Top 20 Movie Mistakes Spotted by Fans

“Gladiator” (2000)

Ridley Scott’s historical epic takes place in the year 180, with Emperor Marcus Aurelius hoping to restore the long-dormant Roman Republic. Much of the action takes place in the famous Colosseum, with Maximus being forced to fight as a gladiator. In one fight, Maximus and his fellow gladiators are tasked with defeating a series of horse-drawn carriages. One of these carriages flips over during the battle, spilling its riders into the dirt. The crash also reveals a very modern hydraulic gas contraption hidden within the chariot. Ancient Romans had their own hydraulic systems, but they were certainly not this sophisticated!

“The Goonies” (1985)

The end of this classic sees the titular Goonies speaking to the press about their adventures. During the talk, Data tells a disbelieving reporter about a scary octopus that the group encountered. Viewers may have also been left in a state of disbelief, as this was never shown in the movie. The octopus sequence was filmed and can be seen in some TV versions of the film, but it was cut from the theatrical release. Luckily, this editing mistake still works within the logic of the movie, as Data could simply be lying for the sake of publicity. You know, as just a kid getting wrapped up in the excitement of it all.

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)

The problem with emphasizing an article of clothing is that viewers will be on the lookout for it. Much is made about Dorothy’s ruby slippers, and they have become an iconic piece of pop culture. Which is why their sudden absence is all the more distracting. One scene has Dorothy and Scarecrow coming across a group of sentient apple trees, which proceed to pelt the heroes with their fruit. One apple hits Scarecrow, causing Dorothy to start running away. Her feet are very briefly shown as she stumbles, and this is where she is seen wearing black patent leather shoes instead of the classic ruby slippers. When we see her again, the ruby slippers are back.

“Pretty Woman” (1990)

The titular Pretty Woman is Vivian Ward, a sex worker who strikes up a relationship with wealthy client Edward Lewis. One scene sees Vivian and Edward having breakfast and discussing what Edward does for a living. Throughout much of the sequence, Vivian is picking off pieces of a croissant and eating them. But right after Edward talks about his schooling, the camera switches back to Vivian and she is now holding a pancake. But wait, that’s not all! There are two mistakes for the price of one. After the sloppy pancake reveal, Vivian clearly takes a second bite out of it. Yet when the camera switches back to her again, the second bite is magically gone.

“Back to the Future” (1985)

While an undeniable classic of the time travel genre, “Back to the Future” is filled with anachronisms. One of them involves the climactic dance sequence, in which Marty entertains the school with some Chuck Berry. Marty is playing a Gibson ES-345, which wasn’t publicly released until 1959. The past sequences of “Back to the Future” take place in 1955, a good four years before the ES-345 was introduced. In reality, Marty would likely be playing the Gibson Les Paul, a very popular electric guitar that was introduced in 1952. However, this was likely a creative decision, as Chuck Berry also played the Gibson ES-345.

“Spider-Man” (2002)

It’s not just web-slinging powers and a chiseled bod that Peter Parker acquired from the spider. He also apparently got a magic lamp that fixes itself! An excited Peter tests out his new web-shooting powers in his room and hits a green lamp. He pulls the lamp towards himself and is forced to duck out of the way as it sails past him and shatters against the wall. This attracts the attention of Aunt May, and Peter quickly shoos her away. When he closes the door to examines his web-covered room, the green lamp has somehow been restored to its place on the shelf.

“American Sniper” (2014)

We’ve seen some bad movie babies in our time, but arguably none as bad as “American Sniper.” In one scene, Chris and Taya Kyle have a heart-to-heart about Chris’s lack of family commitment. Chris and Taya take turns holding the baby, but no matter whose hands it’s in, the baby looks hilariously fake. It’s clearly just a cheap plastic doll that the prop department probably found at the local Walmart. Screenwriter Jason Hall explained that they had planned on shooting with real babies, but one didn’t show up to set and the other was sick. Desperate, director Clint Eastwood ordered that the scene go ahead with the prop doll.

“Quantum of Solace” (2008)

Working as a background extra usually means blending into the scene and not drawing any attention to yourself. But even performing simple tasks can steal focus depending on how they’re done. An extra on “Quantum of Solace” nearly stole Bond’s thunder with one ridiculous act. When Daniel Craig’s 007 is sitting on a motorcycle contemplating his next move, a worker is supposed to be sweeping the ground nearby However, his broom isn’t remotely close to touching the pavement. This hilariously bad sweeping job was unfortunately one of the best parts of the disappointing “Quantum of Solace”.

“Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971)

Before we follow Charlie Bucket’s trip into a wondrous chocolate factory, this classic movie introduces us to the candy man. This sweet shop owner shows a lot of passion for his wide selection of goods. Unfortunately, the candy man was too focused on his big number to worry about one unlucky shopper. Right after he starts singing about tomorrow, keep an eye out on the countertop he lifts up. The ledge bops one of the waiting children in the chin just before they all head past him. Props to the extra who took the knock and just kept on going. Hopefully, she got a bonus chocolate bar for not drawing attention to the candyman’s mistake.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)

Pirate movies ruled the box office and open seas when Captain Jack Sparrow first took to the screen in 2003. While the movie openly leaned into fantastical magical elements, we weren’t expecting to see them play with time too. During the movie’s triumphant final scene, Jack Sparrow gets emotional about the Black Pearl before ordering his crew around. He apparently employed both pirates and at least one cowboy. If you look behind Sparrow’s head to the left, you’ll spot a man wearing a t-shirt and straw hat. Although it’s hard to catch upon a first viewing, you’ll never unsee it once you know. Either a crew member stumbled on set or pirate captain Jack Sparrow’s hiring practices were really ahead of the times.

“The Fast and the Furious” (2001)

Long before the franchise was concerned with fighting atop cars or going to outer space, the “Fast and Furious” movies actually had a lot of racing. One of the most memorable competitive scenes saw the young Jesse race against the hardcore Tran. Before they started the race, we caught a big continuity mistake. As the competitors start revving up their engines, the camera cuts to Tran in a black button up shirt. After a quick shot of the ref, he’s suddenly wearing a black tank top with no explanation. We somehow doubt Tran did a quick change just to prepare for the race. Honestly, the fantastic “narc” scene that follows probably distracted people from noticing this wardrobe malfunction.

“Pulp Fiction” (1994)

During an iconic scene in an apartment, hitman Jules confronts Brett about backstabbing his boss. To say their conversation doesn’t go well would be a bit of an understatement. In fact, audiences can see bullet holes from the shootout behind Jules and his ally Vincent during the scene. But there’s one tiny problem. These holes can be seen before the gunman who makes them enters the movie’s narrative. It’s hard to tell whether the cameraman missed this detail, the scenic department got a little too eager or the editor accidentally used this angle. But regardless of the explanation, we agree with Jules that something extraordinary was going on with those bullet holes.

“North by Northwest” (1959)

Released in 1959, Alfred Hitchcock’s “North By Northwest” is a great spy thriller that still holds up today. One its best suspenseful scenes takes place in a cafeteria scene. During the sequence, Eve pulls out a gun and surprisingly shoots Cary Grant’s Roger Thornhill. But there’s one character that definitely knew this violent moment was coming. There’s a young boy in a blue shirt sitting in the background to Eve’s right. Before she pulls the trigger, he plugs up his ears in anticipation of the gunshot. The only in-universe explanation for this moment is that the young boy is a clairvoyant. He should really talk to the phony psychic in Hitchcock’s “Family Plot”.

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019)

With a cast, budget, and scope as epic as this, mistakes are bound to happen. One of the most noticeable and hilarious involves Ant-Man. During the intricate climactic sequence, Ant-Man and the Wasp are attempting to hotwire a van while the battle rages around them. The gauntlet is given to Black Panther, who proceeds to run through the chaotic battlefield. During this run, eagle-eyed viewers can spot a massive Ant-Man in the background sending a Leviathan through a portal. Unless quantum magic can put Scott in two places at once, this isn’t happening. Still makes for a really cool visual, though…

“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)

While the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is widely considered as a nearly flawless trio of fantasy films set in a world without modern technology, a few mistakes did slip through the cracks. One of the most infamous slip-ups that eagle-eyed fans have pointed out involves a car. A modern vehicle was originally seen in the distance as Sam and Frodo talk about being far from home. Since director Peter Jackson caught the flub, he set about erasing it with VFX. But it’s still possible to see the smoke the car produced in certain cuts of the movie. We bet Sam and Frodo would’ve loved to jump into a vehicle so they could return the ring a little faster.

“The Last Samurai” (2003)

Imagine that you got dressed up in epic samurai gear for a big and exciting battle shot. Shortly after the director calls “ACTION!”, the main hero rides in to dismount his battle ready horse. Just as he dismounts, a horse hits you with a strong kick below the belt. The poor actor withstands the brutal hit like nothing happened. Not only does he stay upright, but he gets back in formation instantly. We know that Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe were supposed to be the big main heroes of this movie. But it's extras like the guy who endured this horse kick who are the true champions.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011)

Throughout the “Harry Potter” films, multiple people tell the-boy-who-lived that his eyes are identical to his mother Lily’s. Although the books said they both had green eyes, the young Daniel Radcliffe had trouble with the contacts that would’ve changed his natural blue irises. Fans let this change slide until the very last film. When we see a flashback to a young Lily, she inexplicably has brown eyes. In most stories, this wouldn’t be an issue to the plot. But franchise mainstay Severus Snape explicitly compares Harry’s eyes to his mother’s in a pivotal scene. Did the young Lily have the same eye contact problem as Radcliffe did? Or was this an honest slip-up? Either way, diehard fans will never let this eye color fiasco go.

“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)

Although most stormtroopers rock a similar white ensemble, a few of them have stood out as unique throughout the franchise. One of the funniest members of this group of soldiers appeared in “A New Hope”. When a group of stormtroopers enter the chamber previously occupied by our rebel heroes, one of them bumps their head against the top of the door. It instantly makes the intimidating soldiers more incompetent than their terrible aim would suggest. Instead of trying to cover up this gaffe, George Lucas later drew attention to it with sound effects. He also had Jango Fett make a similar head-bonk in “Attack of the Clones”. We give a lot of credit to Lucas for having a sense of humor about a stormtrooper mistake.