Moviemakers are sly. Rather than tell the story straight to our faces, they like to place hints in their films for the audience to discover. Turns out, there are so many foreshadowing moments cleverly hidden in iconic movies that not a lot of people notice! Finding these details is fun and it makes rewatching your favorite movies ten times more interesting.
So let’s find out more about them and see if you have the sharp eyes to spot them all. Here are 18 brilliant foreshadowing moments that you might have missed. Massive SPOILER ALERT!
1. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Source: Marvel/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
If you pay close attention to Miek’s drawing in Thor: Love and Thunder, you can see that it depicts the whole movie's plot.
2. Nope (2022)
Source: Universal Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Nope has different posters for different characters. Steven Yeun's poster hints at his fate in the movie. The hat looks like Jean Jacket drifting in the distance as if it is about to suck him up (which it eventually does).
3. Free Guy (2021)
Source: 20th Century Studios/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
In Free Guy, the protagonist starts his morning by waking up next to a fishbowl daily. This detail is a reference to Keys’s line about Life Itself as a "fishbowl game" later on.
4. Encanto (2021)
Source: Disney/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
You can spot all the members of the Madrigal family in the preparation scene before the gifting celebration, including Bruno. He was on the top right of the balcony as Mirabel walked in with her not-special special. He can also be seen peering through the crack in the wall at the dinner.
5. The Green Knight (2021)
Source: A24/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
This detail appears in the Special Features of the movie. Immediately after the Giant's scene, the camera does a barrel roll and fades to black. An image is flashed for about 3 frames. It looks like a real medieval painting depicting the upcoming 'Seduction' scene.
6. Weathering with You (2019)
Source: Toho/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Keisuke Suga requests a sunny day to spend with his daughter. His request can be seen among other requests on the Sunshine Girl website in the early half of the movie.
7. Coco (2017)
Source: Disney/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
At 4:36 in "Coco," we see Miguel drumming along a table of toy alebrijes. Among them is Pepita, whom he would eventually meet. This is seen *just* before we meet Dante, who appears from the garbage can.
8. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Source: Marvel/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), there was a train drawing in Steve's notebook. The train was driving along a canyon in the snowy mountains, similar to the scene where Captain America and his team capture Dr. Zola later in the movie.
9. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Source: Marvel/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Just before Spider-man swings to fight Doc-Ock, you can see one of the headlines on the Daily Bugle’s first page said "MTA insider concerned over aging Al-train". The following Doc-Ock fight scene involves a train about to crash.
10. Shrek 2 (2004)
Source: DreamWorks Animation/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
If you pay close attention to the lily pond tapestry in the king's bedroom, you will find that it foreshadows his real identity. (Spoiler: The king is the frog prince).
11. The Sixth Sense (1999)
Source: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
When Cole and Malcolm enter Kyra's bedroom, we can only see Cole's shadow. This is because Malcolm is a ghost, which is the big twist of the movie.
12. The Big Lebowski (1998)
Source: Gramercy Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
For a split second in the opening credits of The Big Lebowski, the first bowler's foot is over the line. Walter wasn't wrong, he's just an a-hole.
13. The Truman Show (1998)
Source: Paramount Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
This shopper's outfit is seen for sale at the end of the film because everything in The Truman Show is fake, so every item in this show is product placement.
14. Scream (1996)
Source: Dimension Films/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
During the movie's opening, you can find out hints about the Killer‘s true identity through the characters’ shoes. Billy and Stu are wearing black boots, which are the same black boots Ghostface has throughout the movie.
15. Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Source: New Line Cinema/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Mary always wears a wedding ring throughout the film. Lloyd, Harry, and the viewers just never paid attention to this detail.
16. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Source: Paramount Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana and Walter Donovan discuss the Holy Grails' location. Their conversation hints at the movie’s ending.
17. Ghostbusters (1984)
Source: Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
When the firehouse explodes in Ghostbusters, you can see a Staypuff Marahmellow mural across the street.
18. The Exorcist (1973)
Source: Warner Bros/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
When Chris Macneil returns home, he turns on the light and you can see this face pops up for a few frames.
Did you catch all of these foreshadowing moments in your first watch? For more brilliant details in iconic movies, check out our
previous post here. Many hints are hidden in plain sight, we just never notice them!