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* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', in which Indy encounters magical artifacts, [[{{Prequel}} comes before]] ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', in which Indy at one point dismisses all superstition involving the Ark of the Covenant. After all he has gone through, you'd think Indy would at least be a bit more open-minded in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. Despite previously encountering magic rocks, a Nazi-killing golden box, a healing cup and an Atlantean god-making machine, he still sneers at the prospect of [[CrystalSkull telepathic skulls]], calling it a "bedtime story", just as he did with the Holy Grail. He also dismissively tells Mutt that the Akator legend is "just a story", even though he'd surely have realized by then that in the Indiana Jones universe [[AllMythsAreTrue nothing is ever "just a story"]]. There are of course explanations for this stubbornness, such as that he knows Mutt is young and reckless and doesn't want to give him ideas, or he's trying to will himself into believing it's false precisely because he's seen how dangerous the supernatural can be, but the most likely reason is it just makes it more [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] when he's inevitably [[SkepticismFailure proven wrong]]. It's adressed again in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'' when he states to his goddaughter Helena that while he generally doesn't believe in magic in and for itself, he has "seen some things" in his life he can't explain, obviously referencing the supernatural phenomenens he encountered in the previous movies.
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* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', in which Indy encounters magical artifacts, [[{{Prequel}} comes before]] ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', in which Indy at one point dismisses all superstition involving the Ark of the Covenant. After all he has gone through, you'd think Indy would at least be a bit more open-minded in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. Despite previously encountering magic rocks, a Nazi-killing golden box, a healing cup and an Atlantean god-making machine, he still sneers at the prospect of [[CrystalSkull telepathic skulls]], calling it a "bedtime story", just as he did with the Holy Grail. He also dismissively tells Mutt that the Akator legend is "just a story", even though he'd surely have realized by then that in the Indiana Jones universe [[AllMythsAreTrue nothing is ever "just a story"]]. There are of course explanations for this stubbornness, such as that he knows Mutt is young and reckless and doesn't want to give him ideas, or he's trying to will himself into believing it's false precisely because he's seen how dangerous the supernatural can be, but the most likely reason is it just makes it more [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] when he's inevitably [[SkepticismFailure proven wrong]]. It's adressed again in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'' when he states to his goddaughter Helena that while he generally doesn't believe in magic in and for of itself, he has "seen some things" in his life he can't explain, obviously referencing the supernatural phenomenens phenomena he encountered in the previous movies.
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* ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer'': After hearing about the Silver Surfer, a shiny man who flies on a surfboard, The Thing sarcastically asks "So, did you follow the shiny man to Lollipop Land or to Rainbow Junction?" However, The Thing was hit by cosmic radiation, causing him to gain superpowers such as his skin turning into rock, so he should have no trouble believing in the Silver Surfer.
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* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', in which Indy encounters magical artifacts, [[{{Prequel}} comes before]] ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', in which Indy at one point dismisses all superstition involving the Ark of the Covenant. After all he has gone through, you'd think Indy would at least be a bit more open-minded in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. Despite previously encountering magic rocks, a Nazi-killing golden box, a healing cup and an Atlantean god-making machine, he still sneers at the prospect of [[CrystalSkull telepathic skulls]], calling it a "bedtime story", just as he did with the Holy Grail. He also dismissively tells Mutt that the Akator legend is "just a story", even though he'd surely have realized by then that in the Indiana Jones universe [[AllMythsAreTrue nothing is ever "just a story"]]. There are of course explanations for this stubbornness, such as that he knows Mutt is young and reckless and doesn't want to give him ideas, or he's trying to will himself into believing it's false precisely because he's seen how dangerous the supernatural can be, but the most likely reason is it just makes it more [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] when he's inevitably [[SkepticismFailure proven wrong]].
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* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', in which Indy encounters magical artifacts, [[{{Prequel}} comes before]] ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', in which Indy at one point dismisses all superstition involving the Ark of the Covenant. After all he has gone through, you'd think Indy would at least be a bit more open-minded in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. Despite previously encountering magic rocks, a Nazi-killing golden box, a healing cup and an Atlantean god-making machine, he still sneers at the prospect of [[CrystalSkull telepathic skulls]], calling it a "bedtime story", just as he did with the Holy Grail. He also dismissively tells Mutt that the Akator legend is "just a story", even though he'd surely have realized by then that in the Indiana Jones universe [[AllMythsAreTrue nothing is ever "just a story"]]. There are of course explanations for this stubbornness, such as that he knows Mutt is young and reckless and doesn't want to give him ideas, or he's trying to will himself into believing it's false precisely because he's seen how dangerous the supernatural can be, but the most likely reason is it just makes it more [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] when he's inevitably [[SkepticismFailure proven wrong]]. It's adressed again in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'' when he states to his goddaughter Helena that while he generally doesn't believe in magic in and for itself, he has "seen some things" in his life he can't explain, obviously referencing the supernatural phenomenens he encountered in the previous movies.
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** ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'': Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that maybe a horse with a horns isn't the craziest idea.
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* ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'': Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that maybe a horse with a horns isn't the craziest idea
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** Special mention should be made of the psychiatrist in the second film who interviews the Ghostbusters after they are committed. Not only is he dismissive of their claims about Vigo's painting after the balance of ''two'' films' worth of ghostly mayhem, he seems to not even recognize the Ghostbusters despite the copious publicity they receive over the course of both films.
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* ''Film/TheExorcist'': Invoked, and actually a major plot point. Chris thinks Father Karras and the doctors treating Regan are absurdly resistant to consider that Regan really is possessed, especially after various medical tests uncover no obvious illness. But as Karras points out, the modern Catholic Church has such high standards for performing an exorcism that they have to exhaust every rational explanation before they can assume the victim is actually a victim of demonic possession. The book goes into extensive detail about just what has to be studied and ruled out.
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* ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'': Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that 'maybe' a 'HORSE' with a 'HORN' is not the craziest idea
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* ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'': Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that 'maybe' maybe a 'HORSE' horse with a 'HORN' is not horns isn't the craziest idea
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* Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods: Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that maybe a horse with a horn is not the craziest idea
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* Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods: ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'': Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that maybe 'maybe' a horse 'HORSE' with a horn 'HORN' is not the craziest idea
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*Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods: Eugene doesn't believe in Unicorns, despite the fact the he can summon the powers of actual gods with just a single word, and has seen/fought creatures of myth before. He later renounces this disbelieve after watching a chimera breath fire all over a car, realizing that maybe a horse with a horn is not the craziest idea
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* ''Film/TheresaAndAllison'': Theresa express incredulity after she's been made into a vampire on being told werewolves, demons and other supernatural creatures. She's being into oriented into her new life by another vampire, who dryly answers "Yes, said the vampire to the other vampire", about them. None however appear in the film.
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* ''Film/TheresaAndAllison'': Theresa express expresses incredulity after she's been made into a vampire on being told werewolves, demons and other supernatural creatures. creatures also exist. She's being into oriented into her new life by another vampire, who dryly answers "Yes, said the vampire to the other vampire", about them. None however appear in the film.
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* ''Film/TheresaAndAllison'': Theresa express incredulity after she's been made into a vampire on being told werewolves, demons and other supernatural creatures. She's being into oriented into her new life by another vampire, who dryly answers "Yes, said the vampire to the other vampire", about them. None however appear in the film.
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* Generally, this trope tends to crop up rather frequently in moves where [[SantasExistenceClause Santa Claus is real]]. Adults won't believe in Santa Claus, even though there should be tons of evidence of his existence in the form of presents that nobody bought.
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** ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': When Steve tells the others about Diana's belief that Ares is behind WWI, Charlie scoffs at the idea. Sameer points out how silly it is that Charlie finds it hard to believe when they had just witnessed Diana [[spoiler: conquer No Man's Land, throw a tank into a building with her bare hands, and demolish the top of a church by just jumping into it.]]
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* ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': When Steve tells the others about Diana's belief that Ares is behind WWI, Charlie scoffs at the idea. Sameer points out how silly it is that Charlie finds it hard to believe when they had just witnessed Diana [[spoiler: conquer No Man's Land, throw a tank into a building with her bare hands, and demolish the top of a church by just jumping into it.]]
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** A second near-apocalypse in the [[Film/GhostbustersII second film]] finally casts away any doubt, likely because the Ghostbusters animated the UsefulNotes/StatueOfLiberty to save the day and the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'' sailed into port during the ruckus. Notably averted by the mayor in ''Film/GhostbustersII'': when the Ghostbusters come to him proclaiming that the subway system is filled with anger-fueled ghost slime, his dismissal of them is not because he does not believe them, but because they aren't offering any realistic solutions (even within the context of their usual antics). Likewise, he only waits as long as he does to finally call on their services because he really would rather not have to.
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** A second near-apocalypse in the [[Film/GhostbustersII second film]] finally casts away any doubt, likely because the Ghostbusters animated the UsefulNotes/StatueOfLiberty Art/StatueOfLiberty to save the day and the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'' sailed into port during the ruckus. Notably averted by the mayor in ''Film/GhostbustersII'': when the Ghostbusters come to him proclaiming that the subway system is filled with anger-fueled ghost slime, his dismissal of them is not because he does not believe them, but because they aren't offering any realistic solutions (even within the context of their usual antics). Likewise, he only waits as long as he does to finally call on their services because he really would rather not have to.
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* ''Film/Aquaman2018'': Dr. Stephen Shin is dismissed by most as a conspiratorial loon for claiming that Atlantis exists. This of course ignores the fact that Earth has experienced two alien invasions already and has an Amazonian goddess living among humanity. Shin also repeatedly points out Aquaman's existence, to no avail.
* Likewise, ''Film/{{Shazam}}'' takes place next in the same continuity, so aliens, demigods, cyborgs, and Atlantis are all established parts of reality. But when Dr. Sivana tries to research the wizard who summoned him as a child, the only way he's able to do so is by disguising it as a study into mass delusions, since no credible scientist is willing to take him seriously. Even after witnessing video evidence of strange symbols appearing on a woman's alarm clock and learning that they correspond exactly to Dr. Sivana's own childhood experience, the head researcher ''refuses'' to consider a supernatural explanation [[spoiler: until she's affected by the magic and is killed almost immediately afterward]].
* Likewise, ''Film/{{Shazam}}'' takes place next in the same continuity, so aliens, demigods, cyborgs, and Atlantis are all established parts of reality. But when Dr. Sivana tries to research the wizard who summoned him as a child, the only way he's able to do so is by disguising it as a study into mass delusions, since no credible scientist is willing to take him seriously. Even after witnessing video evidence of strange symbols appearing on a woman's alarm clock and learning that they correspond exactly to Dr. Sivana's own childhood experience, the head researcher ''refuses'' to consider a supernatural explanation [[spoiler: until she's affected by the magic and is killed almost immediately afterward]].
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* ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks''. The conspiracy-believing radio host is unwilling to believe the others' tales of giant killer spiders. This may have been as much him suspecting they were making fun of him, as him actually finding the idea itself unbelievable.
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* ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks''. ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'':
** In ''Film/Aquaman2018'', Dr. Stephen Shin is dismissed by most as a conspiratorial loon for claiming that Atlantis exists. This of course ignores the fact that Earth has experienced two alien invasions already and has an Amazonian goddess living among humanity. Shin also repeatedly points out Aquaman's existence, to no avail.
** Likewise, ''Film/Shazam2019'' takes place next in the same continuity, so aliens, demigods, cyborgs, and Atlantis are all established parts of reality. But when Dr. Sivana tries to research the wizard who summoned him as a child, the only way he's able to do so is by disguising it as a study into mass delusions, since no credible scientist is willing to take him seriously. Even after witnessing video evidence of strange symbols appearing on a woman's alarm clock and learning that they correspond exactly to Dr. Sivana's own childhood experience, the head researcher ''refuses'' to consider a supernatural explanation [[spoiler:until she's affected by the magic and is killed almost immediately afterward]].
* ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks'': The conspiracy-believing radio host is unwilling to believe the others' tales of giant killer spiders. This may have been as much him suspecting they were making fun of him, as him actually finding the idea itself unbelievable.
** In ''Film/Aquaman2018'', Dr. Stephen Shin is dismissed by most as a conspiratorial loon for claiming that Atlantis exists. This of course ignores the fact that Earth has experienced two alien invasions already and has an Amazonian goddess living among humanity. Shin also repeatedly points out Aquaman's existence, to no avail.
** Likewise, ''Film/Shazam2019'' takes place next in the same continuity, so aliens, demigods, cyborgs, and Atlantis are all established parts of reality. But when Dr. Sivana tries to research the wizard who summoned him as a child, the only way he's able to do so is by disguising it as a study into mass delusions, since no credible scientist is willing to take him seriously. Even after witnessing video evidence of strange symbols appearing on a woman's alarm clock and learning that they correspond exactly to Dr. Sivana's own childhood experience, the head researcher ''refuses'' to consider a supernatural explanation [[spoiler:until she's affected by the magic and is killed almost immediately afterward]].
* ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks'': The conspiracy-believing radio host is unwilling to believe the others' tales of giant killer spiders. This may have been as much him suspecting they were making fun of him, as him actually finding the idea itself unbelievable.
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* ''Film/BloodMachines'': While Lago believes that the birth of the woman from the Mima was a miracle and starts viewing things through a religious lens, Vascan scoffs at the idea, calling her a "parasite with pretty legs."
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ArbitrarySkepticism in LiveActionFilms.
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Works with their own pages:
[[index]]
* ArbitrarySkepticism/MarvelCinematicUniverse
[[/index]]
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* In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', Ripley wants to get rid of the Facehugger carcass, because they already know that the alien creature [[AlienBlood bleeds acid]] and have no clue what will happen after it's dead. Ash counters this by snarking at Ripley that it probably isn't a zombie.
* ''Film/Aquaman2018'': Dr. Stephen Shin is dismissed by most as a conspiratorial loon for claiming that Atlantis exists. This of course ignores the fact that Earth has experienced two alien invasions already and has an Amazonian goddess living among humanity. Shin also repeatedly points out Aquaman's existence, to no avail.
* Likewise, ''Film/{{Shazam}}'' takes place next in the same continuity, so aliens, demigods, cyborgs, and Atlantis are all established parts of reality. But when Dr. Sivana tries to research the wizard who summoned him as a child, the only way he's able to do so is by disguising it as a study into mass delusions, since no credible scientist is willing to take him seriously. Even after witnessing video evidence of strange symbols appearing on a woman's alarm clock and learning that they correspond exactly to Dr. Sivana's own childhood experience, the head researcher ''refuses'' to consider a supernatural explanation [[spoiler: until she's affected by the magic and is killed almost immediately afterward]].
* The ''Film/{{Cube}}'' film series:
** In the first movie, Holloway and Quentin both commit this during their discussion of each other's pet theories on the origins of the Cube. She believes that the military-industrial complex created the place, which he dismisses because he believes government organizations are just composed of people like him, whose goals in life are to "buy big boats", not conspire. Quentin believes that the structure is a rich psychopath's entertainment, comparing it to ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'', to which Holloway reacts as if he just said that the moon is made of cheese. Granted that Quentin's theory is more outlandish than hers (and his citing of a stereotypical Bond villain doesn't really help his argument), but she didn't need to start acting like a {{Jerkass}} by ridiculing him for it. ([[spoiler:Not that it makes his murder of her partly in retribution for this any more justified.]])
** In the sequel ''Film/Cube2Hypercube'', Max calls the rest of the group crazy for even considering that space and time could be distorted in the cube (despite repeatedly witnessing things that are physically impossible, such as the rooms instantaneously moving around) and argues that there has to be a logical explanation, such as an optical illusion. At the same time he berates the others for not believing in his conspiracy theories, and is convinced that the cube is operated by a mysterious superhacker called Alex Trusk.
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', the GCPD are awfully dismissive of Gordon's account of his encounter with Bane and his men in the sewers that he narrowly escaped from. And they still seem dismissive of Gordon's story about a masked man and an army living in the sewers even ''after'' Bane and his men attack the Stock Exchange, an attack in which Bane is clearly seen leading them, mask and all. Considering that, in the previous two films in the series, Gotham fell under terrorist attack by an army of ninjas and a man dressed as a clown, it's not particularly outlandish. On the other hand, those events occurred in the span of two years, at which time a vigilante who dressed as a bat was also active. Since the last ''8 years'' have been peaceful and Batman has retired, it's possible that the GCPD came to consider those attacks to be isolated incidents.
* ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks''. The conspiracy-believing radio host is unwilling to believe the others' tales of giant killer spiders. This may have been as much him suspecting they were making fun of him, as him actually finding the idea itself unbelievable.
* Shows up to varying degrees in the ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' series.
** In the [[Film/Ghostbusters1984 first one]], people are skeptical of the idea of ghosts even after the protagonists start doing regular business. Then there's a full-scale ghost attack on the city, followed by the conjuring of a [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever 100-foot tall anthropomorphic marshmallow]]. Somehow, this manages to convince everyone that the Ghostbusters are ''frauds'', despite the entire city having witnessed these events.
** A second near-apocalypse in the [[Film/GhostbustersII second film]] finally casts away any doubt, likely because the Ghostbusters animated the UsefulNotes/StatueOfLiberty to save the day and the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'' sailed into port during the ruckus. Notably averted by the mayor in ''Film/GhostbustersII'': when the Ghostbusters come to him proclaiming that the subway system is filled with anger-fueled ghost slime, his dismissal of them is not because he does not believe them, but because they aren't offering any realistic solutions (even within the context of their usual antics). Likewise, he only waits as long as he does to finally call on their services because he really would rather not have to.
* In ''Film/TheHauntingOfMollyHartley'', Molly's dad simply refuses to believe that a {{Satan}}ic {{cult}} is coming for his daughter, even though ''he made a DealWithTheDevil'' to save her. And how did he not notice that Molly's [[spoiler:guidance counselor at school was the exact same person who acted as the Devil's agent in the deal]]?
* ''Film/IndependenceDay'':
** Even though the White House had just been destroyed by an alien death ray, the president laughs off Julius' belief in Roswell and Area 51, saying it's all a myth. As the President he probably assumed this is the kind of thing someone would have told him, only to find out he was left out to create PlausibleDeniability.
** Many people consider Russell Casse to be insane due to his drunken ranting about being kidnapped by aliens. Fair enough, but when an alien invasion actually does happen, by aliens who have been confirmed to have been studying mankind in detail for years prior to their invasion, you'd think that'd give his story a little more credibility, but everyone continues to act like he's insane. (It's never made explicitly clear whether or not Russell is telling the truth, or if his ranting is just paranoid delusion that happens to match up to the circumstances. Russell certainly believes the invaders are the same aliens, though. The comic book adaptation, at the least, explicitly showed his abduction and that yes, it was the same aliens.)
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', in which Indy encounters magical artifacts, [[{{Prequel}} comes before]] ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', in which Indy at one point dismisses all superstition involving the Ark of the Covenant. After all he has gone through, you'd think Indy would at least be a bit more open-minded in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. Despite previously encountering magic rocks, a Nazi-killing golden box, a healing cup and an Atlantean god-making machine, he still sneers at the prospect of [[CrystalSkull telepathic skulls]], calling it a "bedtime story", just as he did with the Holy Grail. He also dismissively tells Mutt that the Akator legend is "just a story", even though he'd surely have realized by then that in the Indiana Jones universe [[AllMythsAreTrue nothing is ever "just a story"]]. There are of course explanations for this stubbornness, such as that he knows Mutt is young and reckless and doesn't want to give him ideas, or he's trying to will himself into believing it's false precisely because he's seen how dangerous the supernatural can be, but the most likely reason is it just makes it more [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] when he's inevitably [[SkepticismFailure proven wrong]].
** This tradition is continued in expanded media. In ''VideoGame/IndianaJonesAndTheEmperorsTomb'', Indy describes the MacGuffin as "a mythological artifact, like Excalibur or the Holy Grail", both of which are treasures that canonically he would later discover himself.
* ''Film/{{Kazaam}}'' is a genie who disbelieves in ''fairy tales''.
* In ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', Randa has been desperately trying to prove {{Kaiju}} exist for years. When a critic compares him to those people who believe in aliens, Randa dismissively says those people are nuts.
* In ''Film/TheLastMimzy,'' the brother has already found a strange cube that deposited several mysterious items, including a strange crystal that makes noise that only he and his sister can see (adults think it looks like a flat rock), a crystalline conch shell that enhances his hearing and teaches him how to command spiders through sound, and a set of stone "spinners" that his sister can spin to create a strange portal that causes her hand to split harmlessly into a million particles. Yet he still refuses to believe that her stuffed rabbit, which also came through the cube, speaks to her, despite it being the one that taught her how to spin the spinners. It takes the mimzy predicting their father's arrival to convince him.
* In ''Film/TheOogielovesInTheBigBalloonAdventure'', Goobie refuses to believe that the balloons are magical and can talk, stating that it is scientifically impossible. This despite the fact they live in a house with a magic talking window, a talking pillow, and a talking vacuum cleaner.
* Gibbs from ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' is highly superstitious. However, he is skeptical of the existence of Davy Jones' Kraken (which is, in fact, real).
** The trailer for the last installment, there is a character that deems herself a scientist and says "I choose not to believe in ghosts." Yep. [[TooDumbToLive You just can't help but wonder...]].
** William Turner, serving as captain of the FlyingDutchman, doesn't believe in old myths about the Trident of Poseidon. Likewise, the Royal Navy, who a decade before was ordering around Davy Jones to kill his kraken shortly before declaring war on Calypso the sea goddess, takes no stock in sailor's tales such as the Devils' Triangle.
* In ''Film/Plan9FromOuterSpace,'' people encounter flying saucers and a zombie that melts into a skeleton, yet have trouble believing that someone could have risen from the dead to break out of his own grave.
* ''Film/SabrinaDownUnder'': A merman, sitting in a bathtub next to a talking cat, refuses to believe in witches. One spell later:
-->'''Sabrina:''' You know, for a guy with a tail, you're extremely narrow-minded.
* In ''Film/SixSouls'' Cara does a good job of avoiding this, approaching her doubts realistically and scientifically. But her father believes she has succumbed to it all the same.
* Dr. Koven, in ''Film/TheSkeptic'', is a parapsychological researcher who believes in psychics and in chi, but not in ghosts.
* ''Film/SonOfGodzilla'': A bunch of giant, mutant preying mantises are treated as [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight nothing special]], yet Goro's reports of a mystery woman sneaking around the camp are treated with skepticism bordering on hostility.
* In ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'', Rachel, Maddie's sister, faints at the sight of the unconscious Sonic, then later tries to convince Maddie that Tom has gone crazy because he's talking about aliens, despite the obvious alien in her house.
* In ''Film/TimeBandits'', Kevin insists that the "Time of Legends" isn't real, to a time traveller who just recovered him from Ancient Greece, where he helped kill a minotaur.
* In the film version of ''Film/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'', Caspian and Edmund scoff at Drinian and the other sailors for being afraid of sea serpents, in spite of living in the original FantasyKitchenSink and being personally acquainted with a wide variety of mythological creatures, as well as well-versed in the lore of many others - including dragons. When Eustace mistakes a seagull for a sentient being and tries to talk to it, a minotaur laughs at him.
* In ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the Tin Man, who is accompanying a talking lion and an animated scarecrow to kill a witch on the orders of a wizard, does not believe in "spooks" (ghosts).
* ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': When Steve tells the others about Diana's belief that Ares is behind WWI, Charlie scoffs at the idea. Sameer points out how silly it is that Charlie finds it hard to believe when they had just witnessed Diana [[spoiler: conquer No Man's Land, throw a tank into a building with her bare hands, and demolish the top of a church by just jumping into it.]]
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ArbitrarySkepticism in LiveActionFilms.
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Works with their own pages:
[[index]]
* ArbitrarySkepticism/MarvelCinematicUniverse
[[/index]]
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* In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', Ripley wants to get rid of the Facehugger carcass, because they already know that the alien creature [[AlienBlood bleeds acid]] and have no clue what will happen after it's dead. Ash counters this by snarking at Ripley that it probably isn't a zombie.
* ''Film/Aquaman2018'': Dr. Stephen Shin is dismissed by most as a conspiratorial loon for claiming that Atlantis exists. This of course ignores the fact that Earth has experienced two alien invasions already and has an Amazonian goddess living among humanity. Shin also repeatedly points out Aquaman's existence, to no avail.
* Likewise, ''Film/{{Shazam}}'' takes place next in the same continuity, so aliens, demigods, cyborgs, and Atlantis are all established parts of reality. But when Dr. Sivana tries to research the wizard who summoned him as a child, the only way he's able to do so is by disguising it as a study into mass delusions, since no credible scientist is willing to take him seriously. Even after witnessing video evidence of strange symbols appearing on a woman's alarm clock and learning that they correspond exactly to Dr. Sivana's own childhood experience, the head researcher ''refuses'' to consider a supernatural explanation [[spoiler: until she's affected by the magic and is killed almost immediately afterward]].
* The ''Film/{{Cube}}'' film series:
** In the first movie, Holloway and Quentin both commit this during their discussion of each other's pet theories on the origins of the Cube. She believes that the military-industrial complex created the place, which he dismisses because he believes government organizations are just composed of people like him, whose goals in life are to "buy big boats", not conspire. Quentin believes that the structure is a rich psychopath's entertainment, comparing it to ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'', to which Holloway reacts as if he just said that the moon is made of cheese. Granted that Quentin's theory is more outlandish than hers (and his citing of a stereotypical Bond villain doesn't really help his argument), but she didn't need to start acting like a {{Jerkass}} by ridiculing him for it. ([[spoiler:Not that it makes his murder of her partly in retribution for this any more justified.]])
** In the sequel ''Film/Cube2Hypercube'', Max calls the rest of the group crazy for even considering that space and time could be distorted in the cube (despite repeatedly witnessing things that are physically impossible, such as the rooms instantaneously moving around) and argues that there has to be a logical explanation, such as an optical illusion. At the same time he berates the others for not believing in his conspiracy theories, and is convinced that the cube is operated by a mysterious superhacker called Alex Trusk.
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', the GCPD are awfully dismissive of Gordon's account of his encounter with Bane and his men in the sewers that he narrowly escaped from. And they still seem dismissive of Gordon's story about a masked man and an army living in the sewers even ''after'' Bane and his men attack the Stock Exchange, an attack in which Bane is clearly seen leading them, mask and all. Considering that, in the previous two films in the series, Gotham fell under terrorist attack by an army of ninjas and a man dressed as a clown, it's not particularly outlandish. On the other hand, those events occurred in the span of two years, at which time a vigilante who dressed as a bat was also active. Since the last ''8 years'' have been peaceful and Batman has retired, it's possible that the GCPD came to consider those attacks to be isolated incidents.
* ''Film/EightLeggedFreaks''. The conspiracy-believing radio host is unwilling to believe the others' tales of giant killer spiders. This may have been as much him suspecting they were making fun of him, as him actually finding the idea itself unbelievable.
* Shows up to varying degrees in the ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' series.
** In the [[Film/Ghostbusters1984 first one]], people are skeptical of the idea of ghosts even after the protagonists start doing regular business. Then there's a full-scale ghost attack on the city, followed by the conjuring of a [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever 100-foot tall anthropomorphic marshmallow]]. Somehow, this manages to convince everyone that the Ghostbusters are ''frauds'', despite the entire city having witnessed these events.
** A second near-apocalypse in the [[Film/GhostbustersII second film]] finally casts away any doubt, likely because the Ghostbusters animated the UsefulNotes/StatueOfLiberty to save the day and the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'' sailed into port during the ruckus. Notably averted by the mayor in ''Film/GhostbustersII'': when the Ghostbusters come to him proclaiming that the subway system is filled with anger-fueled ghost slime, his dismissal of them is not because he does not believe them, but because they aren't offering any realistic solutions (even within the context of their usual antics). Likewise, he only waits as long as he does to finally call on their services because he really would rather not have to.
* In ''Film/TheHauntingOfMollyHartley'', Molly's dad simply refuses to believe that a {{Satan}}ic {{cult}} is coming for his daughter, even though ''he made a DealWithTheDevil'' to save her. And how did he not notice that Molly's [[spoiler:guidance counselor at school was the exact same person who acted as the Devil's agent in the deal]]?
* ''Film/IndependenceDay'':
** Even though the White House had just been destroyed by an alien death ray, the president laughs off Julius' belief in Roswell and Area 51, saying it's all a myth. As the President he probably assumed this is the kind of thing someone would have told him, only to find out he was left out to create PlausibleDeniability.
** Many people consider Russell Casse to be insane due to his drunken ranting about being kidnapped by aliens. Fair enough, but when an alien invasion actually does happen, by aliens who have been confirmed to have been studying mankind in detail for years prior to their invasion, you'd think that'd give his story a little more credibility, but everyone continues to act like he's insane. (It's never made explicitly clear whether or not Russell is telling the truth, or if his ranting is just paranoid delusion that happens to match up to the circumstances. Russell certainly believes the invaders are the same aliens, though. The comic book adaptation, at the least, explicitly showed his abduction and that yes, it was the same aliens.)
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', in which Indy encounters magical artifacts, [[{{Prequel}} comes before]] ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', in which Indy at one point dismisses all superstition involving the Ark of the Covenant. After all he has gone through, you'd think Indy would at least be a bit more open-minded in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. Despite previously encountering magic rocks, a Nazi-killing golden box, a healing cup and an Atlantean god-making machine, he still sneers at the prospect of [[CrystalSkull telepathic skulls]], calling it a "bedtime story", just as he did with the Holy Grail. He also dismissively tells Mutt that the Akator legend is "just a story", even though he'd surely have realized by then that in the Indiana Jones universe [[AllMythsAreTrue nothing is ever "just a story"]]. There are of course explanations for this stubbornness, such as that he knows Mutt is young and reckless and doesn't want to give him ideas, or he's trying to will himself into believing it's false precisely because he's seen how dangerous the supernatural can be, but the most likely reason is it just makes it more [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] when he's inevitably [[SkepticismFailure proven wrong]].
** This tradition is continued in expanded media. In ''VideoGame/IndianaJonesAndTheEmperorsTomb'', Indy describes the MacGuffin as "a mythological artifact, like Excalibur or the Holy Grail", both of which are treasures that canonically he would later discover himself.
* ''Film/{{Kazaam}}'' is a genie who disbelieves in ''fairy tales''.
* In ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', Randa has been desperately trying to prove {{Kaiju}} exist for years. When a critic compares him to those people who believe in aliens, Randa dismissively says those people are nuts.
* In ''Film/TheLastMimzy,'' the brother has already found a strange cube that deposited several mysterious items, including a strange crystal that makes noise that only he and his sister can see (adults think it looks like a flat rock), a crystalline conch shell that enhances his hearing and teaches him how to command spiders through sound, and a set of stone "spinners" that his sister can spin to create a strange portal that causes her hand to split harmlessly into a million particles. Yet he still refuses to believe that her stuffed rabbit, which also came through the cube, speaks to her, despite it being the one that taught her how to spin the spinners. It takes the mimzy predicting their father's arrival to convince him.
* In ''Film/TheOogielovesInTheBigBalloonAdventure'', Goobie refuses to believe that the balloons are magical and can talk, stating that it is scientifically impossible. This despite the fact they live in a house with a magic talking window, a talking pillow, and a talking vacuum cleaner.
* Gibbs from ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' is highly superstitious. However, he is skeptical of the existence of Davy Jones' Kraken (which is, in fact, real).
** The trailer for the last installment, there is a character that deems herself a scientist and says "I choose not to believe in ghosts." Yep. [[TooDumbToLive You just can't help but wonder...]].
** William Turner, serving as captain of the FlyingDutchman, doesn't believe in old myths about the Trident of Poseidon. Likewise, the Royal Navy, who a decade before was ordering around Davy Jones to kill his kraken shortly before declaring war on Calypso the sea goddess, takes no stock in sailor's tales such as the Devils' Triangle.
* In ''Film/Plan9FromOuterSpace,'' people encounter flying saucers and a zombie that melts into a skeleton, yet have trouble believing that someone could have risen from the dead to break out of his own grave.
* ''Film/SabrinaDownUnder'': A merman, sitting in a bathtub next to a talking cat, refuses to believe in witches. One spell later:
-->'''Sabrina:''' You know, for a guy with a tail, you're extremely narrow-minded.
* In ''Film/SixSouls'' Cara does a good job of avoiding this, approaching her doubts realistically and scientifically. But her father believes she has succumbed to it all the same.
* Dr. Koven, in ''Film/TheSkeptic'', is a parapsychological researcher who believes in psychics and in chi, but not in ghosts.
* ''Film/SonOfGodzilla'': A bunch of giant, mutant preying mantises are treated as [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight nothing special]], yet Goro's reports of a mystery woman sneaking around the camp are treated with skepticism bordering on hostility.
* In ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'', Rachel, Maddie's sister, faints at the sight of the unconscious Sonic, then later tries to convince Maddie that Tom has gone crazy because he's talking about aliens, despite the obvious alien in her house.
* In ''Film/TimeBandits'', Kevin insists that the "Time of Legends" isn't real, to a time traveller who just recovered him from Ancient Greece, where he helped kill a minotaur.
* In the film version of ''Film/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'', Caspian and Edmund scoff at Drinian and the other sailors for being afraid of sea serpents, in spite of living in the original FantasyKitchenSink and being personally acquainted with a wide variety of mythological creatures, as well as well-versed in the lore of many others - including dragons. When Eustace mistakes a seagull for a sentient being and tries to talk to it, a minotaur laughs at him.
* In ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', the Tin Man, who is accompanying a talking lion and an animated scarecrow to kill a witch on the orders of a wizard, does not believe in "spooks" (ghosts).
* ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': When Steve tells the others about Diana's belief that Ares is behind WWI, Charlie scoffs at the idea. Sameer points out how silly it is that Charlie finds it hard to believe when they had just witnessed Diana [[spoiler: conquer No Man's Land, throw a tank into a building with her bare hands, and demolish the top of a church by just jumping into it.]]
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