Not everything has to tease "Thor 4: Return of Hulk 2."
Ever since Samuel L. Jackson showed up at the end of 2008's "Iron Man" to namedrop "The Avengers," the "end credit stinger" has become as important to the superhero movie genre as dead parents and gamma radiation. They introduce new characters, set up new movies, and have become something that fans not only expect, but demand. And yet there are a lot of movies that have indulged in a little extra curricular fun that have nothing to do with superheroes. Here are some of our favorites. (Click on movie title for link to video.)
"AIRPLANE!"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
At the start of the movie, our hero, Ted Striker, is working as a cabbie. He rushes to the airport to chase his estranged ex, leaving a passenger seated in the back. As the end credits fade out, we're treated to one final scene as the movie returns to discover that the guy in the back never left the cab during the events of the movie. But he's almost...almost...ready to give up.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
Of course a movie like Ferris Bueller is going to indulge itself as much as it can. Not only does it have a scene that plays out during the credits (we see a beat-to-shit Principal Rooney hitching a ride on a school bus and eating warm Gummi Bears), it also comes back for one final kiss-off after the crew names have long gone...
"Slither"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
Before the superheroes commandeered it, the most common place to find an end credit stinger was the horror movie. It's the ideal way to thrown in one of those classic "It's over...or IS IT?" moments. The 2006 movie Slither has a great one, which we're including for two reasons: 1) cats and 2) if you haven't seen this tongue-in-cheek gorefest from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn you need to correct that now.
"IDIOCRACY"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
Not even cryogenic freezing and a 3000 year time lapse will keep a pimp from his moneymaker. Mike Judge's untouchable comedy classic gives us an end credit scene where we learn that Rita's (Maya Rudolph) former "manager" Upgrayedd has also survived, and is back to give everyone a double-dose of his pimpin'.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
A movie crammed to its breaking point with gags didn't let any opportunity slip by. At the end of the credits, in true biopic fashion, the movie shows "the actual Dewey Cox." But it's just John C. Reilly again, playing a slightly altered acoustic version of one of the gag songs from the movie.
"Lethal Weapon 3"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
The third outing for Riggs and Murtaugh starts off with an extended sequence where the two cops attempt to diffuse a bomb. Post-credits, we're treated to a little callback joke at the expense of the LAPD bomb squad.
"Crank"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
When your movie is as batshit as "Crank," you can pretty much get away with anything by the time you've gotten to the end credits. As a tribute to the video game-like adventures of Chev Chelios - a man who has to run, fight, fuck, and run some more in order to keep his adrenaline up or he'll die - the directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor added an classic side-scrolling video game tribute post-credits.
"The Fast and the Furious"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
Remember back in 2001 when we had no idea that this half-assed Point Break remake would become an unstoppable franchise that is already prepping an EIGHTH outing? The original F&F contained a little post-credit teaser, which took away any ambiguity that Vin Diesel's Dom would be returning, as we see him cruising through Baja, Mexico as his "I live my life a quarter mile at a time..." speech plays in V.O.
"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
This is perhaps the most comic book-like end credit scene of all the non-comic book movies, because it actually explains things that happen in the sequel and beyond. In this post-credit scene, we see Captain Barbossa's (Geoffrey Rush) pet monkey Jack stealing a piece of cursed Aztec gold and once again becoming one of the undead...which is kind of necessary for understanding the next movie.
"The Grey"
![Entertainment, Movies, Best End Credit Scenes]()
The Liam Neeson survival epic ends with one of the greatest scenes in movie history: Neeson, with broken mini-bottles of liquor taped to hands like some kind of homeless Wolverine, squares off for a fist fight with a wolf. This movie is so manly one of the Blu-ray special features is motor oil and a steak sandwich. Now, one would assume this is going to be duel to the death as the movie cuts to black-but if you stay through the end credits, you get a maddening clip. You see the matted fur of a still-breathing wolf (although the breathing seems labored) and the back of Neeson's head lying against it. It almost looks like he's about to move when - CUT TO BLACK AGAIN. Is he dead or alive? Is the wolf dying, too? WHAT HAPPENED, MOVIE?
Ever since Samuel L. Jackson showed up at the end of 2008's "Iron Man" to namedrop "The Avengers," the "end credit stinger" has become as important to the superhero movie genre as dead parents and gamma radiation. They introduce new characters, set up new movies, and have become something that fans not only expect, but demand. And yet there are a lot of movies that have indulged in a little extra curricular fun that have nothing to do with superheroes. Here are some of our favorites. (Click on movie title for link to video.)
"AIRPLANE!"
At the start of the movie, our hero, Ted Striker, is working as a cabbie. He rushes to the airport to chase his estranged ex, leaving a passenger seated in the back. As the end credits fade out, we're treated to one final scene as the movie returns to discover that the guy in the back never left the cab during the events of the movie. But he's almost...almost...ready to give up.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Of course a movie like Ferris Bueller is going to indulge itself as much as it can. Not only does it have a scene that plays out during the credits (we see a beat-to-shit Principal Rooney hitching a ride on a school bus and eating warm Gummi Bears), it also comes back for one final kiss-off after the crew names have long gone...
"Slither"
Before the superheroes commandeered it, the most common place to find an end credit stinger was the horror movie. It's the ideal way to thrown in one of those classic "It's over...or IS IT?" moments. The 2006 movie Slither has a great one, which we're including for two reasons: 1) cats and 2) if you haven't seen this tongue-in-cheek gorefest from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn you need to correct that now.
"IDIOCRACY"
Not even cryogenic freezing and a 3000 year time lapse will keep a pimp from his moneymaker. Mike Judge's untouchable comedy classic gives us an end credit scene where we learn that Rita's (Maya Rudolph) former "manager" Upgrayedd has also survived, and is back to give everyone a double-dose of his pimpin'.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"
A movie crammed to its breaking point with gags didn't let any opportunity slip by. At the end of the credits, in true biopic fashion, the movie shows "the actual Dewey Cox." But it's just John C. Reilly again, playing a slightly altered acoustic version of one of the gag songs from the movie.
"Lethal Weapon 3"
The third outing for Riggs and Murtaugh starts off with an extended sequence where the two cops attempt to diffuse a bomb. Post-credits, we're treated to a little callback joke at the expense of the LAPD bomb squad.
"Crank"
When your movie is as batshit as "Crank," you can pretty much get away with anything by the time you've gotten to the end credits. As a tribute to the video game-like adventures of Chev Chelios - a man who has to run, fight, fuck, and run some more in order to keep his adrenaline up or he'll die - the directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor added an classic side-scrolling video game tribute post-credits.
"The Fast and the Furious"
Remember back in 2001 when we had no idea that this half-assed Point Break remake would become an unstoppable franchise that is already prepping an EIGHTH outing? The original F&F contained a little post-credit teaser, which took away any ambiguity that Vin Diesel's Dom would be returning, as we see him cruising through Baja, Mexico as his "I live my life a quarter mile at a time..." speech plays in V.O.
"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL"
This is perhaps the most comic book-like end credit scene of all the non-comic book movies, because it actually explains things that happen in the sequel and beyond. In this post-credit scene, we see Captain Barbossa's (Geoffrey Rush) pet monkey Jack stealing a piece of cursed Aztec gold and once again becoming one of the undead...which is kind of necessary for understanding the next movie.
"The Grey"
The Liam Neeson survival epic ends with one of the greatest scenes in movie history: Neeson, with broken mini-bottles of liquor taped to hands like some kind of homeless Wolverine, squares off for a fist fight with a wolf. This movie is so manly one of the Blu-ray special features is motor oil and a steak sandwich. Now, one would assume this is going to be duel to the death as the movie cuts to black-but if you stay through the end credits, you get a maddening clip. You see the matted fur of a still-breathing wolf (although the breathing seems labored) and the back of Neeson's head lying against it. It almost looks like he's about to move when - CUT TO BLACK AGAIN. Is he dead or alive? Is the wolf dying, too? WHAT HAPPENED, MOVIE?
Not exactly being a good sport.
