Thousands of props are designed and produced every year for Hollywood blockbusters. Created primarily as storytelling devices, these objects help bring fictional worlds to life, whether they appear for a single moment on screen or become central to a film’s plot. But once filming wraps and the credits roll, what happens to them?
Online marketplaces like Propstore, Hero Prop, and The Movie Prop Warehouse give movie lovers the chance to own a tangible piece of film history. Through auctions and direct sales, collectors can purchase authentic props and costumes from their favorite movies.
Here are a few well-designed props from pivotal plot devices to objects that get only a few seconds of screen time (no spoilers, promise).
Stratton Oakmont Broker Sales Scripts – The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Success at Stratton Oakmont runs on one thing: the pitch. In The Wolf of Wall Street, stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, builds his empire on a carefully crafted sales script designed to guide employees through high-pressure phone calls with potential investors.
The prop itself reflects that purpose. Printed like a straightforward training document, the script is designed for speed and clarity, mirroring the rapid-fire conversations happening on the trading floor.
For collectors, the script offers a glimpse into the mechanics behind one of the film’s most memorable environments.
The Irish Times ‘Europe’s Most Wanted Frog’ Newspaper – Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
Have you seen this frog?
In Muppets Most Wanted, a fictional issue of The Irish Times announces that the beloved Kermit the Frog has become “Europe’s Most Wanted.” The prop plays a key role in driving the film’s central mix-up and helps bring the story’s international caper to life.
Unlike many background newspapers used in film, this one is fully designed. The page includes headlines, side articles, comics, and even a crossword puzzle that are all tailored to the whimsical world of the Muppets. Packed with small visual jokes and details, it’s the kind of prop that rewards a closer look even when it might only appear on screen for a moment.
Selling for roughly $2,700, the newspaper is a reminder that even comedic props often require the same thoughtful design and world-building as those in more serious films.
Guest Check – Goodfellas (1990)
In Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese, even the smallest details help build the world of organized crime. Like many great props, its design is intentionally understated.
Sometimes the best prop design isn’t flashy, rather, it’s believable.
Set of 4 Joker Cards – The Dark Knight (2008)
Selling separately for around $395 apiece, these Joker playing cards from The Dark Knight serve as one of the film’s most recognizable visual motifs.
Each card features a different illustration, ranging from surreal figures to distorted portraits, giving them a chaotic and slightly unsettling quality. Designed for Christopher Nolan’s film, the cards balance something familiar with something unsettling. At first glance they look like ordinary playing cards, but the strange illustrations and worn details give them a darker tone, turning a simple object into an instantly recognizable symbol of a character who’s completely unpredictable.
