10 Fictional “Movies Within a Movie” That We Actually Want to See

Sometimes movie plots involve fictional movies within the movie. Often these references to fake movies are just throw away lines, but sometimes they are central to the plot.

Whatever the case, sometimes we wish these fictional movies they mention were actual films – here are ten examples:

Chubby Rain (Bowfinger)

Low-level producer Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) wants to make Chubby Rain, his dream project, a reality. He has everything he needs.. except for his star.

The studio exec (Robert Downey, Jr.) says he will green light the film if Bowfinger somehow manages to cast Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy), Hollywood’s hottest actor. Ramsey declines, but Bowfinger doesn’t let that stop him. He films all of Ramsey’s scenes without him knowing, and of course, hilarity ensues.

While I’m at it, I also want to see Bowfinger’s follow up, “Fake Purse Ninjas”.

Lightning Storm (Cars)

I liked Cars 2 more than most people did, but I’ll admit – if Pixar had replaced Finn McMissile and “agent” Mater with a mega-weaponized, ass-kicking version of Lightning McQueen called “Lightning Storm” (like the one we saw in his dream sequence in Cars) I’d have liked it a lot more. I can see it now – Knight Industries recruits McQueen to fight a clandestine terrorist threat to the Cars universe. A retired old curmudgeon named K.I.T.T. fulfills the Doc Hudson role. Crossover event of the year!

Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season (Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back)

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon parodied their performances in Good Will Hunting by playing themselves in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. In a great spot, they were shown psyching themselves up to film a scene for a Good Will Hunting sequel directed by Gus Van Sant. Damon blows someone to bits with a shotgun and Affleck delivers the line “Applesauce, bitch”. I want more – specifically, I want to see Robin Williams parody Sean Maguire.

Stab (Scream 2)

Based on Gale Weathers’ book, The Woodsboro Murders, Stab is a sensationalized retelling of the plot of a sensationalized horror film. Can’t get much more awesome. I might wait to see it at home though, instead of braving the theater.

The movie at the end of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure)

After Pee-wee Herman’s epic cross-country quest to recover his stolen bike, Warner Bros. buys the rights to his story and makes a movie out of it. The final product is a secret agent-type action film starring James Brolin as P.W. Herman, and co-stars Morgan Fairchild. Pee-wee lands a cameo playing a bell hop, but his voice is dubbed over.

Logjammin’ (The Big Lebowski)

She’s not really sure what’s exactly wrong with the cable. Good thing they sent an expert repairman. Oh, and her friend just happens to be there to use the shower. Don’t act like you don’t want to see the rest. We can only assume, as The Dude does, that he fixes the cable.

Amigos, Amigos, Amigos (¡Three Amigos!)

¡Three Amigos! is rife with references to fictional movies that Ned, Lucky and Dusty had previously starred in. Martin Short’s character, Ned Nederlander, was the most established star of the silver screen, beginning as a child actor called “Little Neddy Knickers”. While we’d love to see such sure classics as “Little Neddy Goes to War” and “Little Neddy, Grab Your Gun”, it’s the movies that starred all three Amigos that I wish were real.

“Shootin’ For Love” would suffice, but if I had my druthers I’d prefer to see “Amigos, Amigos, Amigos”. What happened in that “film” was supposedly the Amigos’ basis for the ultimate scheme that wins the war against the villains (fooling El Guapo and his men into thinking there was a whole army of Amigos, you know, since the town of Santa Poco can sew.)

Animal Instincts (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

OK, I know technically Forgetting Sarah Marshall ended with a trailer for a TV show called Animal Instincts, but how can we resist Jason Bateman in a procedural drama in which “Sarah Marshall” can read animals’ minds?

Simple Jack (Tropic Thunder)

Tugg Speedman’s tour de force. Not 100% sure if we want to see this or not, but figured we’d err on the side of caution and include it. The website disappeared, which just makes us want it more.

Bluntman & Chronic (Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back)

I know we’re going back to the well here, but how do you not want to see this? It’s a movie based on the Bluntman & Chronic comic book, starring James Van Der Beek and Jason Biggs in the title roles! Based on the success of X-Men, Miramax makes the ultimate cash grab by tapping director Chaka Luther King to adapt Banky Edwards’ comic into a major motion picture.

Starring as the villain Cock-Knocker, this movie could have put Mark Hamill on the map.