Wilhelm Scream Break

We here at Team Unwinnable love Stormtroopers, screaming and trivia (yes, in that order). Given a chance to mix ‘em together, we’re happier than a non-CG’d wampa in a little-touched cut of Empire.

You all know it – the Stormtrooper death scream. And you’ve also heard it in many other movies and thought, “Hey, that’s the Stormtrooper death scream.” Well, we’re here to tell you you’re wrong. Kind of.

This infamous sound effect, known in Hollywood as the “Wilhelm Scream,” has actually been around since 1951. Although it was first used in a film called Distant Drums, the scream was named after a character who, well, screamed it in a later movie.

It wasn’t until the scream’s appearance in the Star Wars films that the effect gained popularity (and its name) in the biz. In total, it’s been used in over 200 films.

So the next time you’re watching a movie with some friends and a character is blasted or blown up to the sound of Wilhelm, you can amaze everyone with this useless bit of trivia knowledge.

Visit Wilhelmscream.net for a fun and office-friendly scream button, and check out the following video compilation for just a taste of the many films featuring Wilhelm: