10 Cameos That Don’t Fit The Movie At All

Summary

• The impact of a cameo can be positive or negative, depending on whether it fits the film’s tone and narrative.
• Some cameos, like Jay and Silent Bob’s appearance in
  Scream 3
  , didn’t make sense and distracted from the story.
• David Beckham’s cameo in
  King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
  falls flat, as his acting skills struggled to match his soccer fame.

The movie cameo is a staple of cinema. Whether it’s a familiar face showing up out of the blue (Stan Lee appeared in every single MCU movie up to Avengers: Endgame) or a whole film apparently devoted to showcasing as many cameos as possible (everybody remembers the opening sequence for Austin 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.

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10 Jay & 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 in Scream 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 in Scream 3 don’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 movie Clerks (in which the Jay and Silent Bob characters made their debut) is visible in the Scream (1996), the first installment of the franchise. This has the implication that the pair are both fictional in the Scream world and simultaneously real people, interacting with the franchise’s star Courteney Cox. It’s unclear whether this means the Scream universe 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.

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Written by Ehren Kruger and directed by Wes Craven, Scream 3 is the third installment in the long-running slasher franchise and once again stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette, and David Arquette. This time, a film chronicling the Ghostface killing is under development when the slasher makes an appearance and begins taking out the cast members.

Director Wes Craven Release Date February 4, 2000 Studio(s) MiraMax Distributor(s) Dimension Films , MiraMax Writers Wes Craven Cast Wes Craven , Courteney Cox , Neve Campbell Runtime 116 minutes Expand

9 Quentin 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 of Kill Bill: Volume 2), despite his acting ability not always matching that of his stars. In Django Unchained, perhaps to make up for the Kill Bill: Volume 2 oversight, 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 that his character serves no function in the plot of the movie other 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 RAdventureDramaWesternComedy Where to Watch

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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. 

Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date December 25, 2012 Distributor(s) Sony Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Jonah Hill , Samuel L. Jackson , Jamie Foxx , Kerry Washington , Christoph Waltz Runtime 165 Minutes Main Genre Western Expand

8 Johnny 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 in Tusk as 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 in Tusk as well, portraying a store clerk alongside Harley Quinn Smith, Kevin Smith’s daughter. This pair would go on to lead the spin-off film Yoga Hosers, which Johnny Depp also features in. It’s safe to say that all of this leads to Depp’s role in Tusk feeling like a needless, self-congratulatory bad fit for the movie, which is a shame given that the star is capable of truly incredible performances.

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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.

Director Kevin Smith Release Date September 6, 2014 Studio(s) A24 Writers Kevin Smith Cast Michael Parks , Justin Long , Genesis Rodriguez , Haley Joel Osment , Johnny Depp Runtime 101minutes Expand

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7 Donald 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 in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York as a 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’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 PGAdventureComedyCrimeFamily Where to Watch

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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.

Director Chris Columbus Release Date November 19, 1992 Studio(s) Hughes Entertainment Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox Writers John Hughes Cast Macaulay Culkin , Joe Pesci , Daniel Stern , Catherine O’Hara , John Heard , Devin Ratray Runtime 120 Minutes Expand

6 Kanye 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 flop The Love Guru. However, one of his most surprising appearances was in the sequel to Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s news-station-set comedy Anchorman: 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 after Anchorman 2 is 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 in Anchorman 2 – and there are quite a few – this sadly falls short as the one which fits it least.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues PG-13Comedy Where to Watch

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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.

Director Adam McKay Release Date December 18, 2013 Studio(s) Apatow Productions , Gary Sanchez Productions Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Will Ferrell , Adam McKay Cast Will Ferrell , David Koechner , Steve Carell , Paul Rudd , Christina Applegate , Luke Wilson , Vince Vaughn , Fred Willard Runtime 119 Minutes Expand

5 M. Night Shyamalan

Signs (2002)

Like Quentin Tarantino, M. Night Shyamalan 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 debut Praying with Anger right up to his 2024 thriller Trap. Some of his cameos can have a level of importance – perhaps even poignancy, such as his appearance in The Sixth Sense where he played a doctor, reflecting the fact that both his parents work in the medical profession. However, his appearance in Signs is not that.

Ray Reddy is an extended cameo role in Signs that completely misses the tone and 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 PG-13MysteryThrillerDrama Sci-Fi Where to Watch

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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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Director M. Night Shyamalan Release Date August 2, 2002 Studio(s) Disney Distributor(s) Disney Writers M. Night Shyamalan Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Mel Gibson , Cherry Jones , Rory Culkin , Abigail Breslin Runtime 106 minutes Expand

4 Michael 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 the Men in Black franchise. 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 in Men in Black II of Jackson 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 of the scene is cringeworthy and embarrassing to watch, and totally at odds with the rest of the film.

Men in Black II PG-13ActionAdventureComedySci-Fi

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.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld Release Date July 3, 2002 Writers Lowell Cunningham , Robert Gordon , Barry Fanaro Cast Tommy Lee Jones , Will Smith , Rip Torn , Lara Flynn Boyle , Johnny Knoxville , Rosario Dawson , Tony Shalhoub , Patrick Warburton Runtime 88 Minutes Main Genre Adventure Expand

3 David 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 classic Bend 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 in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword thanks 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 to King Arthur – this time, it didn’t work out.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword PG-13AdventureDramaAction Where to Watch

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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.

Director Guy Ritchie Release Date May 12, 2017 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Lionel Wigram , Guy Ritchie , Joby Harold Cast Annabelle Wallis , Katie McGrath , Eric Bana , Tom Wu , Djimon Hounsou , eline powell , Aidan Gillen , Charlie Hunnam , Jude Law , Astrid Bergès-Frisbey Runtime 2h 6m Expand

2 Bill Murray

Ghostbusters (2016)

The Ghostbusters franchise 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 original Ghostbusters duology 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 PG-13Action Sci-FiComedyFantasy

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.

Director Paul Feig Release Date July 15, 2016 Studio(s) Sony Writers Katie Dippold , Paul Feig , Dan Aykroyd , Harold Ramis Cast Kate McKinnon , Melissa McCarthy , Kristen Wiig , Chris Hemsworth , Leslie Jones Runtime 117 Minutes Main Genre Adventure Expand

1 Henry Cavill

Black Adam (2022)

Fans of DC’s “Snyderverse” must have been thrilled when Henry Cavill showed up in the post-credits scene of Dwayne Johnson’s Black 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 after Black Adam opened in theaters. Just a few months later, David Corenswet was announced to take over the mantle of the Man of Steel in the new DC Universe.

Cavill’s inclusion in Black Adam was largely down to the insistence of producer-star Dwayne Johnson, famously having stated that the film would change “the hierarchy of power” at DC. Little did he know, Black Adam was 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 PG-13SuperheroActionSci-FiFantasy Where to Watch

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Dwayne Johnson stars as DC’s anti-hero in Black Adam, a villain, sometimes hero, with a brutal brand of justice. After emerging from 5,000-year imprisonment in Egypt, Black Adam awakes to the new world and decides to punish the wicked with a far less merciful justice. Unfortunately, his temper makes a big enough impact to summon the Justice League of America, sending the likes of Hawkman and Doctor Fate to contend with Black Adam and try to persuade him to ease up and take a more diplomatic path. Regardless of Black Adam’s grievances with the JLA, he soon realizes he’ll need to team up with them when an even more significant threat emerges to stop them.

Director Jaume Collet-Serra Release Date October 21, 2022 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers C.C. Beck , Otto Binder , Rory Haines , Sohrab Noshirvani , Adam Sztykiel Cast Noah Centineo , Pierce Brosnan , Mo Amer , Marwan Kenzari , Aldis Hodge , Bodhi Sabongui , Uli Latukefu , James Cusati-Moyer , Dwayne Johnson , Sarah Shahi , Quintessa Swindell Runtime 2h 5m Expand

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