So, it turns out Apple has a rule where villains in movies and shows can’t have iPhones

The way this is going to spoil every single show you watch now

4 months ago

Have you ever been watching a movie or a TV series where you’ve noticed that everyone has phones except one or two characters who end up having a flip phone or brick phone? And do they normally end up being the villain of the film?

Well, there’s actually a reason for this and it’s called Apple’s no-villain clause.

What this means is that due to Apple’s rules around product placement in films and TV shows, villains and antagonists in films and TV shows cannot be seen to have or be using iPhones, iPods or Macbooks.

This is all part of Apple’s aim to always be perceived in “the best light”.

But it also means that you’re probably never going to be able to watch TV shows and films the same again and you’ll always be able to work out the bad guy. Soz.

@pygmygoatfan

what if its an appletv show though.. #film #tv #apple #fyp #foolmeonce

♬ sonido original – Chemita(kenyi’s versión)

In a 2020 interview, Knives Out director Rian Johnson confirmed this. He said: “Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but – and this is very pivotal – if you’re ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera.”

If you take Knives Out as an example, almost every murder suspect in the film has an iPhone. But Marta who seems like the guilty one for most of the movie and Ransom, the actual killer, use non-Apple phones.

“Every single filmmaker who has a bad guy in their movie that’s supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now,” the director added.

Another big example is in Succession. Whilst the Roy siblings normally use iPhones, other characters including Logan Roy, Geri Kellman and Tom Wamsgans don’t.

According to Apple’s official guidelines on using Apple trademarks and Copyrights in other media, people using iPhones and other Apple products have to ensure they’re showing them in the best light, including stopping the baddies from using them!

Although it doesn’t specifically mention the villain clause, the guidelines read: “The Apple product is shown only in the best light, in a manner or context that reflects favourably on the Apple products and on Apple Inc.”

Apple also never pay for product placement in movies and TV shows, unlike other big brands.

It’s unclear when exactly this exact clause came into place but it’s something Apple has been keeping an eye on as early as 2002. This article from Wired in 2002 pointed out that all the good guys in the TV thriller 24 used Macs whereas all the villains used Windows computers.

You’re never going to be able to watch a film the same again, are you?

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