with a flashy garb featuring an accessory that hadn’t yet been popularized in America — a pair of sunglasses. Such eyewear had not yet been introduced in the US (Django Unchained takes place during the Civil War and sunglasses weren’t worn until the 20th century), but Tarantino chose to bypass this detail for stylistic effect.
Game of Thrones — Starbucks
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The final season of the lauded HBO original show Game of Thrones was chockful of continuity mistakes. Years and years of storytelling was undone by gaping plot holes and puzzling character decisions. Though a true GoT fan could rant for hours about everything that went wrong in Season 8, all of that can seemingly boil down to a cup from Starbucks. In the season’s fourth episode, The Last of the Starks, somebody forgot to clear the table before showing a clip of Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) with a cup from the famous coffee chain.
The cup was later edited out of the shot, but the damage had already been done. Viewers noticed the cup, and it only added fuel to the notion that the show creators weren’t giving their full effort in Season 8. Amazingly, it wasn’t the only time an untimely drink would make an appearance in Season 8. In the final episode, a water bottle can be seen in what was supposed to be a critical scene for the series.
Spider-Man Far From Home — Forbidden Transportation
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Even your friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man isn’t impervious to a blunder every now and again. The web-slinging superhero has featured in nearly a dozen films over the years, with the most recent release, 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, featuring all three of the live-action actors to portray Spidey on the big screen (Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland). Perhaps even the biggest Spider-Man fans are unaware of some glaring mistakes in the blockbuster films.
In canon, Spider-Man resides in New York City — though it was plainly obvious (due to noticeable landmarks) that Maguire’s Peter Parker was patrolling the streets of Cleveland, Ohio. That’s not all. Holland’s second Spider-Man film — Far From Home — saw the web-head take a trip to Europe with his classmates. On the voyage, the group travels to Venice where they take a bus ride to see the sights. However, this would never happen in the tourist city as cars — let alone, buses — are forbidden in Venice.
Gladiator — Need Some Air?
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Not even a film as revered as Gladiator can go without a single massive mistake. In a scene where a caravan of chariots enter the Colosseum, a compressed air tank can be seen in plain sight. The tank was used to propel the chariot in order to give the illusion that it had been upended. While this may have not been as obvious when the Russell Crowe-led film was in theatres back in 2000, it has become clearer thanks to re-releases of the film on home video.
It’s a wonder how many bloopers have been unearthed with the improved quality of films today. Back then, film makers didn’t have to be quite as meticulous. Now, anybody with a Blu-Ray player can rewind, zoom, and do frame-by-frame analysis of each and every scene.
Pretty Woman — The Breakfast Sampler
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Pretty Woman did better than anybody could have expected in the box office. With a budget of just $14 million, the Julia Roberts-led rom-com dominated at the box office — hauling in over $460 million worldwide. The film stars Roberts as Vivian Ward, a Hollywood escort who is hired by a rich executive named Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). The on-screen chemistry between Roberts and Gere was palpable, and they reunited nine years later in Runaway Bride which was also successful ($300 million box office).
One scene that fans of Pretty Woman can’t get out of their heads is when the duo are having breakfast at a hotel. While discussing Edward’s job, Vivian is seen instantaneously swapping through breakfast items. In one shot, she’s seen chomping into a croissant. Just moments later, she’s taking a bite out of a pancake. While it’s plausible Vivian was simply getting a sample of each item, it’s more likely that it was just an editing mistake which featured multiple takes of the same scene.
Raiders of the Lost Ark — Spotted Jeans
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Steven Spielberg’s epic adventure Raiders of the Lost Ark is a beloved movie by many, though historians do have some qualms with its historical accuracy. There are several biblical fibs which are used to progress the story, but aren’t necessarily true. However, most of that has been overlooked due to the undying devotion to the iconic series and its star — Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford.
That being said, one mistake that cannot be unseen is the presence of modern clothes in the background of a shot. In the still above, a man sporting denim jeans can be spotted roaming the streets of Cairo. Needless to say, this would not be a typical outfit for somebody in Egypt in the 1930s.
Halloween — Slashin’ on a Budget
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The film which started it all, Halloween remains one of the most influential horror flicks of all-time. Today, the series has spanned 12 movies (with a 13th, dubbed Halloween Ends, set to release later this year) and has grossed over $773 million worldwide. However, the first film was made with a budget of just $300,000 — which was low even by 1978’s standard. While working with such a small budget, director John Carpenter had to cut corners in every way imaginable.
One budget-saving technique the movie employed was its location. Halloween is set in the fictional city of Haddonfield, Illinois, but it was actually filmed in various parts of Southern California. In the opening scene, babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is even seen walking across a street which has palm trees. Palm trees? In the Midwest? We think not.
Goonies — Baseball Card from the Future
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The Goonies is a classic. Starring a who’s who of child stars, the Steven Spielberg original story tells a tale of a group of kids on a treasure hunt. On their adventure, the kids stumble upon the dead body of man named Chester Copperpot who happens to have an expensive collectible on his person. The group finds a Lou Gehrig card in Chester’s pocket. The timeline between Gehrig’s rise to baseball immortality and Copperpot’s supposed passing checks out — Gehrig played for the Yankees from 1929-1939 and Copperpot is said to have died around 1933. However, the Gehrig card which featured on the film was made by a company called Topps in 1973.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2 — His Mother’s Eyes
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It’s simple enough to ignore certain aspects of the Harry Potter films. Of course, when floating candles, flying broomsticks, and unearthly creatures are littered throughout the film, viewers are required to suspend disbelief while watching. However, there are several details within the beloved books which the filmmakers either got wrong or flat-out ignored. One of these changes has to do with Harry’s mom, Lily Potter.
Harry, whose parents were killed when he was just a baby, has no recollection of his mother. However, he’s told several times by various characters he meets in the Wizarding World that he shares the same eyes as her. This does not come to fruition in the film. Harry’s actor (Daniel Radcliffe) has bright blue eyes while Lily’s actor (Ellie Darcey-Alden) sports brown eyes. A $250 million budget and they couldn’t afford a pair of colored contacts?
Forrest Gump — Fruit Company
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The Best Picture winner from 1994 made a peculiar timeline mistake midway through the film. When explaining how he happened upon a small fortune, Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks) details a letter he received from a “fruit company”. In reality, the company he was speaking of was Apple who he had made a sizable investment with at some point. The investment turned Forrest into a millionaire, but certain aspects don’t quite add up. Namely, the fictional letter Forrest received was dated in the year 1975 — a full year before the company was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne.
The Wizard of Oz — Obsidian Slippers
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Dorothy was caught without her famous ruby slippers in one scene of the 1939 classic. In the scene when Dorothy and Scarecrow are tussling with an apple tree, Dorthy can be spotted wearing flat, black shoes instead of her typical footwear. According to reports, actor Judy Garland found the original pair of ruby slippers to be extremely uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. As a result, she carried a black pair of shoes to utilize in dance sequences. It seems like the editors simply forgot to cut out a shot where the black shoes are plainly visible.
Malcolm X — The Number You’ve Called Cannot Be Reached
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Another biographical film which simply did not do its research when constructing the plot. Malcolm X stars Denzel Washington portraying the role of the civil rights activist. Washington delivers an epic performance which many believe is the best acting job of his storied career. However, the movie does have its faults including a key timeline error. At one point in the film, Malcolm’s house is firebombed. His reaction is to shout “call 911!” — but that simply wouldn’t have made sense at the time. The first 911 call wasn’t made until three years after Malcolm’s death.
The Notebook — Shapeshifting Hair
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Actors change their hairstyles all the time. It’s not uncommon to see somebody don a handful of different styles throughout a single film. However, James Marsden took this to an extreme in The Notebook. In the film, Marsden plays Lon Hammond Jr. who serves as a sort of foil to Ryan Gosling’s Noah Calhoun. Throughout the film, Marsden doesn’t just change hairstyles — he swaps the color of his hair back and forth. In his introduction, Marsden is seen with jet-black hair. Moments later, he’s sporting a light brown shade. A few frames later — while seemingly no time has passed — it’s back to black. Maybe his indecisiveness is what drove Allie (Rachel McAdams) away!
Top Gun — Hollywood, We Have A Problem…
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Being technically correct isn’t always important to Hollywood filmmakers. They’re trying to make a movie which appeals to the masses — and aren’t always hellbent on making single detail perfectly accurate. This idea holds true in Top Gun, the beloved 1986 action film starring Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Kelly McGillis. From the mission briefs being held in a hangar — which would never happen — to the airborne showboating, Top Gun sacrificed authenticity for entertainment. One cringeworthy error occurs near the beginning of the movie, when John Stockwell’s Cougar rips off his oxygen mask to get more air. In reality, air would be in short supply in that altitude, nullifying his efforts. Perhaps the upcoming sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, will have a stronger technical foundation.
Star Wars — Clumsy Stormtrooper
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The Star Wars series remains one of the most beloved set of films amongst fans of all ages. As such, viewers have gone over each frame of the nine movie saga with a fine-tooth comb. It’s only natural that some mistakes will be noticed, and there have been plenty in the Star Wars films. In fact, a quick YouTube search will unearth hundreds of videos with fans pointing out bloopers which largely went unnoticed. Perhaps the most memorable (or at least, most humorous) of these gaffes includes a clumsy stormtrooper in the 1977 film, A New Hope.
Vader’s top henchmen aren’t exactly the most cunning soldiers, and that was all too evident when one stormtrooper hit his head against the doorframe when entering a room. Director George Lucas decided to have some fun with the blooper, and even added a distinct sound effect of the collision in later versions of the film.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith — NYC to LA
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This action film kickstarted the relationship between co-stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. While critics weren’t all too fond of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, it performed extraordinarily well in the box office and was the highest grossing film (at the time) for both stars. That being said, we do have one main gripe with the film — and that has to do with its faulty location. The movie is supposedly set in New York City, but there is a chase scene where the camera pans to a street sign which distinctly says “Los Angeles”. Mr. & Mrs. Smith had a $110 million budget and clearly very little of that was spent on quality control.
Panic Room — Panicked Decision
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Starring Jodie Foster and a young Kristen Stewart, Panic Room suffered from one key scientific gaffe. In the film, Meg (Foster) is a single mother who moves into a new home with her daughter, Sarah (Stewart). One night, a trio of men break into the house in hopes of stealing a hidden safe of bonds. Meg and Sarah rush into the home’s built-in panic room in order to stay safe. As a rebuttal, the thieves pump gas through the room’s air vents to force them out. This is where it gets murky. Meg grabs a lighter and ignites the gas, torching the ceiling and leaving one of the thieves badly burnt. However, propane is heavier than air which would cause it to sink to the floor. Meg and her daughter would have been burnt to a crisp.
Public Enemies — Inaccurate Timeline
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Another film which takes several creative liberties in an effort to make a more entertaining film. Michael Mann’s Public Enemies was released in 2009 and featured a star-studded cast including Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, and Billy Crudup. The film is based around infamous bank robber John Dillinger (Depp) and his accomplices. While there are several nitpicks that can be made about this film, its disregard for an accurate timeline is perhaps most concerning. In an effort to magnify Dillinger being alone towards the end of the film, both of his accomplices — Baby Face Nelson and Homer Van Meter — are killed off before him. In reality, Dillinger was killed months before both of them.
Toy Story — What Happened to the Move?
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Everybody loves Toy Story, making it that much more difficult to nitpick its flaws. A major plot point in the first film is that Andy’s family will be moving shortly. This puts a major amount of stress on Andy and the toys. At one point, Woody informs the group of toys that there is only one week remaining before the move occurs. However, this storyline seems to take a backseat after Buzz is introduced. With Buzz becoming the favorite toy, Andy’s mom takes it upon herself to change her son’s wallpaper from cowboy-themed to space-themed. Couldn’t that have waited until after the move, Mrs. Davis?
The Dark Knight Rises — Hiest?
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I mean, did they not have a spellchecker on set? This gaffe seems easily avoidable. It doesn’t take a world-class sleuth to notice that the word “heist” is spelled incorrectly. Somebody swapped the letters around and it went right by the entire editing team. Surprisingly, this isn’t the only typo in The Dark Knight Rises. At one point, Bruce Wayne is looking up information about Catwoman on his computer, and her last name “Kyle” is misspelled “Klye”. This simply cannot happen for a film which had a reported $300 million budget.
Pulp Fiction — Magical Bullet Holes
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Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction has been exposed for using visual cues to set up major scenes. The most noticeable example of this are the preemptive bullet holes seen behind John Travolta and Samuel Jackson in one particular scene. To that point, the shootout hadn’t even occurred — so, where did the holes come from? That isn’t the only time we see the film prepare for a particular scene. When Travolta’s character takes out Uma Thurman’s character on a date, a red mark can be seen on her chest. Reportedly, the mark was there to guide where an “adrenaline shot” was supposed to be administered. After the shot was given, the mark was erased.
The Hurt Locker — A Website That Doesn’t Exist
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Films which attempt to follow a real-life timeline are almost always subject to scrutiny. The Hurt Locker wasn’t harmed by its historical inaccuracies, winning six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow. However, some of the mistakes can hardly go unnoticed. Starring Jeremy Renner as Sergeant William James, The Hurt Locker is a war film which specifically takes place in 2004. Knowing this information, it’s a bit puzzling when one of the characters in the film claims that an Iraqi soldier will be posting a video on a website called YouTube. Such a site was not created until 2005.
Dallas Buyers Club — Car from the Future
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Did you know that Matthew McConaughey’s character in Dallas Buyers Club is a time-traveler? It’s the only possible way to explain this detail in this biographical drama. The film is set at some point in the 1980s. However, McConaughey’s Ron Woodruff seems to have gotten his hands on a prototype for the Lamborghini Aventador — a car which was first manufactured in 2013 (the same year the film was released). A poster for the stylish sports car can be seen behind McConaughey in his work office. Looks like nobody on set was a car aficionado, or else this flub would have never made it to the final cut.
