Awesome Props

1980s kids, Johnny 5 is alive! Adam Savage got to geek out over one of the original screen-used models of the friendly and inquisitive robot from Short Circuit. This particular Johnny 5 was never functional but it still looks amazing. It’s one of the many amazing props and artifacts headed to Prop Store’s 2022 London auction.

There are lots of scenes in movies and TV shows where they show enormous stacks of cash. But there’s a fine line between on-screen realism and illegal counterfeiting. Insider takes a look at how prop companies produce fake bills, and one of the times they got in trouble for being too good at their jobs.

Svetlana and Benni of KamuiCosplay make incredible props and costumes. Their latest build is the eponymous mask from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. They made it entirely from sculpting EVA foam and then added LED lighting and a colorful paint job. This thing always reminded us of Aku Aku from Crash Bandicoot.

Svetlana from KamuiCosplay created this epic shield based on the one wielded by Overwatch’s Brigitte, wearing her custom Diablo skin by Zach Fisher. She created the shield using EVA foam, packed it with 550 RGB LEDs, and outfitted it with a miniature smoke machine. The magnificent paint job really brings it together.

Drug usage is frequently depicted in movies and TV shows, but actors obviously aren’t really snorting coke or shooting up heroin. Insider spent some time with prop master Joel Barkow to learn about the creative techniques involved in making realistic-looking fake drugs that are safe for actors to handle and even ingest.

It took James and the guys from Hacksmith Industries months to complete their arsenal of props and costume armor inspired by The Mandalorian. They’ve now released a short film to celebrate their achievement, showing off everything they built and then some.

Loki has so many variants; it’s possible that any of us could be a Loki too. Let your friends and family know you’re part of the multiverse with some cardboard Loki horns. Raphael of Epic Cardboard Props is here to show us how to make Loki’s horned crown from a spare shipping box. Grab the template here.

Some everyday items can make unwanted noises while filming movies and TV shows. Editors can fix some things in post-production, but it’s preferable to capture clean audio on set. Insider explains how prop artists create versions of objects like ice cubes, pool balls, and paper bags to reduce amount of noise they make.

It’s been rumored for some time that Disney was working on a lightsaber replica that could retract like the ones seen in the Star Wars movies. In this all-too-short video, we get a glimpse at one in action. If you’re lucky enough to be heading to Walt Disney World’s Galactic Starcruiser in 2022, you’ll get to see it in person.

In the world of Spider-Man, Dr. Otto Octavius (better known as Doc Ock) has been augmented with a set of mechanical tentacles he uses for nefarious purposes. JLaservideo teamed up with a few internet friends to design and build a working tentacle backpack, and then gave it mind-control capabilities.

(Gore) The weapons in the RPG shooter Outriders have some of the most insane designs ever. Among them is the Grim Marrow, a deadly light machine gun made from bones wrapped around a sparkly crystal structure. Kamui Cosplay built an amazing replica from PVC and foam, loaded with colorful light-up crystals.

A big part of making movie stunts and action scenes look more dangerous than they really are is by using lightweight and breakaway props. I Like to Make Stuff tried their hand at molding three kinds of stunt props, including a lightweight foam cinder block, fake glass bottles, and a soft silicone crowbar.

Anvil Cases teamed up with Gonk Toys to create a replica of the case that carried the plutonium that Doc Brown needed to power the DeLorean in Back to the Future. It includes a heavy-duty case, foam lining, 12 acrylic “plutonium” cylinders, and 12 “radioactive” stickers. There’s also a cheaper version without the cylinders.

Zach King is known for his fun illusion videos. Most of what he does involves in-camera tricks and editing and often incorporates props to help drive the tricks home. In this clip from Vanity Fair, King takes us on a tour of his office, where he stores a variety of his props along with numerous cool toys and other collectibles.

While CGI has dramatically changed the way that movies are made, actors still need physical objects to interact with. This new series from Disney+ takes us up close and personal with iconic props from Disney movies. Hosted by superfan and collector Dan Lanigan. All episodes drop 5.1.20.

The Hacksmith teamed up with maker JT of Built IRL to create a real world version of Spider-Man’s web shooters. The rig uses compressed air to fire custom-made grappling hooks from its wearer’s wrists. Swinging from them isn’t nearly as graceful Peter Parker made it look.

Prop builder Odin Makes shows off one of his coolest and complex projects yet, a replica of the famed gravity gun from Half-Life 2. He based his design on a 3D digital model, then printed templates to create plastic and foam parts. More than 15 years after the game’s release, it’s still one of our favorite weapons ever.

Prop builder Odin Makes shows off another very cool build – a replica of the Eye of Agamotto that appeared in Doctor Strange and Avengers: Infinity War. The 3D-printed piece of mystical jewelry even has a glowing green time stone at its center.

LaserGadgets likes to build all sorts of cool prop weaponry using lasers. For this custom-commissioned build, he created a Militech handgun that looks like it came straight out of the CD Projekt Red RPG Cyberpunk 2077. The hefty replica has LED illumination, and a bright blue laser that’s powerful enough to burst balloons.

Factory Entertainment is offering the best replica we’ve seen of the weapon from James Bond’s The Man with the Golden Gun. It has 18kt gold plated components, including a fountain pen, lighter, cigarette case, cufflink, and a “007” inscribed bullet. Comes with a wooden presentation case and a certificate of authenticity.

This impressive Marvel Legends Gamerverse Punisher War Machine helmet is a 1:1 scale replica inspired by the Marvel Future Fight video game that envisions what would happen if Frank Castle got his hands on Stark Industries technology. It’s got LED eyes, sound effects, and a removable magnetic faceplate.

Sure, you can go out and buy an off-the-shelf replica of Iron Man’s infinity gauntlet from Avengers: Endgame, but there’s something so satisfying about building your own. Seanscrafts shows us his DIY gauntlet he made using cardboard, a glove, hot glue, and paints.

Ever wonder what happens to all the props, costumes, cars, and other items seen in movies go when filming ends? Insider takes us on a trip to the Warner Brothers Corporate Archive, an extensive warehouse where many older props get stored.