Movies and TV shows are not cheap to produce. Even after money is spent on writers, actors, and equipment, you still need to pay for sets, costumes, and props. Sure, CGI can help save some money, but actors never interact with them with the same level of physicality. But what happens when a movie or show is done shooting? Sometimes props are destroyed (especially if they came from a Stanley Kubrick film), and other times they’re saved for personal collections, but some costumes and props are stored in vaults for later use.
Given the downright suffocating number of movie sequels seen these days, many costumes and props are saved for later use in order to provide a sense of consistency — and cut down on production costs. But every now and then, production teams dig into these filmography repositories and use them for projects with almost no connection to their original purposes.
While sometimes prop teams will reuse the costumes and props of lesser-known movies for their films and shows, once in a while they utilize something a little more recognizable. Maybe it was for a reference, maybe it was just easier to create a specific look by borrowing another studio’s vision. Either way, here are some famous costumes and props from sci-fi films and movies that were reused for completely unrelated properties.
