8 Movies Where Extras Got Totally Trolled
Having popcorn thrown in their mouth wasn't part of the job description.
Without question one of the most thankless and under-appreciated jobs on any movie set is being an extra or "background artist," where the sheer presence of human bodies can bring volume and ambiance to a scene that would otherwise feel empty and un-cinematic.
It's no secret that extras typically have to endure long, long hours and aren't paid all that well, but in the very least they get to be a vital and indelible part of a big Hollywood movie, right?
True though that might be, some filmmakers have taken more liberties with their extras than others, whether manipulating them in order to generate the desired reaction, leaving them to deal with unexpected situations on set, or otherwise putting them in an uncomfortable predicament.
There doesn't seem to have been any lasting harm done in these 10 movies, at least, though they're each further prove that filmmakers often look at extras as props and inconveniences rather than, you know, human beings doing a job and all.
So here's to all the movie extras out there, the unsung heroes of Hollywood who don't get nearly enough credit, and yet without which films just wouldn't feel the same...
8. Extras Were Told The Final Scene Was A Dream Sequence - Iron Man
While shooting spoilerific scenes that also require the presence of dozens of extras, filmmakers can't really be blamed for flat-out lying to them.
We all know how protective Marvel Studios is over the secrecy of their productions, and this goes all the way back to the original 2008 Iron Man.
For the iconic closing scene where Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) famously holds a press conference and tells the assembled reporters that he is, in fact, Iron Man, director Jon Favreau and co. wanted to ensure that the stunning punchline didn't leak online before paying audiences saw it for themselves.
And so, all the extras playing reporters in the scene were told that the scene was actually nothing more than one of Tony Stark's dream sequences.
It's pretty damn rare that anyone bothers leaking anything substantial about an inconsequential dream sequence, so it was a smart ploy to ensure the scene could be shot in a filled-out conference room without risking leaks.