In recent years, we have watched countless Marvel fans wait for the anticipated post-credits scene to give them a teaser of what is to come next in the MCU. Post-credits scenes are also known as credit cookies or stingers, and they refer to short clips that occur at the middle or the end of the film’s credits. The concept has spanned across all genres and, nowadays, they are seen in nearly every superhero film. They can be used to give the audience a sneak peek of a sequel or spin-off film, or sometimes they are used purely for creative purposes. With the rise in popularity of the post-credits scene, fans are always eager to see what filmmakers will come up with next.
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The Batman’s post-credits scene sent its viewers on a mission to deceiver riddles from the Riddler. It was a fascinating take on the post-credits scene, and it was refreshing to see the concept evolving. Of course, some are better than others, making it a risk for the audience to sit there and watch the five long minutes of credits. Throughout the years, the idea of scenes appearing during or after the credits has evolved exponentially, and it has recently become quite popular due to Hollywood movie franchises. Let’s dive into the vast history of the post-credits scene.
Where Do Post-Credits Scenes Come From?
Associated Film Distribution
In 1966, audiences saw the first post-credits scene in Phil Karlson’s The Silencers, starring Dean Martin. The scene showed Matt Helm (Martin) surrounded by beautiful women, and hinted at the return of his character in future films. While that may have been the first occurrence of the technique, post-credits scenes gained their popularity thanks to The Muppets. Post-credits scenes in The Muppet Movie, as well as other films in The Muppet franchise, consisted of the characters breaking the fourth wall and sometimes telling the audience to go home in comedic ways. From there, post-credits scenes began to be used more and more in comedy films throughout the 1980s. Notorious films like Airplane! and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off used the technique as last-minute comedic relief. Since then, the post-credits scene has spanned across several genres.
How Have Post-Credits Scenes Evolved Over the Years?
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
As the years passed, filmmakers found that post-credits scenes could be useful to wrap up loose ends around the characters or even tease what is to come next as far as a sequel. We also began to see the technique used in different ways, such as director Richard Linklater’s School Of Rock, where we get a final performance from the band while the credits are rolling. Similarly, The Wachowskis used the idea to show a trailer of Matrix Revolutions at the end of Matrix Reloaded. Furthermore, post-credits scenes have also been used to show twist endings. Pixar began to incorporate funny scenes mid-credits in films such as Finding Nemo and A Bug’s Life. Several filmmakers have used the credits to show bloopers that occurred during filming, and Pixar used this idea to create fake bloopers from its animated characters. Even video games such as Call of Duty began to use post-credit scenes to add anticipation of future games to come in specific series.
How Are Post-Credits Scenes Largely Used Today?
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Today, post-credits scenes are used constantly in horror and superhero franchises. We have seen the concept used in The Conjuring series, which has hinted at spin-offs that were coming next. At the same time, it gives the filmmakers the chance to offer one final scare to the audience. As far as the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes, the post-credits scene became a staple of the series, after Iron Man and Iron Man 2 teased the much anticipated film, The Avengers. Since then, we have seen the concept used at the end of basically every Marvel film due to the many sequels and spin-offs created in the series. The scenes usually introduce new villains or heroes that are to come in future films. At the same time, sometimes they are still used for comedic relief such as when The Avengers were all eating at the shawarma restaurant after the epic Battle of New York. It looks like post-credits scenes are here to stay and fans are always eager to talk about the latest ones in their favorite movies.
Although everybody has busy lives with responsibilities, sometimes it is worth it to wait the extra five minutes to see a possible post-credits scene. At the same time, you are giving the countless people required to make the film the respect they deserve by watching the end-credits. If you are viewing a film from one of your favorite franchises, you know that you may get a hint at what or who is to come next in the sequel. Post-credits scenes are extremely popular nowadays, and they are being discussed more and more on entertainment news. The Batman showed us that the idea still has the potential to evolve into something new by giving the audience a task to complete once they get home. Don’t be the one to miss a post-credits scene that all your friends will be talking about.
