'Twin films': 17 times Hollywood released the exact same movie... twice.

A viral Twitter thread has exposed how Hollywood keeps releasing the same movie… twice.

The bizarre discovery, which was cleverly pointed out by Twitter user @KrisTosAplSauce, demonstrated how movies with very similar plot lines are often released in the exact same year.

Yep, we’ll never look at the entertainment industry the same again.

“It’s always hilarious when Hollywood makes the exact same movie in the same year,” Kris wrote on Twitter, before sharing some uncanny examples.

The first example Kris shared was Friends with Benefits, which starred Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, and No Strings Attached, which starred Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.

In case you haven’t seen either of the romantic comedies, the films both follow two people who start a “no strings attached” sexual relationship before, you guessed it, gaining feelings for each other.

Oh, and did we mention that they were both released in 2011? Coincidence? We think not.

(Do you think Ashton and Mila… talk about it? We desperately need to know.)

It’s always hilarious when hollywood makes the exact same movie in the same year (a thread)- 2011 pic.twitter.com/ij5x3xJ9Tc

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

2018 pic.twitter.com/H0i27uKnW6

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

Another example shared by the Twitter user included Birdbox and A Quiet Place, which were both released in 2018.

Both films are set in a post-apocalyptic world, as the families featured in both movies attempt to flee mysterious creatures.

In Bird Box, starring Sandra Bullock, the family must complete their journey blindfolded to avoid the creatures. On the other hand, in A Quiet Place, starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, the family have to remain quiet to avoid the creatures who have a heightened sense of hearing.

Another example is, of course, bug-related animated films Antz and A Bug’s Life, which were both released in 1998.

1998 pic.twitter.com/uJaNFNWI9W

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

Mamamia staffers also pointed to TV series The Loudest Voice and movie Bombshell, which both follow the story of Fox News head Roger Ailes, and was released in 2019.

Likewise, The Darkest Hour and Churchill, which both follow Winston Churchill in World War II, were both released in 2017.

Here are some more examples of movies that are essentially the same. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2013 pic.twitter.com/OwDUYR0gMf

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

2012 pic.twitter.com/K3iJwjyZVh

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

2012 pic.twitter.com/0AXDXZZq5y

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

2006 pic.twitter.com/sXqNTENqkR

— Kris (@KrisTosAplSauce) April 13, 2020

2006 pic.twitter.com/Jxr2AQKCLw

— Pichael Thompson (@gleeshfit) April 13, 2020

2005-2006 pic.twitter.com/SYCGxDoJux

— Julie (@chthonian) April 13, 2020

Dreamworks vs. Pixar: 2003-2004 and 2006-2007 pic.twitter.com/nOJogevPmS

— Tabitha Rees (@tabitharees) April 13, 2020

2009! pic.twitter.com/UjNc1gbyyp

— maddie (@maddiebauer_xo) April 13, 2020

French version pic.twitter.com/bmoJffCvuN

— Ha-Lucie-nante (@Portucie) April 13, 2020

Why does Hollywood keep making the same movie twice?

According to Twitter user and author Lillie Lainoff, there’s actually a term for this bizarre phenomenon – twin films.

“There’s lots of different reasons for twin films – production companies racing to get their films out first, staff moving between studios, etc,” she said on Twitter.

“Some even believe twin films are the result of… industrial espionage.”

There’s actually a term for this phenomenon: twin films!
There’s lots of different reasons for twin films: production companies racing to get their films out first, staff moving between studios, etc.
Some even believe twin films are the result of… industrial espionage! *GASP* https://t.co/6mG9VSQlHx

— Lillie Lainoff (@lillielainoff) April 13, 2020

Another Twitter user @elizabtchtaylor claimed that twin films often occur when studios pinch a writer’s pitch.

“Often the reason that happens is because a writer has been pitching their idea around to different studios and one studio poaches the concept without actually hiring the writer,” she claimed.

“Then another studio goes on to make the film with the original writer.”

As for the twin films mentioned above, actors rarely comment on the bizarre phenomenon.

As for the case of 2009 twin films Paul Blart Cop and Observe and Report, Seth Rogen, who appeared in Observe and Report, has shared how his script was “ripped off”

“We heard rumblings of Paul Blart and years later I heard they’d got the script and ripped us off, even though they’re very different movies,” he told GQ.

“One way or another I’m not thrilled with Paul Blart: Mall Cop in relation to how Observe and Report was received.”

Yikes.

Have you seen any more examples of Hollywood releasing the same movie twice? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: IMDB.