Summary
Themovie cameois a staple of cinema. Whether it’s a familiar face showing up out of the blue (Stan Lee appeared in every single MCU movieup toAvengers: Endgame) or a whole film apparently devoted to showcasing as many cameos as possible (everybody remembers theopening sequence forAustin Powers in Goldmember),the atmosphere in the movie theater is likely to light up when an unexpected star appears.
While cameos in films can often be a source of enjoyment for the audience, or a wink to another film in the franchise,sometimes directors make the wrong choice.When a cameo exists only to surprise the audience, it can fall on its face and feel unnecessary. Cameos can even seem so far removed from the movie that they don’t fit its tone, style, or narrative, and take the audience out of the film.
Deadpool & Wolverine Short-Listed 70 Marvel Cameos Including Ben Affleck’s Daredevil
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10Jay & Silent Bob
Scream 3 (2000)
Viewers familiar with Kevin Smith’s “View Askewniverse” will have been delighted when – for a brief moment – Jay and Silent Bob, two characters who have shown up in every film in that franchise, appeared inScream 3. Jason Mewes and Smith himself portray this pair, and their popularity – while niche – leads to excitement from fans when they make further appearances.
Unfortunately,their cameos inScream 3don’t make much sense, don’t fit the film, and it’s not entirely clear why they showed up.To make things more confusing, a VHS edition of 1994 movieClerks(in which the Jay and Silent Bob characters made their debut) is visible in theScream(1996), the first installment of the franchise.
This has the implication that the pair are both fictional in theScreamworld and simultaneously real people,interacting with the franchise’s star Courteney Cox.It’s unclear whether this means theScreamuniverse and the “View Askewniverse” are in fact one and the same, but one thing’s for sure – this was a cameo that audiences could have done without.
Scream 3
Cast
Scream 3 continues the meta-horror saga with Sidney Prescott visiting a Hollywood film set for Stab 3, based on the infamous Woodsboro murders. As production unfolds, another Ghostface killer emerges, threatening Sidney and her friends amidst the backdrop of the film industry.
9Quentin Tarantino
Django Unchained (2012)
Tarantino has long had a habit of casting himself in cameo roles, having done so in every film that he’s directed (with the exception ofKill Bill: Volume 2), despite his acting ability not always matching that of his stars.InDjango Unchained, perhaps to make up for theKill Bill: Volume 2oversight, he has two separate cameos. The first is Bag Head #1, who is not seen (his bag is under a hood) but Tarantino has a voice cameo. The second, Frankie, is an Australian slave owner.
Tarantino attempts an Australian accent when playing Frankie (for all of one line), but the striking thing about the single scene in which Tarantino appears as this character is thathis character serves no function in the plot of the movieother than as a vessel for a Tarantino cameo. Frankie is shown to be racist and not much else – although he does have a glorious death scene, exploding into the landscape after Django shoots the dynamite Frankie’s carrying. Definitely not worth putting in the movie.
Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained follows Jamie Foxx’s Django, a Black slave who is freed before becoming a bounty hunter. After meeting German dentist-turned-bounty-hunter Dr. King Schultz, Django sets off to free his wife from the cruel and charismatic plantation owner Calvin Candie. Christophe Waltz stars alongside Foxx, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kerry Washington rounding out the cast of Tarantino’s revisionist Spaghetti Western.
8Johnny Depp
Tusk (2014)
After attempting and failing to court Quentin Tarantino to make an appearance, Kevin Smith (no stranger to a cameo) decided to call on Johnny Depp to show up inTuskas Guy Lapointe,a French-Canadian detective trying to get to the bottom of the serial killings that the movie focuses on.While the performance isn’t bad, there’s nothing really more to it further than just being Johnny Depp.
He’s an actor used to eccentric parts, and these oddities are on full display here, but Lapointe doesn’t have much more to him. Clearly, this cameo was a family affair, as Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp has an appearance inTuskas well, portraying a store clerk alongside Harley Quinn Smith, Kevin Smith’s daughter.
This pair would go on to lead the spin-off filmYoga Hosers, which Johnny Depp also features in. It’s safe to say that all of this leads toDepp’s role inTuskfeeling like a needless, self-congratulatory bad fit for the movie, which is a shame given that the star is capable of truly incredible performances.
Tusk
When Wallace Bryton interviews an eccentric old sailor, Howard Howe, for his podcast, the old man tells him of a walrus named “Mr. Tusk” who once saved his life. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end there, as Howard’s obsession with Mr. Tusk means he has some disturbing plans for Wallace.
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7Donald Trump
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Back in 1992, Donald Trump was nothing more than a celebrity, his hotel chain a recognizable symbol of the American financial elite. As such, his inclusion inHome Alone 2: Lost in New Yorkasa man who points Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister to the lobby of the Plaza Hotel was fitting at the time.
However, having served as the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021,his name now has vastly different connotations.What used to be an innocent cameo for one of New York’s most well-known hotel millionaires now seems like a strange appearance of a would-be President that will have wildly different effects on different viewers.
It is now impossible to divorce Donald Trump from his politics, which unfortunately means that this cameo now reminds viewers of a political figure.
It is now impossible to divorce Donald Trump from his politics, which unfortunately means that this cameo now reminds viewers of a political figure. It’s a shame, as the cameo itself is harmless, but it’s the context surrounding it in the years which followed the film’s release that has made it stick out like a sore thumb.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a holiday comedy film directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes. Preparing for another family trip, the McCallister family heads to Florida - but in the enormous family holiday hustle, young Kevin is separated from his family and redirected to New York City alone. Set loose on the town, Kevin looks to have the time of his life - but his former enemies have escaped prison and made their way to the Big Apple.
6Kanye West
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Kanye West is no stranger to the celebrity cameo, having had a particularly memorable moment in the Mike Myers-penned flopThe Love Guru. However, one of his most surprising appearances was in the sequel to Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s news-station-set comedyAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
West appears in a scene that showcases the battle between several news stations and showcases a number of cameos, including Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance as the head of the UK’s BBC.West’s role is that of an MTV journalist– a fatal flaw, as MTV would not be created until 1981, two years afterAnchorman 2is set.
While this lends comedy value to the scene (as Ron Burgundy and his comrades have no idea what MTV is),it ends up feeling flat and unfunny.West isn’t a natural actor, and this doesn’t help in making the cameo feel at all relevant to the rest of the film. Of all the cameo appearances inAnchorman 2– and there are quite a few – this sadly falls short as the one which fits it least.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is the sequel to Adam McKay’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. In the sequel, Ron, again played by Will Ferrell, joins New York’s 24-hour news channel. Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Paul Rudd also return as Ron’s team, along with Christina Applegate as his wife.
5M. Night Shyamalan
Signs (2002)
Like Quentin Tarantino, M. NightShyamalan is a writer-director who seizes the opportunity to pop up for a cameo role in his films, having appeared in 13 of his features from his 1992 directorial debutPraying with Angerright up tohis 2024 thrillerTrap.
Some of his cameos can have a level of importance – perhaps even poignancy, such as his appearance inThe Sixth Sensewhere he played a doctor, reflecting the fact that both his parents work in the medical profession. However, his appearance inSignsis not that.Ray Reddy is an extended cameo role inSignsthat completely misses the toneand performances of the rest of the cast.
Abandoning any subtlety, practically crying out for the audience to notice it was him, Shyamalan’s part detracts from the film by drawing attention away from every single other aspect of his scene. Similarly,Shyamalan is not a natural actor, and his struggle with the lines which he himself wrote is unfortunately very obvious in the final production. Not every cameo can be a good one, but few are as obnoxious and ill-fitting as this.
Signs
Signs is a sci-fi horror film by director M. Night Shyamalan. It follows devout priest Graham Hess and his family as they find themselves in the middle of a mysterious event where crop circles appear in the middle of their farmland. Then, seeing the entire world begin to experience similar phenomena, the family starts to worry about their safety and the end of days as they ponder what may be coming.
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4Michael Jackson
Men in Black II (2002)
Michael Jackson was not an actor. Yet, that didn’t stop his desperation to appear in the second installment of theMen in Blackfranchise. Director Barry Sonnenfeld had been keen for Jackson to appear in the first film, but Jackson was put off by the idea of appearing as an alien.
However,Sonnenfeld’s perspective was shifted after he reportedly received a call from Jackson after he’d watched the first movie, saying that he had cried after the film had ended. A bemused Sonnenfeld explained that the film was a comedy rather than a drama, but agreed to let Jackson take part in the sequel.
This explains the baffling appearance inMen in Black IIofJackson as Agent M, an alien desperate to become a full agent.Clearly, the comedic aspect of the franchise was still not apparent to Jackson, as his performance in this movie leaves much to be desired. His flat delivery, total lack of facial expression, and misunderstanding ofthe scene is cringeworthy and embarrassing to watch, and totally at odds with the rest of the film.
Men in Black II
Men in Black II is the second film in the Men in Black franchise, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Released in 2002, it follows Agent J as he enlists the help of Agent K to combat an alien disguised as a lingerie model who threatens Earth. This sequel builds upon the dynamic partnership and humor established in the original film.
3David Beckham
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
British soccer star David Beckham is no stranger to the world of celebrity cameos, having initially wanted to appear in Gurinder Chadha’s 2002 classicBend it Like Beckham. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts meant that he wasn’t able to attend filming, but the idea of appearing on the big screen clearly stuck in the sportsman’s mind.
Over the years, he’s amassed credits inThe Man From U.N.C.L.E.andKing Arthur: Legend of the Swordthanks to his friendship with filmmaker Guy Ritchie, although it’s the latter of these which is the one that sticks out.Not gifted as an actor, Beckham attempts a different accent for his role as Trigger, but he fails at capturing any distinct tone or timbre, the voice crumbling away in audience’s ears back to Beckham’s own.
This proves distracting, especially as the star is so recognizably from the soccer scene rather than Hollywood, and the end result feels a little drawn-out and unnecessary.While he doesn’t fit the film at all, Beckham’s efforts in the role of Trigger are commendable, and it’s a shame that – much like the intended sequels toKing Arthur– this time, it didn’t work out.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is a 2017 action-adventure movie directed by Guy Ritchie. After being robbed of his birthright, Arthur, played by Charlie Hunnam, is able to pull a sword from the stone and restart his journey toward his true legacy. Along the way, Arthur goes up against King Vortigern, who is played by Jude Law.
2Bill Murray
Ghostbusters (2016)
TheGhostbustersfranchise was going through a turbulent period in the years leading up to the 2016 franchise reboot.A third film in the series had been in the works for a while, but partially due to Bill Murray’s unwillingness to reprise the role of Peter Venkman, the decision was taken to make a reboot with a new, all-female team of Ghostbusters.
Ironically, Murray then agreed to take part in the movie, due to his friendship with the film’s star Melissa McCarthy. However, he did not return as Dr Venkman. Instead, he showed up briefly as a non-superstitious debunker of the paranormal, Dr Martin Heiss.
This was a disappointing result, and it’s no surprise that in the years since this reboot, the originalGhostbustersduology has been extended to a total of four films as of 2024, with Murray back as Dr Venkman again.The 2016 cameo didn’t really fit with the reboot attempting to start something new, and the fact that it was the sole outing for the new team is testament to the legacy of the original films.
Ghostbusters
The third entry into the Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, serves as a reboot in which four eccentric women discover the key to containing paranormal entities using science. Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones form a new all-female version of the iconic team, aided by their incompetent assistant Kevin (Chris Hemsworth). When an occultist threatens to unleash an army of ghosts on New York, the Ghostbusters must step up to save the city.
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1Henry Cavill
Black Adam (2022)
Fans of DC’s “Snyderverse” must have been thrilled whenHenry Cavill showed up in the post-credits sceneof Dwayne Johnson’sBlack Adam, in a brand-new Superman suit and apparently ready to take on new threats. His triumphant return was short-lived, however, with his announcement that he would not reprise the role further coming less than three months afterBlack Adamopened in theaters.
Just a few months later, David Corenswet was announced to take over the mantle of the Man of Steelin the new DC Universe. Cavill’s inclusion inBlack Adamwas largely down to the insistence of producer-star Dwayne Johnson, famously having stated that the film would change “the hierarchy of power” at DC.
This cameo was one which probably got fans more excited than they should have been.
Little did he know,Black Adamwas to be the final film ever to have Henry Cavill’s Superman appear, and more than likely also the final time that the Rock himself would play the titular character. This cameo was one which probably got fans more excited than they should have been.
Black Adam
Black Adam is a feature film centered around the DC Comics antihero Black Adam, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson. The story follows the titular character as he emerges in the modern world, freed after millennia of imprisonment, to deliver his own form of justice.
