29 Eyebrow-Arching Inspirations Behind Our Favorite Movies And Shows

It's no secret that many of our favorite movies and shows are inspired by real-life events. After all, truth is often stranger than fiction. However, there are some surprising inspirations behind some of our favorites that you might not be aware of. For example, did you know that the movie "The Shining" was based on a true story? Stephen King was reportedly inspired to write the novel after he experienced a number of strange events while staying at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. Another example is the show "Breaking Bad." The main character, Walter White, is based on a real-life chemist who turned to cook meth after he was diagnosed with cancer. While some of these stories may be fictionalized, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the real-life inspirations behind some of our favorite movies and shows.

The inspiration for the Hulk came from Jack Kirby after encountering a superhuman feat of strength. More on that and 29 other wild inspirations behind beloved movies and shows:

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The inspiration for James Caan's character in The Godfather was Don Rickles. Speaking about it, Caan later said: I was thinking of my friend, Don Rickles. I told everybody, you know, and I started laughing like Don Rickles. CRACKED.COM — CBS

28

Dolores Umbridge was completely inspired by one of JK Rowling's teachers. Rowling even took the woman's love of twee accessories, like a tiny little plastic bow slide, pale lemon in color, for Umbridge. CRACKED.COM — The Hollywood Reporter

27

They really kept donated blood in Coke bottles in the hospital at Pearl Harbor. It happens in the Michael Bay film, but it's not made up. A nurse who worked there said, It did happen, even though it seems awful unsanitary. CRACKED.COM — Entertainment Weekly

26

CRACKED.COM Spider-Man J. Jonah Jameson is an over-the-top Stan Lee. Lee has admitted that the publisher of the Daily Bugle is an exaggerated version of himself. I thought, ifl were a grumpy, irritable man, which I am sometimes, how would I act? — NPR

25

CRACKED COM Clarence Worley, the main character of one of Quentin Tarantino's first screenwriting credits, TRUE romance is 100% based on Tarantino himself. (Не thought Christian Slater was too good looking to play him.) — Characters Based On Celebs, Really

24

SCANDAL'S OLIVIA pope IS BASED on CRISIS MANAGEMENT GURU JUDY SMITH...MOSTLY. Smith, who worked as deputy press secretary to President George H W. Bush, is quick to point out that Pope's steamy affair with the leader of the free world is a complete work of fiction. CRACKED.COM — ABC

23

HANNIBAL LECTER was inspired by Mexican doctor ALFREDO BALLÍ TREVIÑO. Thomas Harris interviewed Dr. Salazar in the '60s. Details given by Harris match Treviño, who was doing time for murder (not cannibalism, though). CRACKED.COM — *Latin Times*

22

Street Fighter's M. Bison got that name kind of randomly. The original M. Bison M. Bison The character was originally called Vega in the Japanese version of Street Fighter II, and M. Bison was the name of a boxer character who was a pretty clear homage to Mike Tyson. When the game was released outside Japan, Capcom just gave the M. Bison name to another character out of fear of a lawsuit from Tyson. CRACKED.COM — Kotaku

21

THE STRANGERS was inspired by a scary childhood experience. Director Bryan Bertino said that as a kid, he lived in a house in the middle of nowhere. One night, while our parents were out, somebody knocked on the front door and my little sister answered it. At the door were some people asking for somebody that didn't live there. We later found out that these people were knocking on doors in the area and, if no one was home, breaking into the houses. CRACKED.COM — PopSugar

20

In The Man With The Iron Fists, Russell Crowe channeled Ol' Dirty Bastard. ODB's cousin Rza directed the movie, and wanted ODB's spirit in the film, which meant totally basing Crowe's character on ODB. That shows up when, say, Crowe performs oral sex on a woman in a bathtub with beads in his mouth -- that's an ODB tactic, Rza says. CRACKED.COM — 7 Insane Ways Actors Got The Ideas For Famous Performances

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ng 2 THE JOURNAL OH PARAPSYCHOLOGY VENKH - KING - - T - Remarks - Feelynder - The Prehance - - Copyright Service .. down - ٢٠٧٠٥ - - جمعية - - to Street Calley - Cannot Saus . of - - Korean - - Feating ١٠٤ - for - . Itne Por Enger - - - - There'd be no simo - by - by CAN THIS - Cannot FL Quarter Decom ... Email.com frumo Town Ghostbusters if PIMA ENVIRON FLASH ****** Dan Aykroyd didn't read parapsychology journals. Не got the idea for trapping ghosts after he'd read a — Vanity Fair

18

Taika Waititi based his character Korg in Thor: Ragnarok on Polynesian nightclub bouncers. Waititi explained that the bouncers in New Zealand could be giant hulking dudes but have soft and delicate voices. Не also made a rock/paper/scissors joke, saying that Korg's politics would be to stamp out all the paper plaguing New Zealand, and be more lenient on the scissor immigration, cause they pose no threat to us. CRACKED.COM — 15 Iconic Characters' Inspirations

17

West Egg THE GREAT GATSBY CRACKED.COM Author F. Scott Fitzgerald lived for about two years in Great Neck, New York that served as the muse for the fictional location. — Mental Floss

16

Street Fighter II basically ripped off a 1975 Charles Bronson movie. DAPCOM The backgrounds are pretty much just scenes from the movie (which is known in Japan as The Street Fighter). Capcom's chairman told Street Fighter // designer Akira Yasuda to draw on the movie for inspiration, which - as he said later - he thought meant plagiarize the movie. CRACKED.COM — 5 Famous Games Inspired By The Most Absolutely Random Things

15

A GRRM short story influenced how Chewbacca was designed. John Shoenherr Ralph McQuarrie Analog, July 1975 Circa November, 1976 GRRM's 1975 story And Seven Times Never Kill a Man was accompanied by an illustration that looks an awful lot like the initial design for Chewie. CRACKED.COM — ScreenRant

14

CRACKED.COM Django Unchained Django's valet costume comes from Thomas Gainsborough's 1770 portrait The Blue Boy. — Sartle

13

WE CAN THANK GOOFY FOR JAR JAR BINKS. According to George Lucas, the main inspiration for the now-infamous Jar Jar was the king of clumsy comic reliefs himself, Goofy. CRACKED.COM — 12 Bizarre Inspirations Behind Star Wars Movie Characters

12

Avengers: Infinity War was partly based on 1990s heist movies, it turns out. Co-director Joe Russo said that Structurally, with this first film, Avengers 3, we've been using the smash-n-grab '90s heist films, so there's a real urgency to the film. CRACKED.COM — Source

11

SpongeBob's job is inspired by creator Stephen Hillenburg's high school job. DOCK & RESTAURANT Не was a fry cook and lobster boiler at the Islesford Dock restaurant in Maine -- that's why SpongeBob has a job at the Krusty Krab. CRACKED.COM — Bangor Daily News

10

A Stan Lee cameo was inspired by fan theories. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, it's heavily implied Stan was connected of The Watchers, and James Gunn confirmed that idea sprang from fan theories about who Stan was in the MCU. CRACKED.COM — CinemBlend

9

Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson used to be a political cartoonist. WHEN I GROW UP, I'M NOT THAT WAY I CAN COMPLAIN GOING TO READ THE NEWS- THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T REPRESENT ME. PAPER AND I'M NOT GOING TO FOLLOW COMPLEX ISSUES AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE. It really shows. CRACKED.COM — 22 Eyebrow-Arching Ways Creators' Lives Influenced Their Work

8

Freddy Krueger was partly based on a hat- wearing drunk man who once frightened WES CRAVEN almost to death (apparently for fun) when Craven was a kid. Freddy's name, in turn, comes from a bully who used to terrorize Craven. CRACKED.COM — The Take

7

The bromance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was based on a real one. Burt Reynolds and his stuntman Hal Needham were even closer -- it was the closest relationship I've ever seen in that business, a mutual colleague said. CRACKED.COM — Vanity Fair

6

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF OLD SCHOOL SOME GUYS JUST CANIT HANDIE VEGAS HANG OVER ED HELMS - DES - mem DE BUSE - - - KO - - - - LTV - - - adidas FEEL IT JUNE 5 - - removed his real dental implant FOR THE HANGOVER. CRACKED.COM — 22 Real-Life Inspirations For Your Favorite Movie & TV Moments

5

CRACKED COM Movie: Logan Inspiration: Little Miss Sunshine 68 When director James Mangold originally pitched his idea to the studio, he told them: I want to make Little Miss Sunshine with Logan, Charles Xavier, and Х-23. Trap these superheroes in a van on a highway in the year 2029 and see what happens. Which explains a lot. — 12 Bizarre Influences Behind Famous Movies And Shows

4

CRACKED.COM THE GOLDEN GIRLS was inspired by MIAMI VICE. In 1984, NBC shot a humorous skit titled Miami Nice, starring two older actresses, for a special advertising their new shows (like Miami Vice). Execs liked it, and the idea was developed into a full series about old ladies living in Miami. — Entertainment Weekly

3

A prison docudrama series influenced Guardians of the Galaxy. Locked up Abroad, a show that follows people who have been jailed while traveling, is one of James Gunn's favorite shows. Не noticed that, outside of the U.S., prisoners rarely get their own cell and bunk - - and that's why we see Quill sleeping on a pile of prisoners. LOCKED UP ABROAD CRACKED.COM — Film School Rejects & Wikipedia

2

Tyler Perry's Madea is basically a mashup of two people: his mom and his aunt. As he himself describes it: My mother is the wisdom of Madea, but my aunt Mayola, that's her wig, that's her voice, that's her gun in the purse. CRACKED.COM — Reuters

1

Yoda was partly based on Stuart Freeborn, the guy that brought him to life. Freeborn was a Hollywood makeup artist who had worked on the Star Wars franchise and had helped design Yoda, basing him on himself and Einstein. CRACKED.COM — Slate

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