Crazy Hidden Details in Recent Movie Posters

7

The Final Scene of Watchmen was Teased in the Poster

The ending of HBO's Watchmen series was pretty out there, even for a show that began with raining squid guts and a mysterious Lube Man. In the final episodes (SPOILERS) we learn that Angela's husband Cal was secretly the superpowered (and super-pervy) Dr. Manhattan, the mighty blue nudist from the original comic. Cal/Manhattan is killed in the last episode, but Angela suspects he may have transferred his powers into an egg, which she promptly consumes, Rocky-style.

HBO"Now I have all the powers of 1/3 of a respectable omelette."

Angela possibly becoming the new Dr. Manhattan seems like a crazy twist out of left field in a ballpark two towns over. But the show's creators actually hinted at this plot wrinkle before even the first episode aired. How? Well, in the promotional poster, which conspicuously placed Angela under a light that turned her skin blue.

HBOThis incredibly Byzantine clue was under your noses the whole time!

While the episode cuts before you see whether or not Angela actually inherited Cal's powers, according to showrunner Damon Lindelof, "If you look at the poster for Watchmen that existed fifteen weeks ago, our intention is clear."

6

Quentin Tarantino Makes a Cameo in the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Poster

There's a lot going on in the poster for Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood poster; from Charles Manson to Bruce Lee to Leonardo DiCaprio leering at us like we're an aspiring actress half his age.

Sony Pictures

5

Game of Thrones May Have Told Us Who Would Win the Throne Back in Season One

When it first premiered, the big question posed by Game of Thrones was "who is going to claim the Iron Throne, the most sought-after piece of furniture in Westeros?" -- which frankly looks about as comfortable as a Barcalounger made out of broken liquor bottles. While most of the prime contenders ended up getting stabbed or decapitated (or both) in the end, the throne was (SPOILERS) melted by a pissed-off dragon. Then everyone just decided Bran should be the new King, mostly because, as Sansa helpfully points out to a large group of people, his genitals were crushed back in the pilot episode.

4

The U.K. Poster for Parasite Predicted the Oscar Win, and Has a Secret Code

Parasite, the Oscar-winning film/backdoor noodle commercial has a few different posters, but our favorite might be this U.K. design by the studio La Boca. The M.C. Escher-like colorful series of rooms contains various elements from the story; a peach, a teepee, and an unconscious body in a darkened basement room.

Neon

It also contains some hidden details you might not notice at first. Like instead of a terrified Korean family, there's something else hiding underneath the table: an Oscar statuette. Keep in mind this poster was released in January 2020, long before Parasite won four Academy Awards, including for Best Picture.

Neon

3

Us Goes Deep With The Symbolism

As we've mentioned before, Jordan Peele's Us is full of meticulously crafted details you might not notice, like a fine clock that references C.H.U.D. Well it turns out even the poster has a sneaky detaily you may have missed. The theatrical poster doesn't explicitly spell out that the film is about killer subterranean doppelgangers, it simply features a gloved hand holding a pair of golden scissors. Based on the poster alone, for all we know it's about a bicyclist at a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Universal Pictures

2

The Poster for Toy Story 4 Has a Subtle Nod to Up

The poster for Toy Story 4 is about what you'd expect; there's Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Forky the poor creature doomed to a tortured existence thanks to the twisted laws of the Godless Pixar universe. He's also holding a fork and spoon who are not sentient, to further underscore this character's existential crisis.

Disney

1

The Uncut Gems Poster Hints At its Cinematic Influences

Uncut Gems, a.k.a. Anxiety: The Movie, stars Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner, a New York jewelry store owner who makes more bad decisions than Rob Schneider's agent. While in the past, Sandler's posters have featured public urination and doing the splits in jean shorts, the poster for Uncut Gems is relatively simple -- but it may contain the key to unlocking the bulk of the film's references. The poster is almost a direct copy of the poster for Cruising starring legendary actor and future Jack and Jill star Al Pacino.

A24/United Artists