Movie Props That Have Been Secretly Reused in Other Films
Hollywood loves a good plot twist, and that includes its props. A single object might show up in a blockbuster, disappear for a decade, and reappear in a completely unrelated scene without anyone noticing. If you look closely, here are 15 memorable props that quietly returned for second and sometimes third acts on screen.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Head – Se7en, Contagion
Credit: IMDb
Arguably, the most famous prop never shown in the film it was made for. That infamous box in Se7en didn’t actually show Gwyneth Paltrow’s head, but the prop existed. Brad Pitt insisted the head stay hidden for dramatic effect, so it sat in storage until Contagion used it for her character’s autopsy.
1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 – Spider-Man, Drag Me to Hell and more
Credit: Reddit
Sam Raimi’s 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 has become his cinematic signature. Nicknamed “The Classic,” it’s appeared in nearly every Raimi film, including Spider-Man, A Simple Plan, and Drag Me to Hell. Even when it makes no sense, like in a medieval setting, it still shows up.
Mr. Fusion – Back to the Future Part II, Alien
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Doc Brown’s garbage-fueled Mr. Fusion unit powered the DeLorean in Back to the Future Part II, but sharp-eyed viewers noticed it was bolted to a wall in the spaceship mess hall in Alien. Turns out the prop team snagged it from storage years later for a little background sci-fi flair.
P.K.E. Meter – Ghostbusters, They Live, Suburban Commando
Credit: Reddit
The P.K.E. Meter is built to look weird with its spinning lights, flapping silver sensors, and a handle straight out of a toy aisle. Ghostbusters used it to track ghosts, They Live repurposed it for detecting aliens, and Suburban Commando used it to locate a freeze laser. That’s a solid resume.
Prop Newspaper – No Country for Old Men, A Murder of Crows, and more
Credit: IMDb
It’s printed by The Earl Hays Press, and once you spot it, you’ll see it everywhere. This generic newspaper has been passed around like a Hollywood hand-me-down. Always opened to the same middle page, it shows a warehouse fire, a woman’s headshot, and a man in a top hat.
Morley Cigarettes – Psycho, El Camino, The X-Files, and more
Credit: Facebook
Morley is the go-to fake brand for everything from Psycho to The World’s End. Its red box mimics Marlboros closely enough to look familiar but not infringe on trademarks. They’re a Hollywood staple—mass-produced by Earl Hays Press and distributed like candy at a film shoot.
Robby the Robot – Forbidden Planet, The Twilight Zone, Gremlins, and more
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
First built for Forbidden Planet in 1956, Robby the Robot didn’t fade into obscurity. Instead, he toured through The Twilight Zone, Gremlins, Lost in Space, Wonder Woman, and even The Addams Family. Unlike R2-D2, Robby wasn’t tied down by exclusive contracts. He went freelance and is one of Hollywood’s busiest bots.
Red Apple Cigarettes – Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and more
Credit: Youtube
Quentin Tarantino invented the brand and uses it across his cinematic universe—from Pulp Fiction to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The logo, featuring a worm poking from a shiny apple, hints at something darker beneath the surface, just like most of his characters.
Starship Troopers Armor – Starship Troopers, Firefly
Credit: IMDb
The gray armor from Starship Troopers didn’t stay retired long. It showed up on Firefly as the standard issue for Alliance officers, nearly unchanged. The recycled gear was so obvious, it briefly pulled viewers out of the scene. That’s what happens when your costume design is iconic.
License Plate “2GAT123” – Training Day, Pay It Forward, Mulholland Drive, and more
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
If you spot a car with the plate “2GAT123,” you’re not imagining things. It’s been in Mulholland Drive, Pay It Forward, Training Day, and several more. California reserves fake plates for film use to avoid using real registrations. This one, though, gets around.
Heisler Drink – The Social Network, Palo Alto, New Girl, and more
Credit: X
Made by Independent Studio Services, it’s become Hollywood’s go-to six-pack when licensing real brands is too pricey or distracting. This fake brand appears in The Social Network, Palo Alto, New Girl, and countless others. No one actually drinks Heisler in real life, but in film and TV, it’s everywhere.
Glowing Sci-Fi Tubes – Star Trek II, The Flash, Logan’s Run, Gremlins II, and more
Credit: Youtube
A pair of blinking red tubes has quietly powered spaceships and secret labs since Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Nicknamed “The Most Important Device in the Universe,” the tubes have been reused in everything from The Last Starfighter to The Flash. They’re just there to look cool, and that’s enough for set designers.
Golden Idol – Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Majestic
Credit: IMDb
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones swaps this iconic statue for a bag of sand. Years later, the exact same idol reappears in The Majestic during a fictional Indiana Jones-style movie sequence. It’s a neat callback, especially since both films are love letters to cinema.
Frankenstein’s Lab Equipment – Frankenstein (1931), Young Frankenstein
Credit: IMDb
When making Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks discovered that the 1931 film’s lab props still existed, thanks to collector Kenneth Strickfaden. The bubbling beakers and sparking coils weren’t replicas. They were the real deal, repurposed more than 40 years later to comedic effect. Nothing like a little cinematic resurrection.
Colleen Camp Poster – Apocalypse Now, The Blues Brothers
Credit: Instagram
In Apocalypse Now, Colleen Camp appeared as a Playboy centerfold. Oddly enough, her poster ended up in The Blues Brothers and decorated Elwood’s bedroom wall. No clear explanation was ever given. Maybe the set decorator just liked the continuity. Or perhaps someone thought, “Why waste a perfectly good pinup?”