Spirit tablets loom large in popular ghost films; sometimes a ghostly bride causes the male lead to marry a spirit tablet, or a male or female ancestor will suddenly manifest his or her spiritual power through the spirit tablet and do battle with a ghost that is troubling one of their descendants.
近來坊間流行鬼電影，「牌位」在片中也扮演了要角，有時是鬼新娘，讓男主角迎娶牌位；有時則是慈愛威猛的長者，在子孫遭受其他鬼怪欺凌時，突從牌位中顯靈現身，大發雄（雌）威，與鬼怪奮戰，保護子孫的安全。