Other Movie Characters We Want To See In "Silence Your Cell Phones" PSAs!

In the year of 2024, I can probably count the amount of people I know without a cell phone on one hand… and yes, Christopher Nolan is one of them! Seriously, though, it is a safe assumption that people carry their smartphones with them wherever they go nowadays, including to a place we go to for magic. We go to movie theaters to laugh, to cry, and to care, so whenever a phone starts ringing, someone openly answers a call, and/or people actively scroll on their phones at full brightness, it can be quite distracting.

As such, movie theaters have often included pre-movie PSAs once the trailers wrap up to tell the people in the theater to silence their cell phones. Do they work? Unfortunately, not as much as they should. More often than not, if someone is rude enough to be on their phone during the movie, they don’t really care if someone asks them to quiet down. For the number of movies I see, it is incredibly disappointing how often people are on their phones, openly talking aloud, or doing something even more obnoxious if you can believe it.

But fear not, Marvel Jesus (AKA Deadpool) has answered the call to this widespread problem in the form of creating his own pre-movie PSA. Well, more specifically, his buddy Wolverine has. In case you haven’t heard, Deadpool & Wolverine has recently started showing a theater-exclusive trailer for the film that involves the title characters sneaking around when suddenly, a phone starts ringing — GASP! Given Deadpool’s loose relationship with the fourth wall (and by loose, I mean non-existent), he notices the phone is coming from the audience. This prompts Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine to push Deadpool off to the side and comedically curse the audience to silence your cellphones. And yes, Ryan Reynolds made sure to compliment Wolvie for his iconic fourth-wall break too.

Needless to say, both casual and hardcore fans have been enjoying this ad, and then some! Reports have not come in yet whether this was successful in getting people to turn off their cell phones, but it did get me thinking: who else should tell us to silence our cell phones? Well, sit back, relax, and take a look at my candidates for the next "Silence Your Cell Phones" PSA.

1. Peacemaker from The Suicide Squad and "Peacemaker"

Staying withing the realm of comic book characters, John Cena’s turn as Peacemaker has quickly become a fan favorite. With his unique brand of heroism and undeniable wit (even when talking to a room of elementary school kids), I think it would be incredibly fun to see what Peacemaker would have to say if he knew that people might use their phones during the movie!

2. Bruce the Shark from Finding Nemo

Fish are friends, not food! That is, unless anyone forgets to silence their cellphones, then Brucey may resort to his sharky instincts and get a little triggered. So please don’t trigger Bruce. He just wants to be your friend; never mind the insatiable blood-lust. At least he’s actively working on his issues, unlike some people who still need to have to their phones on during a movie.

3. Barbie & Ken from Barbie

You all saw Barbie, right? That little indie movie from last summer which featured Margot Robbie and the illustrious Ryan Gosling in outstanding performances as the iconic toy duo? With their level of pure, unabashed enthusiasm for all things positive, wouldn’t it feel nice to have them tell you to silence your phone? Trust me, they won’t be mad if you don’t, or even disappointed, but they would really like you to keep those phones quiet for any other Barbies and Kens in the audience (and Allan... we never forget about Allan here).

4. Benoit Blanc from the Knives Out Series

Fresh off the announcement of Wake Up Dead Man, Daniel Craig is set to return to the BIG SCREEN (don’t mess this up, Netflix) as Benoit Blanc sometime next year. But hear me out for a second -- wouldn’t it be nice if we brought in Detective Benoit Blanc to question the audience on whether or not they had their phones pre-silenced before the movie? Considering the facts, I think this is a case that is much simpler than a donut hole within a donut hole...

5. Any and All Disney Princesses

With the release of the Moana 2 teaser fresh on my mind, I started to think about what Disney Princess should go on this list. Then, I realized that there’s nobody saying that it has to be just one — it can be any one of them. Whether it's the Disney Princess leading the movie you’re about to see, or a whole bunch of them together à la that scene from Ralph Breaks the Internet, I know they have the right kind of magic and pixie dust to make all of your phones ready for whatever journey the big screen has to showcase.

6. Keanu Reeves as… Himself!?

Does Keanu Reeves himself count as a character? Good question, although he a legend nevertheless! With someone as beloved as Keanu at the front to remind me to turn my phone off during the movie, I would only have one thing to say to him… “You’re breathtaking for doing this, so thank you for your service!”.

7. Marcel the Shell from Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Did you know that Marcel the Shell is actually in the running to be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame? That’s how many hearts he melted when his adventure flew onto the big screen almost 2 years ago, hence why he would be a perfect candidate for this position. Marcel would do it in such a wholesome way that you might need to bring some tissues with you before the movie even starts. I know I would!

8. C-3PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars

The sheer collective of characters from a Galaxy Far Far Away I could have chosen for this list is insane! When it came down to it, I figured that C-3PO and R2-D2 would be the ideal candidates. They were the first characters you met in Star Wars back in 1977, and to this day, they have remained a classic duo for the ages. With that in mind, I can guarantee you that they can tell you the odds of how many people have ruined movies from their phones going off during the middle of it. Trust me, you don’t wanna mess with R2 — he’s lethal.

9. Nicole Kidman for AMC Theaters

What started as a short ad to get people back into movie theaters after lockdown became the closest things cinephiles have to a national anthem! Just imagine it: the ad comes on, people remove their hats, and when Nicole says, “Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this,” she then kindly asks everyone to silence their cellphones. The ad ends and people are already applauding before the movie even begins. I don’t know about you, but that’s why I like to go to the movies… and I’m sure I’m not alone!

Until next time, stay safe, and for the love of Keanu and Nicole, please silence your phones for the next movie you go to see!