These never get old! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most memorable recurring jokes and callbacks in film franchises. Consider this your spoiler alert!
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00:00 "Are you Tony's stank?"
00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable recurring
00:10 jokes and callbacks in film franchises.
00:14 Consider this your spoiler alert.
00:17 "I got a bad feeling about this."
00:24 "Oh no."
00:26 "What do you think?"
00:36 "I think you're trying to help."
00:44 "But I've been wrong before."
00:48 Part of our favorite Bat Crusader's mystique is his propensity towards the dramatic.
00:53 As a result, we get many instances of Batman leaving the other person hanging, often before
00:58 they even realize he's gone.
01:00 "Things will get ugly."
01:01 "I knew the risk when I took this job, Lieutenant."
01:04 "How will you get him back, Aiden?"
01:07 "He does that."
01:09 How else can he keep up his batty reputation?
01:12 The joke has shown up fairly consistently in everything from live-action movies to animated
01:17 flicks since the late 90s.
01:20 Surprisingly, this seemingly silly quirk may have a darker meaning.
01:24 One version of Batman admitted he disappears because he finds it hard to say goodbye.
01:29 Whatever the reason, the hero's vanishing act has since become a staple that isn't likely
01:34 to go away anytime soon.
01:36 "Miss Kyle."
01:37 "So that's what that feels like."
01:44 Number 9.
01:45 Seamus Blowing Things Up - Harry Potter Franchise
01:59 When we are first introduced to Harry's Irish classmate, he definitely struggles with magic
02:04 a little.
02:05 The ambitious wizard always tries to go a bit big.
02:08 Unfortunately, that led to Seamus nearly blowing himself up on two separate occasions in the
02:14 first film alone.
02:15 "I, Rabbit, castrate him."
02:16 "What's Seamus trying to do to that glass of water?"
02:17 "Turn it to rum."
02:18 "I actually managed to weep tea yesterday."
02:19 A sixth film, Potions Class, proved that he still had explosive bad luck.
02:32 Seamus hilariously turned things around in Deathly Hallows.
02:36 When Hogwarts comes under attack by dark forces, his unique set of skills are specifically
02:41 requested by McGonagall.
02:42 "To blow it up.
02:43 Boom."
02:44 "Boom!"
02:45 "Wicked.
02:46 How on earth are we going to do that?"
02:47 "Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnegan?
02:52 As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics."
02:56 "I can bring it down."
02:57 He manages to put a dent in Lord Voldemort's forces by blowing up a crucial bridge.
03:02 Since there has been some criticism that this gag may reinforce negative stereotypes, it's
03:07 likely this joke will be left out of any reboots.
03:10 Number 8.
03:11 Burt Bacharach Cameos - Austin Powers Franchise
03:20 The late Burt Bacharach was one of the most talented composers of the 20th century.
03:25 Along with lyricist Hal David, he composed pop classics such as Alfie and Raindrops Keep
03:31 Falling on My Head.
03:38 But did you know he made cameos as himself in the Austin Powers franchise?
03:43 His first appearance was in Austin Powers International Man of Mystery, where he can
03:47 be seen playing the piano.
03:56 Per Mike Myers, the film was itself inspired by Bacharach's sultry The Look of Love.
04:01 Bacharach's cameo was so popular that he returned for subsequent films, even reprising his song
04:07 What the World Needs Now is Love.
04:10 What an honor to the Austin Powers franchise.
04:24 Number 7.
04:25 They Look Too Old - Jump Street Franchise
04:36 In this multimedia franchise about police detectives going undercover at a high school,
04:41 age-related jokes were bound to occur.
04:43 Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum's flabbergasted reactions towards the youth is a constant
04:48 winner.
04:49 Things have changed considerably since the two lead's high school days, which brings
04:53 about hilarious generational clashes.
04:56 The gag also doubles as meta-commentary on Hollywood's casting actors in their 20s and
05:01 30s as teens.
05:10 Sure enough, Hill and Tatum don't look too out of place compared to their supposedly
05:14 high school counterparts.
05:16 Since this franchise likes to lean on the fourth wall, the characters are taken to college
05:20 in the sequel, but the criticisms about their age still don't go away.
05:35 Number 6.
05:36 Hoffman - Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Franchise
05:50 Bosses insistently calling for their bumbling assistants has been a staple since Shakespeare.
05:56 But there is perhaps no funnier example of this trope than in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man
06:01 series.
06:02 J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson frequently barks for Hoffman, an employee who appears
06:08 faster and faster with each call.
06:17 At times, Jameson calls for Hoffman not even knowing he is already in the room.
06:22 So ingrained is the reflex.
06:24 Jameson also has a tendency to take Hoffman's suggestions as his own.
06:29 Arguably the best part?
06:31 Hoffman is played by Sam Raimi's real-life brother.
06:34 This recurring sibling role was a brilliant bit of hilarious casting.
06:43 Number 5.
06:44 Cornetto Ice Cream - Three Flavors Cornetto Franchise
06:53 This colorful gag is so integral to the franchise that it's its literal name.
06:58 That's right, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End are connected movies
07:04 known as the Three Flavors Cornetto Franchise.
07:08 The delicious treat makes funny appearances in all three films in some fashion.
07:12 It even serves as a catalyst to a major breakthrough in Hot Fuzz.
07:25 Director Edgar Wright first included Cornetto Ice Cream as a hangover cure in Shaun of the
07:30 Dead.
07:31 After receiving free ice cream once, the writers included it in their follow-up films in an
07:36 effort to score the treat again.
07:38 It was apparently unsuccessful.
07:41 Fortunately, the ice cream lives on as a legendary gag.
07:48 Number 4.
07:49 Fear of Snakes - Indiana Jones Franchise
08:02 Archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones has encountered many dangers throughout his
08:06 journeys.
08:07 Death traps, poisonous spiders, giant boulders, and what Indy would claim is worst of all,
08:14 snakes.
08:15 The word "Ophidiophobia" has been well established since Raiders of the Lost Ark.
08:25 But why is Jones so afraid of snakes?
08:27 In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, it's revealed that in his youth, he fell into a
08:33 snake pit.
08:34 Since then, he's had to confront his phobia multiple times throughout the films.
08:40 Indiana even has to deal with their underwater counterparts.
08:43 Ironically, most of his encounters have been with non-venomous snakes.
08:48 Even the greatest of heroes must have one weakness to overcome.
08:52 We feel you, Indy.
09:02 Number 3.
09:03 I Have a Bad Feeling About This - Star Wars Franchise
09:14 Some gags truly transcend their source material to become pop culture staples.
09:19 First uttered by Luke Skywalker himself, the phrase has since been said by nearly every
09:24 major character of note throughout the series.
09:28 In fact, it has become de rigueur for a Star Wars film to say the phrase at least once.
09:34 Even BB-8 beeped it in The Last Jedi, as confirmed by director Rian Johnson.
09:45 This 40+ year old gag has even appeared in numerous film franchises and also in anime
09:51 throughout the years.
09:53 It's clear that when a situation is looking dire, nothing beats this pithy and infinitely
09:58 useful response.
10:03 Number 2.
10:04 It Was All a Dream - Back to the Future Franchise
10:18 It Was All a Dream is a trope in cinema for a reason.
10:22 But sometimes reality is truly stranger than fiction.
10:25 Back to the Future turns this trope on its head by making it a full-on gag.
10:37 In each film entry, protagonist Marty McFly wakes up disoriented in an unfamiliar location.
10:43 He always thinks that his time-traveling exploits have been nothing more than a dream.
10:49 However, another character quickly steps in and corrects him.
11:03 Marty McFly's extreme reactions crack us up, whether he's in a completely changed timeline
11:09 or in the Old West.
11:10 Cheer up, Marty!
11:11 At least you're not falling into manure.
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11:33 Number 1.
11:35 Stan Lee - Marvel Cinematic Universe
11:49 Stan Lee's MCU cameos went from silly Easter eggs to shining tributes to a legend.
11:55 And it was well-deserved.
11:56 After all, the man created and co-created iconic characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man,
12:04 the Hulk, and so many more.
12:06 As a token of his huge influence, there was a time where no MCU film was complete without
12:11 some kind of appearance from Lee.
12:14 You can spot him as a background character or as himself, usually delivering one poignant
12:19 hysterical line.
12:21 In-universe, Guardians 2 suggested he was an informant for the Watchers, keeping tabs
12:26 on the heroes.
12:34 This trend sadly came to an end after his death in 2018 and posthumous appearances a
12:39 year later.
12:41 His joy for Marvel stories and creative influence will never be forgotten.
12:49 What other movie running gags gave you a very good feeling about all of this?
12:53 Let us know in the comments below!
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