'Star Wars' director Rian Johnson says Apple won't let bad guys in movies use iPhones
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" and "Knives Out" writer/director Rian Johnson has revealed that movie villains generally won't be spotted using iPhones -- because Apple specifically does not allow it.
Writer/director Rian Johnson. (Source: Vanity Fair)
Speaking on a Vanity Fair YouTube video about his murder mystery movie "Knives Out," Johnson detailed a specific scene in the movie that happens to include an iPhone product placement.
"I don't know if I should say this or not," he says, "Not 'cause it's lascivious or something, but because it's gonna screw me on the next mystery movie that I write. But forget it, I'll say it, it's very interesting."
"Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but -- and this is very pivotal -- if you're ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera," he continues. "Every single filmmaker who has a bad guy in their movie that's supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now."
Such conditions are not unique to Apple. The companies and their conditions are confidential, but at least apocryphally, soft drink firms have been alleged to have rules about their cans not being seen thrown away in trash in movies.
In the "Knives Out" scene that Johnson dissects for Vanity Fair, Jamie Lee Curtis is seen holding an iPhone, and the director wanted to point out that you could clearly see the time on it.
Rian Johnson circles an iPhone being held by Jamie Lee Curtis. So she's not playing the bad guy. Source: Vanity Fair
"Also, a little shout out to the props department," says Johnson. "Know that any time a clock or a phone is in set, somebody has paid very close attention to the time and has made sure, has asked me what time it's supposed to be in the actual scene. Thank you, props."
Rian Johnson is currently writing a sequel to "Knives Out."
Writer/director Rian Johnson. (Source: Vanity Fair)
Speaking on a Vanity Fair YouTube video about his murder mystery movie "Knives Out," Johnson detailed a specific scene in the movie that happens to include an iPhone product placement.
"I don't know if I should say this or not," he says, "Not 'cause it's lascivious or something, but because it's gonna screw me on the next mystery movie that I write. But forget it, I'll say it, it's very interesting."
"Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but -- and this is very pivotal -- if you're ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera," he continues. "Every single filmmaker who has a bad guy in their movie that's supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now."
Such conditions are not unique to Apple. The companies and their conditions are confidential, but at least apocryphally, soft drink firms have been alleged to have rules about their cans not being seen thrown away in trash in movies.
In the "Knives Out" scene that Johnson dissects for Vanity Fair, Jamie Lee Curtis is seen holding an iPhone, and the director wanted to point out that you could clearly see the time on it.
Rian Johnson circles an iPhone being held by Jamie Lee Curtis. So she's not playing the bad guy. Source: Vanity Fair
"Also, a little shout out to the props department," says Johnson. "Know that any time a clock or a phone is in set, somebody has paid very close attention to the time and has made sure, has asked me what time it's supposed to be in the actual scene. Thank you, props."
Rian Johnson is currently writing a sequel to "Knives Out."
Comments
Yeah, that's pretty messed up of you.
when he used to texted George Lucas - “get me out of this crappy movie”.
More recently they've had to modify tactics and enter into paid promotion contracts with some media companies which is why you now see “promotional consideration sponsored by Apple" far more often than just two or three years ago. Why would they have to pay? Studio and broadcast media increasingly see Apple as a competitor rather than helpful partner and are far less apt to show them on screen in exchange for a couple of computers and a few iPhones.
funny! but it was Varys
I was thinking the same, but to be fair it is not a movie.
2. The Last Jedi is widely regarded as a disappointment. I'm not going to call it what another did--a cinematic abortion. But there were so many missed opportunities, timing issues, sections of bad dialogue, and corny moments. If I were Rian, I'd be more concerned about what that did to my brand as opposed to not being allowed to have villains use an iPhone.
Which was off putting since it’s completely unrealistic.