12 Most Hilarious End Credit Bloopers In Movie History
For the most part, making movies is a joyful experience. Most all on a movie set — from actors to directors, to production designers — have spent their whole lives dreaming of creating art for a living. As a result, in most cases, the talent walks away from a project reminiscing about the fun times that were had. It's this nostalgia for the movie-making process that led to the inclusion of bloopers and outtakes during a film's end credits.
First used in the '50s by writer and producer Kermit Schaefer, bloopers are often featured in comedy films and highlight how difficult it is for actors to get through particular scenes. Other times, end-credits bloopers contain unused lines and improvisations by cast members flexing their comedy chops. Whether it be breaking character, pranks, or production mishaps, these bloopers show that even mistakes and accidents on a movie set are treated with humor and levity rather than harsh criticism. Most importantly, bloopers can show off the charisma and charm of actors when they are out of character, which may be rare.
Lately, end credits seem to have been replaced with teasers suggesting sequels to come, popularized by films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While blooper reels still remain common and very often reside on DVD special features, these films gave fans who stuck around to watch the credits something that was perhaps even more entertaining than the film itself.
The Nutty Professor
Following his star-making debut on "Saturday Night Live" in the 1980s, Eddie Murphy went on to have a fruitful career in comedies, with notable hits like "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Trading Places." In 1996, he continued that golden streak with "The Nutty Professor," a remake of the 1963 classic starring Jerry Lewis. Murphy plays Sherman Klump, a morbidly-obese man who, in a Jekyll-and-Hyde-esque science experiment, transforms himself into the overconfident alter ego of Buddy Love in order to win over Carla Purty, played by Jada Pinkett.
As he does in a number of his films, Murphy plays several roles throughout the film, including other members of the Klump family. This results in a family dinner sequence that is as funny as it is chaotic. However, the true hilarity of this scene is best shown in the end credits outtakes, which depict the corpsing (an industry term for breaking character via laughing) that occurs as Murphy plays each character.
Scored to the song "Macho Man" by Village People, the bloopers feature numerous fart jokes that make Eddie and the rest of the cast and crew break down in laughter. The film, but especially the humor in this end-credits blooper reel, may have also provided inspiration for Jack Black's character in the 2008 film "Tropic Thunder," as the star of a comedy series about a farting family.
Horrible Bosses
2011's "Horrible Bosses" features an onslaught of comedic talent. The film centers on a group of three friends — Kurt (Jason Sudeikis), Nick (Jason Bateman), and Dale (Charlie Day) — whose frustrations with their inept, sociopathic, and sadistic bosses result in them planning to murder their superiors. The cast is rounded out by Jamie Foxx, who plays their criminal confidante, as well as Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, and Colin Farrell as their employers. The film is not only hilarious, but a surprising, thrilling comedic romp involving murder, espionage, and life-or-death stakes.
It's no surprise with the amount of talent on display that this film ends with a blooper reel over the credits. Not only does it lighten the mood set by this dark, often edgy comedy, but it also showcases more of the comedic strength the cast possesses. The dynamic between Sudeikis, Bateman, and Day in the film is best shown in the outtakes as they make each other break. Another highlight includes Colin Farrell's hilarious improvisation with a deadpan pharmacist, a scene that didn't make the film's final cut.
The blooper reel is so entertaining, that it was included again in the film's sequel, "Horrible Bosses 2." This time, Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz join the cast, but the real highlight in this edition is Aniston, whose improvisations prove what a great comedic force she is in these movies, despite her character being terribly despicable.
Liar Liar
When Jim Carrey is the leading man of a studio comedy, it's usually best to let him go wild on camera. The comedian is known for his improvisations in films like "Dumb and Dumber" and "The Truman Show" which are on full display during the end-credits blooper reel of "Liar Liar." Released in 1997, "Liar Liar" stars Carrey as a lawyer whose son wishes for him to be incapable of lying. It provides lots of great opportunities for Carrey to shine with physical comedy, including a scene where he beats himself up in a bathroom.
The bloopers reveal just how much fun it was for everyone else on set to be a witness to Carrey's brilliance. Often, his improvisations force the crew to burst out in hysterical laughter, particularly when he missteps or messes up. For Carrey, his goal is to make everyone laugh, such as when he twists his face into funny mannerisms while pouring coffee to mimic urination. Overall, he appears to be an outstanding comedic presence on screen, as well as a charismatic leading man behind the camera.
Fortunately, Hollywood was positive about Carrey's work in the film too and he scored a Golden Globe nomination for best performance by an actor in a motion picture — comedy. However, Carrey ended up with a statue the following year, winning best performance by an actor in a motion picture — drama for "The Truman Show."
Date Night
"Date Night" is an often forgotten studio comedy from 2010, despite featuring the combined forces of Tina Fey and Steve Carell, who at the time ruled NBC as the leads in "30 Rock" and "The Office," respectively. "Date Night," however, finds the duo as a married couple, Phil and Claire Foster, who have become used to their routine, especially with their weekly date nights. To mix things up, Phil gets them a table at a New York City restaurant posing as another couple, which results in them becoming tied up with Manhattan crime lords and a stolen flash drive.
The film also ends with a blooper reel which shows off the film's stellar leads. Fey in particular steals the show, with her improvisations causing her co-stars to break. Even the crew can't hold it together as Fey improvises various alternate lines, including one NSFW line that causes Carell to actually do a spit-take.
Aside from the dynamic duo of Fey and Carell, the bloopers also feature the outstanding supporting cast of "Date Night," which almost seems too good to be true. Fey and Carell are backed by bonafide movie stars like Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, and Mila Kunis, among others. "Date Night" is a hidden gem of a comedy, but the blooper reel is the most hidden of all, containing some of the funniest moments of either actor's career.
The Santa Clause 3
In 2022, Tim Allen reprised his role as Scott Calvin, a family man who inherits the role of Santa Claus, in the Disney+ series, "The Santa Clauses." However, the story first began in 1994 with "The Santa Clause," and was then followed up with two sequels, one in 2002 and another in 2006. The final installment of the trilogy, "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," finds Scott desperate to reclaim his position as Santa after mischief caused by Jack Frost causes him to lose his job.
Frost is played by comedy legend Martin Short in the film and, during the end-credits bloopers, audiences can see the magic that resulted from having two comedic icons on the screen at the same time. Allen and Short clearly enjoyed each other's company while filming, even as they are both covered in makeup to portray their respective characters. The bloopers also offer more glimpses at some of the film's other characters, including Aisha Tyler's Mother Nature.
Although "The Santa Clause 3" was a critical failure, it performed decently at the box office, despite it grossing the least amount of the three films (via Box Office Mojo). In an interview with The AV Club in November 2022, even Allen admitted that the film was a cash grab. Nevertheless, it remains a beloved series set around a joyous holiday, with the end-credits bloopers showcasing a similar kind of fun that was had on set.
Between Two Ferns: The Movie
Although many audiences know Zach Galifianakis for his appearances in movies like "The Hangover" and "Due Date," internet audiences know a much different side of the comedian. His comedy talk show, "Between Two Ferns," debuted on Funny or Die in 2008, featuring a number of guests over the years including Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper, and Conan O'Brien. Famously, Barack Obama was a guest on the show during his presidency, as was Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election cycle.
However, many fans of the series were puzzled as to how it would translate to a feature film. Nonetheless, "Between Two Ferns: The Movie" premiered on Netflix in 2019, which saw Galifianakis play a fictional version of himself as he interviews celebrities across the country to keep his show alive. The movie features cameos from celebrities like Brie Larson, David Letterman, and Matthew McConaughey as interviewees on the show. While the film was subject to decent reviews and compared to "Saturday Night Live" spinoffs, arguably the best part comes in the end credits when we see some outtakes.
Given that "Between Two Ferns" bloopers are hard to come by, it makes for a heartwarming ending to see Galifianakis break character between insulting celebrities to their faces. It also goes to show that the movie is not to be taken too seriously, as everyone involved had a blast making it, but probably few as much as Paul Rudd, whose improvisations turn Galifianakis red-faced and hysterical.
Honor Society
Another film that showcases some quality bloopers came in the 2022 Paramount+ original film "Honor Society." The movie stars Angourie Rice as Honor Rose, a type-A student determined to get her advisor's recommendation, while competing with Michael, played by "Stranger Things" alum Gaten Matarazzo. Her initial plan to seduce him as a distraction from his studies goes awry when the two actually fall for each other, imbuing this comedy with tons of heart and tension.
However, "Honor Society" goes down a dark path towards the end, as it's revealed (spoiler alert!) that Michael had been manipulating Honor the entire time without her knowledge so that he can secure the recommendation himself. Honor eventually one-ups Michael by getting it instead for her friend Kennedy (Amy Keum), prioritizing her friendships over both romance and her own academic success.
Nevertheless, the film closes out with an end-credits blooper reel that leaves audiences remembering the film's fun rather than its darker aspects. Though it doesn't feature as many outtakes or improvisational moments from its cast, this kind of end-credits reel showcases the chemistry between the actors, particularly Rice and Matarazzo as its leads.
Talladega Nights
Will Ferrell movies were the pinnacle of studio comedies throughout the early 2000s. Hot off of "Saturday Night Live," Ferrell starred in critically-acclaimed comedies like "Elf," "Zoolander," and "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy." His films also often contain end-credits bloopers, such as the first "Anchorman" movie, which features Ferrell making his castmates break during improvised scenes, as well as Steve Carell stealing the show as dim-witted weatherman Brick Tamland.
Following the success of his earlier films, Ferrell teamed up with actor John C. Reilly in 2006's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," a spiritual successor to "Anchorman" centered on the world of race car driving. Ferrell plays the titular Ricky Bobby, a NASCAR celebrity whose life is derailed after he is outshone by a new driver played by Sacha Baron Cohen. The rest of the supporting cast includes Amy Adams, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Jane Lynch, who all shine in this film.
However, the end-credits blooper reel of "Talladega Nights" shows off the improvisational chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly. The two bounce off each other easily during outtakes of a dinner party scene. They also make each other break during fake advertisements, particularly when Ferrell goes off-script to discuss stray dogs that control most of the major cities. This end-credits reel goes to show why Ferrell and Reilly reuniting for "Step Brothers" two years later was a no-brainer.
Rush Hour
"Rush Hour" was released in 1998, sparking a multi-million dollar franchise led by action star Jackie Chan and comedian Chris Tucker. The two play an unlikely duo of cops tasked with rescuing the kidnapped daughter of a Chinese politician. This film is as thrilling as it is hilarious, and audiences agreed; it was a commercial success and spawned two additional sequels, while Chan revealed in December 2022 that a fourth film is in the works (via Deadline).
Part of what made these films such amazing theater-going experiences, besides the appeal of the movies themselves, were the end-credits blooper reels. Each of the three installments in the "Rush Hour" franchise includes outtakes and shows how for even an action film as smooth as these, mistakes happen on set. The bloopers also showcase Chan's charisma on set, often making the crew laugh just because of how he reacts or keeps going after a mess-up.
Tucker is also a highlight of the "Rush Hour" bloopers, even as he rarely breaks character. The crew seems most entertained when Tucker keeps a straight face and plays along with the screw-ups of supporting actors. Though Chan and Tucker may have seemed like an odd pair before the release of "Rush Hour," the end credits prove that they're actually a match made in heaven.
Being There
Few end-credits blooper reels are as notable as the one shown in the 1979 film, "Being There," directed by Hal Ashby of "Harold and Maude" fame. The film stars Peter Sellers as an oblivious gardener who ends up mistaken for a high-class aristocrat by a rich couple played by Shirley Maclaine and Melvyn Douglas. The film was one of Sellers' biggest hits after the "Pink Panther" series and garnered numerous award nominations and wins, including a Golden Globe win for Sellers and a best supporting actor Academy Award for Douglas.
Though it was more uncommon at the time, "Being There" ends with a blooper reel of a single scene from the film as the credits roll. Here we see Sellers struggle to keep a straight face while he dryly quotes someone who insulted him. It's as amusing for the crew as it is for Sellers and everyone in the rooms struggles to get through the scene.
Even though Sellers was a shoo-in for best actor at the Oscars that year, the category would eventually be taken out by Dustin Hoffman for his performance in "Kramer vs. Kramer." According to Douglas' granddaughter, Sellers felt the end-credits blooper cost him the award, revealing his brilliant performance in the film as exactly that: a performance.
This is 40
"This is 40," a 2012 comedy written and directed by Judd Apatow, also features a single scene's outtakes over the end credits. The film mostly centers on Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, reprising their characters from Apatow's "Knocked Up," Pete and Debbie, as they grapple with parenthood, relationship issues, and their careers. "This is 40" also features an incredibly robust supporting cast, including Megan Fox, John Lithgow, Jason Segel, Lena Dunham, and Chris O'Dowd, but one of them shines the brightest.
That supporting actor is Melissa McCarthy, who in 2012 was rolling on the huge success of "Bridesmaids" released the previous year. Her appearance in "This is 40" would be a precursor to her reign in studio comedies throughout the 2010s, including "Identity Thief," "Spy," and the "Ghostbusters" reboot. In "This is 40," however, McCarthy plays Catherine, a fellow parent at Pete and Debbie's children's school who files a complaint with the principal for their daughters' behavior.
In the outtakes, McCarthy goes on a rampaging improvisation about her violent urges towards the two stoic parents, which frequently causes Rudd and Mann to break character. Most of what she says is too NSFW to republish, but the outtakes are a delight, and perhaps even the funniest part of the entire movie. If McCarthy had any proof she could rule 2010s comedy, it was through these end-credits bloopers.
Monsters, Inc.
Pixar earned its place in movie history with a string of hits starting with "Toy Story" in 1995. That was quickly followed up with "A Bug's Life" in 1998, and "Toy Story 2" in 1999. In 2001, the studio would entrust Pete Docter to direct his first of many Pixar films with "Monsters, Inc.," which takes place in a world where monsters have commodified the art of scaring children in order to fuel their city. The film thrives due to its likable characters, with its two leads, Sully and Mike, voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal respectively.
As with many Pixar films, "Monsters, Inc." spills over with charm. It tells a heartwarming story that evokes its audience into tears, like many Pixar films that came after it, but there's one thing it did that Pixar would never repeat: end-credits bloopers. This tradition began with "A Bug's Life," but "Monsters, Inc." was the last Pixar film to be released that included outtakes (via Film Stories). However, unlike the other movies on this list, Pixar outtakes aren't genuine mistakes.
In fact, the outtakes of "Monsters, Inc." that play through the credits are fully animated and voice-acted, depicting what outtakes would've looked like if the film was actually produced like a real film and not animated. This tradition, albeit brief, made these characters and these imaginary worlds so much more life-like and has likely contributed greatly to the film's staying power over the years.