Mobile phones accompany us almost everywhere. Characters in movies and series also use them for various purposes. Director Rian Johnson, known to many for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, explained in an interview that Apple does not want villains to use an iPhone.
Gadgets and products from various companies repeatedly appear in movies and series. James Bond is probably the most well-known example, where numerous products are marketed in advance with the series.
Rian Johnson, who has been the director of various films (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Knives Out), explained in an interview that Apple prohibits villains from owning an iPhone.
Our cover image is a symbolic image; the woman is not meant to represent a villain.
iPhones cannot be used by villainous characters
What did he say? In a Vanity Fair video, Johnson explained that Apple prohibits iPhones from being used by villainous characters. At the same time, he also apologizes for the spoiler (via cnbc.com):
Apple allows the use of iPhones in movies, but, and this is very important, if you ever watch a crime movie, the villains must not have iPhones on camera. Every single filmmaker who has a villain in their film that is meant to be a mystery wants to kill me on the spot.
When you watch a movie or series, it’s quite certain that iPhones are only carried by “good” characters.
Apple’s behavior is not unusual: In fact, Apple’s approach is not uncommon. Other manufacturers also do not want their products to gain a bad image. For instance, a popular beverage manufacturer does not want the characters to throw cans of their brand in the trash.
But there is also the opposite: Many companies pay a lot of money to appear in a movie or series.
Companies happily pay millions to appear in a movie
For companies, it is indeed important to positively advertise their products in movies. James Bond is considered the most famous advertising icon for “Product Placement”:
- In “Dr. No” (1962), James Bond drank Smirnoff and flew Pan Am.
- In “Goldfinger” (1964), KFC, Aston Martin, and Rolex made appearances.
And this can be seamlessly continued until the latest film. From mineral water companies to car brands to watch manufacturers: Numerous companies pay millions to appear in a movie. For instance, Ford is said to have paid 35 million US dollars to have James Bond drive an Aston Martin again (via weekend.at).
More about the iPhone: In 2023, Apple introduced the iPhone 15. It is said to even compete with gaming consoles like the PS5 or Xbox without being direct competition to them. How this is supposed to work, you can read directly with us on MeinMMO:
