‘Knives Out’ director Rian Johnson has alleged that Apple says villains can’t use iPhones on-screen

When an iPhone rings, a good guy is likely to answer.

That’s because, allegedly, Apple doesn’t allow villains or bad guys to use their products in TV, film or advertisements. The entertainment industry has coined this rule the “no villain clause.”

In 2020, Knives Out director Rian Johnson was the first major filmmaker to speak publicly about Apple’s alleged product stipulations. Since then, eagle-eyed viewers have discovered several movies that seemingly found a loophole, including M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller, Trap, in which the serial killer uses a device strikingly similar to an iPhone.

But how much truth is there to the long-standing Hollywood theory? Here’s everything to know about Apple’s alleged “no villain clause” — including several famous examples.What is the “no villain clause?”Keifer Sutherland and Leslie Hope in ’24’.

20th Century Fox Film Corp/Everett

Allegedly, Apple does not allow villains or bad guys to use their products on-screen. This has become widely known as the “no villain clause.”

While the policy is not explicitly written in Apple’s Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights, the document states that “the Apple product is shown only in the best light, in a manner or context that reflects favorably on the Apple products and on Apple Inc.”

The guidelines also state, “You may not use an Apple trademark or any other Apple-owned graphic symbol, logo, or icon in a disparaging manner.”

Is the “no villain clause” real?Nicholas Braun, HBO, Succession, Season 3 – Episode 4. Macall B. Polay/ HBO

Apple has never confirmed nor denied the existence of the “no villain clause.”

Filmmaker Rian Johnson, who has directed movies such as Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Looper, is one of only a few people in the entertainment industry who has spoken about the rumored rule.

During an interview with Vanity Fair in 2020, he said: “Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but – and this is very pivotal – if you’re ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera.”

“Every single filmmaker who has a bad guy in their movie that’s supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now,” Johnson jokingly added.

Meanwhile, prop master Heidi Koleto discussed the alleged Apple product rule on an episode of the Wrap Drinks podcast in August 2024.

“Apple is very specific,” she explained. “I got a script once where an actress is supposed to be looking at her phone while she’s driving drunk and crashes her car. They wanted to see a text message pop up and I had to be like, ‘We can’t do that. We’ve established this character with an Apple phone. We can’t have her driving drunk and crashing while looking at an iPhone. They will never work with me again.’ “

Rian Johnson attends the 95th Annual Oscars Nominees Luncheon on February 13, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.

Monica Schipper/WireImage

Koleto went on to share that Apple sends the props department an email with an outline of their expectations, including “how they want [the iPhone] seen” and “what kind of cases you’re allowed to put on it.”

Along the lines of Koleto’s experience, many have theorized that the company includes the clause in their product placement deals with filmmakers. However, in 2012, Business Insider and several other outlets reported that Apple does not pay for product placement.

“Apple won’t pay to have their products featured, but they are more than willing to hand out an endless amount of computers, iPads and iPhones,” Gavin Polone, executive producer of Curb Your Enthusiasm, told Bloomberg Businessweek.

Apple did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

What are famous examples of the “no villain clause?”Chris Evans as Ransom Drysdale, Ana de Armas as Marta Cabrera, and Rian Johnson on the set of ‘Knives Out’.

Claire Folger/Lionsgate/Kobal/Shutterstock

There are several examples in TV and film that could prove Apple’s alleged “no villain clause” to be true, including Johnson’s Knives Out. In the film, every character has an iPhone except for Ana de Armas’ character Marta (who acts guilty), and Chris Evans’ character Ransom (who is guilty).

Some fans even think Johnson winked at the alleged rule in Knives Out‘s sequel, Glass Onion, by including dialogue that says the soon-to-be-unveiled villain doesn’t even have a phone at all.

Another example is HBO’s Succession. While most of the characters use iPhones, viewers never see antagonists Logan Roy, Gerri Kellman or Tom Wambsgans with an Apple product.

NowThis Nerd also pointed out that the “no villain clause” seemingly dates back to the early 2000s when the series 24, starring Kiefer Sutherland, first aired. Look closely — the good guys appear to be using Macs, while the bad guys operate PCs.

Are there any exceptions to the “no villain clause?”‘Trap’.

Warner Bros.

Following Johnson’s eye-opening interview, viewers have discovered several films that don’t appear to follow Apple’s alleged “no villain clause.”

In John Wick, the man who kills John’s dog and steals his car is seen using an iPhone, and Josh Hartnett’s serial killer character in Trap also appears to be using an Apple device. Some fans pointed out that an iPhone also appears in a villain’s briefcase in Marvel’s 2015 movie Ant-Man.

While it’s still unclear what the exact parameters around the use of Apple products in film and TV are, it’s still fun to hunt for iPhone easter eggs on-screen — you’ll just have to wait until 2025 to see what Johnson does in Knives Out 3.