History WrongGenreSavvy / Film

* ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' is perhaps one of the most celebrated examples of the PluckyComicRelief thinking he's the star. Jack Burton insists on acting like TheHero (having taken a steady diet of Creator/JohnWayne films throughout his life from the way his swagger sounds) when he's a SupportingProtagonist at best who's serving as the unofficial sidekick to his friend Wang (the true main hero of the story that Jack thinks is the sidekick). To further emphasize just how out of his depth he actually is, he also spends several scenes having to ask [[NaiveNewcomer what the hell is going on]] when everybody else already knows.

* Franchise/MonsterVerse: A lot of people InUniverse (particularly before the events of ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'') such as [[Characters/MonsterVerseUSGovernmentAndMilitary Admiral Stenz]] believe that humanity needs to attempt to kill the [[{{Kaiju}} Titans]] using manmade super-weaponry in defence of their right to rule the Earth uncontested and to prevent future destruction and casualties to their cities; and Monarch's arguments against that and tendency towards admiring the creatures make most people see them as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnHmUk_J6xQ that one guy in a monster movie who insists on keeping the monster alive For Science at the risk of causing the end of the world through sheer naivete]]. As it stands, many of the kaiju in this setting are capable of coexisting with humans peacefully if a benevolent Alpha like Godzilla or Kong gets them in line, and they're furthermore [[GreenAesop allegories for forces of nature]] -- attempts to up technology to a level which can deal serious damage to Titans ''always'' goes awry, doing nothing but leaving the world in an even worse situation with the Titans than it was before, and humanity is simply reliant on the Titans to survive in the long-term since many of them act as antibodies maintaining the world's ecosphere. Monarch are in actuality [[GoodIsNotDumb every bit the Titan experts that they're supposed to be per their job]] because of their pro-Titan arguments. This Wrong Genre Savvy is quite central to the ridiculously-arrogant [[Characters/MonsterVerseHumans Apex Cybernetics]]' EvilPlan to control or exterminate all the Titans in ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', and to the organization's downfall.

** As a more specific example, main villain Syndrome often falls into this trap, seemingly expecting that he's living in a world bound by the rules of a classic {{Superhero}} comic than the [[UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks Modern-Age-influenced]] DeconReconSwitch it actually is. This is ultimately [[spoiler:what led to Syndrome's death; he assumed he was an ArchNemesis with JokerImmunity and that Mr. Incredible wouldn't dare interrupt his evil gloating, leaving him open to be hit by a car that sent him flying into his own plane engine]].

* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'': [[BigBad Tai Lung]] seems to believe he's TheHero of the story, which WordOfGod has said was intentional, and is why Tai Lung has golden eyes -- [[ColorMotif the color gold represents glory and heroism]]. Tai Lung's scenes are framed as an archetypical action HerosJourney: he is betrayed by his master and denied prestige he feels he deserves, is imprisoned for years before escaping, and he fights his way back to his homeland (including an encounter with a QuirkyMinibossSquad of his master's current pupils) to confront his old master and his new favorite student and claim the destiny they denied him. Unfortunately for Tai Lung, he ''isn't'' TheHero of this story, Po is.

* ''Film/BarelyLethal'': Megan is a girl raised since childhood to be an assassin until she fakes her death to escape and decides to live as a normal high school girl. To prepare herself, she does "research" by watching several high school films like ''Film/MeanGirls''. But since these movies do not reflect real life, she ends up weirding everybody out by trying to follow their tropes. She also automatically assumes the cheerleaders trying to befriend her are all {{alphabitch}}es trying to set her up, since that is what happened in ''Film/MeanGirls'', when in reality, their offer was genuine.

* ''Film/BarelyLethal'': Megan is a girl raised since childhood to be an assassin until she fakes her death to escape and decides to live as a normal high school girl. To prepare herself, she does "research" by watching several high school films like ''Film/MeanGirls''. But since these movies do not reflect real life, she ends up weirding everybody out by trying to follow their tropes. She also automatically assumes the cheerleaders trying to befriend her are all {{alphabitches}} trying to set her up, since that is what happened in ''Film/MeanGirls'', when in reality, their offer was genuine.

* ''Film/BarelyLethal'': Megan is a girl raised since childhood to be an assassin until she fakes her death to escape and decides to live as a normal high school girl. To prepare herself, she does "research" by watching several high school films like ''Film/MeanGirls''. But since these movies do not reflect real life, she ends up weirding everybody out by trying to follow their tropes. She also automatically assumes the cheerleaders trying to befriend her are all {{alpha bitches}} trying to set her up, since that is what happened in ''Film/MeanGirls'', when in reality, their offer was genuine.

* ''Film/BarelyLethal'': Megan is a girl raised since childhood to be an assassin until she fakes her death to escape and decides to live as a normal high school girl. To prepare herself, she does "research" by watching several high school films like ''Film/MeanGirls''. But since these movies do not reflect real life, she ends up weirding everybody out by trying to follow their tropes. She also automatically assumes the cheerleaders trying to befriend her are all AlphaBitch trying to set her up, since that is what happened in ''Film/MeanGirls'', when in reality, their offer was genuine.

** In the film’s sequel, Film/GlassOnion, it only takes Blanc as long as it does to crack the case because he thinks he’s in a more cat-and-mouse type thriller or mystery where his opponent is cunning. In reality, he’s in a mystery satire of the .01%, and the truth of the case is exceedingly obvious and, in Blanc’s words, stupid. And rather fittingly, the villain behind the whole plot turns out to be a complete idiot.

* ''Film/SantasSlay'': Lampshaded when Nicholas [[WeakenedByTheLight tries to shine a light]] in Santa's face, and all it does is annoy him.

*** War Machine and Ant-Man cite ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', ''Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'', and other time travel films to reveal their idea of how time travel works, believing they can simply kill Thanos as a baby to undo his crimes. Smart Hulk lectures them that "time travel" actually sends you to a parallel universe, so nothing you do there affects your own universe. The best they can do is borrow the parallel universes' Infinity Stones and use them to undo "The Snap".

* ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' is perhaps one of the most celebrated examples of the PluckyComicRelief thinking he's the star. Jack Burton insists on acting like TheHero (having taken a steady diet of Creator/JohnWayne films throughout his life from the way his swagger sounds) when he's a SupportingProtagonist at best. He also spends several scenes having to ask [[NaiveNewcomer what the hell is going on]] when everybody else already knows.

* In ''Film/TheFrighteners'', Agent Milton Dammers has suffered various traumas from his investigations into "supernatural" cases, with the result that he ''thinks'' he's an OccultDetective who's tracked down a serial-killing psychic. In reality, he's actually [[HeroOfAnotherStory stumbled into a battle]] between a NotSoPhonyPsychic and a serial-killing ''ghost'', and it's left ambiguous whether any of his supernatural beliefs are remotely valid or just pure delusion. His inability to stretch his mind that one extra inch results in him [[spoiler:getting [[BoomHeadshot his head]] [[YourHeadASplode blown off]] by Patricia (the killer ghost's mortal lover)]].

* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6'': Fred believes that Alastair Krei is secretly the villain Yokai, citing several comic book stories in which a CorruptCorporateExecutive would turn out to be the main villain. After Yokai is revealed to be Professor Callaghan, who blamed Krei for the death of his daughter, Fred and the others realized the truth: "This is a revenge story."

** In the film’s sequel, Film/GlassOnion, it only takes Blanc as long as it does to crack the case because he thinks he’s in a more cat-and-mouse type thriller or mystery where his opponent is cunning. In reality, he’s in a mystery satire of the .01%, and the truth of the case is exceedingly obvious and, in Blanc’s words, stupid.

* ''Film/GalaxyQuest'': A comedy spoof of Franchise/StarTrek, the actors of a Franchise/StarTrek-like ShowWithinAShow meet a group of aliens who have based their society on the broadcasts of that show, believing them to be historical records. Guy, who played a RedShirt, goes through the events of the film in a depressed and terrified state, convinced that he's doomed to die to prove the seriousness of the situation. He is so obssessed with the sci-fi tropes that he never considers the possibly that tropes common to comedy genres may be in play; eventually, one of his colleagues gives him a pep talk by suggesting he's actually the PluckyComicRelief instead of the RedShirt. It works, he lives, and winds up getting a starring role in a revival series.

* ''Film/{{Predator}}'': The film's first half is typical 1980s action flick. The second half is a sci-fi slasher horror. Half the fun is watching the cast of tough, macho soldiers slowly realize that they are not the badasses they thought, but that the genre has changed and they are now the blond coeds being hunted.

* ''Film/TheReturnOfTheLivingDead'': When confronted with a reanimated cadaver, a group of characters put a pick axe through its brain based on what they know about zombies from seeing ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead.'' [[OurZombiesAreDifferent It has no effect.]]

%% zce * ''Film/{{Altitude}}:'' Mel initially suggests that the group is being exposed to a PsychologicalThriller experiment to see how people react to extreme stress. Actually, they're being stalked by an EldritchAbomination.

%%* ''Film/TheHalfOfIt'': Paul believes he finds himself in a romantic comedy where, by seeking the popular girl Aster, he eventually falls in love with the AsianAndNerdy unpopular Ellie. He is actually in a QueerRomance ComingOfAge story, and Ellie is in love with Aster too.

%%* In ''Film/SilentNight2012'' the sheriff played by Creator/MalcolmMcDowell has a weird version of this, where he believes he is he is in a comedy where he's the star, when in actuality he is in a SlasherMovie, that is admittedly a BlackComedy.

%%* ''Film/TheWrongGuy'' has Nelson finding his boss murdered after he had a huge fight with him. Covered in blood, Nelson goes on the run, clearly thinking he's in a modern-day ''Film/TheFugitive'' and on a ClearMyName quest. What he doesn't know is that the police have the real killer ''on video'' committing the murder and couldn't care less about Nelson who also doesn't grasp the "conspiracy" he's after doesn't exist.

%%* ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' is perhaps one of the most celebrated examples of the PluckyComicRelief thinking he's the star. Jack Burton insists on acting like TheHero when he's a SupportingProtagonist at best.

* ''Film/{{Nope}}'': Ricky "Jupe" Park thinks he's in an ABoyAndHisX story where be befriends [[spoiler: a bunch of aliens in a flying saucer, due to having survived an attack by an enraged chimp in the past because the animal had a bond with him (it actually didn't, it was mostly luck, making it another example of the trope)]]. He's actually in a [[spoiler: [[AttackoftheKillerWhatever monster movie]] and the 'flying saucer' is in reality a giant animal that eats him without a second thought]].