There are a lot of fictional inventions in movies and TV shows, mostly in the sci-fi genre, that have since become real things. Often, it's not exactly what we saw in the movie or television show, but it's very close. Others might not be 100% possible today, but we are very close to seeing those things become a part of everyday life in the 21st Century. This is a list dedicated to all of those inventions that seemed unrealistic or fanciful to many, except the geniuses who dreamed them up in Hollywood.

Artificial Intelligence (2001: A Space Odyssey)

The HAL-9000 was a warning to all of us. A warning that we still might not heed. The computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey turns against its human creators and users to take control of the space station at the heart of the first half of the movie. It spins things into a trippy adventure for the viewer, but now, more than 50 years later, we might need to start paying attention to what director Stanley Kubrick was trying to tell us.

Lasers (The War Of The Worlds)

In the original 1953 adaptation of H.G. Wells' seminal sci-fi novel, War of the Worlds, Martians attack humanity with a type of technology that had been theorized both in sci-fi and in real life, lasers. Of course, the lasers we have aren't quite on the level of the iconic alien ships in the movie, but they've been around for decades now.

Holograms (Forbidden Planet)

1956's Forbidden Planet makes use of holograms, which at the time were completely unheard of, except in science fiction. While we don't have true holograms like this movie and many since have used, we have seen a version of holograms at concerts like Coachella and elsewhere in live entertainment. We still can't send a message like Princess Leia yet, but that can't be too far off, right?

Autonomous Vehicles (Total Recall)

Self-driving cars have been talked about for years, and in Total Recall and other science fiction, they've kind of been a staple for decades. As everyone knows now, they do actually exist, and even more are on the way in the coming years. It's not crazy to think that every car will at least have the option to be self-driving in the not-too-distant future.

Smartwatch (Dick Tracy)

Wearable tech is all the rage these days, and while Google Glass was a unmitigated commercial failure, smartwatches, like Apple Watches, are a huge hit. In fact, mine is telling me to stand up for a couple of minutes as I've been sitting here working on this list for most of the last hour. Dick Tracy used his watch as a two-way radio decades ago.

Video Communication (Metropolis)

Video phones and other software like Zoom and Google Meet have been around for a long time now. The use of it really exploded during the pandemic, and now they are a part of almost everyone's everyday life. Of course, for decades, science fiction movies and TV shows have been predicting that this would eventually be the case. One of the earliest examples came about 100 years ago in the silent film classic Metropolis.

Space Travel (A Trip To The Moon)

Hailed as one of the earliest examples of science fiction on screen, A Trip To The Moon predicted space travel and man landing on the Moon way back in 1902. The French silent film classic envisions a very lively, even dangerous Moon, which is, of course, nothing like what it is actually like, nor did the Apollo 11 Mission actually land a rocket in the eye of the man in the moon, but hey, A Trip To The Moon did foresee at least something about the future.

Lightsaber (Star Wars)

Ok, this one is a little bit of a stretch, because it's not like everyone is chopping their onions with laser knives and we aren't fighting intergalactic battles with futuristic laser swords, but lightsabers do exist on one level. According to Guinness World Records, a builder named Alex Burkan has invented something at least somewhat similar to the legendary, elegant weapon of the Jedi in the Star Wars franchise.

Cloning (The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler)

As far as we can tell, The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler (1971) was perhaps the first movie to feature the concept of cloning. It was certainly a very early example of the idea, though the terminology used in the low-budget movie was different. We're not cloning humans (yet), and maybe we shouldn't ever be going that far, but humans are definitely cloning other species.

Androids (Alien)

Androids have been part of science fiction forever. Robots, in general, have always been dreamed up in different ways by writers and directors. One of the most iconic examples comes from the Alien franchise, starting with the original Ridley Scott movie from 1979. We don't have androids yet, to be sure, but with the combination of advancements in AI and robotics, it sure seems close.

Neuralink Brain Implants (Black Mirror)

Several episodes of Black Mirror involve a device connected directly to the brain that allows us to record everything we see or connect our consciousness to a computer program. We might be that far yet, but there does exist such a device that is implanted in a person's brain, allowing them to control a computer just by thinking up a task. Many are working on the ability to transplant our consciousness onto a hard drive, which was also the plot of a Black Mirror episode, which is a little further off, and frankly, much scarier.

Virtual Reality (Tron)

While not quite as advanced as what is depicted in the groundbreaking 1982 film Tron, immersive video games are more popular today than ever. The concept of "virtual reality" has changed quite a bit over the last few decades, with "augmented reality" taking a more prominent role. Still, at least in the gaming world, virtual reality on the level of Tron doesn't seem far off.

Personalized Marketing (Minority Report)

Personalized marketing is a reality, though it's not exactly how it is in Minority Report. This is something that has been discussed in the advertising world for decades now. My first job out of college was for a company that was trying to create personalized ads delivered to phones, and this was a decade before the smartphone was really even a thing. Still, trying to buy a pair of shoes on the web and not get bombarded with ads for more shoes.

Flying Cars (Back To The Future Part II)

Jetpacks and flying cars have been part of dozens of sci-fi stories over the years, going back many, many years. Generations of people have predicted that flying cars would be a thing by the time they become adults. We still don't have one in every driveway, but they are closer than ever, and there are definitely working prototypes.

Audio Translation (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy)

Apple AirPods now have the ability to translate foreign languages in real time. There are plenty of examples in sci-fi of this tech, but my favorite is the Babel Fish from The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Sure, it's not technically new "tech" in the classic books or the adaptations, but hey, they do the translating!

Hoverboard (Back To The Future Part II)

Back to the Future II was set in what is now the past, and some of the inventions are closer to reality than others. The most coveted invention in the movie is the hoverboard. There have been a few products over the years that have called themselves hoverboards, but the closest one to the film is one Tony Hawk rode back in 2015, which was, coincidentally, the year that Marty travels to in the future.

Voice User Interface (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri are just two examples of voice interfaces that have been predicted by everything from Star Trek to 2001.

Smarthomes (The Illustrated Man)

In a segment from this anthology of Ray Bradbury-inspired segments called "The Veldt," a couple finds that their parental authority is being undermined by their technologically advanced home. More recently (if the 1980s are "recent"), it was also seen in The Running Man.

Smartglasses (Back To The Future Part II)

Back to the Future II actually predicted quite a bit of tech that has become a reality. For example, Marty McFly Jr. owns a pair of glasses that allow him to watch TV anywhere. Sure, Google Glass bombed, but that won't be the tech industry's last attempt to make smartglasses work.

Synthetic Meat (Eraserhead)

Lab-grown meat, like Impossible Meat, has a long history in science fiction and other works of fiction. It made a memorable (and very bizarre) appearance in director David Lynch's debut feature, Eraserhead, in 1977.

AI-Generated Art (Her)

Spike Jonze predicted a world in which books, music, and movies would be "created" instantaneously with a computer program in Her. Even though this is one of the more recent additions to this list, the world is chock full of AI art today, for better or (mostly) worse.

Biometric Payment (Back To The Future Part II)

In Back To The Future Part II, Biff uses a thumbprint to pay his cab fare. We don't use this exact type of technology today, but we all use biometric technology to open our phones, like thumbprints and face recognition, and we use those phones to "tap" to pay for stuff on our credit cards. Combining the two is certainly possible, even if we're probably not ready to trust it.

Artificial Heart (Threshold)

The first successful artificial heart implant happened in 1982, though attempts had been made in medicine for decades. 1981's Threshold, starring Donald Sutherland and Jeff Goldblum, was still breaking ground when it predicted, albeit by just a few months, that it was now possible.

Space Stations (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Space stations, like the one seen in 1969's 2001: A Space Odyssey, were first inhabited just a couple of years later, first with the Soviet station Salyut 1 in 1971, followed shortly by the United States' Skylab in '73. There have been various versions ever since.

The Metaverse (Ready Player One)

When Mark Zuckerberg first announced the Metaverse, I couldn't help but immediately think of Ready Player One. So far, we haven't been escaping to a virtual reality, but it honestly doesn't seem that outlandish that the dystopian future the movie predicts could easily come true. Let's hope that the real version has as many Easter Eggs as Ready Player One has, at least.

Milk Engine (Phil Of The Future)

In one episode of the sci-fi Disney Channel series Phil Of The Future, Phil and Keely build a pudding-serving machine powered by an engine that runs on milk, which causes his father to fear their 22nd-century origins will be revealed since that invention will not exist for decades. However, efforts to convert lactose into ethanol fuel actually started in 2023. It's not here yet, but it's not far off, it seems.

Tablets (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Though they are called "newspads" in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the devices that the astronauts use to watch the news are basically iPads or tablets.

Robot Vacuums (The Glass Bottom Boat)

In the 1966 rom-com The Glass Bottom Boat, Bruce (Rod Taylor) owns a "gizmo" company, and one of his (many) inventions looks basically like what you expect the prototype of a Romba to look like. It's a little robot vacuum that seems too silly to be true, but we know there is nothing silly about them these days! Well, they are a little silly, but they sure are convenient!

Bionic Limbs (The Empire Strikes Back)

Here's one that everyone remembers, Luke Skywalker's bionic arm in The Empire Strikes Back. Of course, similar arms (and other limbs) exist today, though they don't look as real as Luke's does.

Digital Billboards (Blade Runner)

In Blade Runner, the future looks very much like the present in at least one way: billboards. Giant digital billboards were still not the norm back when the movie was released in 1982. Today, they are everywhere from Times Square to highways in Iowa. They are everywhere. And they are annoying as they are in Blade Runner.

Commercial Space Travel (2001: A Space Odyssey)

2001: A Space Odyssey sure got a lot of stuff right when Kubrick made it in the late '60s. Commercial space travel, for example, was the norm in the movie. While we are not quite at the same level today as they were in the movie (and Pan Am is long gone), we do have space tourism these days, so long as you're a tech billionaire or Katy Perry. One day, the rest of us might be lucky enough to do it too!

Self-Tying Shoes (Back To The Future Part II)

Once again, Back To The Future Part II comes through with an invention that we have today; this time, it's self-tying shoes, or as Marty calls them in the movie, "power laces." They actually come from Nike, too! All in all, it's impressive how many times old sci-fi movies managed to predict the future. Mostly in good ways, too.

Harrison Ford is a national treasure. He’s one of the most universally loved movie stars of his generation. He’s responsible for some of the most iconic franchises in cinema history, and he is also an Academy Award nominee. The man has literally done it all, and by “all,” I mean he’s even punched Ryan Gosling in the face.

Yes, if you’re not familiar with the story, during the production of the criminally underrrated Blade Runner 2049, Ford and Gosling were involved in a fight scene with each other, and somebody, generally agreed to be Gosling himself, missed his mark, resulting in Ford accidentally hitting one of America’s prettiest actors in the face. Variety recently brought up the incident during an interview with the Star Wars actor, and the veteran brushed it off, though he was sure to point out Ryan is no less pretty because of the incident. Ford said…

To be fair, if Ford had somehow hit Ryan Gosling in such a way that he actually wasn’t handsome anymore, a legion of fans would probably be more concerned with the incident.

Gosling himself didn’t seem to mind. He reportedly started laughing after being punched by his co-star, which resulted in the take being unusable. And to be fair, how many people have been punched by Harrison Ford? The La La Land actor is in very limited company.

Ford has said before that he apologized for the punch and has also previously taken some of the blame, saying he didn’t pull his punch as well as he should have. Though ultimately, it seems most of the blame was laid on Ryan Gosling’s face being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Shrinking actor seems to blow off the whole incident now. It happened, he can't take it back, move on.

Blade Runner 2049 was a fantastic sequel to the original Blade Runner, one of the best science fiction movies ever. Unfortunately, the new movie followed its predecessor a little too closely, as both movies were financial flops. Blade Runner's ultimate quality was only found years later, and the same has largely happened with Blade Runner 2049.

Ryan Gosling may still be a very handsome man, but Harrison Ford does have one significant advantage in that department over his Blade Runner 2049 co-star. Gosling has never been named the Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine, while Harrison Ford received that honor back in the 1990s. Gosling still has plenty of time to achieve that, as long as nobody damages his good looks.

A common criticism thrown around when judging an actor’s performance is that they seem too “robotic,” while some roles, particularly in sci-fi movies and TV shows, actually require that sort of demeanor. Then again, the best robot portrayals usually come from performers who attempt to bring a sense of humanity to their mechanical characters. See for yourself by revisiting some of the most acclaimed, iconic, and even underrated robotic performances – including friendly robots and sinister machines alike – on the big and small screen.

Anthony Daniels - C-3PO (Star Wars)

I can understand why some fans of the Star Wars movies do not care much for C-3PO as a character, as I, too, feel annoyed by his constant complaints, especially in the 1977 original. However, his shortcomings are outweighed by the droid's heroic moments, and, not to mention, Anthony Daniels' commitment to the role (he even wears that visibly uncomfortable suit) is a highlight of the franchise.

Alicia Vikander - Ava (Ex Machina)

I consider Alex Garland's 2014 directorial debut, the classic A24 movie, Ex Machina, to be one of the most powerful cautionary statements on artificial intelligence, and the reason lies in Alicia Vikander's performance as Ava. The stunningly humanesque android convinces both programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) and the audience that she is worth trusting before pulling the rug from underneath us in the shocking finale.

Rutger Hauer - Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

Fans of director Ridley Scott's Philip K. Dick adaptation, Blade Runner, would agree that the real hero of the 1982 film is not Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard, but Roy Batty. Rutger Hauer brings a refreshing aura of humanity to his performance as the Replicant, who wants nothing more for himself and other artificial beings like him but a chance to live a full and free life, which his programming and the laws of his dystopian society do not allow.

Brigitte Helm - Maschinenmensch (Metropolis)

One of the most essential silent era movies is director Fritz Lang's 1927 adaptation of Thea von Harbou's 1925 novel, Metropolis, which takes place in a seemingly utopian society that secretly relies on a secret underground of tireless workers to function. Brigitte Helm stars in the dual roles of a saintly figure named Maria and a mechanical being made in her likeness called Maschinenmensch – an iconic robot character that even those who have not seen the film should surely recognize.

Ian Holm - Ash (Alien)

In some movies, the goal of a robotic character is to blend in among its human peers, which Ash (Ian Holm) accomplishes for most of Alien. When his true identity is revealed, Holm brings out a chilling demeanor in his android character that almost makes you forget that there is a deadlier threat onboard the Nostromo, and one of the all-time scariest movie aliens, called a Xenomorph.

Vin Diesel - The Iron Giant (The Iron Giant)

Funny how most of Vin Diesel's more acclaimed performances have been voice acting roles, such as when he voiced the title role of 1999's The Iron Giant. The actor brings such a charming, childlike innocence to an otherwise physically intimidating character, who befriends young sci-fi fan Hogarth Hughes (Eli Marienthal) in Brad Bird's directorial debut, which could have won the Best Animated Feature Oscar had the category existed then.

Peter Weller - Alex Murphy (RoboCop)

There are some iconic movie robot characters who started off as humans before being rebuilt into something more, such as Alex Murphy in 1987's RoboCop. Peter Weller gives, arguably, his definitive and most heartfelt performance in director Paul Verhoeven's action-packed, cleverly satirical sci-fi classic as the brutally murdered police officer who is selected by a powerful corporation to become the ultimate crime-fighting machine.

Brent Spiner - Data (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Arguably, the heart and soul of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast and an essential reason why the Emmy-winning series is one of the most beloved iterations of the long-running franchise is Brent Spiner's performance as Data. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) sums up what makes the Soong-type android one-of-a-kind when he eulogizes him in Star Trek: Nemesis, referencing how he reflected the best of humanity by striving to be better than he was.

Peter Cullen - Optimus Prime (Transformers)

Some might say that Chris Hemsworth did an exceptional job voicing a young Optimus Prime in Transformers One, but the role will always belong to the actor who first brought the shapeshifting alien robot to life. Peter Cullen's portrayal of the Autobots' leader became so essential to the original beloved animated series that he readily accepted the chance to reprise the role in Michael Bay's 2007 live-action reboot.

Arnold Schwarzenegger - T-800 (The Terminator)

Playing an unstoppable, unfeeling killing machine from the future in 1984's The Terminator made Arnold Schwarzenegger a bona fide movie star. However, his arguably stronger performance in James Cameron's action-packed franchise of time travel movies comes from 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day as a T-800 reprogrammed to protect John Connor (Edward Furlong), to whom he becomes a much-needed father figure.

Haley Joel Osment - David (A.I.: Artificial Intelligence)

Steven Spielberg took over for Stanley Kubrick to direct A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, which is essentially a futuristic take on the story of Pinocchio. Haley Joel Osment gives one of the most profound and riveting performances of his early career as an android designed to both authentically resemble and act like an 11-year-old who, in order to please his new family, longs to become a real boy.

Sophie Thatcher - Iris (Companion)

SPOILER ALERT for anyone who has not seen one of the great horror movies of 2025, Companion: it is not until near the end of the first act when Iris (Sophie Thatcher), as well as the audience, discovers she is really a robot programmed with undying affection for her purchaser, in this case Josh (Jack Quaid). However, Josh turns out to be a really terrible "boyfriend," awakening a part of Iris that longs for independence, which Thatcher's commanding performance makes it easy to root for.

Kenny Baker - R2-D2 (Star Wars)

Have you ever considered the fact that Star Wars fans owe the entire franchise to none other than R2-D2? If the droid (played beautifully by the late Kenny Baker, who actually operated the character from within) had not successfully delivered Princess Leia's message to Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Resistance might not have thrived in its war against the Empire.

Lupita Nyong’o - Roz (The Wild Robot)

The Wild Robot became an instant classic kids movie for the way it also appeals to adult viewers with a heartwarming commentary on the challenges of parenthood, as seen through the eyes of an unlikely character. Lupita Nyong'o is wonderful as the voice of a mechanical assistant that must alter her programming to take on the responsibility of raising an abandoned gosling and helping her other animal friends survive.

Ben Burtt - WALL-E (WALL-E)

You could easily cite Ben Burtt's enchanting vocal performance as a lonely robot tasked with cleaning up an abandoned Earth as to why WALL-E is one of the best Pixar movies, but that is the tip of the iceberg. The Oscar-winning animated sci-fi drama also offers a frighteningly plausible premonition of what humanity could become, not only if we are forced to leave our planet, but also if indolence is encouraged in favor of a fully automated lifestyle.

Paul Bettany - Vision (Avengers: Age of Ultron)

After years of lending his voice to Tony Stark's A.I. assistant Jarvis for years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Paul Bettany was given the chance to play an artificial being with a bit more personality named Vision, who debuted in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. The English actor's performance as the unique superhero only became stronger with each subsequent appearance, especially at the moment of his death(s) in Avengers: Infinity War and his mysterious resurrection in the Disney+ series, WandaVision.

Alan Tudyk - K-2SO (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Robots always seem to steal the show in the Star Wars franchise, especially if they have an exceptionally talented actor at the helm. Case in point, one of "Geek God" Alan Tudyk's best roles is the voice of K-2SO, an Imperial droid reprogrammed with an assignment to help the Resistance (and with an extra dose of snark) in the 2016 prequel film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Lance Henriksen - Bishop (Aliens)

One of the few trustworthy androids in the Alien movie franchise is Bishop, whom Ripley is understandably slow to warm to upon discovering he is not human in 1986's Aliens. Lance Henriksen would later appear in Alien 3 as the human who created Bishop, Michael Bishop of the Weyland-Yutani corporation.

Robert Patrick - T-1000 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

As a cyborg made of liquid metal, which makes it able to shapeshift, able to pass through small openings, and nearly impossible to kill, the T-1000 did not need a great performance to make it cool. Yet, Robert Patrick made the main antagonist of 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day a special kind of villain with his cold, fierce demeanor.

Joan Rivers - Dot Matrix (Spaceballs)

Just about every major character in the Star Wars universe is sent up with a parodic counterpart in Mel Brooks' hilarious spoof movie, 1997's Spaceballs. For instance, the mocking equivalent to C-3PO is Princess Vespa's droid, Dot Matrix, who is voiced by the incomparable Joan Rivers.

David Jonsson - Andy (Alien: Romulus)

Most critics and audiences would agree that the standout performance of Fede Alvarez's terrifying 2024 sequel, Alien: Romulus, is David Jonsson as Andy. The English actor stole the show with what technically counts as a dual role, initially introducing Andy as unassuming, innocent, and consistently loyal to Rain (Cailee Spaeny) until he is reprogrammed with a new directive that makes him a threat.

Bill Irwin - TARS (Interstellar)

One of the most entertaining characters in Christopher Nolan's acclaimed space movie, Interstellar, is not a human, but still highly relatable, especially for its spicy humor setting. Bill Irwin not only provided the voice for TARS, but also was involved with puppeteering the uniquely designed robot that accompanies Matthew McConaughey's Cooper and others on a mission to find a habitable replacement for Earth.

Ryan Gosling - K (Blade Runner 2049)

Ryan Gosling's penchant for stoicism serves him very well as the hero of Denis Villeneuve's 2017 Blade Runner sequel, Blade Runner 2049. He plays "K," a Replicant assigned to hunt other Replicants, who begins to question his job and his true identity after making a startling, conspiratorial discovery.

Scott Adsit - Baymax (Big Hero 6)

What makes Disney's Oscar-winning, animated 2014 comic book adaptation, Big Hero 6, an instant classic superhero movie is not just its spectacular action and heartwarming coming-of-age themes. The most charming element is Scott Adsit's hilarious performance as the voice of Hiro's (Ryan Potter) cuddly robot friend, Baymax.

Yul Brynner - The Gunslinger (Westworld)

Years after starring as a heroic gunslinger in the classic Western movie, The Magnificent Seven, Yul Brynner played a role that is the opposite in every way, from his sinister aura and mechanical infrastructure, in Westworld. Director Michael Crichton's 1973 sci-fi thriller later inspired an acclaimed HBO series of the same name.

Alan Rickman/Warwick Davis - Marvin (The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy)

Some might call 2005's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy an underrated adaptation of Douglas Adams' cult favorite sci-fi farce, especially for its portrayal of Marvin. Alan Rickman provides the voice, and Warwick Davis wears the suit of the android who is perpetually depressed for having no reason to apply his immense knowledge of the universe.

Alan Tudyk - Sonny (I, Robot)

Will Smith may receive top billing for 2004's futuristic detective story, I, Robot, but Sonny is its heart and soul. Alan Tudyk captures the "unique" machine's inner turmoil beautifully as he evolves from a confused murder suspect to a hero.

Paul Reubens - MAX (Flight Of The Navigator)

One of Paul Reubens' best roles outside of his time playing Pee-wee Herman comes from Disney's 1986 cult favorite sci-fi classic, Flight of the Navigator. The comedian voices MAX, which is the computer that powers an extraterrestrial vessel that young David Freeman (Joey Cramer) must help navigate.

Michael Fassbender - David (Prometheus)

It is never clear whether or not Michael Fassbender's David is an android worth trusting... at least in 2012's Prometheus. He is clearly revealed to be a malevolent presence in 2017's Alien: Covenant, in which the actor also plays a friendlier robot named Walter.

Summer Glau - Cameron (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)

The underrated TV series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, reinvents and continues the adventures of the titular hero (Lena Headey) and her son, John (Thomas Dekker). It also partners the mother-son duo with Summer Glau as Cameron, who is a cyborg unlike any previously seen in the franchise, equipped with an emotional core and the ability to feel sensations.

Robin Williams - Andrew (Bicentennial Man)

Robin Williams gives a heartfelt performance in director Chris Columbus' Bicentennial Man as a service android named Andrew, who longs to become human.

Various - Tom Servo And Crow T. Robot (Mystery Science Theater 3000)

The art of audibly poking fun at a cheesy movie is perfected in the long-running sci-fi comedy series, Mystery Science Theater 3000, which follows a human forced to watched low-grade flicks with his mechanical companions. Much like the rotating selection of human hosts, the actors known for playing the two main robot characters, Tom Servo and Crow, have changed over the years (such as Kevin Murphy and Baron Vaughn as Servo and Trace Beaulieu and Hampton Young as Crow, for instance), but the portrayers' hilarious improv skills have never faltered with each succession.

We have seen many a cinematic masterpiece, and even a Best Picture Oscar winner, based on the work of authors such as William Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and more legendary writers. Of course, not all classic literature and the films they inspire have to be, speaking frankly, so ancient. Just take a look at these acclaimed and popular movies that were bred from books published as early as 1950.

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

In 1961, Harper Lee won a Pulitzer Prize for her debut novel (and her only novel until 2015's Go Set a Watchmen), To Kill a Mockingbird, which depicts a trial against a Black man accused of assault in the 1930s South from the point of a view of young Scout Finch. Soon after, the powerful anti-prejudice statement was adapted into a feature by director Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck in an Oscar-winning portrayal of selfless attorney Atticus Finch.

The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

All three volumes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s influential trilogy of fantasy novels – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King – were published between 1954 and 1955. Director Peter Jackson would bring Middle Earth to life in his live-action Lord of the Rings movies, which were a worldwide critical and commercial smash, spawning a prequel trilogy based on The Hobbit, an Amazon Prime series (The Rings of Power), and an animated spin-off (The War of the Rohirrim).

Forrest Gump (1994)

Six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, went to director Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks in the title role of a simple man who, unwittingly, lives a truly historic life. A year after the film’s release, Winston Groom, author of the original 1986 novel, would publish a sequel, Gump & Co., that chronicles the shrimp company owner’s life in the 1980s.

The Shining (1980)

Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall lead Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 novel, The Shining, in which an author is mysteriously driven mad while serving as the caretaker for a Colorado ski resort with his wife and psychic son. While now revered as one of the best King adaptations, let alone one of the best horror movies ever made, the author famously hated the thriller which was not a critical or commercial success upon release either.

Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

Writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak earned the Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are, in which the ill-behaved Max dreams he is the king of a place where otherwordly creatures roam. The beloved 1963 children’s book was adapted into a bizarre, beautifully puppeteered, and significantly darker live-action feature film by director Spike Jonze and starring Max Records with the voice talents of James Gandolfini and Catherine O'Hara.

The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

The Oscar-winning film that made cannibalistic criminal psychologist Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) one of the horror genre’s most feared villains is actually based on the second book to feature the character. Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of 1988’s The Silence of the Lambs is also predated by Manhunter – Michael Mann’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’ first Lecter novel, Red Dragon.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Director Miloš Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, stars Jack Nicholson as a criminal who pleads insanity to get out of jail and ends up leading a revolt against the sinister Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). While revered as a film that takes mental health seriously, some would say it does not quite do Ken Kesey's 1962 novel justice, rendering the narrator, Chief Bromden (portrayed by Will Sampson), into more of a side character.

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Joel and Ethan Coen were quite faithful to Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel when adapting No Country for Old Men, which follows a disillusioned sheriff (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and his search for a hunter (played by Josh Brolin) who is on the run from a sadistic hitman (played by Javier Bardem). In fact, for its breathtakingly grounded craftsmanship, Bardem's chilling Oscar-winning performance, and provocative commentary on violence, some might say it is the best Western movie of all time.

The Harry Potter Movies (2001-2011)

J.K. Rowling’s seven-part series of young adult fantasy novels following an orphaned wizard’s education in the mystic arts at Hogwarts was published between 1997 and 2007. The bestselling series inspired eight Harry Potter movies (including two based on the final novel, Deathly Hallows) which starred Daniel Radcliffe and became an enduring worldwide phenomenon.

The Godfather And The Godfather Part II (1972-1974)

Mario Puzo’s 1969 post-World War II crime epic, The Godfather, inspired two Best Picture Oscar winners following the rise of reluctant mafia boss Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). Director Francis Ford Coppola would collaborate with Puzo on the screenplay for a third installment that was released in 1990 and is not held in such high regard today.

Dune And Dune: Part Two (2021-2024)

Director Denis Villeneuve adapted Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi epic Dune, which largely influenced George Lucas’ Star Wars saga, into two widely acclaimed big-screen adventures that brought the eponymous planet to life with wondrous visual effects. The first live-action adaptation by David Lynch from 1984 was, unfortunately, far less appreciated.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for director Mel Stuart’s adaptation of his 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the title of which replaced the original eponymous character, Charlie Bucket, with Gene Wilder’s eccentric chocolatier. While Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation, with Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie, is not quite the beloved children's movie the original is, it at least made the poor Golden Ticket holder the title hero again.

The Color Purple (1985)

Alice Walker’s influential tale of a Black, Southern woman’s life of abuse and neglect inspired one of director Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in Oscar-nominated roles. Winfrey would later produce a stage musical based on the novel that was also adapted into a film starring Fantasia Barrino in 2023.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

One of the most controversial X-rated classics in cinematic history is Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ 1962 dystopian novel, A Clockwork Orange. It stars Malcolm McDowell as one of the most fearsome 1970s movie villains, Alex DeLarge – a gang leader subjected to an experimental, government-issued cure for his violent tendencies.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005)

Douglas Adams condensed his absurdist, science-fiction radio play, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, into a 1979 novel that was first adapted as a British miniseries in 1981. Decades later, Disney released a feature adaptation starring Martin Freeman, Mos Def, and Alan Rickman as the voice of a clinically depressed but still friendly robot named Marvin, who was portrayed on screen by Warwick Davis.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)

Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson chronicled his experiences in the Sin City with attorney Oscar Zeta Acosta in a fictionalized memoir called Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, published in 1971. Director Terry Gilliam adapted the book into a wild, psychedelic trip starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke (Thompson's alter ego) and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo.

The Road (2008)

Just two years after it was published, one of Cormac McCarthy’s most acclaimed novels, The Road, was adapted into a film starring Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as an unnamed father and son searching for sanctuary in a ruined future. Director John Hillcoat’s thriller is regarded as one of the best post-apocalyptic movies of its time.

Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

François Truffaut adapted Ray Bradbury’s prophetic, dystopian 1953 novel, Fahrenheit 451, into a film starring Oskar Werner as a fireman tasked with destroying any and all literature who has a sudden change of heart. Michael B. Jordan would portray the hero, Guy Montag, in a later feature made exclusively for HBO in 2018.

Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott’s seminal, Harrison Ford-led sci-fi thriller, Blade Runner, takes inspiration from Philip K. Dick’s 1986 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The author’s vision of a world in which artificial beings known as Replicants live among humans was also expanded upon in director Denis Villeneuve’s acclaimed 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049.

The Hunger Games Movies (2012-2015)

Jennifer Lawrence received wide acclaim for portraying teenage rebel Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games and its three sequels, based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling dystopian trilogy published between 2008 and 2010. Cinema would return to Panem once more with 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which takes place during one of the earliest holdings of the eponymous challenge that pits children against each other in an annual fight to the death.

Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)

Holly Golightly – the central character of Truman Capote’s 1958 novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s – essentially remains the same in Blake Edwards’ Audrey Hepburn-led adaptation. However, the story changes dramatically, making it more of a sweeping romance between the callgirl and the previously unnamed narrator, Paul (played by George Peppard in the film).

American Psycho (2000)

Before he took on the mantle of a live-action Batman actor, Christian Bale gave a star-making performance as a more menacing urban yuppie with a violent double life named Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. His portrayal of the character in director Mary Harron’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ provocative 1991 novel has since been recognized as one of the most disturbing killers in cinematic history.

The Haunting (1963)

A psychologist invites a group of patients to stay in a house supposedly inhabited by ghosts in director Robert Wise’s classic haunted house movie, The Haunting, which is based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. The chilling 1959 novel inspired another film bearing the shortened title from 1999 and, in 2018, a more loosely connected but widely acclaimed Netflix miniseries from creator Mike Flanagan.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005)

The first volume of C.S. Lewis’s seven-part fantasy novel series, published in 1950, was adapted into a critically and commercially successful adventure set in a wondrous land. The next two books in the series, collectively known as The Chronicles of Narnia, also received feature-length adaptations from Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023)

Abby Ryder Fortson makes her film debut in the first feature based on Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., which also stars Oscar nominee Rachel McAdams as the title character's supportive mother. Author Judy Blume shared with Today that she believes writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig’s adaptation surpassed her own novel, which offered a groundbreaking inside look at the pains of female adolescence in 1970.

Catch-22 (1970)

Director Mike Nichols and writer Buck Henry adapted Joseph Heller’s 1961 novel into the star-studded WWII-era satire Catch-22, starring Alan Arkin and Bob Newhart. The book also inspired a Hulu original miniseries released in 2019 starring Christopher Abbott and George Clooney, who also executive produced.

Watchmen (2009)

Many credit the long-awaited acceptance of comic book fiction as earnest literature with writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons and their groundbreaking graphic novel, Watchmen, which was originally published by DC in 12 parts between 1986 and 1987. Director Zack Snyder first adapted the story of costumed crimefighters coming out of retirement years after vigilanteism is banned into a live-action film 15 years before Warner Bros. released a two-part animated feature in 2024.

The Joy Luck Club (1993)

Amy Tan's influential 1989 novel, The Joy Luck Club, depicts the eye-opening experiences of four different women from a Chinese family. The author made a cameo in the film adaptation from director Wayne Wang.

Lord Of The Flies (1963)

William Golding’s seminal coming-of-age survival novel, Lord of the Flies, was first adapted for cinema nine years after it was published. Writer and director Peter Brook’s adaptation is considered to be more a faithful take on the story of adolescent boys stranded on a desert island than the American version released in 1990 by director Harry Hook.

Lolita (1962)

Vladimir Nabokov’s provocative 1955 novel, Lolita – the story of a middle-aged college professor obsessed with his teenage stepdaughter – was first adapted for cinema by director Stanley Kubrick in the early 1960s, starring James Mason and Sue Lyon in the title role. Director Adrian Lyne would later remake the drama in 1997 with Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain.

Devil In A Blue Dress (1995)

Denzel Washington portrays one of the most iconic Black detectives in pop culture, Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, in Devil in a Blue Dress. Based on Walter Mosley's 1990 novel, and the first to feature the character, the gritty period piece follows the World War II veteran as he becomes embroiled in the search for a mysterious woman.

The Twilight Movies (2008-2013)

Stephanie Meyer became one of the most popular authors of her time with 2008's Twilight and its three sequels, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. The saga, chronicling a teenage girl’s complicated romance with a vampire, was adapted into five box-office hits that made A-listers out of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

This list is all about the most spectacular ways that some of favorite characters - the ones we love and the ones we love to hate - have been killed off on screen. Movies and TV have both produced some pretty incredible moments like this. So whether it's the hero or the villain, here are some of the most insane deaths ever seen in movies and on TV.

Marion Crane - Psycho

Almost more than any director in film history, Alfred Hitchcock wrote his own rules. One of the most interesting things he ever did was to kill off who was seemingly the main character in Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the first act of the movie. Of course, her murder in the shower has become one of the most iconic scenes in film history.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

The tension in Do The Right Thing slowly simmers just under the surface until it boils over when Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) burst into Sal's Pizzeria and demand changes. After Sal smashes Raheem's boombox, the cops arrive and in the struggle, Raheem is choked out by the police, leading to the destruction of Sal's. It's amazing that the movie is more than 35 years old and we're still talking about the same issues.

Robb Stark - Game Of Thrones

Is there any death on this list more dramatic and shocking than Robb Stark's on Game of Thrones? The Red Wedding is a legendary TV moment, among the best ever broadcasted. It shocked anyone who had not read the books and remains one of the most spectacular deaths, along with his wife, his unborn baby, and his mother, ever filmed.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

It's one of the most heartbreaking moments in film history when John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) meets his inevitable end in The Green Mile. Still, he goes out spectacularly with sparks flying and tears flowing.

Charlie Pace - Lost

ABC's Lost had some pretty memorable deaths, but none more so than Charlie Pace's last moments as he warned about the incoming boat and sacrificed himself in one of the most heartbreaking moments in TV history.

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

It's hard to believe that Hans Gruber in Die Hard was Alan Rickman's first movie role. His death, as he falls from Nakatomi Tower, looking up at the camera as he goes, is iconic. It's become one of the most meme'd scenes in movie history and is easily one of the most spectacular deaths in film history.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

For years, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) was one of the most despised characters on TV. His death was worthy of such an amazing villain as he is not only blown up but survives long enough to walk out of the room where it happened and button his jacket before collapsing to the floor.

Thelma And Louise - Thelma And Louise

When Thelma And Louise was first released, the ending completely shocked people. No one expected the movie's heroes to go out like they did, by driving their car off the cliff. Still, it was on their own terms and they did it together, making it all that much more spectacular.

Adriana La Cerva - The Sopranos

There were quite a few deaths over the seasons in The Sopranos, but the episode when Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo) is rubbed out is maybe the most incredible. The tension in the episode is impressive even by The Sopranos standards as no one wanted to see Adriana go, even though everyone knew why it was happening.

The Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard Of Oz

"I'm melting" is one of the most iconic lines in Hollywood history as the Wicked Witch of the West is dying in The Wizard of Oz. There really isn't much more that needs to be said about this spectacular death.

Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator

For years, Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator obsessed over avenging his family's death and taking down Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Despite Commodus playing dirty in their final showdown, Maximus finally prevails, killing Commodus before he collapses and dies.

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd movie in MCU history and so it was only appropriate that Tony Stark - the character that started it all - would be the one to finally take Thanos out by snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet on. It led to his spectacular death, of course, but it was worth it.

Col. Kurtz - Apocalypse Now

After building for two hours, the climactic death of Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) at the end of Apocalypse Now is one of the most dramatic and violent moments in film history. The scene, juxtaposed with the sacrifice of a cow, is terrifying and amazing.

Glenn - The Walking Dead

The death of Glenn (and Abraham) was one of the most controversial moments of The Walking Dead. That was partly due to the extreme violence that turned a lot of people off, but it was mostly because Glenn was such a beloved character. Still, it was a death that was totally unforgettable.

Kong - Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers may be the most celebrated member of the Dr. Strangelove cast (and for good reason), but Kong, played by Slim Pickens steals the show at the end with his death by riding a nuke down as it drops towards it's target.

Kenny McCormick - South Park

We couldn't make this list without including poor Kenny McCormick, the hapless member of the South Park crew. Kenny has been killed over 100 times over the show's incredible run and in some of the most ridiculous and fantastic ways, like getting crushed by a tree, getting hit by a volcanic boulder, and dozens of other ways.

Rosalind Shays - LA Law

Rosiland Shays' death by falling down an elevator on LA Law was one of the most shocking moments in television history. It came completely out of nowhere in a time in television when a death like that wasn't common at all. It actually changed TV storytelling.

Mark Greene - ER

Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) was one of the most beloved characters on ER and his death, while a different kind of spectacular than most of the others on this list. It wasn't a shocking moment, as it was a tragic slow death by cancer. It was still among the most heartbreaking moments ever.

Zoe Barnes - House Of Cards

For the first season of House Of Cards, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was one of the most important characters. The journalist was both investigating and getting a little too involved with Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey). Her surprising death shocked audiences as Frank threw her in front of a subway train. It came completely out of nowhere, and yet made total sense in the context of the show.

Roy Batty - Blade Runner

The death of Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) at the end of Blade Runner has become one of the most legendary deaths of all time. It is not at all what anyone in the audience expected when the main villain of the movie turns into a hero at the very end, saving Deckard (Harrison Ford) before smiling as he dies. Time to die.

Alec Trevelyan - GoldenEye

You knew there was no way this list was going to be complete without including at least one death by a Sean Bean character, right? There have been so many spectacular deaths over the actor's incredible career, but for our money, you can't beat the death of his character Alec Trevelyan in the James Bond movie GoldenEye when Bond drops him to his death and he is crushed to make sure it's final.

Lane Pryce - Mad Men

Mad Men was unlike any other show on TV at the time and Lane Pryce's death by suicide is the perfect example of why. The character, played by Jared Harris was a fan favorite and while story-wise his death made perfect sense, it was still shocking.

William Wallace - Braveheart

Braveheart might be one of the most historically inaccurate films ever made, but William Wallace's death at the end is still pretty spectacular ( and not all that different from what really happened to the Scottish hero). We can't go into all the violent details here, but if you know, you know.

Nick Chevotarevich - The Deer Hunter

One of the most tragic characters in '70s cinema has to be Nick Chevotarevich, played by Christopher Walken. Even after the Vietnam War draws to a close and his best friend makes it back home after escaping a POW camp, Nick gets stuck in Saigon, playing dangerous games of Russian Roulette for months. When Mike (Robert De Niro) finds him, Nick is completely checked out, and that makes his horrible death all the more sad.

Quint - Jaws

Quint (Robert Shaw) is the grizzled fisherman who promises to catch "the fish" in Jaws, but in the end, it's the fish that catches him. As has often been pointed out, one of the most effective things about the classic movie is that the shark is rarely seen, so when Quint is eaten it's one of the scariest and most exciting moments of the movie.

Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom - Con Air

Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) in Con Air is one of the most over-the-top movie villains of the '90s, so of course he had to get killed in an over-the-top spectacular way. First, he is knocked out and handcuffed to a firetruck that crashes into a bridge, tossing Cyrus into some powerlines, and electrocuting him, but that's not all. He then falls into the path of a pile driver doing road work, which comes down on his head.

Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket

Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) is, at the beginning of Full Metal Jacket a hopeless Marine recruit who can't do anything right. As the first act of the movie plays out, he gets more competent but also starts to lose his marbles. It all culminates in an incredibly tense scene when he shoots and kills his drill sergeant before turning the gun on himself.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

Say what you want about about The O.C., but the creative decision to kill off one of the main characters and star of the show, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) in Season 3 was a bold one. The way she died, in the arms of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) after a car wreck is just as dramatic as the decision to have the character die.

Jack Torrance - The Shining

That final image of a frozen Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining is one of the most enduring snapshots of a movie filled with incredible visual moments. A spectacular villain like Jack deserves a death as memorable as it is.

Sgt. Elias - Platoon

Platoon, as is said in the movie, is a battle for the soul of Chris (Charlie Sheen) between Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Barnes (Tom Berenger). Barnes wins the battle between himself and Elias when he shoots Elias towards the end, but Elias wins Chris' soul with his spectacular death as the helicopters lift away and Elias is left with arms outstretched as the Vietnamese soldiers gun him down for good.

Gennaro - Jurassic Park

We just had to include this one. Donald Gennaro isn't the main character of Jurassic Park, in fact, he's not even one of the main supporting characters. But him getting eaten by the T-Rex while hiding on the toilet is one of the silliest, and most insane deaths, of any movie, ever.

John Doe - Se7en

The ending of Se7en is one of the most talked about and debated, moments in film history. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) completely manipulates David Mills (Brad Pitt) into doing exactly what wants, completely the complete over-the-top murder spree ever seen on the big screen.

You've heard the saying, "The book's always better than the movie." Well, it turns out that's not always true. Sometimes films are able to streamline through a novel's tedious exposition or confusing jargon. Other times they're able to bring fantastical worlds to life in a more spectacular way than you might have imagined. Either way, here are some book-to-screen adaptations that are at least as good as — and sometimes better than — their source material.

Jaws

Never bet against Steven Spielberg, especially with John Williams providing what turned out to be an Oscar-winning score! The 1975 thriller Jaws is widely considered to be one movie that's at least as good as its source material. Spielberg cut out a lot of side plots from Peter Benchley's 1974 novel, and the actors really elevated the book's largely unlikeable characters, particularly Robert Shaw as Quint, turning the film into a classic you can watch over and over.

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

There are some pretty big differences between Roald Dahl's 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the 1971 classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder (not to mention the 2005 remake and 2023 prequel). That means it's probably a matter of personal preference regarding which is "better," but it's hard to argue with Mel Stuart's musical fantasy.

The Thing

While John W. Campbell Jr.'s 1938 novella Who Goes There? is considered a classic for its deeply developed characters and an alien that's smarter — and therefore possibly scarier — than its movie's equivalent, John Carpenter's The Thing from 1982 is considered one of the best horror movies of all time. Its truly repulsive monster and effective special effects hold up even decades later.

Stand By Me

Lots of Stephen King novels have been adapted for the screen, and not all of those projects have been great. Stand By Me, however, which was adapted from "The Body," from the Different Seasons collection, is considered one of the best movies from the '80s. Some people prefer the movie, if only for the nostalgia kick provided by its phenomenal casting of Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell.

The Ring

Both the Americanized 2002 horror The Ring and Koji Suzuki's 1991 novel are highly acclaimed, but the book simply can't match the movie in terms of the creepy imagery from the cursed video.

Fight Club

Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are simply incomparable as a dynamic duo in 1999's Fight Club. Not only is the movie considered one of the best of the '90s, and Chuck Palahniuk — author of the 1996 book of the same name — has spoken positively about David Ficher's film.

The Lord Of The Rings

I don't think anyone's arguing the talents of J. R. R. Tolkien here, and indeed many do prefer the world-building and lore of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings saga. However, other fans argue that the films are more inviting, bringing emotion to the characters and cutting through all of the author's descriptive text.

The Hunger Games

There's no question that Suzanne Collins' The Hunter Games books could stand on their own, but it was thrilling to see those terrifying games portrayed on the big screen. From the worlds built for the youngsters' trials to The Hunger Games' ridiculous outfits, it's no wonder many hold Jennifer Lawrence's movie trilogy in such high regard. To me, it was worth it all to see Katniss' red carpet-worthy "Girl on Fire" dress.

The Shining

The Shining is one of Stephen King's best books, and — thanks in large part to Jack Nicholson's unforgettable turn as Jack Torrance — the horror movie of the same name also remains a time-honored classic. Both will scare the daylights out of you, and there are enough differences between Stanley Kubrick's film and the book that The Shining is totally still worth reading after you've seen the movie.

Requiem For A Dream

Hubert Selby Jr.'s 1978 novel Requiem for a Dream is a good read, but you just can't beat the performances turned in by the cast of Darren Aronofsky's 2000 film. Whether it's the heartbreaking tailspin of Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans' characters into addiction, Ellen Burstyn's obsession with being on television or Christopher McDonald's haunting Tappy Tibbons leading a chant about JUICE, this movie elevates the already-harrowing text into something that you won't be able to shake.

Room

Emma Donoghue's 2010 novel Room is told from the perspective of 5-year-old Jack, which gives a different POV to the story of a mother and her son escaping after years of captivity than the 2015 film adaptation. The book is undoubtedly gripping, but the movie holds its own, earning four Academy Award nominations, including a win for Brie Larson for Best Actress.

The Silence Of The Lambs

It doesn't matter how good Thomas Harris' 1988 novel The Silence of the Lambs was — and it was definitely good — the 1991 film adaptation won the Academy Awards' "Big Five," which includes the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Talley). Since its release there have been three more movies and two TV series based on these characters, so I'd say that paints both the film and the novel in a phenomenally successful light.

Mean Girls

It's not really fair to compare 2004's Mean Girls to the source material that inspired it. That's because Tina Fey adapted one of the best high school movies of all time from Rosalind Wiseman's self-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes, which is a guide for parents to help their teenage daughters survive in a world of cliques, gossip and boyfriends. While moms of teens (myself included) could probably use all the help we can get, there's no way Queen Bees and Wannabees could stand up to Mean Girls' most quotable lines and pop culture references.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has been a staple in schools since it came out in 1960 for its exploration of themes like race and stereotypes. It wouldn't be fair or correct to say that the 1962 film was better, but Gregory Peck and Mary Badham gave performances that earned them Oscar nominations as Atticus and Scout Finch, respectively. Overall the movie won three of the eight awards it was up for (including Best Actor for Peck), which should make it worthy of being considered as good as Lee's novel.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

While many still prefer Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the 1975 movie made Randle Patrick McMurphy's crimes more palatable for the moviegoing audience and ultimately won five of the nine Academy Awards it was nominated for, including Best Actor for Jack Nicholson and Best Actress for Louise Fletcher (Nurse Ratched).

Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch, but the movie proved why Hitchcock was the master of suspense, with that infamous shower scene likely inspiring audience members to start double-checking the locks on their bathroom doors. While the 1960 film may be as good (or better than) the book, the same can't be said for 1998's Psycho, which is considered one of the worst remakes in Hollywood history.

The Shawshank Redemption

Adapted from Stephen King's novella from Different Seasons, The Shawshank Redemption was turned into a classic movie that many think surpasses its source material. Frank Darabont's 1994 film adds a lot to the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman) and their decades together in prison. The film garnered seven Oscar nominations but did not win any.

Jurassic Park

Michael Crichton set the stage with his 1990 novel Jurassic Park for how dinosaurs could come to exist in the modern era and Steven Spielberg got hold of the idea and ran with it, creating a world for the big screen that we'd only ever dreamed about. As good as the book is, there was just something about seeing the prehistoric beasts walking amongst the humans with our own eyes, and that idea has since inspired two trilogies and several TV series.

Forrest Gump

A lot was changed in the story of Forrest Gump between the 1986 novel by Winston Groom and the 1994 Robert Zemeckis film, but for many, it was Tom Hanks' heartbreaking portrayal that got us, along with plenty of quotes still being repeated today. The six Academy Awards from 13 nominations also speak to it being a pretty good movie adaptation.

The Hunt For Red October

The 1990 spy thriller The Hunt for Red October cut out quite a few subplots and a lot of technical language from Tom Clancy's best-selling debut novel, making it more approachable for a wider audience. Without the popularity of this movie, would we still live in a world with three dozen Jack Ryan novels, a handful of films and a TV series? Thankfully we don't have to consider the alternative.

The Notebook

Nobody tells an epically sad love story quite like Nicholas Sparks, and that includes his 1996 novel The Notebook. However, seeing Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams' chemistry as they brought Noah and Allie's story to life in the 2004 drama was what really stuck with fans over the years.

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is one of the funniest and most quotable movies of the 1980s, and it's considered just as good as its source material, though the two are very different. William Goldman's 1973 novel is highly praised amongst those who have read it, with many fans suggesting that people who have only seen the movie would still enjoy the book.

A Clockwork Orange

Stanley Kubrick's 1971 adaptation of A Clockwork Orange is a fairly loyal interpretation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel, save for a few changes to make Malcolm McDowell's Alex more palatable. Many prefer the film's darker ending, as well, to the more optimistic conclusion Burgess wrote.

Little Women

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women has been adapted twice in recent decades — the 1994 version starring Winona Ryder as Jo March and Greta Gerwig's 2019 film. Because each iteration alters the March sisters' stories to better reflect the societal roles and priorities of a woman in that day, it only makes sense that audiences connect more with the updated material.

The Wizard Of Oz

No matter how classic L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is — and there are plenty who are staunch defenders of the book — there's nothing quite like seeing Dorothy step from her sepia-toned Kansas farmhouse into the fantastic Technicolor world of Oz in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The film adaptation remains a beloved children's movie all these decades later.

Shutter Island

Both the 2003 psychological thriller by Dennis Lehane and Martin Scorsese's 2010 adaptation of Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio are highly regarded by fans, with many choosing to experience both, despite knowing how it ends. The movie stays loyal to the novel and can be considered at least as good, if not better.

The Devil Wears Prada

In Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, her fictionalized account of working for Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is undoubtedly fascinating, but Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly on top of the performances of Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and the rest of the cast elevate the story.

The Godfather

Mario Puzo's 1969 bestseller The Godfather was arguably made even better by Francis Ford Coppola by focusing his film on Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone and his relationship with son Michael (Al Pacino), thereby streamlining the novel's grand story.

A Simple Favor

In the movie adaptation of A Simple Favor, many find Anna Kendrick's Stephanie more likable than the blogger in Darcey Bell's 2017 novel of the same name. To that point, Blake Lively makes her own character Emily feel even more dangerous.

Blade Runner

Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is considered one of the best sci-fi movies of all time and many think it's even better than its literary counterpart, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? From Harrison Ford's portrayal of android hunter Rick to the book's bleaker ending, this is the rare film that surpasses its source material in many fans' eyes.

City Of God

Fernando Meirelles' celebrated 2002 crime drama City of God expands on the 1997 novel by Paulo Lins in its performances and how it illustrates gang life in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Respect and homage are paid to the people of the region, and the cinematography shows the beauty that exists amidst the tragedy.

Drive

Many fans seem to prefer Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 movie Drive to the 2005 book by James Sallis, crediting the director and Ryan Gosling with further developing the Driver and other themes in Sallis' work.

Ridley Scott, one of Hollywood’s most enduring and influential directors, has experienced almost every twist and turn the industry offers, from redefining the best sci-fi movies of all time with Alien and Blade Runner to crafting modern classics like Gladiator. But despite a legacy of groundbreaking films, the director wasn’t immune to the harsh sting of critical reception early in his career. In a new interview, ahead of the upcoming Gladiator II, the Thelma & Louise filmmaker revealed that the icy reception to his now-revered 1982 classic, Blade Runner, made him swear off reading reviews entirely.

In a sit-down with THR, Ridley Scott gave fans a glimpse at his 2024 movie schedule release. The legendary filmmaker also opened up about a pivotal moment that changed his approach to criticism forever: the searing reception to Blade Runner back in 1982, courtesy of renowned New Yorker critic Pauline Kael. He recounted the sting in detail:

It’s almost hard to believe now, given Blade Runner’s iconic status as one of the best movies of the '80s, but when it first hit the big screen, it was met with mixed feelings. The groundbreaking visuals, deep philosophical undertones, and the moody, neon-lit world left many scratching their heads. Critics weren’t sure what to make of it, and audiences were similarly split.

Fast forward to today, and the movie is hailed as a sci-fi masterpiece, influencing countless directors and fostering a fanbase as passionate as ever. However, those harsh early reviews left an indelible mark on The Martian director, influencing how he approached his craft and how he chose to interact—or not interact—with the voices of the critical world.

Scott’s approach to criticism may seem extreme to some, but it's an understandable coping mechanism in a career that spans 47 years. The industry veteran has witnessed firsthand how public perception can build or break careers. With this self-imposed boundary, the Napoleon helmer continues to fuel his creative spirit, unencumbered by the noise of critical reception. Instead of allowing reviews to shape his confidence or sense of accomplishment, he focuses on the art itself and his dedication to pushing boundaries.

Even at almost 87, the man’s pace is relentless. Ridley Scott recently wrapped the much-anticipated Gladiator sequel, which he’s confidently called some of his best work to date. And with early buzz for Gladiator II backing up that claim, it’s clear he didn’t let the sting of those initial Blade Runner critiques slow him down. If anything, they’ve fueled a career that shows no signs of stopping.

Gladiator II is gearing up to make its big splash in theaters on November 22, and the anticipation is real. But if you’re itching for a bit of Ridley Scott magic while you wait, why not revisit one of the best movies of the 2000s? That’s right, I’m talking about the original, Russell Crowe-led, sword-and-sandal epic, Gladiator. Lucky for you, it’s available to stream right now with a Paramount+ subscription.

Over the years, there has been no shortage of movie villains with a tragic backstory so great that it makes it a little harder to root against them. Look at iconic scene-stealing villains like Thanos, Hannibal Lecter, Roy Batty, and countless others, and it won’t take long to see their heartbreaking and unforgettable personal histories have allowed them to withstand the test of time despite being terrible people (or aliens).

Here are 32 movie villains with a tragic backstory…

Erik Killmonger (Black Panther)

Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger helped make Black Panther one of the best Marvel movies as well as a landmark comic book movie thanks in no small part to his tragic backstory. The unknown cousin of Chadwick Boseman’s King T’Challa and son to a wayward prince killed by the former king, Killmonger spent his life searching for himself and his elusive homeland of Wakanda. Sure, he tried to take it over and bring chaos to the world, but he had every right to do so.

Lotso (Toy Story 3)

On the surface, Lotso (Ned Beatty) seems like an iron-fisted ruler of the toys stuck at Sunnyside Daycare, but his heartbreaking personal history adds a whole other level to the Toy Story 3 antagonist. After being left at a rest stop by his “faithful” owner long ago, Lotso went to great lengths to find the little girl, only to discover he’d been replaced. Traumatized by the experience, the once kind-hearted stuffed bear went through a radical transformation.

Gollum (The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy)

Though not the central antagonist in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gollum (Andy Serkis) is up there. In the third and final film – The Return of the King – it’s revealed that Gollum was once a hobbit who became consumed by the powerful ring, being transformed into a deformed and deranged creature with one purpose in life: hold onto his “precious.”

Jason Voorhees (The Friday The 13th Movies)

Jason Voorhees is one of the most recognizable horror movie villains of all time with a kill count that is up there with the best of them. However, like other great horror icons, this masked, undead killer has a heartbreaking story behind his path of blood, guts, and revenge. Cast aside by society and the counselors of Camp Crystal Lake, a young Jason drowned with no one watching.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

Roy Batty, or model number N6MAA10816, is one of those characters played by the late Rutger Hauer that will live on forever, and that’s because the Blade Runner villain was a sympathetic antagonist like no other. Forced into slavery upon his inception, the vengeful replicant suffered years of unimaginable abuse and danger to help the bottom line of the Tyrell Corporation. That was until he led a rebellion for a better life for himself and others of his kind.

The Grinch (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

One of the best things about Ron Howard’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the way the 2000 movie expanded Jim Carrey’s titular character and provided a more in-depth look at the green recluse and what led him to live alone on Mount Crumpit. The story of a young Grinch being picked on by his schoolmates for no reason besides his appearance is utterly heartbreaking and is impossible to watch with a dry eye.

Carrie White (Carrie)

An antagonist or protagonist depending on how you look at it, Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) in Brian De Palma’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name is one of the most sympathetic and justified characters in the history of horror movies. Through no fault of her own, the teenage girl with awe-inspiring and deadly powers, is thrust into a murderous rampage after being tormented and humiliated by her fellow students.

Hannibal Lecter (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Hannibal Lecter will forever go down as one of the most chilling horror movie icons of all time, but he also has one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking backstories. Long before he became the infamous cannibalistic at the center of The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal was a young boy when he narrowly survived an encounter with a group of starved and desperate Nazi soldiers who attacked and ate his sister.

Magneto (The X-Men Movies)

Magneto (Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender) was one of the most complex characters in all of the X-Men movies and had one of the most unsettling backstories. In X-Men: First Class, we saw the origins of the legendary comic book villain who was forced to watch his mother being brutally murdered in a German concentration camp.

Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)

Perhaps the best comic book movie villain of all time (at least in the MCU), Thanos (Josh Brolin) wasn’t your average big bad. Inspired by the traumatic event where he watched his civilization rip itself apart due to a lack of resources, the Mad Titan put a plan into effect to prevent that from happening ever again. It’s just that his plan temporarily resulted in the deaths of billions of living beings.

Severus Snape (The Harry Potter Movies)

Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) will always be one of the most complex and beloved characters in the Harry Potter series, even if he’s viewed as a villain for most of the books and movies. Madly in love with Harry’s late mother, Lily, a young Severus was also bullied by the Potter’s father and his friends, pushing him to the dark side.

Candyman (Candyman)

Daniel Robitaille (Tony Todd), aka Candyman, is a terrifying figure in the world of horror, but that’s because he also has an incredibly tragic backstory in which he was was lynched, disfigured, and killed by bees before his body was burnt by an angry mob.

Frankenstein’s Monster (Frankenstein)

Frankenstein’s monster in Frankenstein was just enjoying being a dead man when he was reanimated and unleashed upon the world in the 1931 horror classic. Though viewed as a monster by most, this tragic figure had a heartbreaking existence.

Darth Vader (The Star Wars Movies)

Losing your mother and being responsible for the death of your wife is enough to make anyone turn to the dark side, and that’s what happened to Anakin Skywalker, aka, Darth Vader, in the Star Wars movies. Sure, Lord Vader is all but void of humanity, but that’s because of the pain, suffering, and tragedy that filled his life, both before and after being defeated by his mentor in battle.

Bane (The Dark Knight Rises)

The Dark Knight Rises is a bit of a mess, but Tom Hardy’s Bane is one of the most interesting characters and sympathetic villains in all of comic book movies. Taking over Gotham was bad and there were a lot of unnecessary deaths, but the masked figure was doing it for Talia al Ghul (Marion Cotillard), whom he nearly died protecting years earlier.

Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)

Sleeping Beauty leads us to believe that Maleficent is a force of pure evil, but the character got her due in Maleficent. In this live-action Disney film starring Angelina Jolie, we learn that the character was only acting out the way she did because her former friend and current king betrayed her long ago.

Mr. Freeze (Batman & Robin)

Batman & Robin isn’t the first movie that comes to mind when you’re thinking about tragic villains, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s take on Mr. Freeze in this 1997 comic book movie has a heartbreaking backstory. All of his antics, destruction, and puns are part of an attempt to reconnect with his wife, who’s long been in a coma, caught between the living and dead.

Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street)

Before he was Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), Benjamin Barker was a talented barber sent into exile by a powerful and corrupt judge who lusted after his wife. In Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, it is revealed that Barker’s wife took her own life and their daughter is under the control of his nemesis, which kicks off his bloody tour of revenge.

Zemo (Captain America: Civil War)

Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo in Captain America: Civil War, though different from his comic book counterpart, quickly became one of the best and most complex villains in the MCU. Instead of being gifted with superpowers or awesome tech, this antagonist used his grief from the death of his family (at the hands of the Avengers) as his motivation to tear the team apart from the inside.

Kayako Saeki (Ju-On: The Grudge)

Kayako Saeki is Ju-On: The Grudge is one of the most terrifying horror movie characters of the 21st century but also one with an absolutely gut-wrenching origin story. Once a living person, the film’s antagonist became a ghostly undead figure after she and her family were viciously murdered and left to haunt their former home for all eternity.

Scar (The Lion King)

If you only take into account the events of The Lion King, then Scar is a vengeful, jealous, and bitter brother of the king of the Pride Lands. However, learn more about his upbringing in which he was originally named Taka (a name that essentially means “trash”) and how he was cast aside for Simba, and his actions start to make sense.

Norman Bates (Psycho)

Though vicious and sadistic, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho had quite a tragic backstory, one filled with jealousy, revenge, and unaddressed mental illness. This does not justify his actions, but it does offer some insight into why he carried out the way he did.

John Kramer (The Saw Movies)

John Kramer (Tobin Bell), aka, Jigsaw, is one of the most devilish and inventive serial killers in cinematic history, but he’s also oddly enough one of the most sympathetic. The death of an unborn child, a divorce, a terminal illness, and a slow descent into madness helped turn the civil engineer into a murderous madman.

Ms. Collins (Last Night In Soho)

Last Night in Soho, one of the best horror movies of 2021, had what can best be described as one of the most shocking endings in recent memory when it was revealed that Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg), the seemingly normal owner of Ellie’s (Thomasin McKenzie) small apartment is a vicious killer preying upon less-savory men. However, it turns out that Ms. Collins’ motivation for the crimes is even more tragic.

Cruella De Vil (Cruella)

Estella Miller (Emma Stone), who later becomes the Cruella de Vil we all know and love (to hate) from 101 Dalmatians, had quite a tragic backstory in Cruella, a 2021 prequel that explained her hatred for a certain breed of dogs. Losing a parent to a pack of the spotted pups is enough to drive one mad.

Scarlet Witch (Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness)

After witnessing the death of her best friend and lover, not once but twice, before being turned to dust for five years and then returning to a world she no longer understands, it’s easy to see how Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) could turn into a monster of her own creation in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Add in the deaths of her children (don’t tell her they don’t exist), and it gets even darker.

Two-Face (The Dark Knight)

The Two-Face story has always been one of tragedy, but no version is as heartbreaking as the one that plays out in The Dark Knight. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) goes from being Gotham’s last hope against crime and corruption to one of its most violent and disfigured villains. The loss of the love of his life and a chance at normalcy push him over the edge.

Ghost (Ant-Man And The Wasp)

Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), better known as Ghost, was introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp as a young and tormented villain still suffering from the effects of a quantum explosion that left her in state of physical limbo and her parents dead. Sad, confused, and angry, Starr turned against S.H.I.E.L.D. after the organization began taking advantage of her powers.

The Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), aka, The Vulture, quickly made an impact in Spider-Man: Homecoming, providing an all-time great movie villain in the process. After the Department of Damage Control essentially puts his small salvage operation out of business, Toomes goes to great lengths to provide food, shelter, and security for his family… even if it means taking a more villainous path.

Syndrome (The Incredibles)

One of the best Pixar villains, Syndrome (Jason Lee) in The Incredibles has a great and unforgettable backstory that adds another dimension to his character. After being turned down by his longtime idol, Syndrome turns to a life of villainy against Mr. Incredible after his whole worldview is shattered in an instant.

Arthur Fleck (Joker)

Not knowing your father has to be one of the most traumatic events someone could go through, but that’s just a part of Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) story in Joker. The unhinged and violent loner in Todd Phillips’ 2019 comic book movie lived a life of loneliness, misery, and confusion before making a name for himself in a shocking way.

Draco Malfoy (The Harry Potter Movies)

Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) is one of the most annoying Harry Potter characters, but he’s also a villain who’s rather sympathetic once you consider his backstory. Subjected to all kinds of torment by his father and the expectations of his family, poor Draco never stood a chance.

Elon Musk has been involved in several pop culture-related matters, from his beef with Disney to his assertion that Friends isn't funny. The Tesla CEO occasionally takes to social media to share his personal insights into films and TV shows of the modern era. Now, though, Musk finds himself wrapped up in a situation involving an acclaimed science fiction film. The producers of Blade Runner 2049 are suing his aforementioned corporation for allegedly using images for the film for promotional purposes.

It was on Monday that Alcon Entertainment formally filed suit against Tesla in a California federal court. Per the lawsuit, the automotive brand used an artificial intelligence generator to transform stills from Blade Runner 2049 into unlicensed promotional materials for its robotaxi. Said advertisements were used when the self-driving vehicle was unveiled earlier this year, according to THR. Alcon also does not want to be associated with Elon Musk due to his “extreme political and social views.” The suit also reads:

The car manufacturer isn’t the only entity that’s named in the entity that’s named in the suit. Warner Bros. Discovery (which distributed 2049) is also involved, as the brand supposedly oversaw the use of the images. As part of the alleged partnership, the robotaxi reveal was held on a studio lot. Amid the presentation, there was also an image that showed a male sporting a trench coat as he looked over the remains of a city. It’s Alcon’s contention that the shot was taken from a scene in which Ryan Gosling’s K explores the last of Las Vegas.

Alcon – which produced films like Insomnia and The Blind Side – alleged that it wasn’t aware of the deal between WBD and Tesla until the same day the unveiling was held. It’s also been said that once Elon Musk reached out to Warners about a Blade Runner-adjacent collaboration for the robotaxi, an employee sent a request for clearance to the production company, which apparently denied the appeal due to the use of A.I.-generated imagery. On the whole, Alcon is suing on the grounds of copyright infringement and false endorsement and is seeking unspecified damages.

Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 opened in theaters in 2017 and was met with rave reviews. The film, which is streamable with a Max subscription, didn’t ignite a new era for the franchise, though it’s since garnered a cult following. (Per the recent lawsuit, Elon Musk expressed his admiration for the franchise at the robotaxi event.) There are currently plans for the IP, as the upcoming Blade Runner 2099 show is in development at Amazon Prime Video. That show is supposedly another reason why Alcon wants no association with Musk.

As it stands, this is just one Hollywood-related legal matter that Elon Musk is involved in. Musk is also funding a lawsuit on behalf of Gina Carano, who’s suing Disney over her firing from The Mandalorian. It remains to be seen what will happen with that case, and the same is also true as far as Musk’s legal entanglement with Alcon Entertainment goes.

Timing is everything, no matter what the subject at hand may be. Releasing a potential blockbuster is certainly one of those fields where strategy is key, and when it comes to the movies we’re about to discuss, it just was sadly a case of wrong place, wrong time.

Watchmen

If co-writer/director Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Watchmen had been released at any point other than the start of the MCU’s boom, it might have seen better box office returns. While the movie still holds up, one has to wonder if an era with larger IMAX capacity would have done this movie better.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

2015 was a good year for spy movies, with Kingsman: The Secret Service and Spectre both doing rather well at the box office. So maybe Guy Ritchie’s beloved The Man from U.N.C.L.E. should have thought about releasing in early 2016 instead, as the film’s breezy antidote to Daniel Craig’s James Bond arc could have been better appreciated.

The Rocketeer

The Rocketeer is one of the classic examples of a movie that had too much competition. With summer 1991 offering the likes of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, there was little room in people’s hearts for an underrated Disney take on comic book heroism. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

It was almost instantaneously decided that Edgar Wright’s cinematic adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World would eventually be a cult classic. Flopping in theaters, the people who actually saw it kept the torch lit for future fans to discover. Perhaps Inception had better legs than Universal had thought. 

Alita: Battle Angel

There’s still a dedicated fan base who want to see a sequel to Robert Rodriguez’s adaptation of Alita: Battle Angel. This would-be blockbuster’s debut saw it as the final 20th Century Fox movie to be released before the 2019 Disney/Fox merger’s completion; an event that would see various projects cancelled, sold off, or get lost in the shuffle.  

Tron

Nobody knew just how white hot E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial was going to be in the summer of 1982. Dominating the box office for a stretch that’s unheard of in the current market, Disney’s experimental sci-fi movie Tron was a casualty during that reign. Moved from a Christmas slot staked out in that same year, the arcade game wound up making more money than this cult classic would take at the movies.

The Last Voyage Of The Demeter

If you’re trying to craft a horror hit, even if you’re uncertain about the IP, a Halloween release date is your best chance at success. While director André Øvredal’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark bucked that trend with its well played August 2019 release, 2023 would see his film The Last Voyage of the Demeter crash into the rocks of misfortune.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Six years can make a difference when you’re trying to follow the next big thing. Gremlins 2: The New Batch taught the world that lesson as it failed to capture its 1984 predecessor’s box office bonanza in 1990. Between a crowded year at the box office, and the arrival of so many imitators throughout that stretch of time, it was hard for this actually well-liked picture to last past midnight.

The Thing

Maybe a major studio with two alien-centric movies should be a bit careful in how they release them. As if John Carpenter’s The Thing wasn’t disturbing enough on its own, the fact that the movie shared cinematic air with E.T.: the Extra-terrestrial not only buried the picture, it made it look even more frightening. Lucky for the world The Thing found its feet on VHS, and all was right with the world. 

Blade Runner

Sometimes a classic needs to give the world a little more time to catch up. Thanks to the meteoric rise of E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial in 1982’s box office calendar, director Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner seemed destined to obscurity. However, when the picture landed in rental stores quicker than Steven Spielberg’s cinematic phenomenon, people were ready to dive in. 

The Last Action Hero

Believe it or not, heading into the theatrical release of The Last Action Hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s meta action/comedy was being touted as “the big ticket for ‘93!” And then a scrappy upstart student film called Jurassic Park was unleashed, just two days earlier, and the rest was history faster than you could say “Big mistake.” 

Doctor Sleep

November 2019 didn’t do many movies favors when it came to cashing in on existing IP. While Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep had a good head of steam heading into its release into multiplexes, its arrival was met by the surprising box office victory of Midway. If only it had gone toe to toe with Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, perhaps the Halloween season could have booked more butts at The Overlook. 

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a movie that underperformed so horribly, it closed Square Pictures’ doors not that long after they first opened. While one could debate when the right time was to release an ambitious video game tie-in flick, it certainly wasn’t in the same stretch where Legally Blonde was conquering in pink and Shrek was making its name. 

Surviving Christmas

Long before the Hallmark Channel somehow convinced people it’s ok to watch Christmas movies year long, the Ben Affleck-led holiday comedy Surviving Christmas was a huge example of releasing a movie way out of season. Opening on October 22nd, 2004, the only defense this forgotten flameout has is that it was probably trying to beat The Polar Express and Christmas with the Kranks to the punch. 

Black Widow

Marvel’s Black Widow should have been the massive homecoming for the MCU that the early pandemic world was looking for. Unfortunately, this was also the time that Disney+’s short-lived Premier Access program was tested, in order to entice audiences to enjoy the film at home. Scarlett Johansson’s eventual lawsuit was only the beginning of the fallout, as the film performed nowhere near the level the MCU brass expected.

Turning Red

A week after 2022’s The Batman crushed it at the early pandemic box office, Disney/Pixar’s Turning Red tried to make a savvy pivot as a Disney+ streaming original. Though the film had an eventual theatrical re-release, the picture still failed to make a proper stamp on the box office.

Tenet

Literally the first movie that reopened movie theaters after the 2020 COVID-19 shutdowns, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet became a champion of post-shutdown cinema. It also did as well as it could in the earlier, much more limited market that was available to theatrical titles; which only made it an eventual IMAX 70mm repertory favorite. 

Jersey Girl

Gigli was a theatrical bomb that was so devastating that its effects weren’t only felt by Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s ill-advised rom-com. With fears that Kevin Smith’s Jersey Girl would also crater as a result, the picture was tweaked to limit the appearance of Bennifer 1.0 in the film. It didn’t matter, because Smith’s heart on its sleeve family dramedy still tanked. 

The Village 

There’s a case to be made that M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village should have either been his first project, or a later career release. Riding the wave of “twist” laden movies like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, the film was marketed as a spooky, twisted movie…which hides the actually sweet nature of its cerebral drama. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

In a more traditional period of release, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar could have been a surprise hit that raked in box office gold. But as a 2021 release that was eventually turned into a PVOD exclusive debut, Kristen Wiig and Anne Mumulo’s sunny fun seekers weren’t given the spotlight they truly deserved. 

Crossroads

Ok, get all the jokes out now. No, Crossroads isn’t a movie that never should have been released. While it was a decent hit at the 2002 box office, this could have been a white-hot hit if it was produced and released earlier in Britney Spears’ career as a pop princess.

Haunted Mansion

20 years after the Eddie Murphy starring spin on the same Disneyland attraction arrived, Haunted Mansion was the reboot that hoped to get it right. But with a critical drubbing, and a non-Halloween release date, director Justin Simien’s new tale in an old haunt was barely a ghost by spooky season.

Tron: Legacy

When all was said and done, Tron: Legacy actually did pretty well for itself in a December 2010 release slot. However, in the era where Pirates of the Caribbean, and eventually the MCU, would become Disney’s preferred ATMs, the legacy-quel would act as a minor point of light before another franchise dark age.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

While Star Wars started as a summer-based franchise, the Sequel Trilogy era saw The Force Awakens relocate the series to its current Christmas holiday tradition. So by the time 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story became a reality, its attempt to return to the May release slot of its youth was seen as a massive misstep. 

Star Trek: Nemesis

In 2002, Star Trek’s movies were on a bit of a roll. At least, the franchise was in a comfortable enough position that Paramount Pictures brass decided that releasing Star Trek: Nemesis against The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was a calculated risk worth taking. It was not, even with the presence of baby Tom Hardy playing a clone of Patrick Stewart.

UHF

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman, Ghostbusters II, and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids all came out in the summer of 1989. Weird Al Yankovic’s UHF…also happened. That pretty much sums up how audiences reacted to the cult classic in its initial release phase, but history only went on to prove that maybe Al should have sold his bologna in another space on the calendar.

Brightburn

Points have to be awarded to Brightburn, as the James Gunn-produced mashup of The Omen and Superman not only predated superhero fatigue, it actually happened before both of those franchises would make resurgences in popular culture. If only this R-rated thrill ride had opened with a little more distance from Avengers: Endgame’s debut almost a month prior.

The Core

It was bad enough that 2003’s The Core was unceremoniously delayed from its original release date in late 2002. But when the Columbia shuttle disaster killed all seven astronauts aboard roughly a month before the movie actually made it into the world, the timing couldn’t have been worse. 

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Between The Matrix Revolutions and Return of the King was a window that should have worked for potential 2003 blockbusters. Yet between potential Russell Crowe fatigue, and inflated production costs, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World saw the wind unjustly robbed from its sails. 

The Matrix Resurrections

The Matrix Resurrections was a curious prospect from day one, as The Wachowski’s original trilogy seemed pretty open and shut. That unexpectedly meta approach, meshed with a controversial day-and-date streaming debut in 2021, marked a supposed low point in a once-dominating franchise. 

West Side Story

December 2021 was a bloodbath when it came to the glut of movies released in that very month. With the Disney/Fox empire pushing a lot of movies out in this early pandemic season of cinema, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake found itself crushed up against The King’s Man, Nightmare Alley, and Spider-Man: No Way Home…and that was just the competition from its siblings.

Steve Jobs

Part of Steve Jobs’ struggles manifested early, as a David Fincher-directed/Christian Bale-starring version of the Aaron Sorkin scripted biopic fell apart, despite holding great promise. The movie that resulted, with Danny Boyle directing an all-star cast led by Michael Fassbender, is a magnetic opus that deserves more love than it got.

Unfortunately, the ill-advised Ashton Kutcher vehicle Jobs may have played a part in sinking this beaut; along with an odd awards season release strategy…rolled out in the month of October. Which, just like a lot of the films we've just discussed, is prime proof that a movie at the wrong place in time can be unjustly seen as a failure. 

To this day, how a movie performs at the box office is still considered the most important factor in determining whether or not it deserves to be called a hit. Yet, there are quite a few examples of beloved movies — many of which came out in the 1980s alone — that prove a film’s financial success really pales in comparison to its impact on pop culture. See for yourself by taking a look at some of the best ‘80s movies that you may be surprised to learn were box office bombs back in the day.

Clue (1985)

Despite an all-star cast — including Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, and more — the classic whodunnit, Clue, just barely made back its $15 million budget, scooping up around $14.6 million. If only the cinematic adaptation of the iconic board game were more popular at the time, discussion regarding its three alternate endings — seen in different theaters during its initial run — would have been more widespread and could have boosted interest.

The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)

Perhaps, had it been released when movies about the multiverse became all the rage in the 2020s, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension might have been a success. Instead, the $17-million sci-fi flick starring Peter Weller as an inter-dimensional traveler and rock star took in about $6.3 million before later gaining a cult following.

Blow Out (1981)

Even with a star like John Travolta in the lead, Blow Out would become one of the actor’s least successful films, having made just $12 million on an $18 million budget, which was still considered a great loss in that era. Luckily, director Brian De Palma’s thriller about a sound recorder who becomes embroiled in a murder plot has since been reevaluated as a well-crafted suspense thriller, and can call Quentin Tarantino a fan.

The King Of Comedy (1982)

Not all of Martin Scorsese’s movies have been the hits you might assume, with The King of Comedy being one of the esteemed filmmaker’s weakest-performing efforts. Even with Academy Award winner Robert De Niro in the lead role of a man who grows dangerously desperate to achieve his comedy aspirations, the dramedy made slightly more than $2 million but cost $19 million to make.

The Thing (1982) 

It was not until years after it was first released in theaters that The Thing was finally considered one of the best horror movies of all time, as the paranoia-fueled nightmare about an otherworldly, shapeshifting creature was not well-received by critics or audiences. Director John Carpenter and others involved with the making of the $15 million thriller — with dazzling special effects to show for it — blame its $13.8 million performance on the success of a more lighthearted alien film at the time: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Krull (1983)

While it has not been immune to modern criticism as an ’80s movie that is actually not so good, Krull has found a cult following, inhabited by people who enjoy its charmingly out-of-date special effects and old-fashioned plot involving a prince seeking to rescue his love from evil alien invaders. The $47 million sci-fi flick did not have too many fans at the time of its release, however, and made just $16.5 million.

Legend (1986)

The more modern, cult success of the Oscar-nominated fantasy film, Legend, can be traced back to the release of Ridley Scott’s unrated Director’s Cut in 2002. However, at the time of release, the Tom Cruise-led adventure — also starring Mia Sara and a devilish Tim Curry — was not well received by critics and only made $ 23 million on a budget of $25 million.

The Black Cauldron (1985)

While now considered an underrated Disney classic, The Black Cauldron almost sealed the fate of the company’s animation division at the time, and for various reasons. Among them, the creepy film about children racing to find a mystical item before it gets into the wrong hands cost $44 million to make, but made just $21.2 million at the box office.

Enemy Mine (1985)

You may have forgotten about the ‘80s movie, Enemy Mine, in which Dennis Quaid and Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr. play two people on opposite sides of a futuristic, interspecies war forced to make nice when they become stranded on a deserted planet together. However, you might be forgiven because, at the time it theaters, a lot of people forgot to see the $48 million sci-fi drama, which only grossed $12 million.

Blade Runner (1982)

You can see every cent of Blade Runner’s $28 million budget in each beautiful frame of Ridley Scott’s ambitious adaptation of Phillip K. Dick’s influential novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? While the studio would make that money back, they only turned in a profit of just about $5 million by the end of the sci-fi classic’s original theatrical run.

The Running Man (1987)

Despite being, just about, the biggest action star of the ‘80s, not all of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movies from that decade proved to be a runaway success at the box office. For example, The Running Man — based on a novel by Stephen King, written under the pen name Richard Bachman — did make $38 million, but when compared to its $30 million budget, was ultimately considered a failure at the time.

Explorers (1985)

Ethan Hawke made his acting debut in this Joe Dante-helmed sci-fi flick that sees every child’s dream of actually being able to travel through space come true — with help from an extraterrestrial manual, of course. Despite its inventive premise, Explorers only beamed up $10 million, while costing $24 million.

Highlander (1986)

There actually might have only been “one” Highlander after all, had director Russel Mulcahy’s fantasy thriller about a Scottish swordsman granted eternal life not gained a cult following. Even with Sir Sean Connery in the cast, the $16 million fantasy thriller was not a quite a hit in its theatrical run, earning only $12.9 million.

Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

While recognized as an iconic actor-director duo, Kurt Russell and John Carpenter could rarely catch a break in the ’80, having made more than one bomb in that era. An even bigger commercial failure than The Thing was Big Trouble in Little China — a funny, inventive fantasy adventure that cost $25 million to make, but only took in $11.2 domestically.

Flash Gordon (1980)

The awesomely cheesy, cinematic adaptation of Alex Raymond's comic, Flash Gordon, had a strong start at the box office, topping the charts in the U.S. However, it would slow down in later weeks and, while it ended up making back its $20 million budget, would make a domestic profit of a little more than $7 million.

Labyrinth (1986)

For its wondrous production design, unique creatures courtesy of director Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and a dazzling performance by rock star David Bowie as the dastardly king of the goblins, Jareth, Labyrinth is a definitive example of a cult classic. The musical fantasy’s cult status is also largely determined by its performance at the box office — grossing only $14.5 million on a $25 million budget, which could be due to some parents fearing it may be too scary for their children.

Heathers (1988)

Having since inspired a stage musical adaptation, a series reboot in 2018, and boasting a daring premise for its time, Heathers is now considered one of the best high school movies of all time, despite its initial commercial failure. While costing just $3 million, it only took in $1.1 million, perhaps because nobody wanted to see a movie about teenagers killing off their classmates at the time.

The Right Stuff (1983)

Even at a time when space movies usually made a killing, The Right Stuff — a dramatization of the development of the United States space program — did not fly very high. The $27 million drama fell a bit short, raking in just $21.5 million, but went on to win four Academy Awards. 

Brazil (1985)

Terry Gilliam is one of the most fascinating, visually talented filmmakers to ever walk the Earth and one of the most stunning examples of his gifts is Brazil, which stars Jonathan Pryce as a bureaucrat whose mundane life is interrupted when he becomes accused of a crime. However, it seems that audiences just were not ready for the former Monty Python member’s vision at the time, as the quirky, highly inventive dystopian thriller only made $9.9 million on a $15 million budget.

Ladyhawke (1985)

Director Richard Donner’s Ladyhawke has everything a moviegoer could want — action-packed thrills, wondrous mysticism, clever hijinks, and more. Yet, the $20 million fantasy adventure — about a thief (played by Matthew Broderick), a rugged warrior (played by Rutger Hauer), and a mysterious woman (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) teaming up against a tyrannical bishop — was not seen by that many moviegoers, having earned $18 million

The Abyss (1989)

In all honestly, James Cameron, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind record-breaking hits like Titanic and Avatar, has never really made a flop in his career, per se. Even The Abyss — in which a diving team stumbles on an extra-terrestrial presence beneath the surface — made $90 million on a $50 million budget, but that was considered quite a step down from the success he had with The Terminator and Aliens.

UHF (1989)

While some of the jokes are a little dated by today’s standards, fans of “Weird Al” Yankovic still cannot get enough of UHF, which they might consider one of the best parody movies of its time. The comedy — about a man (played by Yankovic) who becomes the manager of a struggling TV network — would make a profit off of its $6 million box office gross, but not by much since it cost $5 million to make.

Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America is a crime epic in the true definition of the term, having had its original 269-minute runtime edited down to 139 minutes, which could explain why it only made $5.5 million on a $30 million budget. However, some people who did see the gangster drama — which stars Robert De Niro and Elizabeth McGovern — would condemn its violent content.

The Monster Squad (1987)

These days, The Monster Squad is considered a not-so-scary horror movie classic that those who grew up with it love to put on every year around the Halloween season. Perhaps if the $14 million film — about a group of children who find themselves at odds with Count Dracula and other famed creatures — was released in October, it could have seen a greater success than its $3.8 million gross.

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1988)

Terry Gilliam’s follow-up to Brazil — which made back only a little more than half of its budget in 1985 — would, sadly, prove to be a steeper commercial failure. Made for $46.6 million, The Adventure of Baron Munchausen, which stars John Neville as the titular noble who leads a fantastic quest, took in just $8 million.

The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

You could say that The Transformers: The Movie is a popular ‘80s flick that has not stood the test of time (due to the later success of the franchises’ live-action reboots). However, its performance at the box office — just barely making back its $6 million budget by raking in roughly $5.8 million — would suggest otherwise. Still, many older fans of the robots in disguise regard it as the best Transformers movie to this day.

American Pop (1981)

Filmmaker Ralph Bakshi, the creator of some of the most famous and acclaimed animated movies for grown-ups, arguably hit his peak with American Pop, which was written by Ronni Kern and follows four generations of a family of Russian Jewish musicians. However, the musical drama certainly would not be the peak of his career from a financial perspective, making $6 million on a $5 million budget. 

Ishtar (1987)

Let alone the fact that Ishtar cost $51 million and made just $14.3 million, the film was torn apart by critics and deemed one of the worst films of its time, if not ever. However, the adventure comedy starring Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty has since been reevaluated by many as a fun and underrated romp, which makes its failure at the time of release feel like only a slight misstep in its overall legacy.

One From The Heart (1981)

Francis Ford Coppola is one of the most important filmmakers of our time, having won critics and audiences over with his Best Picture Oscar winners, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, to name just a couple. However, 1981 saw him suffer one of his greatest losses as his $26 million romantic musical drama One from the Heart only took in $697,872.

When the Wind Blows (1986)

Based on Raymond Briggs’ graphic novel and featuring songs by David Bowie and Roger Waters, When the Wind Blows is a thought-provoking meditation on the looming threat of nuclear war, as seen through the eyes of one naive elderly couple from rural England. Whether it was its animation style or its bleak subject matter, audiences failed to drop in for the $2 million satire, which grossed just a little over $5,000.

Crimewave (1985) 

One of the more overlooked Sam Raimi movies is Crimewave, which was his follow-up to The Evil Dead before continuing the now beloved horror movie franchise. The cartoonish thriller about a man wrongfully accused of a serious of uproarious crimes had a modest $2.5 million budget, but its worldwide gross rounded out to $5,101.

Dragonslayer (1981)

With a name like Dragonslayer, director Matthew Robbins’ fantasy adventure starring Peter MacNicol sounds like a surefire hit already. However, it did not quite live up to its expectations and made just $14 million on an $18 million budget.

A lot can happen to a movie between the time a script is written and a premiere is held, and in some cases, a whole lot of bad can happen. Over the years, Best Picture winners, some of the greatest horror movies of all time, and cult classics have experienced nightmarish productions, with some being far worse than anyone could have ever imagined.

Come with us as we go through the history of Hollywood and break down 32 movies with disastrous productions that have since become the stuff of legend. And while we will be avoiding spoilers, some details are not for the faint of heart.

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1982)

Arguably the most infamous disastrous production, Twilight Zone: The Movie is mostly remembered for the on-set deaths of Vic Morrow and child actors Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, who were all killed in a freak accident involving a helicopter. Slate would later write extensively about the accident, what led to it, and how the segment’s director, John Landis, dealt with the ramifications.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Though known as one of the best war movies ever made, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam War epic is more times than not remembered for being one of the most intense, grueling, and disastrous productions. An overweight and ill-prepared Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen’s heart attack, and several other issues have since been well-documented in documentaries like Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)

The Island of Dr. Moreau is one of those movies that so many people wanted to work on, but it just wasn’t in the cards. The early dismissal of original director Richard Stanley (he was replaced by John Frankenheimer less than a week into shooting), Marlon Brando’s odd behavior, and Val Kilmer stepping in when Bruce Willis left shortly before production began all contributed to the madness on set.

Rust (Unreleased)

Who knows if the world will ever get to see Rust, as Joel Souza’s Western film has been wrapped up in all kinds of investigations, criminal trials, and litigation ever since a freak accident on set claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. According to the Los Angeles Times, star Alec Baldwin was practicing a shooting scene when his gun fired a live round, killing Hutchins and injuring Souza. Production has been suspended ever since.

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

Werner Herzog’s 1982 epic Fitzcarraldo tells the story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (Klaus Kinski) as he attempts to transport a steamship through rivers and over a steep hill to find his fame and fortune. Herzog, not one to take the easy way out, decided that he and his crew would drag an actual 320-ton ship up a hill, as seen in the must-watch Les Blank documentary, Burden of Dreams. 

The Shining (1980)

In addition to having some great improvised movie moments, Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining also has a reputation for being a movie where the tyrannical director pushed and pushed and pushed his cast to their breaking point. Kubrick’s primary target, Shelley Duvall, had an especially hard time on set, according to The Mirror, and was left in poor health because of the intense and chaotic shoot.

Jaws (1975)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, had everything you’d want in a big movie: legendary acting performances, an all-time great John Williams score, and one of the scariest monsters captured on screen. As the director remembered in Spielberg: The First Ten Years (via Vanity Fair), a boat began to sink with the actors (and sound equipment) aboard, the shark didn’t work half the time, and the whole project went over budget. Still, it’s one of the greatest of all time.

Back To The Future (1984)

Back to the Future is remembered today as one of the best ‘80s movies and an iconic sci-fi flick that helped turn Michael J. Fox into the biggest actor on the planet. But before the Family Ties star came into the picture and brought Marty McFly to life, Eric Stoltz was famously cast and then fired weeks into the production. Though all of the McFly scenes were reshot, there’s still a single shot of Stoltz in the final cut. 

The Revenant (2015)

The Revenant, which earned Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar, experienced one of the most grueling and difficult productions in recent memory. Director Alejandro G. Inarritu insisted on shooting the film in order, which caused a myriad of issues along the way, including going over budget by the tune of $7 million, subjecting the cast and crew to extreme weather conditions, and having to move everything to a different continent to find cold enough weather.

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

The Wizard of Oz is a movie that should get its own biographical drama series because so much drama happened on the set of the landmark 1939 film. From the production using asbestos to make fake snow to the alleged abuse and harassment on set to recastings and new directors, a lot went wrong in the process of making one of the most influential films of all time.

Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars (later retitled Episode IV – A New Hope) launched one of the biggest franchises of all time back in May 1977, but it wasn’t all peas and carrots on the set of the game-changing sci-fi epic. George Lucas and company battled all kinds of issues during the disastrous production including shooting in the deserts of Tunisia and Death Valley, budget problems, and droids that just wouldn’t work led to a series of headaches for all involved parties.

Cleopatra (1963)

Described by the A.V. Club as both an unmitigated disaster and runaway smash hit, Cleopatra is one of the most well-known movies of all time. Production of the epic starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was stalled by unexploded World War II landmines, medical emergencies, and a ballooning budget.

Waterworld (1995)

A bad movie with a great plot, Kevin Costner’s Waterworld has a reputation for being one of the worst and most expensive box office failures of the ‘90s. According to Yahoo! Entertainment, Costner’s choice to ignore Steven Spielberg’s advice about shooting on open water was largely to blame for the movie’s massive budget and a plethora of issues experienced by the cast and crew on the set.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

On top of being a wildly inaccurate biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody is also a film that was marred by on-set issues. A lot of the issues were connected to original director Bryan Singer, who was fired partway through production after numerous run-ins with the cast and outbursts on set. But the problems didn’t stop there, as the screenwriter later sued the film’s producers.

Titanic (1997)

James Cameron’s Titanic is one of the biggest movies of all time, as well as one that experienced one of the strangest incidents during production. As later covered by outlets like Variety, someone spiked the cast and crew’s clam chowder with PCP, which resulted in dozens of people flooding a local hospital suffering from all kinds of psychedelic and physical effects.

Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a top-tier sci-fi classic, but the director’s techno-noir film wasn’t without its fair share of incidents. From rewrites to missing deadlines to an insistence on adding narration by Harrison Ford, there was a lot that went wrong before the movie hit the big screen.

Heaven's Gate (1980)

Heaven’s Gate, the 1980 Michael Cimino movie and not the cult from the ‘90s, is often regarded as one of the worst and most disastrous movies of all time. Released a few years after Cimino’s iconic The Deer Hunter, the Western epic ended up coming in $30+ million over budget, many days late, and according to IndieWire, was so bad United Artists decided to shelve the film not long into its run.

The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)

The Bridge on the River Kwai, Davide Lean’s 1957 war epic is often regarded as one of the best World War II films, but it too, had its share of production issues. Among them were problems director David Lean had with the British actors and the botched filming of the iconic bridge explosion caused by a cameraman not getting out of the way in time.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Regarded as one of the best action movies of all time, Mad Max: Fury Road took the genre to new heights with its story about Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron). However, as reported by Vanity Fair, the two stars hated one another, which made things difficult on set.

Tombstone (1993)

One of the best Westerns ever made, Tombstone is one of those movies you just have to watch whenever it's on TV. But we’re lucky the movie was even made, as its production was the stuff of nightmares (at least for Hollywood). Kevin Jarre, the screenwriter and original director, was fired early in production and there have long been rumors that star Kurt Russell was his replacement, not George P. Cosmatos, who’s credited as the director.

The Crow (1994)

The Crow, which would go on to become one of the biggest cult classics of the ‘90s, will forever be known as the movie in which star Brandon Lee was tragically shot and killed during production. 

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, was long believed to be a movie that would never see the light of day. Over the course of nearly 30 years, multiple attempts, and countless casting replacements, Gilliam finally released the movie in 2018

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

One of the most shocking movies of all time, Cannibal Holocaust has become a rite of passage in some circles due to its gratuitous violence and pure depravity. The found footage horror film, which features the decapitations of animals among other things, ended up getting its director, Ruggero Deodato, sent to court after people thought it was a real documentary.

Sorcerer (1977)

Riding high on the success of The French Connection and The Exorcist, William Friedkin took on one of his most ambitious projects: Sorcerer. The box office dud is mostly remembered all these years later for being the movie that sent at least 50 crew members to the hospital with ailments like gangrene and malaria, per Collider.

The Abyss (1989)

Though not the best James Cameron movie, The Abyss is still a great addition to the sci-fi genre and a wonderful alien movie. But know what wasn’t great? The film’s production. Cameron pushed things way too far for the cast, crew, and himself to the dangerous limits throughout the shoot, and, according to SyFy, he almost died on set.

Deliverance (1972)

Few movies capture a sense of dread and danger better than Deliverance, and it sounds like what happened behind the scenes was just as terrifying as anything featured in the 1972 thriller. Between Jon Voight almost dying performing a stunt, fistfights on set, and run-ins with the locals, a lot went wrong.

Alien 3 (1992)

David Fincher is one of the best directors in Hollywood, but the man behind Seven, Fight Club, and The Social Network had a bad start in the business thanks to the disastrous Alien 3. Fincher has been vocal about the production woes in the past, which could be attributed to a revolving door of creatives and a studio not knowing what it wanted.

World War Z (2013)

Have you ever watched World War Z and wondered why the final act of the 2013 Brad Pitt zombie movie feels like it has nothing in common with everything that led to that point? Well, that’s because the final third of the movie was completely rewritten and reshot.

Roar (1981)

Watch the Roar trailer and it shouldn’t take long to figure out why this 1981 cult classic is on the list. During the production of this wild creature feature, 70 crew members were injured by real-life lions, with some getting gangrene and puncture wounds.

American History X (1998)

It wasn’t so much the production of American History X that was the disaster as it was the post-production work. According to The Independent, director Tony Kaye, who was upset with New Line Cinema for making him recut and lengthen the film, ended up punching a wall and breaking his hand during the editing before going on a crusade to bad-mouth his film and having his name removed from the credits.

Tootsie (1982)

Going off an excerpt from David McGiffert’s The Best Seat in the House (via The Wrap), it sounds like Dustin Hoffman was just as difficult to work with as his character in Tootsie. In his book, the assistant director goes into great detail about the confrontations between Hoffman and director Sydney Pollack, which really adds to their characters’ scenes together.

Suicide Squad (2016)

Before all the Justice League brouhaha in the years that followed, the DCEU gave the world Suicide Squad, a movie pieced together by so many different parties it’s unnecessarily complex and hard to follow. Years later, director David Ayer still gets crap for the movie.

Some of these movies are cinematic masterpieces, while others have been largely forgotten to the sands of time. However, they all have something in common: they all had disastrous productions.

Sometimes a movie leaves us with a finale so head scratching, we need to run out and talk about it. That concern is always going to be valid, and that’s why we felt it was time to decipher 32 of the most confusing movie endings, so that you don’t have to. Brace yourselves, as some of these finales are all-time stumpers. 

Inception

Is Dom (Leonardo DiCaprio) still in the dream world, or is he back home with his kids? It’s been over a decade since Inception planted that question in our minds, and as far as Christopher Nolan’s thoughts on Dom’s ending are concerned, it doesn’t matter because the character doesn’t care. Though if you ask us, Leo’s still dreaming in the end.

Looper

Because of how Looper’s time travel works in Rian Johnson’s story, one could say that it’s safe to assume that young Cid (Pierce Gagnon) doesn’t become the criminal overlord known as The Rainmaker. However, our own interpretation of the ending is that the death of both Joes (Joseph Gordon-Levitt/Bruce Willis)  probably had no effect on Cid’s future, and the kid’s still destined for darkness. 

Shutter Island

This one’s a pretty cut-and-dry affair, as the finale of director Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Shutter Island is actually clearer than the book when it comes to the final fate of Andrew Laeddis (Leonardo DiCaprio). In author Dennis Lehane’s novel, we’re not sure if Andrew or his Teddy Daniels persona is in control; but in Shutter Island’s movie ending, it’s plainly clear that Andrew wants that lobotomy, and pretends he still thinks he’s his US Marshall alter ego. 

mother!

The ending to mother! is a literally Biblical finale, with Jennifer Lawrence’s titular matron unleashing apocalyptic ruin against her lover, Him (Javier Bardem). As we saw Darren Aronofsky’s film start with a woman burning in some hellfire of her own, we’re led to believe that the cycle of creation and destruction is about to start again, thanks to Him waking up his new companion the same way he roused mother. 

Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film Birdman, Or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance is a rare case where a seemingly impenetrable ending fits along with the story that came before it. While we debate whether Riggan (Michael Keaton) jumped to his death or soared with the birds, the blurred lines of reality never let up even in the finale, causing us to question everything we’ve seen come to pass. 

The Shining

Stephen King’s notorious dislike of The Shining, at least as a movie, certainly has its points. While Stanley Kubrick’s iconic adaptation is definitely a different beast from its literary source, as the film seemingly depicts the soul of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) now caught in the purgatory of The Overlook. For years the mystery of that ominous photo kept people guessing, but thanks to Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep, that seems to be the best answer available. 

Fight Club

Just as Fight Club’s Operation Mayhem is about to punch a hole in the status quo, we learn that Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) is a manifestation of the Narrator (Edward Norton) and his contempt for the world. Sometimes dissociating into that personality it’s our Narrator that was the mastermind this whole time. Holding hands with Darla (Helena Bonham Carter) while the world seemingly ends, there’s two comic sequels that tell the story of what happened after one of the best ‘90s movies of all time.

American Psycho

Did Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) really kill all of those people? Apparently not. While he confesses to killing rival Paul Allen (Jared Leto), and even engages in a gun-toting showdown with the NYPD, the next day sees Patrick’s crimes being laughed off by anyone he mentions them to. Mary Harron’s film is just as open-ended as Bret Easton Ellis’ novel, but at the end of the day, Patrick does do a lot of drugs, and nobody can keep anybody’s names straight. 

Memento

2000’s Memento saw would-be detective Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) seeking out his wife’s killer. Unfortunately,  Leonard’s anterograde amnesia prevents him from remembering that he actually killed his wife’s assailant a year prior to the movie. Even after learning the truth, a moment of vengeance ensures that he’ll keep hunting his wife’s killer for the foreseeable future.

No Country For Old Men

The audience for 2007’s No Country for Old Men thought that there was a chance Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) could have escaped the wrath of hitman Anton Chegur (Javier Bardem). As it turns out, that was never the case, as Moss and his wife were already dead. The true point of the story is to observe Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) and his acceptance that the past is in the past, and there’s nothing you can do about it. 

A Serious Man

In a quest for cosmic and karmic answers, Professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) sees two potential misfortunes befall him at the end of The Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man. Larry’s recent lab tests may indicate some serious health problems, and his son Danny (Aaron Wolff) is seconds away from being lost in a tornado. All because Larry took a bribe to change a student’s grade. 

Blade Runner

The question of whether Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a replicant depends on how you view Blade Runner, right down to the cut you choose to view. While Harrison Ford believes Deckard is a replicant, both Ridley Scott and the events of Blade Runner 2049 seem to fall into the camp of uncertainty at best, and flat-out rejection in its most extreme. So yeah, Deckard’s humanity is up for grabs, with a firm lean towards confirming he’s flesh and blood.

Arrival

The ending of Arrival also happens to be the beginning, as the visions of Louise Banks (Amy Adams) losing her young daughter are not flashbacks, but flash-forwards. Since the Heptapod language allows the human consciousness to basically remember the future, Louise’s fate is all the more bittersweet, as she proceeds to live through the tragedy she could have prevented.

2001: A Space Odyssey

Dr. David Bowman (Keir Dullea) finds himself experiencing one of the trippiest endings of cinematic history in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The simplest way to explain what happened is that thanks to the third, most powerful Monolith, Dr. Bowman found himself unbound from time and space. Reborn as “The Star Child,” he is now ready to transition into even crazier forms throughout the rest of Arthur C. Clarke’s source novels; as he’s basically become immortal. 

Donnie Darko

Time travel helps Donnie Darko become a confusing loop of causality, in which Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) realizes that in order to save his community from a chain of death and tragedy, he has to die. Using the strange powers he’s been developing throughout the film, he causes the jet engine that lands on his house earlier in the movie to ultimately kill his past self, rendering the events of Richard Kelly’s story null and void.

The Thing

John Carpenter’s The Thing is a horror classic for several reasons, one of which is the legendary special effects magic that remains chilling to this day. For our purposes, the other reason open for discussion is the movie’s ending, which questions whether Macready (Kurt Russell) or Childs (Keith David) could be The Thing. If you really want to fit the paranoid theme of the movie, the best assumption is that neither is The Thing, and their distrust eventually kills them both in the end.

Tenet

Sometimes it feels like Christopher Nolan is going for the Hall of Fame when it comes to confusing endings. Tenet’s wild time inversion ride is one of the best examples, as the ending is as twisty as its concept of time. For The Protagonist (John David Washington), and the rest of us in the audience, Tenet is the beginning. However, for Neil (Robert Pattinson), this journey has been an inverted arc that leads to his death saving his new old friend in the movie’s killer opening sequence. 

Annihilation

In a world of doppelgangers and uncertainty, Alex Garland’s film version of Annihilation is a double helix of a twist ending. Not only do we learn that Kane (Oscar Isaac) is actually an alien replica of his human self from the mysterious area known as “The Shimmer,” but we see that the original Lena (Natalie Portman) has been possessed by some of that Shimmer herself. 

Total Recall

Admit it: Total Recall is so pumped full of adrenaline that it’s kind of easy to overlook whether or not Arnold Schwarzenegger’s protagonist had been dreaming the whole time. Paul Verhoeven’s action-packed retelling of Philip K. Dick’s “We’ll Remember It For You Wholesale” may seem to hedge its bets by the end, but we’re willing to say that Total Recall’s ending was all a dream.

Minority Report

Legendary sci-fi author Phillip K. Dick had a knack for writing stories that lead to some of the most open-ended finales of all time. Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report is a long-standing beacon of ambiguity, as Tom Cruise’s John Anderton may or may not have dreamed his own happy ending after a certain point. 

12 Monkeys

Poor James Cole (Bruce Willis). Plagued by nightmares from his childhood, the man trusted to prevent 12 Monkeys’ viral apocalypse from occurring just happens to be the man he saw gunned down in an airport when he was young. While the apocalypse seems to be on its way to being averted, this unfortunate time traveler’s fate would appear to have always been sealed.

Jacob’s Ladder

Vietnam Vet Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) winds his way through a maze of mystery and hallucination in Jacob’s Ladder, which ultimately leads to one hell of a twist ending. By the time we see his dead son Gabe (Macaulay Culkin) welcoming him to the afterlife, we learn that Jacob actually never made it home from Vietnam. The entire movie, save for the sequences set during the war, was a hallucination on Jacob’s deathbed.

The Dark Knight Rises

Based on the overwhelming evidence left in the finale of The Dark Knight Rises, the question of whether Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is alive and well in Italy at the end seems pretty open and shut. After learning that the Caped Crusader fixed the autopilot function on The Bat, it would appear that Bruce found a way to retire from his life of crime-fighting, while leaving his arsenal to the next person he trusted with the mantle: Officer Robin John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Joker

What do Joker’s Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) and American Psycho’s Christian Bale have in common? Well, apparently, they both suffer from a state of psychosis so great they’ve imagined killing people in their waking lives. What makes Todd Phillips’ Academy Award-winning thriller all the more confusing is that thanks to Arthur’s reputation as an unreliable narrator, there may be several layers of fantasy at work throughout this chilling narrative. 

Us

Throughout Jordan Peele’s Us, we’re supposed to believe that Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is being chased by her Untethered doppelganger Red (also Nyong’o). In actuality, what seems to have happened is that on that fateful night in 1986, Red swapped places with Adelaide. Over 30 years later, when Adelaide attempts to reclaim her life through an Untethered revolution, Red kills her - maintaining her stolen life on the surface.

Brazil

Brazil’s ending is one of the most confusing in history thanks to the fact that there are three different conclusions. Thanks to good old-fashioned studio meddling, Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) either suffers a mental break, escapes with his true love (Kim Greist), or winds up in a sort of middle ground; depending on which cut you watch. But the definitive ending is the first and bleakest scenario, which explains what inspired the meddling in the theatrical and TV cuts. 

Predestination

Predestination’s ending is a confusing affair because of all the twists one has to keep in mind when defining the identity of our protagonist. The trick is to know two things: John (Sarah Snook), Jane (also Sarah Snook), and their baby are all the same person, and thanks to time travel shenanigans they eventually become the terrorist they’re hunting (Ethan Hawke). With that knowledge, it doesn’t seem like the terrorist attack in question can be changed, especially since it all hinges on several variants of the same person involved in all the crucial aspects. 

Life Of Pi

Apologies to all of you animal lovers out there, as the tiger known as Richard Parker wasn’t in the lifeboat with young Pi (Suraj Sharma). All of the animals in the tragic story on the boat are metaphors for the very real tragedy of Pi losing his mother (Tabu) and killing her murderer (Gérard Depardieu) before being lost at sea. It turns out the tiger was the metaphor for Pi’s inner strength to survive. 

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

Stanley Kubrick’s trust in Steven Spielberg to make A.I.: Artificial Intelligence into a reality has led to many people wondering where the movie should have ended. It only confused things more when there wasn’t a readily apparent explanation that the “aliens” that young David (Haley Joel Osment) encounters in the far-flung future are actually evolved Mechas trying to learn about the age of humanity. 

Contact

Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) assumes that her journey toward the end of Contact actually sends her to the outer reaches of space. In truth, while her consciousness may have encountered alien life, there’s no physical evidence to corroborate her story. For once, the scientist is on the side of faith. 

Black Swan

In the third act of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, ballerina Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) mistakenly thinks she killed her presumed rival Lily (Mila Kunis) with a large shard of class. In actuality, it was herself that she stabbed, right before a supposedly star-making performance in Swan Lake. It's presumed that Nina bleeds out as the film fades to white. 

Dune: Part Two

To be completely honest, there’s one simple yet baffling reason the ending to Dune: Part Two is on this list. Honestly, if you can walk away from Paul Atredies’ (Timotheé Challamet) journey and think he’s still a hero, you’re wrong. Try as he might, the dude’s turned into the prophecy, and he’s about to commit space genocide. Sorry, he’s about to “show his enemies to Paradise.”

We hope that your head isn’t spinning too hard after this collection of the most confusing endings of cinematic history. At least you can count on the finale of this very rundown to be a clear and concise version of events. Or can you? 

For starters, I am not necessarily saying that any of these movie characters are outright “bad,” nor am I trying to make a case against any of the films they lead. However, I personally believe that these characters are deeply flawed for one reason or another — either because of the way they are written, the way their respective actors portray them, or even just their moral weaknesses — and what makes matters worse is that they are supposed to the protagonists of their stories. Please bear with me as I explain my reasoning for why these characters make the movies they lead just a bit more of a struggle to follow.

Rick Deckard (Blade Runner)

One of my all-time favorite actors is Harrison Ford who has played some of the most charming characters in cinematic history, but I do not believe Rick Deckard is one of them. Ford does not give a bad performance at all in Blade Runner, but his role — a cop assigned to “retire” artificial humans in a dystopian future — is the least interesting and likable character in Ridley Scott's 1982 film, the real hero of which is Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), if you ask me.

Rose (Titanic)

On The Ringer podcast, The Rewatchables, Bill Simmons and Van Lathan spend more than 10 minutes discussing why Rose (Kate Winslet) is the worst character from James Cameron's Titanic. The spoiled socialite's unimpressed reaction to first seeing the titular ship, her reluctance to immediately explain Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) saved her life as he is being arrested, and her hogging the makeshift lifeboat (a door) that likely could have prevented Jack's death are just a few reasons.

Scott Pilgrim (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World)

Michael Cera's title character from Edgar Wright's hilarious and visually stunning 2010 comic book movie is a smug, selfish, and lazy oaf whose troubles — notably having two unassuming girlfriends at once — are no one's fault but his own. I will say, however, that a main point of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is that the protagonist is deeply flawed and, through defeating Ramona's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) evil exes, thankfully learns to be a better person.

Bella Swan (Twilight)

It is a shame that Kristen Stewart's stint in the Twilight movies cast cursed her with an undeserving reputation for wooden acting because, in retrospect, it was clearly not her fault. In fact, you could say the future Academy Award nominee's performance as the cinematic version of Bella Swan perfectly suits the role’s astonishing lack of personality and emotional depth in a romance about vampires.

Raleigh Beckett (Pacific Rim)

Charlie Hunnam has turned in many wonderful performances in his career, especially in the Sons of Anarchy cast as Jax Teller. Yet, he gives a decidedly one-note performance in 2013’s Pacific Rim as the hero of Guillermo del Toro’s monsters vs. machines epic, Raleigh Beckett, who certainly does not have his aggressively generic and unmemorable characterization.

Jupiter Jones (Jupiter Ascending)

There are many reasons why The Wachowskis' Jupiter Ascending is one of their most infamous flops and among them is Mila Kunis' title role. The young house cleaner who discovers she is the heir to a royal, intergalactic kingdom is written as not much more than a disengaging damsel in distress.

Jake Sully (Avatar)

The reason why anybody went to see 2009's Avatar, or rewatches it to this day, and showed up for the 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was to experience the wondrous world of Pandora. The groundbreaking success of James Cameron's franchise has absolutely nothing to do with its hero, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), whom many regard as one of the most generic action movie protagonists you could imagine.

Julianne Potter (My Best Friend's Wedding)

As the Queen of Rom-Coms, Julia Roberts has played many charming and lovable characters, but Julianne Potter is not quite one of them. The whole plot of My Best Friend's Wedding sees her conspire to ruin the impending nuptials of her lifelong buddy, Michael O'Neil (Dermot Mulroney), after realizing she wants to have him for herself.

Luke Skywalker (Star Wars: A New Hope)

I really, truly hate to include one of the most beloved heroes from George Lucas' galaxy far, far away on this list, but it is a decision that I believe many die-hard fans of the Star Wars movies might be able to understand. They may especially agree that Mark Hamill's performance as Luke Skywalker in the 1977 original is not exactly one of his best and the farmer-turned-resistance-fighter's characterization — specifically at that time — is a bit bland and, at times, annoying.

Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Is there a single character who represents the most egregious tropes associated with Disney Princesses more than Ariel in 1989’s The Little Mermaid? For one, she literally and willfully silences herself all for the chance to be with her crush, which is far from role-model behavior, as far as I am concerned.

Teth-Adam (Black Adam)

Let alone the fact that Teth-Adam was originally created for DC Comics as a Shazam villain, Dwayne Johnson gives a tonally uneven and one-dimensional portrayal of the extremely powerful Kahndaq "champion" whose verbal rejection of being called the hero of his story grows tiresome. Personally, I would have rather seen a movie that centers on the members of the Justice Society of America than what Black Adam turned out to be. 

Christine McPherson (Lady Bird)

Greta Gerwig's feature-length directorial debut, 2017's Lady Bird, is one of the sharpest coming-of-age dramedies of its time, anchored by a spellbinding, Oscar-nominated performance by Saoirse Ronan. Yet, even the acclaimed A24 movie's biggest fans agree that Ronan's title character (whose real name is Christine McPherson) is often too rude and self-absorbed to enjoy watching.

Bruce Wayne (Batman Forever)

When it comes to the best Batman actors, the bottom of the list, for me, is occupied by Val Kilmer. The normally charismatic and dynamic actor implants little to nothing of his signature talents in 1995's Batman Forever, resulting in one of the most bland and forgettable portrayals of the Dark Knight on record.

Cinderella (Cinderella)

I realize that Cinderella is, essentially, the ideal fairy tale character, and her age-old story inspires people to not give up on their dreams. However, her depiction in the 1950 classic does not have much of a distinct personality, causing it to be one of the few Disney animated movies that pales in comparison to its live-action remake, in my opinion. 

Sam Witwicky (Transformers)

To be fair, Shia LaBeouf really puts his heart and soul into playing Sam — an awkward, nervous teen caught up in a war between shape-shifting alien robots. However, the performance is just a little too convincing and often tends to distract from the true mechanical heroes of 2007's Transformers.

Evan Hansen (Dear Evan Hansen)

While the cinematic adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen certainly has its fans (many of whom already loved the original stage musical), its toughest critics agree the title role is a hard person to warm to by the end. The consensus has less to do with actor Ben Platt (reprising his Tony Award-winning role) being nearly twice Evan's age, and more with how he allows himself to benefit from a classmate's suicide after being mistaken for his friend.

Dante Hicks (Clerks)

I am sure there are many convenience store workers who strongly empathize with Dante (Brian O'Halloran), but his incessant whining and lack of gratitude for his girlfriend, Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti), kind of makes it hard to. Not to mention, in competition with Randal (Jeff Anderson), Jay (Jason Mewes), and Silent Bob (writer and director Kevin Smith), he is easily one of the least memorable characters from 1994's Clerks despite being the center of it all.

Sandy Olsson (Grease)

No one can deny that the late, great Olivia Newton-John is phenomenal in Grease, as both an actor and a musical performer. Yet, you could make the argument that her role, Sandy Olsson, is not a great character, especially for the way she submits to changing her personality to be more like her crush, Danny Zuko (John Travolta), while he gets to stay the same at the end.

Adam Jones (Burnt)

If not for a charismatic actor like Bradley Cooper in the lead role, the otherwise delicious food movie, Burnt, might not have been worth taking a bite out of. Cooper's character, a talented chef named Adam Jones, pretty much revels in treating people like scraps and boasts little to no redeeming qualities.  

Leo (Mute)

Duncan Jones, director of acclaimed sci-fi films Moon and Source Code, did not receive as much love in 2018 for his Netflix original futuristic noir, Mute. Much of the complaints were centered around Alexander Skarsgård's lead role, Leo, whose otherwise intriguing trait as a non-speaking character becomes a disadvantage as the role offers just about nothing else of interest to the table.

Steven (The Cable Guy)

Jim Carrey's demented performance is meant to convince you that his character is the "villain" of 1996's The Cable Guy. However, in retrospect, the pathetic, self-centered, hypocritical Steven (Matthew Broderick) is the one we should really be rooting against. 

Newt Scamander (Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them)

For a film in which the main draw is watching wondrous creatures run amok, it makes sense that the lead performance would be as understated as Eddie Redmayne's portrayal of Newt Scamander. Yet, even some major Harry Potter fans agree that the Magizoologist is, ultimately, too awkward and dull of a protagonist to carry Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Tom Hansen ((500) Days Of Summer)

To be clear, my main reason for including Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character from 2009's (500) Days of Summer in this list is because many often misinterpret the point of his arc in the modern romantic-comedy classic. Tom is so obsessed with living the perfect love story that he selfishly ignores Summer's (Zooey Deschanel) request to keep things casual and blames her for their breakup.

Ford Brody (Godzilla)

If I am being honest — and the same goes for many examples of disaster and/or monster movies, really — the human characters are easily the weakest part of 2014's Godzilla. However, the otherwise talented Aaron Taylor-Johnson's lead role as Lt. Ford Brody makes less of an impact on the story than anyone else. To be fair, though, I imagine it was hard to stand out amid Bryan Cranston's brief, but memorable, performance as his father.

Frodo Baggins (The Lord Of The Rings)

By the end of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) does achieve the end goal by destroying the One Ring, but is he really the true hero of this saga? When you look at how often Samwise (Sean Astin) came to his rescue and compare him to the fearless Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), the hobbit really does come up short.

P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Hugh Jackman's portrayal of P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman is, for the most part, extremely charming, and that is precisely the problem. The otherwise dazzling 2017 musical is not at all historically accurate, especially in the way it depicts the founder of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, who, in real life, was a greedy schemer known for exploiting an enslaved woman for his show.

Valerian (Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets)

Luc Besson's highly inventive, visually stunning, and admirably optimistic utopian adventure, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, could have gone down in history as a modern sci-fi classic. Unfortunately, the one-note, generic, frustratingly unimpressionable title hero, played by the otherwise very talented Dane DeHaan, resulted in an ultimately forgettable experience.

Albert Stark (A Million Ways To Die In The West)

Writer and director Seth MacFarlane also stars in 2014's A Million Ways to Die in the West as Albert Stark — an aimless, perpetually dissatisfied oaf whose main character trait is lengthy complaints. If the character was not just, essentially, a live-action, human version of one of MacFarlane's Family Guy roles, Brian Griffin, he might have been stronger protagonist for the Western-Comedy. 

Jack Burton (Big Trouble In Little China)

I can't deny that I have nothing but love for Kurt Russell's hilarious performance as California trucker Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China. Yet, did you ever notice just how imbecilic he is, not to mention, the fact that he achieves not a single heroic act until he kills Lo Pan (James Hong) at the end? His bumbling nature does give the many Asian cast members their chance to shine as the true heroes, but even that only further earns him a lower ranking among Russell’s best characters.

Howard Rattner (Uncut Gems)

Adam Sandler gives one of his most electric performances as Manhattan jeweler Howard Rattner in the Safdie Brothers' 2019 thriller, Uncut Gems. Honestly, if a less likable movie star had played the selfish, self-destructive gambling addict than the charismatic comedy icon, we would have no reason to root for him and the story could have suffered as a result.

Mimi (Psycho Goreman)

The ancient extraterrestrial warrior (voiced by Steven Vlahos and portrayed physically by Matthew Ninaber) may be the title character of Psycho Goreman, but the true protagonist is Mimi (Nita-Josée Hanna). However, as far as I am concerned, the 2020 horror-comedy would have been much more enjoyable if the young girl who awakens "PG" were not such a spoiled, rotten, loudmouthed bully.

Britt Reid (The Green Hornet)

Director Michel Gondry's 2011 reboot of The Green Hornet reimagines L.A. news publisher Britt Reid (producer Seth Rogen) as an absent-minded man-child whose vigilante aspirations seem completely out of place with his character. While this does work as a parodic commentary on Kato (played here by Jay Chou) always being the more obviously capable one in the 1960s series (which starred Bruce Lee in the role), it is a one-note joke that quickly loses steam.

I promise that my intention was not to ruin any of these main movie characters for you, but at least offer some additional perspective regarding how they fit into their stories.

Movies scores add so much to films it’s hard to overstate just how important they are. Music can completely change the mood of a movie, or a scene, in ways that little else can. Most movie scores follow a tried and true formula and while we would never discount the importance of such scores, the ones on this list are different. They are meant to be jarring, or at least different enough that they reach new heights in what a film score can be. Here are 32 of the most unconventional film scores we think are among the best of all time. 

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

We’re all very used to Dany Elfman’s contributions to film scores at this point. He’s been one of the most in-demand composers for decades. That wasn’t always the case, and when Tim Burton brought him in to do the score for Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Elfman’s eclectic style wasn’t at all conventional. Elfman came from an art-rock background and by diving into movie scores, he brought a very fresh perspective. It fit Burton’s style perfectly, which explains why they’ve worked together so often since. 

There Will Be Blood

Leave it to Paul Thomas Anderson to think outside the box and bring in Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood to do a soundtrack for him. There Will Be Blood was not Greenwood’s first soundtrack, but it was his first for a major studio production. It’s a haunting, discombobulating soundtrack that adds so much to the movie, that it’s hard to imagine that the film would be as harsh and disturbing as it is without it. 

Birdman

Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman is unconventional in many ways, not the least of which is the percussion-heavy score by jazz drummer Antonio Sánchez. The pulsing rhythms push the story forward as much as the editing of the movie, meant to be seen as all one take. It’s brilliant. 

No Country For Old Men

Composer Carter Burwell has been scoring the films of the Coen Brothers for decades, but with No Country For Old Men, his score is different, mostly because of how little there is of it. A majority of the movie has no score at all, but that makes the rare times it does appear so much more effective. In all, there are only 16 minutes of music on the soundtrack and even those are minimalist. It evokes a perfect eerieness for the film. 

The Social Network

Trent Reznor had never composed a film score before David Fincher approached him to do the music for The Social Network. Reznor, and his co-composer Atticus Ross, weren’t sure they could do it at first, but Fincher stayed on them and we’re all lucky for it. The pulsating soundtrack, which reminds us of Nine Inch Nails, but definitely isn’t,  is one of the many reasons the movie’s seemingly mundane story crackles to life on screen. 

Tron: Legacy

The original Tron was a groundbreaking film in its use of CGI, and so for the sequel, which was almost three decades in the making, the filmmakers knew they had to make a splash. Hiring EDM legends Daft Punk to score the film was a stroke of genius. While the soundtrack only has fleeting moments of the duo’s signature sound, it’s completely outside the box of what one expects from a soundtrack and fits the movie’s CGI look perfectly. 

28 Days Later

According to director Danny Boyle, he had the post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor “in his head” the whole time he made 28 Days Later. While one of the cult band’s songs, “East Hastings” appears in the film, they did not write the foreboding soundtrack. Still, composer John Murphy's soundtrack evokes GY!BE brilliantly, and it makes for a seriously scary soundtrack, in all the best ways. 

A Clockwork Orange

Groundbreaking composer and musician Wendy Carlos’ first foray into film scoring came in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. The combination of her Moog-heavy electronic sounds with the classical music (mostly Beethoven) in the movie is spot on for the dystopian future the film portrays. Carlos would work with Kubrick again on the eerie soundtrack for The Shining as well. 

Punch-Drunk Love

Classical music critic Greg Sandow calls the soundtrack to Punch Drunk Love “sounds” as much as music in his glowing review. He’s completely right, as composer Jon Brion used field recordings as much as music to create the soundtrack, to amazing effect. It’s unlike any other rom-com soundtrack you’ve ever heard, which is what you expect from a movie directed by P.T. Anderson. 

Dredd

Most of the soundtrack to Dredd has a fantastic heavy synth/industrial sound which is pretty unique on its own, but what sets this soundtrack truly apart from others is the music set to the “slo-mo” scenes. The composer, Paul Leonard-Morgan, took inspiration from a Justin Bieber song he heard that was slowed down so much that one minute represented 10 minutes of music in real-time. The ethereal effect is astounding. 

Requiem for a Dream

Kronos Quartet is one of the most avant-garde classical music so if they are going to agree to perform on a soundtrack, you know it’s going to be interesting. The work they do on composer Clint Mansell’s Requiem for a Dream soundtrack is wild and unsettling, just like the movie. It’s impossible to think of the film with any other music. 

Psycho

Without Bernard Herrmann’s legendary score for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, it’s safe to say that it’s a completely different film. It’s easy to watch Psycho today and giggle at what seems like tropes in the filming and the music (the violin screeching in the shower scene), but you have to remember it was all cutting edge in 1960. It’s one of the scariest scores to one of the scariest films ever. 

Metropolis

Metropolis was originally released as a silent movie in 1927, but in 1984, the great composer Giorgio Moroder reimagined the film with an entirely new and modern score. Moroder wrote the music and enlisted some of his friends, like Freddie Mercury and Loverboy, to perform the music. While it was panned at first, it’s gone on to achieve cult status and is definitely a unique take on an old movie. 

Sicario

The music for Sicario first makes its presence felt in a very real way in the scene just before the main characters cross from Texas to Mexico for the first time. “Presence” is the best way to describe it, because audiences feel the music as much as they hear it. The rumbling bass and minimalist music convey the perfect sense of dread the scene needs. 

The Virgin Suicides

The soundtrack for Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides, composed and performed by the French electronic duo Air, has been hailed by numerous publications as one of the best of all time, and with good reason. Despite the movie, released in 1999, being set in the 1970s, the music is very much of the era in which it was released, and its bright-yet-dark, fresh sound sets a perfect tone. 

Thor: Ragnarok

Marvel movies aren’t the first place most people would think of looking for a unique soundtrack, but Thor: Ragnarok isn’t a run-of-the-mill superhero movie, either. Director Taika Waititi brought in former Devo leader and long-time film composer Mark Mothersbaugh to do the soundtrack. Mothersbaugh is probably best known for his work on Wes Anderson movies but for Thor: Ragnarok, he incorporated more synth than usual and went out of his way to create a different-sounding Marvel movie, and boy does it work.

Blade Runner

Vangelis, a Greek composer whose career started in the 1960s is best known today for his avant-garde work in the early ‘80s on soundtracks like Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner. His electronic sound was the perfect compliment to the dark future presented in Blade Runner and without it, with a more traditional score, the movie would have been very different. 

Flash Gordon

There are a few reasons Flash Gordon has remained a cult classic over the years and one of the big ones is the amazing soundtrack. Written and performed by Queen, it has remained one of the most interesting soundtracks ever made and is just as listenable as an album as it is backing the movie. 

Rushmore

Composer Mark Mothersbaugh and director Wes Anderson have formed one of the most fruitful partnerships in modern Hollywood. Mothersbaugh's quirky music fits Anderson's style to a T and the music has been as much a part of Anderson's style as the production design and camera angles. When you hear a Mothersbaugh score, you know immediately who wrote it. Their first project together was Bottle Rocket but it was on Rushmore that the former member of Devo found his true voice within Anderson's world. 

Hanna

One surefire way to get a unique soundtrack is to task The Chemical Brothers with creating it. Hanna's soundtrack is spectacular and the pulsing rhythms and dream-like movements drive the movie forward like they are part of the main character's psyche. Without the soundtrack, it just wouldn't have the urgency that it has throughout. 

Friday Night Lights

Post-rock band Explosions in the Sky has a big, bold, triumphant sound. It's a style that fits Friday Night Lights perfectly. It's not the kind of music you'd expect to accompany a movie set in West Texas, or about high school football for that matter, but it just works so well. It moves you as much as the movie does. 

2001: A Space Odyssey

The score for 2001: A Space Odyssey is notable on this list because it's the only one that used predominately previously recorded works. It was very rare at the time for movies to forgo original scores and yet Stanley Kubrick did, choosing to use the music that inspired him to make the movie, rather than the original score by Alex North. It's hard to imagine the ending of 2001 with another other than György Ligeti's "Atmospheres"

Suspiria

One of the most underappreciated soundtracks on this list is Suspiria, written and performed by the Italian prog band Goblins. It's like no other soundtrack on this list and is one of the best to listen to on its own if you are a fan of '70s prog rock, though you've probably never heard anything like it. The 2018 remake of Suspiria also features an incredible and unique soundtrack written by Radiohead's Thom Yorke. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The soundtrack for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is probably the most conventional on this list, but even though it was composed by the great Hans Zimmer, it still falls outside the box of most of his work. Zimmer worked with a supergroup to co-write and record the music that included Pharrell Williams, Johnny Marr, Mike Einziger, Junkie XL, and others. 

The Third Man

In 1949, when The Third Man was produced and released, music in movies was generally written for, and performed by large orchestras. Composer Anton Karas was a zither player, and as such, he wrote much of the music for that unique instrument. It has a jangly, post-war jazz style to it that was very different for its time and it's just lovely. 

The Warriors

The cult classic The Warriors has a soundtrack full of ominous synths and driving beats that composer Barry De Vorzon expertly crafted to fit the style and plot of the movie. While there are a number of pop songs included, it's the score itself that best represents the action on the screen. It is jarring at the best of times and keeps the audience on the edge as the gang navigates the city towards the safety of Coney Island. 

The Revenant

The late Ryuichi Sakamoto was a true pioneer in electronic music. Beginning with the Yellow Magic Orchestra in Japan in the late 1970s, Sakamoto was always pushing the envelope musically, and that includes his work on movie scores, especially The Revenant. For the score, he teamed up with Alva Noto and The National's Bryce Dessner to create something unique and special. 

Forbidden Planet

The soundtrack to Forbidden Planet, written by Bebe and Louis Barron, was like nothing that had come before it. It is considered the first entirely electronic score and it literally set the tone for sci-fi soundtracks for decades. 

Annihilation

The music in Alex Garland's Annihilation is haunting and eerie, just like the movie. Made up more of evocative sounds than a true score, it's still a work of genius by co-composers Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow. The two have teamed up a number of times to work with Garland including the incredible 2024 release, Civil War.

Hereditary

Horror films often incorporate interesting and nontraditional scores and Hereditary is a perfect example. It oozes feeling and dread in the best way. Written by multi-instrumentalist Colin Stetson, who is known for his work with bands like The Arcade Fire and TV on the Radio, the soundtrack is sparse but powerful. 

Midsommar

Midsommar's writer and director Ari Aster found inspiration while writing the movie in the music of electronica artist Bobby Krlic, also known as The Haxan Cloak. Aster naturally hired Krlic to compose the score and it's a home run, and not what you would expect from the movie, yet fitting perfectly. 

The Road

Indie music legend Nick Cave is not someone you might expect to compose the music for a dark, post-apocalypse movie like The Road, yet his work, alongside co-writer and fellow Bad Seeds member Warren Ellis, is as haunting, terrifying, and beautiful as the story the movie tells. 

You can typically tell who is meant to be considered the “hero” of a movie by identifying the title role or looking at the top-billed cast member. However, there are many ‘80s movie characters who often go overlooked for the pivotal role they play in bringing things to a satisfying conclusion. We took a deeper look at some of the best movies of the 1980s, identified who we believe is the real hero, and decided to give them the credit they deserve.

Short Round (Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom)

While many like to criticize Raiders of the Lost Ark by claiming Indiana Jones' actions have no bearing on the plot, it is more surprising that Harrison Ford's intrepid archaeologist gets more credit for defeating the Thuggee Cult than he really deserves in the sequel. If not for Short Round (Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan in his debut role) freeing Indy from their captors' spell, 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom would not have had the happy ending the bleak thriller so thankfully concludes on.

Sgt. Al Powell (Die Hard)

In arguably the greatest action movie ever made (let alone one of the best Christmas movies), 1988’s Die Hard, as John McClane (Bruce Willis) is single-handedly warring against violent thieves invading Nakatomi Plaza, his only real ally at ground zero is Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson). At the very end, the L.A. cop actually ends up taking out the last of Hans Gruber’s (Alan Rickman) goons, Karl (Alexander Gudunov), with the first shot he gained the courage to take in years.

Boy In Police Station (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

At the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the title character (Matthew Broderick) probably would have gotten caught without help from his sister, Jeanie (Jennifer Grey), who would not have been willing to help if she hadn't met Charlie Sheen's character at the police station. Not to mention, despite his off-putting appearance, the unnamed teen gives off a more genuine and endearing aura than the central character of John Hughes's 1986 classic.

George McFly (Back To The Future)

When Marty McFly's (Michael J. Fox) plan to get his future mother, Lorraine (Lea Thompson), and father, George (Crispin Glover), to fall in love goes awry courtesy of Biff (Tom Wilson), George gains the courage he needs to knock the ruthless bully out himself. This ensures that Marty will one day be born and changes his family's fate for the better at the end of the 1985 time travel movie masterpiece, Back to the Future.

Chunk (The Goonies)

Out of the entire Goonies cast — a stunning who’s who of future A-listers, including Sean Astin and Josh Brolin — it is Chunk (Jeff Cohen) who has the most memorable and inspiring character arc. He goes from being the butt of every joke to the one who helps rescue his buddies from The Fratellis (with help from Sloth, of course).

Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

In 1988’s groundbreaking fusion of live-action with animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Jessica Rabbit (voiced by Kathleen Turner) assures private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) that she is not bad, but “just drawn that way.” She goes on to prove that her words ring true by becoming a pivotal role in Valiant’s effort to clear her husband (Charles Fleischer in the title role) for murder.

Wang Chi (Big Trouble In Little China)

Kurt Russell may get top billing and his character, Jack Burton, may kill Lo Pan (James Hong) by the end, but did you ever notice that is really his only heroic act in 1986's Big Trouble in Little China? His Chinese-American best friend, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), is the one who makes the smartest decisions and kicks the most butt in John Carpenter's cult-favorite fantasy that is lauded for its predominantly Asian cast at a time when such representation was scarce.

Rebecca "Newt" Jorden (Aliens)

Aliens may have solidified Sigourney Weaver's Scream Queen status and made a heroic icon out of her character, Ellen Ripley, but the most courageous and resourceful character in James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi sequel has to be Carrie Henn as Newt. The young girl manages to survive on a planet overrun with Xenomorphs all by herself before the arrival of a crew of marines, who also might not have survived as long as they did without her tips and tricks.

Rufus (Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure)

If you think about it, the plot of 1989’s Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is not so different from The Terminator, which makes George Carlin's Rufus the sci-fi comedy's own Kyle Reese. The time-traveler ensures a bright future by helping the titular messianic duo (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) at every turn, including in 1991’s Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey when he disguises himself as Pam Grier’s character, Mrs. Wardroe, to let them into Battle of the Bands.

The Ewoks (Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi)

There are many Star Wars fans who see the Ewoks as nothing but a cheap  gimmick to attract younger audiences to the franchise. Whether or not that is true, the cute, cuddly warriors were pivotal to the Empire's downfall at the end of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Grandpa (The Princess Bride)

In 1987’s The Princess Bride, there is no real doubt that Westley (Cary Elwes), Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and Fezzik (Andre the Giant) are the heroes of the enchanting, action-packed fairy tale. However, to us, the hero of the whole movie is Peter Falk's character, who takes the time to visit his ill grandson (Fred Savage) and read to him the story within the story.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

The main protagonist of 1982’s Blade Runner is, of course, Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard, but his job as a cop assigned to retire Replicants makes him a better qualifier for the villain of the story. It is Roy Batty's (Rutger Hauer) bid to try to give artificial humans like himself a chance at a better, longer life that makes him the real hero of Ridley Scott's groundbreaking, futuristic noir.

Ophelia (Trading Places)

After losing everything as part of an experiment to make him poor and give his job to the impoverished Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy), hot shot investor Louis Winthorpe (Dan Aykroyd) crosses paths with a street walker named Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis). While she was initially hired by Clarence Beeks (Paul Gleason) to make life even worse for him, she takes him in, cares for him, and attempts to help him get back on his feet, making her the true hero of 1983’s Trading Places.

Cabbie (Escape From New York)

One of Kurt Russell’s most iconic roles is Snake Plissken — a hardened criminal tasked with rescuing the President (Donald Pleasance) from a penal colony that used to be Manhattan in a dystopian 1997 in John Carpenter’s 1981 cult favorite, Escape from New York. The only incarcerated individual who is selflessly willing to help the anti-hero complete his mission in time is Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine’s Cabbie, whose own taxi ends up being Snake’s escape vehicle.

Carl Fox (Wall Street)

Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama Wall Street chronicles the rise and fall of ambitious stockbroker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), as a result of taking orders from the devil on his shoulder: the ruthless Gordon Gecko (Academy Award winner Michael Douglas). If only he had listened to the angel on his shoulder — his father and the moral center of the story, Carl (Sheen’s real-life father, Martin Sheen) — he might not have wound up behind bars.

Queen Aoleon (Coming To America)

In Coming to America, Akeem’s (Eddie Murphy) chances at a life with his true love, Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), are almost ruined by his father, King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones), if not for the support of his mother, Queen Aoleon, who we assume talked sense into her husband offscreen. Her tender-hearted performance and truly majestic presence in the 1988 comedy makes us sad that the late Madge Sinclair could not reprise the role in 2021’ Coming 2 America.

Bub (Day Of The Dead)

Never did a horror fan have any reason to feel empathy or admiration for a zombie until writer and director George A. Romero introduced “Bub” in 1985’s Day of the Dead. Played by Sherman Howard, the reanimated corpse displays an unusual level of intelligence, endearing human characteristics, and a strong compassion for his handler, Dr. Matthew Logan (Richard Liberty) which drives him to seek vengeance on his murderer and the film’s true villain, Capt. Henry Rhodes (Joseph Pilato).

The Gopher (Caddyshack)

As far as we are concerned, anyone who proves to be a source of frustration for Judge Smails (Ted Knight) is on the side of heroism in the classic 1980 comedy, Caddyshack. That being said, absolutely no one gets under that man's skin like the Gopher who lives underneath Bushwood Country Club and makes burrows in the golf course grounds wherever he goes.

Cousin Eddie (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

When Eddie (Randy Quaid, reprising his role from 1983’s Vacation) arrives at the Griswolds’ house unannounced, Clark (Chevy Chase) believes his holidays are destined for disaster. He is right, but his otherwise annoying and absent-minded cousin is responsible for very few of the uproarious mishaps in 1989’s National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. In fact, he really comes through at the end when he brings Clark’s boss, Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray), to the house, where he becomes ultimately convinced to give Clark the bonus he deserves.

Dawson (Adventures In Babysitting)

We are not just including Dawson, Vincent D’Onofrio’s garage mechanic character from 1987’s Adventure in Babysitter, because he happens to look like one of Marvel Comics’ iconic depiction of Thor. Then again, if not for that striking resemblance, he might not have been coerced into giving Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) a $5 dollar discount for her car repair by young Sara Anderson (Maia Brewton) who calls him her hero. 

Carl (The Breakfast Club)

The character who forever changed the way high schoolers perceive their custodial employees was Carl (John Kapelos) from 1985’s The Breakfast Club, who has a bit of a heart-to-heart with the nearly sadistic Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason). We like to think that the janitor's defense of the students in detention that day got through to the uptight teacher so, by the time he reads their letter at the end of John Hughes’ quintessential teen dramedy, he may have seen them in a new, more sympathetic light.

Vi Moore (Footloose)

In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) refers to Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) as the hero of Footloose for bringing the joys of dancing back to the small, conservative town of Bomont. However, there is one character from the 1984 classic of equal (or even greater) importance that he should have also mentioned: Vi Moore (Dianne Wiest), who breaks her long silence and ultimately convinces her strict preacher husband, Shaw (John Lithgow), to give the town’s youth the freedom the dance.

Billy Francis Kopecki (Big)

In 1988’s Big, when 13-year-old Josh’s (David Moscow) wish to be a grown-up mysteriously comes true, turning him into Tom Hanks, the only one coming to his aid (after some convincing) is his best friend, Billy (Jared Rushton). He tries to be there to get his buddy through his strange situation in any way he can, even helping him get a job, but when Josh starts act a little too grown-up, it is Billy who brings him back down to Earth, reminding him it is time become his real self again.

Mr. Green (Clue)

Determining the real hero of Clue depends on which ending of the 1985 board game-inspired whodunit you consider canon. The conclusion we like to settle on reveals that Mr. Green (Michael McKean) is an undercover FBI agent, which he announces after shooting Wadsworth (Tim Curry), who also turns out to be the real Mr. Boddy.

The Gyro Captain (The Road Warrior)

Things between Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) and a fellow loner known only as The Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence) get off to a rough start in the second installment of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, released as The Road Warrior in the States. However, the gyrocopter pilot comes to see the hardened former cop as a great teammate, later rescues him from a near-fatal accident, and assists him in his race to bring the rig to the Oil Refinery compound.

Mrs. Parker (A Christmas Story)

There are countless cinematic mothers, especially from the 1980s, who deserve more credit than they receive, and the quintessential example has to be Melinda Dillon’s role in 1983’s A Christmas Story. The classic moment when she keeps her son, Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), out of trouble with The Old Man (Darren McGavin) after his tussle with Skut Farkus (Zach Ward) is just one way she shows her loving devotion to her family and undisputedly earning the honor to be called a hero. 

Curtis (The Blues Brothers)

The heart and soul of the best movie based on Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers, is Cab Calloway's Curtis, who served as a father figure for the titular siblings, introducing them to music in their youth. Not to mention, he motivates them to attend a church service that ends up giving them the idea to put the band back together to save the orphanage.

Ken Pile (A Fish Called Wanda)

It comes as a surprise to see the stuttering, accident-prone goof, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), take down the true antagonist of 1988’s A Fish of Wanda, Otto West (Oscar winner Kevin Kline). To avenge the death of his beloved fish, Ken runs over Otto with a steamroller when he is stuck in cement, seemingly putting an end to his career in thievery, until we discover at the end that he survived the ordeal. Nonetheless, to see Ken get even with his enemy is one of the hit comedy’s most satisfying moments.

Otto (Airplane!)

When food poisoning incapacitates the entire piloting staff on a commercial flight, former fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is asked to help bring the also ill passengers to safety, but he is not the only one equipped for the job. Lest we forget, a great deal of the classic 1980 spoof movie, Airplane! sees an inflatable automatic pilot — aptly named “Otto” — at the helm of the aircraft. 

Lt. Andrew Bogomil (Beverly Hills Cop)

When Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) first blows into town in 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, he immediately comes at odds with Lt. Andrew Bogomil. However, because the Detroit detective helps Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggert (John Ashton) take down local traffickers while he is supposed to be on vacation, he fabricates a story to cover for him and helps smooth things out with Inspector Todd.  

Yori (Tron)

In 1982’s Tron, Flynn (Jeff Bridges) and the title character (Bruce Boxleitner) might have never managed to take down the Master Control Program without the help of Yori (Cindy Morgan). She gives Tron the chance to get pivotal information from his user outside the grid after convincing a guard named Dumont to let him. 

Merlin (Top Gun)

At the end of 1986’s Top Gun, Maverick (Tom Cruise) is still reeling from the death of his best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards), which distracts him from his current aerial battle. Luckily, Merlin (Tim Robbins) is in the other seat and helps bring him back to Earth, leading him to victory.

So, next time you watch a flick and think you know who the real hero is, think again.

It must be fun to come up with the names of fake businesses in movies. Trying to nail the right vibe for the company is tricky and when you don't have a lot of time to explain it, the name means a lot. TV shows have a lot of fake businesses, and so do movies. Here is a list of some of the fake businesses in movies that tell audiences what they need to know. 

Nakatomi - Die Hard

They say that Christmas doesn't start until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Tower in Die Hard and they aren't wrong, whether you think it's a Christmas movie or not. Nakatomi Corporation is some sort of investment company, one that negotiates million-dollar deals for breakfast, but it's all rather vague. It does seem like a nice place to work, in a cool building and a great Christmas party, until the bad guys arrive, of course. 

Bob's Country Bunker - The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brother Rhythm & Blues Review starts their mission from God by conning their way into a gig at an old roadhouse called Bob's Country Bunker, which has both kinds of music – country, and western. It works out great until they have to pay their bar tab and the Good Ole Boys show up. They prove their versatility by playing country tunes like the theme to "Rawhide" and "Stand By Your Man."  

Cyberdyne Systems - Terminator Series

A lot of great post-apocalyptic events in movies happen because of an evil corporation doing things that can do, rather than what they should do, as Patton Oswald once said. Cyberdyne Systems is the poster child for this kind of recklessness, as their development of Skynet essentially ended the world for humans. They probably made a lot of money bringing down civilization too. 

Initech - Office Space

Initech in Office Space has more people in middle management than any reasonable company should have. Poor Peter (Ron Livingstone) has to deal with three bosses and two consultants named Bob. That's a lot of people trying to generate TPS reports in the correct format. Other than those reports and vaguely created software, it's kinda unclear what Initech actually does with that software. 

Brawndo - Idiocracy

Brawndo. It's what plants crave, it's in every drinking fountain, and it seemingly is the only thing anyone drinks in the disturbing future of Idiocracy. One thing that always seemed weird about Idiocracy, is that with a world full of idiots, who is running the company that owns Brawndo (and the Food and Drug Administration)? I guess its best not to ask questions. 

Wonka Industries - Willy Wonka

It's rare that a candy company like Wonka Industries would occupy such a major place in society, unless you live in Hershey, PA. Willy Wonka is like the Howard Hughes of confectioners, so after he handed off the reigns of the company to Charlie, things had to change, right? 

Duke & Duke - Trading Places

Duke & Duke in Trading Places represents the worst of capitalism. Driven purely by greed and willing to do anything to get ahead. The Duke brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) have absolutely no morals and it's so satisfying that they get what they deserved at the end. We don't know the fate of the company though, jus that the brothers end up on street, as we learn in Coming To America.

Championship Vinyl - High Fidelity

There's an old joke, "How many record store employees does it take to screw in a light bulb? It's a rare number, you've probably never heard of it before." 

That pretty much sums up the employees at Championship Vinyl in High Fidelity. They are exactly the kind of lovable snobs that you would expect at a record store. They have a disdain for customers, whose opinions on music mean less than nothing to them. 

Ollivander's Wand Shop - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Mr. Ollivander (John Hurt) has a magical shop, literally. His wand shop is the go-to place for all your magic wand needs. He's got stacks and stacks of wands, and he's surely got the exact correct one for every budding wizard, like Harry Potter. You might to try a few one, like any bespoke shop, but you'll leave happy. 

InGen - Jurassic Park

John Hammond's company, InGen, really messes with the wrong forces in the Universe. For Hammond (Richard Attenborough), his curiosity drives all the wrong decisions, aided by equally well-meaning, but misguided scientists. He should also do a better job vetting his employees, lest they try to sneak out the company's intellectual property and sell it to a competitor. 

Omni Consumer Products - RoboCop

Omni Consumer Products, or OCP, is evil to its core. Sure, it cloaks itself in the veneer of trying to "clean up our cities," but when profits are the main motivation, they should just be honest about that. Any company with a president names Dick Jones (Ronny Cox) can't be trusted. 

Wayne Enterprises - Batman

Over the history of Batman across media, Wayne Enterprises has changed, but it's always been a huge company with its fingers in a lot of pies. The head of the company, Bruce Wayne, has also evolved as a leader in different ways, sometimes hands on, sometimes less so. One thing is for sure, it's always there to suit Bruce's needs as Batman. 

Umbrella - Resident Evil

The Umbrella Corporation in the Resident Evil series might just be the most...evil... on this list. It's a huge conglomerate owning business across many different sectors, but it's true purpose is eugenics and crime. All of the world's problems in the series can pretty much be traced back to it. 

Stark Industries - Iron Man

Stark Industries, like Wayne Enterprises in the DCU, pretty much creates every thing in the world, it seems. Sure, on the surface it's a military contractor and has been since Tony Stark's father, Howard, started it around World War II. Howard is hero to some, and a war profiteer to others, but Tony is pretty much just a hero these days. 

Czervik Construction - Caddyshack

Czervik Construction is the source of Al Czervik's money and Judge Smails' consternation in Caddyshack. Al (Rodney Dangerfield) and his construction company are not only the source of the mole infestation at Bushwood Country Club but they also want bu-bu-bu-buy Bushwood. That makes Smails (Ted Knight) apoplectically mad. 

Mooby's - Clerks II

When Dante finally leaves his job at the Quick Stop in Clerks II, he ends up working at Mooby's, a fast food restaurant. It's a pretty typical burger joint with a very atypical group of employees who love to fight with customers, especially over Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Mooby's has continued to appear in director Kevin Smith's ViewAskew universe and even as a real-life pop-up before Clerks III

Weyland-Yutani - Alien

Like a lot of sci-fi franchises, the Alien series has an evil corporation at its core. Weyland-Yutani is often referred to as just "The Company" because everyone knows who the company is. It's got it's tentacles in just about everything from mining to spacecrafts to weapons and more. Like a lot of classic evil companies, it doesn't think much past profit, and that causes a lot of problems for a lot of people.

The Ghostbusters - Ghostbusters

Starting with a mortgage on the childhood home of Ray Stanz (Dan Aykroyd), The Ghostbusters are New York City's only paranormal investigators and exterminators. They occupied an old firehouse that should be condemned and drive to calls in a 1959 Cadillac that is barely street legal, but they always get the job done. 

The Daily Planet - Superman

The world has lost many of its big city newspapers, but there was a time when the top papers were major companies in the cities they reported on. The Daily Planet in the Superman franchise is a great example, and one of its reporters, Clark Kent, makes as much news as Superman as he writes about for the paper. 

Warbucks Industries - Annie

Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks is the leader of Warbucks Industry, a conglomerate that, depending on the story being told, is sometimes a benevolent corporation led by a benevolent leader, and sometimes quite the opposite. How it started is right there in its name, as a war profiting enterprise. 

Big Kahuna Burger - Pulp Fiction

Big Kahuna Burger is a Hawaiian burger joint that is the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. It's most notable in Pulp Fiction when Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) tries one of Brett's tasty burgers but was first referenced in Reservoir Dogs. It's been seen or mentioned in a number of other movies by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, including Four Rooms and From Dust 'Til Dawn.

Tyrell Corporation - Blade Runner

The Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner is the company that developed and produced the replicants that Deckard (Harrison Ford) is charged with hunting down and "retiring" when they go rogue or are past their due date. It plays a prominent role in the Blade Runner universe. 

Pizza Planet - Toy Story

Every kid loves pizza, including Andy from Toy Story especially Pizza Planet, the out-of-this-world space-themed pizza joint that is featured in multiple installments of the franchise. Think of it as a sci-fi version of Chuck E. Cheese. Hopefully with better-tasting pizza. 

Capitol Pictures - Barton Fink

The Coen Brothers don't really have a shared universe throughout their films like other filmmakers or franchises, but there is some overlap. Capitol Pictures is first seen in Barton Fink and the movie studio Fink (John Turturro) is writing a movie for. It returned in Hail, Caesar! as the company making the movie in the movie. 

Flynn's Arcade - Tron

Video game arcades are a bygone relic of the '70s and '80s, but they live on in Tron where Flynn (Jeff Bridges) lives, works, programs, and games. In its heyday, in the first Tron movie, it's a bustling, popular place for kids and adults, but after Flynn disappears, it's closed down and the machines are just collecting dust, as seen in Tron: Legacy.

Soylent Industries - Soylent Green

The year is 2022 and the world has been ravashed by global warming overpopulation. Food shortages mean only the rich have access to real food, leaving the rest of us to subsist on a food product made by Soylent Industries. We don't know what they are made from, but it can't be that bad, right? Soylent Green sure makes a case that the future could be rough, even if it was off by a few years. 

McDowell's - Coming To America

Be careful and don't confuse the Big Mic with the Big Mac, and don't confuse McDowell's for McDonald's. They might look similar, but as any fan of Eddie Murphy's classic Coming To America will tell you, they are nothing alike. McDowell's did inspire a pop-up in Brooklyn when the sequel Coming 2 America was released in 2021. 

Elsinore Brewery - Strange Brew

If you can't tell by the plot that the cult classic Strange Brew was (very) loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, the name of the brewery, Elsinore Brewery, has the same name as Hamlet's castle in the classic play. It's led by the evil Brewmeister Smith, played by the great Max Von Sydow. They also put mice in their beer, so stay away. 

Zorg Industries - The Fifth Element

In The Fifth Element, there seems to be only one company at the heart of everything, Zorg Industries, led by the terrible Jean-Baptiste Zorg (Gary Oldman). Zorg, both the man and the company, have an insatiable appetite for money and power and it seems almost no one can stop him, except the fifth element herself. 

Universal Exports - James Bond Series

Universal Exports may just be the most famous fake company, and it's a fake, fake company on top of that! It's used throughout the James Bond franchise as a cover for MI6 in all the exotic locations that Bond travels to. Just know that if you see the name in a list of companies on a building directory, there is espionage afoot. 

Paper St. Soap Company - Fight Club

Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) eschews all the trappings of a modern consumerist lifestyle, forming a fight club to reclaim a past lifestyle he thinks has been lost. He's also a top salesman for the Paper St. Soap Company. Or is he?

Consumer Recreation Services - The Game

The Game is one a movie by director David Fincher that doesn't get talked about enough. It's a fantastic movie with one company pulling all the strings for the titular game, played by Michael Douglas' character. How they have such reach is a mystery, but it's something that some wish would explored further. 

Binary sunsets, endless oceans, futuristic worlds beyond our comprehension, and all other manners of planets have helped make some of the best sci-fi movies of all time so iconic. And while we’ll never get to travel to these beautiful and oftentimes dangerous locations except for in our imaginations (or video game versions of these films), we can still dream about them, right?

Well, here are 32 planets from sci-fi movies I want to visit, even if it means I would risk life and limb to do so. But if I were to meet my end, it would be such a glorious way to go out.

Krypton (Superman: The Movie)

Visiting Krypton would be tricky for a variety of reasons, the biggest being that it is swallowed by its exploding red supergiant sun in the opening act of Superman: The Movie. However, if I could get there before the planet’s destruction, walk around its terrain, and learn its peoples’ ways, it would be an incredibly enlightening and memorable experience.

Caladan (Dune)

Like other great sci-fi film franchises, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies are filled with an assortment of unforgettable planets. Caladan, the homeworld of House Atreides, looks like one of the safer and milder planets in the galaxy with its seemingly endless seas, towering bluffs, and seemingly mild weather. That being said, it wouldn’t be a bad place to prop up your feet and learn about its history with the help of a mentat.

Planet 0259-S (The Avengers Movies)

After Thanos wiped out half of all living things in the universe in Avengers: Infinity War he retired to Planet 0259-S, a peaceful world where he didn’t plan his next attack, but instead became a simple farmer to live out the rest of his days. I’m not saying I would carry out Thanos’ plan, but having a little planet of my own to get some rest and relaxation while farming some alien fruit honestly sounds pretty nice.

Arrakis (Dune)

Arrakis, aka Dune, is probably one of the most inhospitable worlds in all of sci-fi thanks to its endless deserts, soaring temperatures, and those earth-shaking sandworms beneath its surface, but there’s no denying it’s a beautiful place. Sure, it might be the spice talking, but those sunsets on the primary location of Dune look magical.

Pandora (The Avatar Franchise)

I know Pandora is a moon and not a planet, but I’m going to let it slide because this world from the Avatar movies is one of the most beautiful locations in all of sci-fi. Sure, I’d have to wear an oxygen mask or get an avatar of my own to survive my trip, and I’d have to learn to fight off some terrifying creatures, but it’d so be worth it. 

Genesis (Star Trek III: The Search For Spock)

If I could get to Genesis before its destruction in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, I think I’d have a good and memorable time. With all kinds of alien flora, fauna, and those awesome Klingons, a short stint on this planet would be a great trip away from the doldrums of modern suburban life.

Naboo (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace)

“But Naboo looks just like Earth?” Oh, boo hoo, cry me a river. This planet first seen in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace looks like a paradise, and unlike a lot of other sci-fi worlds, it looks like I could survive without supplemental oxygen. On my hypothetical trip, I would visit those underwater civilizations, the rolling hills that look like a Windows XP background, and pay my respects to the fallen Qui-Gon Jinn.

Ego (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2)

The Guardians of the Galaxy movies were full of exotic and alien planets that look cooler than anything we’ll ever have on Earth, and that includes Ego, the Living Planet. Visiting this god/planet would be a trip of a lifetime with its outrageous scenery, stunning architecture, and Kurt Russell. I would just avoid taking a trip below the surface though. No one’s trying to see all those bones.

Solaris (Solaris)

Okay, Solaris is pretty much a giant brain in the shape of a planet, but that could make for a unique vacation that’s off the beaten path. The hallucinations and dreams and inevitable damage to my psyche would be a tough pill to swallow, but I’m down to try almost anything once. 

Cybertron (The Transformers Movies)

Cybertron, the home world of the Autobots and Decepticons in the Transformers movie franchise, doesn’t look like the most peaceful vacation destination and is lacking when it comes to lush forests, beaches, and nature in general. However, waking up to witness a civil war between two rival factions of machines that can turn into cars or animals would make for a great story when I got back to work.

LV-426 (The Alien Franchise)

LV-426, which is technically a moon and not a planet, is a location that comes up multiple times in the Alien cinematic universe. It’s dark, it’s wet, it’s deadly, and full of an army of xenomorphs, but visiting the terraformed rock would be an exciting adventure like no other. I would just have to watch out for those face-huggers popping out of giant eggs.

Kashyyyk (Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)

There are so many cool planets to check out in the Star Wars galaxy, including Kahsyyyk, the homeworld of the Wookiees. Hanging out with Chewbacca’s family, shooting crossbows, and fighting off clone troopers would be an adventurous vacation. I just need to see about booking some time in a bacta tank at the hotel.

Fhloston (The Fifth Element)

Fhloston from The Fifth Element would be a great way to spend a few days, or weeks, resting and relaxing from traveling through the cosmos. This paradise planet, with its resorts, opera singers, and all kinds of alien creatures, is perfect for a more low-key stay.

Vogsphere (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy)

Though not one of the most exotic, colorful, or evolved planets in all of sci-fi, Vogsphere from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy would still be fun to visit, even if just for a short while. If I were looking for somewhere I didn’t need to be creative, come up with complex ideas, or use my brain for more than simple motor skills, this would be the place to go.

Mars (Total Recall)

Will I ever get to go to Mars? No, probably not. But if I could, I would want it to be the version of the red planet from Total Recall. This wild world from the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger movie is something else with its deadly terrain, bizarre humanoids, and sinister plots. I would just need to make sure I didn’t walk the surface without my spacesuit.

Asgard (The Thor Movies)

Asgard is more of a realm than a planet, but it’s my vacation and I can go where I want. That being said, hanging out with Thor, Loki, and those actors from the play in Thor: Ragnarok would be pretty, pretty good. Also, Asgard has the Bifröst, which would make for some cool excursions during my stay.

Altair IV (Forbidden Planet)

Altair IV, the rocky world from Forbidden Planet is pretty limited when it comes to scenery, but being a great distance from Earth could make it a nice escape from life for a while. Plus, the planet has an almost turquoise sky, which would probably make for some majestic sunsets, or Altair-sets, if we’re being precise.

Kaitain (Dune: Part Two)

The home planet of Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune: Part Two, Katain would be a nice vacation destination in Denis Villeneuve’s film franchise. Sure, I’d have to watch out for politicians and other unsavory characters, but there aren’t any sandworms or seas of sand.

Abydos (Stargate)

Abydos is essentially the alien version of ancient Egypt in Stargate but with just even more great technology. As a kid, I was always drawn to the planet and its intricate structures and culture. Would it be hot, strange, and dangerous? Yeah, but I’d have a killer time.

Xandar (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

As long as I could get there before Thanos destroyed the planet to get the power stone before Avengers: Infinity War, a visit to Xandar would be a nice place to spend a few days. But since the Nova Corps isn’t too fond of criminals, or really anyone who goes against the grain, I would need to be on my best behavior. I’m not trying to spend my vacation in the Kyln.

Coruscant (Star Wars)

Coruscant, which has popped up in various Star Wars movies and TV shows over the years, is essentially one giant city in the shape of a planet. Though I’m not too fond of crowds, traffic, or politicians, witnessing the controlled chaos of the capital city-planet would be something to see.

Mongo (Flash Gordon)

Mongo, the home of Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon, seems like a cool place to visit despite not having the chill factor most seek out when planning a vacation. But this technicolor and dangerous alien world has a certain charm like the cheap end of the Vegas strip that could make it a bargain.

Miller's Planet (Interstellar)

I would need to get a surfboard and a supply of Dramamine before setting my sights on this water world, but Miller’s Planet from Interstellar would be a unique vacation spot if I’m on that side of the wormhole. And knowing that those aren’t actually mountains but giant waves, I think I could manage.

Tatooine (Star Wars)

A holiday in the vast deserts of Tatooine probably doesn’t seem like the ideal space vacation, but this planet on the outer rim of the galaxy has a lot going for it. The party scene in Mos Eisley is raging, the binary sunsets are something to see, and you never know who or what you’ll see on your travels.

Giedi Prime (Dune: Part Two)

Giedi Prime, the homeworld of House Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two, probably isn’t the best place to go for someone who’s susceptible to sunburns, but the way in which the closest star turns everything to black and white is something I’d love to see. It’d be a short trip, but I’d be down to hang out with the Harkonnen.

Titan (Avengers: Infinity War)

If I could be a fly on the wall when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes confronted Thanos on Titan in Avengers: Infinity War, I would be there in a minute. However, I’d prefer to go to the Mad Titan’s home planet before its overpopulation and limited resources led to its demise.

Vulcan (Star Trek)

Spock’s homeworld gets taken out in spectacular fashion in the 2009 Star Trek movie, but if I could somehow go back in time and visit before its annihilation, it could be a great trip with the family. Learning more about the Vulcan culture and hanging out with Spock’s family and friends would definitely be an enlightening experience.

Counter-Earth (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

Counter-Earth in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a place that I’d love to visit, but only if the timing was right. It’d be like going to Canada in the sense that there are some cultural differences but there are enough similarities to figure out what’s going on.

LV-223 (Prometheus)

LV-223, as seen in the opening of Prometheus, seems like a great vacation destination, especially if I’m not trying to hang out with a lot of people. Sure, I’d have to avoid the Engineer if I wanted to keep my head on my shoulders, but I’m pretty good at avoiding people here on Earth.

Helion Prime (The Chronicles Of Riddick) 

Helion Prime from The Chronicles of Riddick probably isn’t the safest place to visit on my annual family vacation, but life’s about living, right? It’s kind of drab and the locals are kind of stuffy, but it could be one of those sneaky-good holidays that catch you by surprise.

Magrathea (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has some nifty worlds that are as cool as they are exotic, including Magrathea. If I could get a tour of the planet and find the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, this could be a memorable and powerful retreat from society.

Earth (The Blade Runner Movies)

Though the Blade Runner movies technically take place on Earth, the real-life version of the planet is nowhere as cool as seen in this classic sci-fi franchise. Ridley Scott’s vision of the future in the form of Los Angeles in 2019 is so rad. The same goes for Denis Villeneuve’s design in Blade Runner 2049. 

If anyone knows of a good travel agent who can get me to places like Pandora, Arrakis, Titan, or Coruscant please let me know because now I really want to visit these iconic sci-fi planets.

With his acclaimed 1968 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, prolific science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick introduced a bleak and alarmingly plausible vision of the future that was brought to the big screen 14 years later in the film, Blade Runner, and again in 2017’s Blade Runner 2049. The upcoming limited series, Blade Runner 2099 – which is coming to one of the best streaming services to subscribe to, Amazon Prime – is the latest installment of that thought-provoking sci-fi franchise. Let’s explore everything that we know about the series so far in the following guide.

What Is The Blade Runner 2099 Premiere Date?

Unfortunately, one thing about Blade Runner 2099 that we cannot tell you at the moment is when you can watch it. The series, currently, has no set premiere date, but at least we do know that it will be available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription upon release.

The Blade Runner 2099 Cast Is Led By Michelle Yeoh

So far, the Blade Runner 2049 cast boasts a few sci-fi veterans and many others who will be taking their first plunge into the genre with the new series. Take a look at who is starring in the series and what you may already know them from.

Michelle Yeoh (Olwen)

The first major addition to the Blade Runner 2099 cast is Michelle Yeoh, who is starring as Olwen, a Replicant who is about to expire, according to Variety. The Malaysian actor is already no stranger to the sci-fi genre, having earned an Academy Award for her performance in A24's hit multiverse movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and starred on Star Trek: Discovery, to name a few.

Hunter Schafer

Variety reported in June 2024 that Hunter Schafer – known for the Euphoria cast as Jules Vaughn and Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness – joined the Blade Runner 2099 cast. There are no official details regarding who the star of Cuckoo is playing, but a rumor courtesy of Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman (via World of Reel) suggests she is playing a woman on the run who teams up with Olwen to take on a conspiracy.

Dimitri Abold

Also joining the Blade Runner 2099 cast in an undisclosed role is Dimitri Abold. The Jamaican-born, German-raised actor is known for his part in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and his recurring role on Netflix’s action/fantasy series, Warrior Nun, and a more grounded, comedic, original for the platform called Love Addicts.

Lewis Gribben

Scottish actor Lewis Gribben made his debut in 2017’s T2: Trainspotting as a dealer before starring in the Amazon Prime original dark comedy film, Get Duked. He later led Hulu’s 2022 dramatic limited series, Somewhere Boy, had a role in Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air, and his upcoming horror movie, The Damned, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2024.

Katelyn Rose Downey

Irish actor Katelyn Rose Downey is making her sci-fi debut with a recurring role in the Blade Runner 2099 cast. However, she has already tackled both action and fantasy as Violet in Hulu’s The Princess, and horror with a role in the Conjuring Universe movie, The Nun II, from 2023. That same year, she also had a main role in the limited crime series, Clean Sweep.

Daniel Rigby

Also appearing in a recurring 2099 role is Daniel Rigby, who – despite getting his start as a stand-up comedian – is known better for his dramatic acting, such as in one of the best episodes of Black Mirror, Season 2’s “The Waldo Moment.” Even one of the English actor’s most notable comedic roles comes from a pretty dark comedy series called Flowers.

Johnny Harris

Recurring Blade Runner 2099 actor and two-time BAFTA nominee Johnny Harris has appeared in well-known movies like Atonement, RocknRolla, and Snow White and the Huntsman. You might recognize him from the small screen for his roles in Amazon’s Fortitude, FX’s Great Expectations, and Paramount+’s A Gentleman in Moscow.

Amy Lennox

Before landing her recurring role on Blade Runner 2099, Amy Lennox was best known for her main role on long-running UK medical drama Holby City. She would make her acting debut in 2010 in the Alex Garland-penned Never Let Me Go. She followed that up with a straight-to-video sequel to Wrong Turn and would lend her voice to video games like Dragon Quest Heroes II.

Sheila Atim

In 2023, Uganda actor Sheila Atim – who also has a recurring 2099 role – earned BAFTA nomination for the EE Rising Star Award for her role in the acclaimed A24 movie, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. She previously starred in Amazon’s 2021 miniseries The Underground Railroad, the 2022 Marvel movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and The Woman King as Amenza.

Matthew Needham

Johnny Harris’s Great Expectations co-star Matthew Needham is going from his starring role in the House of the Dragon cast as Lord Larys Strong to a recurring role in Blade Runner 2099. The actor got his star on the BBC medical drama Casualty before later starring in a 2017 Netflix horror movie called The Ritual and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, more recently.

Tom Burke

According to Deadline, Tom Burke is joining the Blade Runner 2099 cast in a recurring role. The English actor is best known for portraying Orson Welles in Mank, playing Anthony in The Souvenir, and contributing to some of the most badass moments in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as Praetorian Jack.

Maurizio Lombardi

Also recurring on 2099 is Maurizio Lombardi. The Italian actor is best known to American audiences for his recurring roles on Netflix's Ripley and HBO's The Young Pope and its follow-up, The New Pope.

What Blade Runner 2099 Is About

Outside of what we know about Yeoh's character, details regarding the plot of the live-action Blade Runner 2099 TV show are quite scarce. One thing that has been revealed — which we were also able to guess pretty easily from the title — is that the story is a continuation of Blade Runner 2049 and takes place 50 years later. The 2017 thriller was a direct sequel to 1982’s Blade Runner and brought Ford’s Rick Deckard — a cop who specializes in identifying and “retiring” Replicants — together with Gosling’s K, who is a Replicant Blade Runner searching for the long-missing Deckard after making a shocking discovery.

Considering the gap of time between Blade Runner 2049 and Blade Runner 2099 and what supposedly happens to K at the end of the film (without giving too much away), it seems unlikely that we will be seeing either of the Academy Award nominees reprising their roles. However, what is likely is that Deckard and K’s relevance to the story may be of great importance to the plot of the upcoming series. Maybe the show could finally put the debate over whether or not Deckard is a Replicant to bed, even if not knowing for sure is part of the story’s appeal.

Silka Luisa Is The Showrunner

The lead executive producer for Blade Runner 2099 is Silka Luisa, who previously served as the showrunner for the Apple TV+ original mystery series, Shining Girls, which she also created. She was also a writer and producer for Paramount+’s fact-based occult drama, Strange Angel, and was a supervising producer for the first season of the platform’s series adaptation of Halo. So, it looks like she already knows a few things about high-concept, dystopian drama.

In addition to also executive producing Blade Runner 2099, Jonathan van Tulleken has signed on to direct the first two episodes, after just completing the same task for FX’s Shogun (per Deadline). The two-time BAFTA nominee is also known for helming five episodes of Hulu’s revenge thriller, Reprisal, and four chapters of Apple TV+’s 2023 horror series, The Changeling. Van Tulleken assumes the reins from Emmy nominee Jeremy Podeswa, who had to step down from helming 2099 amid scheduling conflicts.

Ridley Scott Is Producing

No installment to this franchise would truly be complete without some involvement by the man who first brought Philip K. Dick’s vision to the big screen. Thankfully, Ridley Scott is signed on as an executive producer for Blade Runner 2099. In fact, his involvement was known when it was announced that Amazon Studios was giving the series the green light in 2022.

Blade Runner was the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker’s third feature, following 1977’s Napoleonic War-era drama The Duellists and another cinematic sci-fi classic: the 1979 debut installment of the Alien movies franchise, which has another new chapter called Alien: Romulus that Scott is also producing. While directorial duties were passed on to Denis Villeneuve for Blade Runner 2049, Scott would also return as an executive producer for the sequel. He would, however, return to direct the upcoming 2024 movie, Gladiator 2 — a sequel to his Best Picture Oscar winner from 2000.

Blade Runner 2099 Wrapped Filming In December 2024

Even though the premiere date for Blade Runner 2099 remains unknown, the wait for that announcement should not last too much longer. Filming concluded in December 2024, as confirmed by an Instagram post from director Karena Evans

The series began shooting in June 2024 in Prague, according to KFTV, while the original plan was to film in Belfast, Ireland. However, after the writers' strike caused a delay in production, the location was moved to the Czech Republic, which also serves as the backdrop for other acclaimed sci-fi TV shows like Apple TV+’s Foundation.

How Many Episodes Are There In Blade Runner 2099?

The number of episodes that Blade Runner 2099 will consist of has not been officially announced yet. An early report on the series’ development from 2022 by The Hollywood Reporter suggests that the season could be told in 8-10 hour-long chapters.

How To Watch The Blade Runner Franchise So Far

On the bright side, it looks like curious audiences will have plenty of time to catch up on the story so far before they try out Blade Runner 2099 when it premieres. Of course, they will want to start with the original — widely considered one of the all-time greatest sci-fi movies — but even that can be tricky, as there are numerous, drastically different edits of the film available. The safest bet is to go with 2001’s Blade Runner: The Final Cut, which is personally endorsed by Scott.

The next step is to watch Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, which some fans argue surpasses the original with its ingenious exploration of the story’s already profound subject matter and stunning, Academy Award-winning cinematography by the legendary Roger Deakins. However, if you prefer to go in chronological order, watch the first small-screen installment, the anime-style Blade Runner: Block Lotus, which aired on Adult Swim in 2021 and is now available exclusively on Crunchyroll.

With a new series on the way, it is wonderful to know that the Blade Runner franchise will continue and avoid being lost in time, like tears in rain.

From comedies to sci-fi (especially sci-fi) Hollywood has been churning out movies set in the far distant future. A future, it turns out, that has come and gone here in our actual Earth timeline. Here's a list where we explore when those movies were made, what year they were set in, and how they look today. 

Back To The Future Part II

This might be the most notorious movie on this list. Back to the Future Part II was released in 1989 and when Marty, Doc, and Jennifer go to the future, it's all the way to 2015. Well, 2015 came and went a long time ago and we still don't have flying cars, hoverboards, or self-tying shoes. Jaws 19 still hasn't been released either. It didn't get everything wrong though, some of the tech in the McFly home, like voice-activated TV controls and video phones exist. We still have a lot of questions about this movie though. 

Freejack

1992's Freejack is a time capsule...into 1992. It's certainly not one into "the future" it presents. When Alex (Emilio Estevez) is transported into the future, he is taken to a crazy, dystopian New York City of 2009. There is really nothing worth talking about what they got correct here because very little of what it shows was reality in 2009. New York City was safer and cleaner than in 1991, not the other way around. 

Westworld

Not to be confused with the HBO show Westworld, 1973's Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton was released in 1973. It's set in 1983 (as revealed in the sequel, Futureworld), which, looking back, was a big mistake. Why not set it in 2083? There is very little about the tech in Westworld that existed in 1983, or 2023 for that matter. They did a decent job with the computers that run the park though, those are somewhat realistic for 1983.  

The Terminator Series

So, truth be told, the timeline in the Terminator series is a convoluted mess. So we're going to stick just to the first couple of movies in the series, the first released in 1984, and the second, Terminator 2: Judgement Day in 1991. Both set the day that the machines took over as August 29th, 1997. Luckily for all of us, this never happened. 

Johnny Mnemonic

It's easy to make fun of 1995's Johnny Mnemonic for being set in 2021 and missing the mark in a lot of ways. The present is clearly not nearly as diabolically dystopian as the movie promises, but there's a lot they got close to correct, or at least not way, way off. The way the internet is used, for example, is not, like, totally different. Sure, we don't have neural implants...yet, but nothing is in there that we would laugh at today, technology-wise. 

Blade Runner

Another of the most notorious on the list is the sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Released in 1982 and set in 2019, there is more that they got wrong than they got right. Of course, none of that matters, since it'll always be a stone-cold classic.

The Road

Author Cormac McCarthy's 2006 dystopian future novel The Road was made into a movie in 2009 starring Viggo Mortensen as a father making his way through a destroyed world with his son. Though it's never explicitly said when it takes place, it is "several years" after whatever unnamed event caused the destruction, which would set it somewhere around ten years in the future, or 2019. 

Escape from New York

The year is 1997. The island of Manhattan is a prison colony and the President has just crashed there. That's the premise of 1981's Escape from New York, but that's obviously not the fate of New York City. At least not year. It also doesn't make it less awesome of a movie. 

Timecop

1994's Timecop starring Jean-Claude Van Damme is pretty silly, so it feels a little silly to criticize it too harshly here, but come on. It's setting up a "future" in 2004 that includes the actual ability to travel through time. Obviously, that's not available to us, but again, it's not it'll ever be actually possible, so how mad can we be here? 

The Running Man

The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, might be the least "Stephen King movie" of all of the movies based on books by the prolific author. Released in 1987, the cult classic is set in 2017. The actual world of 2017 looked nothing like the one in the movie, but, there are some things it did kind of get right. Reality TV, for example, is essentially what "The Running Man" TV show in the movie is. Plus, it also has voice-activated lights and TVs, which existed in 2017. So not terrible. 

Rollerball

1975's Rollerball, starring James Caan, is a wild movie that is totally a product of its time. It's become a cult classic for good reason. What it isn't, though, is accurate for the year it was set in, 2018. Roller derby isn't even popular anymore! Corporations don't govern the country either. At least not yet. 

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

The whole Mad Max series takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, like a lot of movies set in the future. The future? Sometime in the mid-2000s for Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. It's safe to say the movie was just a little off. 

Soylent Green

Soylent Green has one of the best twists in film history, but that doesn't make it accurate. Released in 1973 and set in 2022, the movie is wrong about a whole lot of things. We're certainly not eating people... or are we?

Akira

1988's Akira is one of the most beloved Anime movies of all time, but it sure missed the mark in predicting what 2019 will look like. Once again the makers of a dystopian future movie didn't nail it when it comes to a cataclysmic event. Maybe if a live-action remake comes along, it'll set too far in the future for us to call it out. 

Metropolis

Going back to the earliest days of film, Metropolis, the silent movie classic made in 1927, gets the future very wrong. Though the movie is set in 2027, we're confident in predicting that the world won't be a dystopian factory nightmare in three years. 

The Purge

2013's The Purge is a perfect example of why, if you're making a movie about a dystopian future, make sure it's far enough into the future that people won't be around to see how wrong you were. Set in 2022, The Purge shows a world where people are so angry that the only way to solve things is to allow them to kill each other on one day a year. Actually, maybe it's not as far off as it seems...

2001: A Space Odyssey

Talk about a movie that really telegraphs how wrong it's going to be, 2001: A Space Odyssey tells us what year it takes place right in the title. The 1968 release is set, well, in 2001, and we didn't even have Pan Am flights to space. We didn't have Pan Am at all, as a matter of fact. 

The Postman

1997's post-apocalyptic western The Postman is set in the "near future" of 2013. Of course, the world of 2013 had not experienced an apocalyptic event, nor was a new world capital set up in Minnesota. 

No Escape

In 1994, Ray Liotta starred in a kind of off-brand Escape From New York called No Escape. It's not the best movie, but it's fun. It also takes place in a world where corporations run the prisons in America in 2022. Which, frightfully, isn't that hard to imagine being possible. 

Highlander II: The Quickening

A lot of people would rather that Highlander II: The Quickening wasn't made. If anything we wouldn't have to call it out for getting pretty much every after 1999 correct, especially 2024, which is the latest year that occurs in the movie. 

V for Vendetta

It's a little difficult to pinpoint exactly when V for Vendetta takes place. Made in 2006, it appears that it takes place in the mid-to-late 2020s. Either way, it's safe to say that we won't be living in a world quite like the dystopian London in the movie. While there are some themes that could work, it's still off. 

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is the fourth in the original Planet of the Apes series but it's the only that fits on this list. While most of the movies take place centuries in the future, the "planet's" origin story is set in the 1980s and '90s. The movie was made in 1972, so it's really more of a horror story for viewers at the time. 

Death Race 2000

Death Race 2000, released in 1975 was set only 25 years in the future, as the name of the movie implies. While it is one heck of a b-movie, starring Sylvester Stallone and David Carradine, it gets everything about the totalitarian future it predicts at the turn of the century. The idea of a road race across the country as TV entertainment isn't that far off though. 

A Clockwork Orange

Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange was released in 1971 and puts forth the idea of a dystopian future where gangs of oddly dressed teenagers commit unthinkable acts of violence. The year is never directly revealed in the movie, but it seems like some alternate timeline of the 1960s by the style of decor. The movie is based on a book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. In Burgess' diary, he revealed that it was intended to be set in 1980. 

1984

George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four has twice been made into a film. The first, on BBC, in 1954 and the second in 1984. Ignoring the one in '84, the future predicted by Orwell and the '53 film got everything wrong. Sure, there are elements that we worry about today, and "Big Brother" has become part of the modern lexicon, but there was no nuclear war in the 1960s and the world is not divided into only three countries. 

A Scanner Darkly

This one is a little tricky to nail down when in the future it takes place, but hear us out. The original story on which the movie was based, was published in 1977 and set in 1994. The animated movie, A Scanner Darkly, directed by Richard Linklater, was released in 2006. By doing the same math, we arrive at 2023 and either way, both stories are way off. 

The Island

In 2006, Michael Bay directed The Island with Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. It's not a well reviewed film, nor was it a hit, nor did it get the future of 2019 correct either. Like many on this list, it's set in a dystopian future that just didn't come to pass. At some point, writers and directors are just going to have to give up on predicting the downfall of human civilization, right?

Alien Intruder

1993's Alien Intruder, starring Billy Dee Williams, is a crude, terrible movie that frankly, we're glad it got 2022 wrong. Not just because a future like that looks terrifying and we're glad it didn't happen, but because no movie this bad deserves to be right. One thing we will say is that it did almost get the virtual reality stuff correct...at least what it will be used for, which we'd rather not talk about. 

Escape From LA

15 years after John Carpenter and Kurt Russell made Escape From New York, they returned for Escape From LA in 1996. In the movie, an earthquake in 2000 cut off Los Angeles from the mainland, and a prison was set up on the new island. In 2006, Snake Plissken (Russell) basically did what he did in New York. Last we checked, LA was just fine in 2006. 

Demolition Man

1993's Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock technically takes place in 2032, so we've got some time to see how close it is to reality (hint: not close), but it's on this list because the two main characters played by Stallone and Wesley Snipes were cryogenically frozen in 1996. To date, we still don't have that kind of technology. 

Mission to Mars

In 2000 Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, and Gary Sinise starred in Mission to Mars, about the first manned mission to Mars. The film is set in 2020, which may have made it plausible in 2000, but it sure did miss the mark as we are not much closer today than we were then with that prospect. Maybe by 2035, when Matt Damon's The Martian is set, we'll get there. 

Barb Wire

Okay Okay, we admit, it's unfair to pick a movie like Barb Wire, starring Pamela Anderson, for its accuracy, but still, here we go. Set in 2017, this 1996 movie plays on the premise that a second Civil War is underway. Who would ever believe that by 2017 the political climate would be such that a civil war could even be the faintest bit possible? Certainly, the makers of the film would know that by 2017 everyone would be living in peace and harmony in the US and the political division would...wait a minute...just how wrong is this one? Yikes. 

The main takeaway from this list of movies set in the future but now in the past? Filmmakers need to choose dates way into the future. Buck Rogers isn't on this list because it's 500 years in the future! That's the way to do it. 

Music can sometimes make or break a scene in a movie, but there are some films that take that idea to the next level and feature soundtracks that take on a life of their own. Sometimes they are an amazing way to reflect on a feature’s best moments, and other times, they produce a very special vibe on their own.

While far from exhaustive, this is a list of movies that take their use of music to special levels and both inspired and produced fantastic soundtracks.

Reservoir Dogs

More than just a collection of needle drops from the movie, the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack is distinctive in that it’s curated as though it’s beaming the radio show featured in the film: K-Billy’s Super Sounds Of The '70s. From George Baker Selection’s “Little Green Bag” to Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut,” every song is a delight – but the true centerpiece is Stealer’s Wheel' “Stuck In The Middle With You."

Tron: Legacy

There’s only one issue with the Tron Legacy soundtrack, and that’s that it is too short. Daft Punk made its debut as film composers for the 2010 sci-fi sequel, and listening to it instantly immerses you in The Grid. The highlights are the two tracks in the middle of the track listing: “End Of Line” and “Derezzed.”

High Fidelity

You’d expect any movie about the influence and power of music to have an influential and powerful soundtrack, and that’s one of the many great aspects of Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity. As depicted in the film, “Dry The Rain” immediately instigates curiosity about The Beta Band; Bob Dylan’s “Most Of The Time” is used to brilliant effect as John Cusack’s Rob Gordon reflects on his greatest relationship in the pouring rain; and Jack Black’s performance of “Let’s Get It On” (as part of Barry Jive And The Uptown Five) is unforgettable.

The Social Network

Arguably the best movie of the 21st century partially earns that credit because it has arguably the best film score of the 21st century. The music for David Fincher’s The Social Network let the world know that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are among the best composers on the planet, and that was properly recognized with an Academy Award. The soundtrack sucks you in with “Hand Covers Bruise” leading to “In Motion,” and by the time "In the Hall of the Mountain King" hits, your mind is wholly blown.

Drive

Everything about Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is a feast for the ears. The movie’s sound design and editing is genius, and there is a terrific blend of score and needle drops on the soundtrack. Composer to Cliff Martinez delivers an endlessly cool atmosphere, but the true MVPs here are "Nightcall" by Kavinsky feat/ Lovefoxxx, "A Real Hero" by Electric Youth College, and "Under Your Spell" by Desire.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Though Beck is the primary inspiration of the fictional band Sex Bob-Omb in Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the source of some amazing original songs, the entire soundtrack is an wide-ranging wonder that at one moment rocks with The Black Lips'  “Katarina” but then hypnotizes with T. Rex's “Teenage Dream." It should also be noted that the cover of “Black Sheep” sung by Brie Larson is even better than the Metric recording.

The Graduate

Easily one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time is the music of Mike Nichols’ The Graduate – and there’s an argument that it’s one of the best albums of all time. “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson”, “April Come She Will,” and “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” by Simon & Garfunkel will forever be tied to the classic coming-of-age story of Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock.

True Romance

How amazing is the soundtrack to Tony Scott’s True Romance? It only takes hearing a couple notes played on a marimba to identify Hans Zimmer’s “You’re So Cool” and reflect on one of the badass movies of the 1990s. The score is also brilliantly paired with the thumping beat of Nymphomania’s “I Want Your Body” (memorably used during the confrontation with Gary Oldman’s Drexl Spivey) and the soothing sounds of Robert Palmer's “(Love Is) The Tender Trap."

8 Mile

Eminem was at the height of his powers in 2002 when he starred in Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile, and equally as anticipated as the semi-biographical film was the soundtrack that would accompany it. Fans were most definitely not disappointed, as the tracklist is outfitted with excellent Marshall Mathers originals (including “Lose Yourself” “8 Mile” and “Rabbit Run”) alongside killer contributions from D12, 50 Cent, Nas, and Macy Gray.

Star Wars

This list could be primarily populated with the music of John Williams, but Star Wars deserves special recognition if not simply because of how many of the tracks register as iconic. The blast of trumpets that start the film with the title card is by itself an important piece of cinema history, and everything that follows is magic.

Almost Famous

With a personal history that includes time as a writer and editor at Rolling Stone, Cameron Crowe knows a thing or two about music, and that deep knowledge is beautifully reflected in his semi-autobiographical hit Almost Famous. The soundtrack is a stellar arrangement of songs from some of the 20th century’s greatest artists, including Simon & Garfunkel, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens and David Bowie, but the most memorable track, of course, is Elton John's “Tiny Dancer."

The Shining

Would the opening helicopter shots of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining have anywhere near the same kind of impact if it weren’t for the blaring synth-heavy score from composer Wendy Carlos? The answer is an obvious, “no,” and the same can be said of the rest of the music she made for the beloved horror film. The impact that the music has on the atmosphere of The Overlook Hotel is incalculable and it perfectly ratchets up tension and horror as Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance further descends into madness.

Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee wastes no time musically telling the audience what Do The Right Thing is all about, kicking off the powerful 1989 film with Rosie Perez pumping her arms, shuffling her feet and jamming to the sound of Public Enemy's “Fight The Power." It sets the table for what is an all-around exceptional soundtrack with additional hits including Perri's “Feel So Good” and Guy's “My Fantasy."

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas

In Terry Gilliam’s fantastic adaptation of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, dedicated fans of Gonzo legend Hunter S. Thompson will recognize hits directly mentioned in his beloved book, but the audible experience from the cinematic wonder also bends your mind with three wild Tomoyasu Hotei & Ray Cooper instrumental recordings and songs like "Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Three Dog Night and "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" by Bob Dylan.

(500) Days Of Summer

What are the songs for falling in and out of love? That’s a question that demands a subjective answer, but director Marc Webb and his collaborators do a pretty incredible job curating that experience with the soundtrack for (500) Days Of Summer. Two songs by The Smiths are the big standouts – “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” and “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” – but the eclectic track listing also features everything from The Black Lips, to Hall & Oates to Wolfmother.

Blade Runner

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a visual spectacle, with the mind-blowing work of neo-futurist concept artist Syd Mead and the production team transporting audiences to a captivating vision of Los Angeles in the year 2019 – but taking the who experience to new levels is the dark, synth-centric score from Vangelis, which makes for a particularly special listen on a rainy day.

O Brother Where Art Thou

The soundtrack for Joel and Ethan Coen’s O Brother Where Art Thou would be included on this list if the only song it featured was The Soggy Bottom Boys’ “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” (performed by Dan Tyminski, Pat Enright, & Harley Allen), but the truth is that the entire film is filled with wonderful bluegrass, country and folk music that make for a gentle listen whenever the world is feeling stressful.

Shaft

The spectacular soundtrack for Gordon Parks’ Shaft is pure testament to the unyielding grooviness of Isaac Hayes. The “Theme From Shaft” is one of the greatest piece of movie music ever made, and the funky bass lines and horns in the score helps define Richard Roundtree’s titular detective as a king of cool.

Dazed And Confused

Released in 1993, Richard Linklater’s Dazed And Confused is recognized as one of the great films throwing back to the 1970s, and that’s accomplished through plot, costumes, production design, and definitely music. The legendary song that opens the film, Aerosmith's “Sweet Emotion," isn’t featured on the commercially released soundtrack, but the tracklist is packed with rock n’ roll royalty including Kiss, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Foghat and War.

Empire Records

Rex Manning Day (a.k.a. April 8) most definitely isn’t the only day that cinephiles should celebrate the soundtrack for Allan Moyle’s Empire Records. It’s an awesome ‘90s throwback with alternative rock from bands like The Cranberries and Better than Ezra, but it hits its peak with Track 15: Coyote Shivers' “Sugarhigh."

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Want to feel like the coolest person in the world? All you need to do is throw on a pair of headphones, put on Tomoyasu Hotei's “Battle Without Honor Or Humanity," and go for a walk. It’s the highlight of Quentin Tarantino’s perfect soundtrack for Kill Bill Vol. 1, but every chosen track is a proper brain-melter – from the whistling in Bernard Herrmann’s “Twisted Nerve” to the hyper trumpets of Al Hirt’s “Green Hornet.” Just be careful listening to “Woo Hoo” by The 5.6.7.8's, as it will get stuck in your head for days.

Guardians Of The Galaxy

There are many great scores and themes for superhero movies, with John Williams’ work on Superman: The Movie and Danny Elfman’s music for Batman being examples that immediately spring to mind, but James Gunn crafted something extraordinary with his collection of carefully curated needle drops in Guardians of The Galaxy. From “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone to “O-o-h Child” by The Five Stairsteps, you can put this album on loop for hours and never grow sick of it.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Anyone who has watched Oscar Isaac in film or television knows that he is a talented actor, but Joel and Ethan Coen’s Inside Llewyn Davis adds a whole new dimension to the performer – showing that he can really sing. The whole soundtrack is a true folk music-laden treat, but I would challenge anybody to listen to “Please Mr. Kennedy” by Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver and not at least crack a smile.

Pulp Fiction

Many of the soundtracks listed here open with a bang, but in the fight to pick which one’s the best, it’s hard to vote against Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and the crazy guitar skills of Dick Dale demonstrated with “Misirlou.” The album keeps those surfer vibes going with The Tornadoes’ “Bustin Surfboards,” The Revels’ “Comanche,” and The Lively Ones’ “Surf Rider,” but also mixed in is great soulful tracks like Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," Kool & The Gang's "Jungle Boogie" and Dusty Springfield's "Son Of A Preacher Man."

Garden State

The legacy of Zach Braff’s Garden State is mixed one, but far less controversial is the film’s marvelous needle drops – the album it spawned very much earning the Grammy it won for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album. It’s a fascinating collection of cerebral indie rock with two tremendously well-utilized songs by The Shins (“Caring Is Creepy” and “New Slang”) living alongside Zero 7’s “In The Waiting Line,” Cary Brothers’ “Blue Eyes” and Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy In New York.”

A Hard Day’s Night

Director Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night was an essential part of Beetlemania in the 1960s, with the soundtrack being their third studio album and a key part of their place in music history. It’s 60th anniversary will be celebrated in 2024, and the titular song along with “Can’t Buy Me Love” remain an indelible part of pop culture.

Footloose

A big part of the intention of Herbert Ross’ Footloose is trying to get audiences to get up and dance, and while part of that effort is accomplished with fun on-screen choreography, the other half is an outstanding soundtrack. Obviously the titular track by Kenny Loggins is the headlining song, but "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams, "Bang Your Head” by Quiet Riot and "Hurts So Good" by John Mellencamp all get your pulse racing.

This Is Spinal Tap

It’s one thing to make a funny rock and roll mockumentary, but it’s a completely different thing to make a funny rock and roll mockumentary that also truly rocks. Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap is very much that, as the full soundtrack of songs (all written by Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Rob Reiner) is a roster of excellence – with standouts including “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” and “Gimmie Some Money.”

Waiting To Exhale

In the 1990s, R&B was one of the biggest genres in the music world, and with Whitney Houston being a major force behind it, it’s no surprise that the soundtrack for Forest Whitaker’s Waiting To Exhale (starring Houston) plays like an all-star assembly. Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Brandy, TLC, Mary J. Blige, and more showcase their remarkable voices in the compilation, and Houston’s song "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" ended up winning the Grammy for Best R&B Song.

Trainspotting

In addition to supporting a stunning film that is reflected on as one of the best of its decade, the soundtrack to Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting is an experience unto itself – taking audiences on a journey through genres and time. The impressive significance of the work is illustrated in the fact that the album inspired its very own sequel (which came out 20 years before the release of Danny Boyle’s cinematic sequel, T2: Trainspotting)

Pretty In Pink

New wave music, particularly in John Hughes scripted/produced films, has a way of transporting listeners back to the 1980s, and that’s certainly part of the magic of Pretty In Pink. The eponymous song from The Psychedelic Furs is well joined on the soundtrack by great bands like INXS, Echo & The Bunnymen, New Order, and The Smiths.

Velvet Goldmine

The soundtrack for Todd Haynes’ Velvet Goldmine doesn’t feature any tracks by David Bowie despite the fact that he was a major influence for the film, but the album is still a tremendous celebration of glam rock full of originals and covers – with music from Lou Reed, T. Rex, the New York Dolls and more.

A truly great soundtrack can turn a good film into an excellent film, and an excellent film into a classic, and all of the titles listed here prove that fact.

There have been some totally wild movie endings over the years, and others that many remember more than their respective movies, so much so that they’ve entered the zeitgeist even for those who’ve never watched them before. However, some of those iconic Academy Award-winning films almost had alternate endings that differed drastically from what we saw, that were either originally a part of the movie or written or shot as a back-up plan if the director and cast didn’t stick the landing.

Here are 32 movies that almost ended in a completely different manner…

Titanic (1997)

We’re all familiar with the Titanic ending: Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) dies, Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) survives and lives a long and fulfilling life. And while that aspect didn’t change in the film’s alternate ending, the scene where the present-day Rose (Gloria Stuart) drops the Heart of the Ocean into the Atlantic played out differently. Instead of being on her own and never revealing she had the diamond all along, Rose is caught by Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton), who gets to touch the necklace before the elderly woman drops the stone below.

Alien (1979)

Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror classic, Alien, ends with Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) defeating the Xenomorph once and for all before going into cryo-sleep. However, the filmmaker revealed in an interview with EW that his original vision saw the movie ending on a much more somber note with the heroine having her head ripped off by the alien creature.

Seven (1995)

Is there a movie ending more memorable than the Seven finale with its painful “What’s in the box?” scream from Brad Pitt’s David Mills? Well, David Fincher’s 1995 thriller could have gone in multiple directions, according to the Telegraph (via SlashFilm). In fact, there were seven alternate endings, including one where William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) kills John Doe (Kevin Spacey), one where Mills shoots Somerset to prevent him from killing Doe, and one including a dead dog in the box.

Get Out (2017)

The Get Out ending leaves things on a relatively high note with Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) being rescued by his best friend, Rod Williams (Lil Rel Howery), but there’s an alternate scene that is more devastating than anything in the final film. In the Get Out alternate ending, it isn’t Rod who shows up but instead a police officer who arrests Chris for the murder of Rose Armitage (Allison Williams).

28 Days Later (2002)

Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later is one of the most transformative zombie movies of the 21st century and one of the best 2000s movies. The movie’s main ending wraps up with a suggestion that Jim (Cillian Murphy), Selena (Naomie Harris), and Hannah (Megan Burns) will be saved after escaping the fortified mansion. However, the 28 Days Later alternate endings are far more grim and over-the-top, with one wrapping up with an ambiguous car crash, another where Jim dies, and another with a wild blood transfusion sequence.

Fatal Attraction (1987)

The 1987 erotic thriller, Fatal Attraction, ends with Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) being shot and killed by Beth Rogerson Gallagher (Anne Archer), Dan’s wife. However, according to Vanity Fair, the alternate -- well, original -- ending saw Alex die after slashing her own throat, which didn’t work with test audiences.

I Am Legend (2007)

The I Am Legend alternate ending is one that provides a lot more context for the overall story than the version we saw in theaters. In this version, Will Smith’s Robert Neville discovers that the Alpha Male Hemocyte was trying to save his mate the whole time and that the creatures see the human as their boogeyman. This completely changes the way you look at the “monsters” while also keeping the humans alive. 

Clue (1985)

John Landis’ legendary murder mystery comedy, Clue, has not one, not two, but three different endings before the credits roll. And unlike a lot of movies where the alternate conclusions aren’t seen until put on DVD years later, moviegoers get to see the “Miss Scarlet” ending, the “Mrs. Peacock” ending, and the “real” ending in one viewing.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day, one of the best action movies of all time, ends with T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sacrificing himself to save Sarah (Linda Hamilton) and John Connor (Edward Furlong) who then drive down an open highway. The alternate ending ends on a different note with an older Sarah Connor talking about John becoming a Senator instead of a soldier in the war between man and machine.

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) 

We all know how National Lampoon’s Vacation ends: Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) buys a BB gun and forces his way into Walley World after driving 2,400 miles across the country. The original version of the movie, however, never saw the family enter the park. Instead, they confronted Roy Walley (Eddie Bracken) at his home, as detailed in an EW oral history of the massive change. 

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Though George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead doesn’t end on the happiest of notes – Peter (Ken Foree) and Fancine (Gaylen Ross) escape in a helicopter with limited fuel and a zombie-infested landscape – it’s far more uplifting than what the late horror master originally had in store. According to ScreenRant, the original version in the script saw both of the survivors kill themselves before they could be eaten by zombies.

First Blood (1982)

First Blood ends with Johnny Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) tearfully lamenting his Vietnam War experience and the treatment he received upon returning home before being taken into federal custody. However, according to EW, the movie was going to originally end with the hero taking his own life.

Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) 

Frank Oz’s Little Shop of Horrors ends with Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis) and Audrey (Ellen Greene) getting married after destroying Audrey II, but the musical comedy’s original, and far more depressing ending, was a different story. In this version, the man-eating plant eats its owner and begins to take over the world, toppling (and eating) everything in its path.

Clerks (1994)

Nearly 30 years after the release of Clerks, Kevin Smith took to Twitter to share a scene from the original script that would have had his directorial debut end on a different note. In this alternate ending, Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) is shot and killed instead of taking the next day off.

Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner has long been known for its various different cuts, each of which has a slightly different ending. The theatrical cut ends with Deckard (Harrison Ford) and Rachel (Sean Young) driving away from Los Angeles with a voice-over track, the director’s cut ends much earlier in the story and gets rid of the narration. This latter version was enhanced in the “Final Cut” years later, according to SlashFilm.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

The 2004 psychological thriller, The Butterfly Effect ends with Evan (Ashton Kutcher) going back in time to make a bad impression on Kayleigh (Amy Smart) so they won’t be together later in life. However, the director’s cut features an ending that sees the protagonist go back and prevent himself from being born to save everyone from the fallout of his actions.

Army of Darkness (1993)

Army of Darkness ends with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) being sent back to the present where he recounts his story to a coworker before killing a Deadite and saving the day. Sam Raimi’s original ending instead sees Ash oversleeping and waking up in a post-apocalyptic world instead of his own.. 

Pretty Woman (1990)

Pretty Woman, one of the best romantic comedies of all time, ends with Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) and Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) living happily ever after. However, as noted by Vanity Fair, the original ending in the script was much darker, and ended with the female character essentially having a stack of cash thrown at her while the male lead drove away.

The Descent (2005)

Neil Marshall’s 2005 British horror movie has two endings, one that was shown around the world during its initial release and another for American audiences in 2006. In the original ending, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) seemingly escapes the cave only for her departure being revealed as a hallucination before she is devoured by crawlers. The alternate ending shown in the states doesn’t include the revelation that her escape was a fantasy, as pointed out by Vulture.

Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) 

Did you know there’s an alternate ending for Die Hard with a Vengeance, one where Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons) evades capture and doesn’t die in a helicopter crash? Well, that’s the case. In the alternate version, which was filmed, John McClane (Bruce Willis) is blamed for everything before losing his job, pension, and marriage. However, McClane eventually gets revenge on the man who took everything from him, just much later in a bar in Hungary.

Election (1999) 

Alexander Payne’s Election ends with Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) leaving Nebraska for New York City and becoming a tour guide at the American Museum of Natural History while Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) starts a new life in Washington, D.C.. However, an alternate version covered by The Atlantic, wraps up with Jim and Tracy meeting again at a Nebraska car dealership where they settle their differences.

Pineapple Express (2008)

Pineapple Express has a hilarious ending where Dale Denton (Seth Rogen), Saul Silver (James Franco), and Red (Danny McBride) sit in a diner discussing everything that went down hours earlier. But there is an alternate ending to David Gordon Green’s 2008 action comedy that is much more violent than what we saw in theaters. 

Dr. Strangelove (1964) 

Stanley Kubrick’s black comedy, Dr. Strangelove ends with one of the most iconic shots in film history, but it almost ended in a far sillier and less destructive way. According to SlashFilm, the movie was originally set to end with a pie fight. Yes, a pie fight. Though campy, the raucous affair was to serve as a metaphor for the unnecessary violence of war. 

Sweet Home Alabama (2002) 

Sweet Home Alabama ends with Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) and Jake (Josh Lucas) meeting on the beach during a rainstorm before returning to the Carmichael estate to finally have their first dance. However, when speaking with Insider, director Andy Tennant revealed there was a different ending in which everyone is made to believe Melanie was struck by lightning on the beach. This had to be reworked after test audiences thought the character died on her wedding night.

Paranormal Activity (2009)

Paranormal Activity, one of the best found footage horror films, ends with Katie (Katie Featherston) killing her husband, Michah (Micah Sloat) before going missing. However, there are two alternate endings that didn’t make the theatrical cut. Per EW, the first ended like the theatrical release except for the fact that Katie is shot and killed by police. The second ends with Katie taking her own life after killing her husband.

Thelma & Louise (1991) 

Thelma & Louise ends with the titular heroines (played by Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon) driving their car off a cliff instead of surrendering to authorities. There’s an alternate ending where the aftermath of the wreck is shown with a lot of focus put on Hal Slocumb (Harvey Keitel) and other law enforcement officers.

Boiler Room (2000) 

The theatrical version of Boiler Room ends with the J.T. Marlin firm being swarmed by FBI agents, but an alternate version ends much differently. Instead of the feds coming in and arresting everyone, it is implied that Harry Reynard (Taylor Nichols), who lost everything because of the company’s scheme, shows up and shoots everyone. Well, except for Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi), who escapes in time. 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was supposed to have a much different ending one in which Elliott (Henry Thomas) was still in contact with his alien friend, based on what Robert MacNaughton, who played the older Taylor brother, revealed to Yahoo! Movies. The scene was scripted, but luckily Steven Spielberg went with the more emotional sendoff. 

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) 

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ends with the titular heroes (played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford) going out in a blaze of glory before the credits roll. And while the picture stops just before the shooting begins (only the audio can be heard), there’s an alternate cut where the scene is shown in full, according to SlashFilm.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a strange case as its two post-credit sequences weren’t shown in all screenings during its 2009 release, per IGN. Both scenes – Logan (Hugh Jackman) drinking in a bar and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) shushing the audience – ended up on the home release, but audiences didn’t really know which one they were going to get back in the day.

Eternals (2021) 

The Eternals ending did a lot to set up the future for the titular group of Marvel heroes, but Chloé Zhao originally had a much bleaker conclusion for her first MCU film. When speaking with Empire, the Oscar winner revealed that she initially planned on the surviving members of the team ending up on the ship where their memories were zapped before being sent to a new planet.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 almost ended in an entirely different way, one that would have seen the return of Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) dad (played by Campbell Scott). The scene, which was filmed, was  not used in the theatrical cut.

Should these alternate endings have been used, or did the filmmakers and producers make the right decision in giving audiences what we ended up seeing on the big screen? It’s a mixed bag, but these movies would have been drastically different if they made the final cut.

Sometimes, if you love a movie enough, you might want to try and own a piece of it. However, the buying movie props business can get to be an expensive one. Here are some of the most expensive pieces of memorabilia ever sold.

 The Spy Who Loved Me's Submarine Car 

Sold For:  $864,600 

James Bond has had some of the coolest cars in all of movie history, but none are quite as wild as the car that transformed into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me. The vehicle driven by Roger Moore was a white Lotus Esprit and while multiple cars were used in the film, only one was given the submarine transformation. The vehicle sold for 550,000 pounds at auction in 2013.

Steve McQueen's Le Mans Suit 

Sold For: $336,000

Most of the most expensive movie props ever sold are from major blockbuster movie franchises, but sometimes they're just worn by the coolest people to walk the earth. In 2017 the racing suit worn by Steve McQueen for the racing movie Le Mans sold for $300,000.

Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's Dress 

Sold For: $800,000

Somebody was a big Breakfast at Tiffany's fan in 2007, because they paid $800,000 for the dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the classic film. The price blew away the early estimates of what the dress would sell for. It was good news for a lot impoverished children, as the dress was sold for charity. 

Darth Vader's Empire Strikes Back Helmet 

Sold For: $898,420

Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in film history, so it's no surprise that his equally iconic helmet would be a prized possession. Specifically, the helmet from The Empire Strikes Back sold in 2017 for 1 million British pounds, or just short of $900,000 dollars.

 Saturday Night Fever's Dance Floor  

Sold For: $1,200,000

Most movie props are something you can put on a shelf and display. It's unclear how the person who spent over $1 million on the Saturday Night Fever dance floor planned to show it off. You don't let people walk on something that costs that much, do you?

Judy Garland's Wizard of Oz Dress 

Sold For: $1,560,000

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most popular films ever made, and Judy Garland one of the most beloved movie stars ever. There are probably a lot of people who would spend more than $1.5 million on Garland's Dorothy dress, assuming of course they had the cash.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Sold For: $805,000

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang wasn't exactly a high-performance automobile in the Dick Van Dyke musical, but it certainly sold like one, as the car sold for over $800,000 back in 2011. While it's one of the most expensive movie props ever purchased at auction, it was actually expected to go for a lot more.

R2-D2 From Star Wars

Sold For: $2,760,000

These days looking at R2-D2 on screen is as likely to be a CGI creation as it is a physical prop. Perhaps that's why one of the original R2-D2 creations for Star Wars: A New Hope sold for well over $2 million in 2017. There simply may not be as many of them in the future.

Casablanca's Piano 

Sold For: $3,400,000

"Play it, Sam." One of the most famous lines in movie history is often misquoted, but however you say it, you can play "As Time Goes By" on the actual piano used in Casablanca, or at least one person who had $3.4 million to purchase the piano can. Assuming they can play the piano at all.

The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers

Sold For: $2,000,000

There are multiple pairs of Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz in the world that have all gone for significant sums. The most expensive was sold for $2 million in 2012 by a group that was buying them to add to the collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum.

The Maltese Falcon

Sold For:  $4,085,000

The Maltese Falcon is a movie about a lot of people who are willing to do, or pay, anything, to get their hands on a small statue of a falcon. It's fitting then that when the actual statue from the film was put up for sale, it sold for over $4 million, a record sum for a movie prop at the time.

Audrey Hepburn's My Fair Lady Dress 

Sold For:  $4,551,000

My Fair Lady won eight Oscars in 1965 and one of them was for the film's costume design. Audrey Hepburn's "Ascot" dress is probably the most well-remembered outfit in the film. The incredible dress that Eliza Doolittle wore for her coming out would sell for over $4.5 million in 2011. 

The Wizard of Oz's Cowardly Lion Costume

Sold For:  $3,077,000

Sometimes you don't know what you have. The Cowardly Lion costume was reportedly going to be thrown away by MGM before somebody saved it. Many years later the costume, which is made of real lion fur, sold for over $3 million. It makes one wonder what other valuable props may be lost forever.

Marilyn Monroe's The Seven Year Itch Dress 

Sold For:  $4.6 million 

Few pieces of clothing in the world are as famous as the white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch. The dress was previously owned by actress Debbie Reynolds, for a museum project that never happened. The dress sold for $4.6 million, before the $1 million fee the auction house took home.

Robby the Robot From Forbidden Planet

Sold For:  $5.375 million 

Forbidden Planet was a groundbreaking science fiction film that influenced nearly every movie in the genre that came after it. Today the film is likely best known for Robby the Robot, a completely unique design for a robot character at the time. When Robbie sold for over $5 million in 2017 he became the most valuable movie prop ever sold.

 James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 From No Time To Die

Sold: For:  $3.5 million 

Few movie cars are as iconic as James Bond's Aston Martin. Actors from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig have driven different versions of the classic vehicle. Many replicas have been built and sold over the years but one vehicle that was actually used for stunts in Craig's final outing No Time to Die, sold in 2022 for £2,922,000, or about $3.5 million.

The Ax From The Shining

Sold For: $175,000

Stephen King famously didn't love The Shining from Stanley Kubrick, but millions of movie fans certainly feel otherwise. One apparently loved the movie so much, they dropped six figures on the ax Jack Nicholson swung into doors in the film, spending more than double what the weapon had gone for at a previous auction.

Marty McFly’s Hoverboard From Back To The Future Part II

Sold For:  $501,200

Ever since Back to the Future Part II came out, we've been waiting for hoverboards to become real. We're still waiting for that, so we'll have to make do with the props from the film. One of which, sold in 2021 for over a half million dollars. There were two added features that helped boost the sale, it was autographed by stars Michael J. Fox and Tom Wilson.

 Han Solo’s Blaster From Star Wars

Sold For: $1,057,500

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side. That blaster, however, can get expensive. The last remaining Han Solo DL-44 blaster -- three were originally designed -- from the original Star Wars sold for just over $1 million in the summer of 2022. 

Indy's Hat From Raiders Of The Lost Ark And Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

Sold For: $500,000 (and $300,000)

Harrison Ford has created more than one iconic character in film history, but none look as good in a hat as Indiana Jones. Different hats worn by Ford for different movies have all been sold for high prices. A Raiders of the Lost Ark hat has the record at $500,000, but one from Temple of Doom did almost as well selling for $300,000

 Charlie Chaplin's Cane And Hat  

Sold For:  $139,250

Charlie Chaplin was one of the first true movie stars, and his Tramp was one of the first movie franchise characters. Recognizable by his bowler hat and twirling cane, several sets have been auctioned off in the past, with a set in 2006 selling for almost $140,000.

 Superman Costume From Superman: The Movie

Sold For: $350,112

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and before the endless iterations of Batman, there was Superman. Christopher Reeve made us believe a man could fly in 1978's Superman, a full set of Reeve's hero costume from the movie sold at auction for $350,000

 The Sound of Music Costumes 

Sold For:  $1.3 million

In The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews' Maria Von Trapp makes the children some play clothes out of curtains. If only she knew they would become so valuable. A collection of the costumes including the childrens' costumes and one of Andrews' dresses, sold for $1.3 million in 2013.

 2001: A Space Odyssey Space Suit 

Sold For: $370,000

2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, so its little shock props from the movie would be in demand. One of the movie's spacesuits sold for $370,000 in 2020.

 Gandalf's Staff From The Lord Of The Rings

Sold For: $390,000

When Gandalf's white staff from The Lord of the Rings went up for auction in 2017, it was expected to sell for around $25,000. Instead, the piece sold for over 10 times that amount. 

The Seventh Seal Chess Set 

Sold For:  $143,300 

Even if you've never seen Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal you likely know of the game of chess against death that has been referenced and parodied countless times. Bergman held on to the actual chess set used in the film, and it was sold after his death for 1 million Swedish crowns or a little under $150,000.

Chris Pratt's Guardians Of The Galaxy Helmet 

Sold For: $160,000

With so much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe being created by digital effects, there may be a minimum, of physical props to actually own. However, Star-Lord's helmet from Guardians of the Galaxy is very real, and it sold for six figures in 2017. 

 Prince's Purple Rain Costume 

Sold For:  $192,000

The death of Prince in 2016 was a shock to fans around the world, but it may be the reason that an auction of two items from his Purple Rain wardrobe a few months later ended up selling for $96,000 each, much more than had been expected. 

Back To The Future's DeLorean   

Sold For:   $541,200

There were seven DeLorean cars used in the original Back to the Future, but today only three are believed to exist, so of course they are quite valuable. One of the remaining models sold for over a half million dollars in 2011, with a portion of the funds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber From Star Wars

Sold For:  $240,000

There may be no more iconic weapon in movie history than the lightsaber, and while the "real" one has no blade, one of the models Mark Hamill used in the first two Star Wars movies sold for nearly a quarter million dollars in 2008. Another item was listed for sale in 2018, but it was pulled after Hamill himself questioned its authenticity. 

Aragorn's Sword From The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

Sold For:  $437,000

Andúril was reforged from the shards of Narsil in the Elvish enclave at Rivendell. With a lineage like that, it's no shock that the blade of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King sold for over $400,000. 

 Poltergeist Clown Doll 

Sold For:  $656,250

Why somebody would spend $650,000 on a scary clown doll is a real question. Yes, it's from Poltergeist, an iconic horror movie, but now you have a scary clown doll in your house. Why would you do that? 

Harrison Ford's Blade Runner Costume

Sold For:  $287,500 

Blade Runner wasn't a box office hit in its day, but the film has become a cult classic and a defining part of Harrison Ford's career. His Deckard costume from the original film sold in 2023 for almost $300,000.

And those are just some of the many iconic movie props that sold for a huge sum of money.

Ridley Scott has rarely ever minced words when discussing his work, and that was the case when he recently discussed his 1982 cult classic, Blade Runner. While the movie is now hailed as an iconic sci-fi masterpiece that has captivated audiences for decades and is one of the best sci-fi movies of all time,  it initially was a box office flop. Despite mixed critical reactions, the Harrison Ford-led film has aged quite well. While reflecting on it the 85-year-old Scott passionately defended his creation, even dropping an f-bomb to clarify his point.

The tech noir -- based on a book by Philip K. Dick titled, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- took viewers on a dystopian journey through a future where artificial humans known as replicants confront issues of identity, ethics, and the blurred lines between humans and machines. The film, which paired Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, was a visual and philosophical marvel. It was praised for its groundbreaking special effects, stunning cinematography and deep, thought-provoking narrative. However, it failed to find an audience in ‘82. When discussing the criticism the movie received, its director said to Total Film Magazine: 

Critics remained divided on the dystopian cyberpunk flick, with some praising its visionary storytelling and visuals while others criticized its slow pace and non-linear narrative. Nevertheless, the film has since cultivated a devoted fan base and earned its place as one of the best science fiction movies. It even spawned a sequel directed by Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049, which both extended the original's themes and paid homage to Ridley Scott's original creation. Despite the Alien director expressing regrets about certain aspects of 2049, in my view, the 35-year wait was well worth it.

That 2017 follow-up faced its own challenges upon release. Much like the original, it struggled at the box office but received critical acclaim, earning several Academy Award nominations and wins (although it missed out on a Best Picture nod). The outcome might have been different if Ridley Scott had taken the director's chair, as he claimed to have significantly influenced the sequel’s script while sharing blunt thoughts on the production.

The House of Gucci filmmaker’s most recent passionate response underscores his unwavering belief in the film's lasting impact. Blade Runner was ahead of its time, delving into complex questions about humanity and the ethics of artificial intelligence, themes increasingly relevant in today's world. Perhaps 2049 will undergo a similar re-evaluation in the decades to come and inspire yet another sequel, a dream for many fans. And if one does happen while the director is still around, one has to wonder if his thoughts would involve more f-bombs.

As busy as ever, Ridley Scott reunited with Joaquin Phoenix for his upcoming film, Napoleon, which has locked up November 22 on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. In addition, he's producing and directing Gladiator 2, which is slated for the 2024 movie lineup.

I have always been firm believer in the phrase, “A hero is only as good as his or her villain.” I also believe that some of the best movies of the 1980s are home to some of the greatest heroic characters in cinematic history. By that logic, the antagonists from that decade would have would also have to be pretty top notch, to say the least.

Well, the 30 great ‘80s movie villains below certainly make a great case for that bold claim. Take a look at the heinous jerks, power-hungry criminals, and coldblooded killers from the unforgettable decade, below.

Ace Merrill (Stand By Me)

Part of the reason why 1986’s Stand By Me — Rob Reiner’s adaptation of the coming-of-age novella, The Body — is one of the most beloved Stephen King movies is that its darker moments never rely on a supernatural threat. That was handled perfectly enough by Kiefer Sutherland’s performance as Ace Merrill, who is remembered today as one the quintessential examples of how unmercifully sadistic a childhood bully can be.

Audrey II (Little Shop Of Horrors)

A 1960 B-movie by Roger Corman inspired a hit Broadway show that director Frank Oz made into one of the greatest musical horror comedy movies — 1986’s Little Shop of Horrors, in which Rick Moranis’ Seymour Krelborn comes across a weeeiiiirrrrd plant that soon becomes a sensation. 

The catch: Audrey II (named after his co-worker and crush, played by Ellen Greene) is really a “mean, green mother from outer space” with an insatiable craving for human flesh and an even meaner singing voice (courtesy of The Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs) that could consume the entire world if it grows large enough.

Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice)

Before playing one of the greatest ‘80s movies heroes (and becoming the best live-action Batman actor in the process), Michael Keaton first collaborated with Tim Burton in the title role of the spooky 1988 classic, Beetlejuice. The future Academy Award nominee actually had a lot of influence in the creation of the kooky, conniving bio-exorcist — from his rapid-fire speech pattern, bizarre wardrobe choices, and moldy skin — making him a villain hard to dislike and even harder to forget, despite only 17 minutes of screen time.

Biff Tannen (Back To The Future)

Making Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown’s (Christopher Lloyd) troublesome adventures in the time travel movie classic, Back to the Future, and its sequels even more difficult is Biff Tannen — easily the best-known role of comedian Tom Wilson. Initially a typical, ‘50s-era high school bully, by Part II, he evolves into a dynamic antagonist of various sides who, in an alternate 1985, becomes a powerful, ruthlessly corrupt business tycoon with the unwitting help of his older self.

Chet Donnelly (Weird Science)

Has cinema ever shown us a more fearsome example of how horrible older siblings can be than the late Bill Paxton as Chet Donnelly from 1985’s Weird Science? From little things like stealing breakfast from his brother, Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith), to shoving a shotgun in Gary’s (Anthony Micheal Hall) face, the dull-brained, militaristic terror is easily the biggest jerk from John Hughes’ movies and his comeuppance at the end — Lisa (Kelly LeBrock) turns him into some frog-like blob — is less than he really deserves.

Christine (Christine)

It is every teenager’s dream to have their own car, but when Keith Gordon’s Arnie gets his own set of wheels in John Carpenter’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Christine from 1983, it proves to be a nightmare… for everyone else in his life. The titular, red Plymouth Fury (named after George Romero’s ex-wife) turns out to have a mind of her own, the ability to heal herself of any damage, and grows so protective of her driver that she will do anything to keep him all to herself. 

Chucky (Child's Play)

Anyone who suffers from an irrational fear of dolls must have felt a refreshing sense of validation upon the 1988 release of one of the best scary doll movies, Child’s Play, in which a single mother (Catherine Hicks) discovers a friendly-looking gift for her young son (Alex Vincent) is possessed by the soul of a nasty serial killer. Academy Award nominee and deeply underrated actor, Brad Dourif, gives a memorably menacing performance as the voice of Charles “Chucky” Lee Ray that is key to why the franchise still continues to this day with Syfy’s hit Chucky TV show.

Darth Sidious (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi)

If this was a list of villains from the best ‘70s movies, we would have given praise to the original Star Wars movie’s Darth Vader, but when it comes to classics from this decade, the most fearsome foe from George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away is his boss, Darth Sidious. Otherwise known as Emperor Palpatine, the Sith Lord (whom Ian McDiarmid first appeared as in 1983’s Return of the Jedi) may appear old and decrepit, but behind those yellow eyes is a mighty, nigh unstoppable force of deadly, tyrannical manipulation — not to mention, the lightning that emits from his fingertips is pretty devastating. 

The Duke (Escape From New York)

One of the first and most iconic acting roles by Isaac Hayes (the Academy Award-winning composer of the iconic movie theme song from Shaft) is a really bad mother— shut your mouth — known as The Duke from John Carpenter’s dystopian 1981 cult thriller, Escape from New York. The ruthless criminal, who has established himself as the most powerful inmate in the maximum prison that once was Manhattan, sees the accidental arrival of the President (Donald Pleasance) as his ticket to freedom and compromises the anti-heroic Snake Plissken’s (a badass Kurt Russell) rescue mission by barbaric means.

Gozer (Ghostbusters)

The moment that really confirms 1984’s Ghostbusters as a classic horror-comedy movie (with emphasis on the horror) is certainly not when Slimer first appears, but in the final act when the crew must take on the demonic Gozer (Slavitza Jovan, but later played by Olivia Wilde in Ghostbusters: Afterlife). The terrifying, omnipotent “prehistoric bitch” takes way more than a proton pack to defeat, but at least has enough respect for its human adversaries to give them the choice of what will be bring forth their planet’s destruction, resulting in the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man’s attack on New York.

The Gremlins (Gremlins)

Many can relate to the idea of giving your child a seemingly cute and cuddly pet that turns out to be a terror, which producer Steven Spielberg, writer Chris Columbus, and director Joe Dante exaggerated to a nightmarish levels in the Christmas horror movie classic, 1984’s Gremlins. If only the Mogwai’s three rules were followed, it could not have given rise to the titular, green, grinning, goblin-like creatures that give Billy’s (Zach Galligan) small town a horrifying holiday.

Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

Growing up, parents always said not to be afraid of bad dreams because they cannot hurt you, but what if that was not the case and staying awake was the only solution? Such is the concept of writer and director Wes Craven’s 1984 supernatural slasher favorite, A Nightmare on Elm Street, in which Robert Englund gives his most iconic performance as Freddy Krueger — a grotesque boogeyman with the power to slay people with his razor-clawed glove from within their subconscious.

Hans Gruber (Die Hard)

You would never believe that the late Alan Rickman had never been in a movie before giving his stunning, seminal performance in 1988’s Die Hard cast as Hans Gruber. The bloodthirsty, but admirably sophisticated, German thief is a polar opposite to Bruce Willis’ reluctant, blue collar hero, John McClane, making him the perfect adversary for, arguably, the greatest action movie ever made and one of the genre’s finest villains.

Ivan Drago (Rocky IV)

While the original from 1976 is a classic Best Picture Oscar winner, the fourth installment of the Rocky movies from 1985 might be the most iconic in the Sylvester Stallone-led boxing movie franchise. A good chunk of credit should be given to Dolph Lundgren as the cold, hulking, Russian rival athlete, Ivan Drago, who takes competition deathly seriously, based on his signature catchphrase, “I must break you,” and his absolute lack of remorse for incidentally killing Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in the ring. 

Jack Torrance (The Shining)

One of the reasons why Stephen King did not care for The Shining (to put it lightly) was the casting of Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, as he believed it would let on his eventual descent into madness from the moment we first see him. However, the Academy Award winner’s bombastically unhinged performance was one of the top reasons why Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation is so beloved to this day and why the good dad gone bad is, arguably, the best Stephen King movie villain yet. 

Jason Voorhees (Friday The 13th Sequels)

In 1980’s original installment of the Friday the 13th movies, the killer stalking Camp Crystal Lake was a vengeful mother named Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer), who would easily go down in history as one of the greatest female horror villains of all time. Yet, the one who would go down as one of the most iconic horror movie villains in general and became the (hockey-masked) face of the subsequent franchise was her son, Jason Voorhees, who started off slicing teens with his machete to avenge his mother, but did not really need much of a motivation as the series went on.

Johnny Lawrence (The Karate Kid)

In the ‘80s, one of the go-to actors to play the designated superficial, bullish jock in a coming-of-age movie was William “Billy” Zabka and earning him that reputation was his role as Johnny Lawrence in 1984’s The Karate Kid. Years later, the character — introduced in the classic movie as Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) brutal martial arts rival — would be seen in a whole new light when Zabka reprised the role in the Cobra Kai cast on the YouTube original series that became a Netflix exclusive.

The Joker (Batman)

There have been many different, unique portrayals of The Joker — the top dog of Batman’s rogues gallery — with some favoring Mark Hamill’s enduring animated iteration or Heath Ledger’s unpredictably manic, Oscar-winning interpretation in 2008’s The Dark Knight. However, when 1989’s Batman came out, it seemed like nothing would be able to surpass Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier — a Gotham gangster whose chemical accident turns him into a Clown Prince of Crime with an ingenious balance of cartoonish lunacy and chilling wickedness.

Judge Doom (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

There are many reasons why modern audiences struggle to call Robert Zemeckis’ astonishing blend of live-action and animation, 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a great movie for kids, definitively. One of the most pressing is the way Christopher Lloyd fully channels his bad side — and abstains from blinking his eyes — as the ominous Judge Doom, who only gets much, much scarier when we discover his true identity.

Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan)

Ricardo Montalban first appeared as a genetically engineered Augment known as Khan — or, as William Shatner’s Captain James T. Kirk pronounces it, “KHAAAAAAAAAN!” — in an episode of the original Star Trek series in 1967. However, his grand return to the role as the titular antagonist of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is one of the most legendary performances in the franchise’s history and key as to why the 1982 sequel is still widely considered the best Star Trek movie to date.

Lord Humungus (The Road Warrior)

George Miller’s Mad Max movies have had their fair share of great villains, from Toecutter in the 1979 original to Immortan Joe in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road — both of whom were played by Hugh Keays-Byrne. When the franchise fully entered its influential, dystopian-era stage with 1981’s The Road Warrior, Mel Gibson’s anti-hero was tasked with taking on the Marauders’ hulking leader, Lord Humungus (Kjell Nilsson), who kind of looks like if Jason Voorhees was a medieval exotic dancer, but is nonetheless a memorably imposing figure off post-apocalyptic tyranny.

Mama Fratelli (The Goonies)

The deadly traps that the thrill-seeking youngsters from the Goonies cast encounter while searching for buried treasure are scary enough, but if there is anything more terrifying in director Richard Donner’s 1985 cult classic, it’s the matriarch of the menacing Fratelli family. Given her reputation for playing particularly “grouchy” characters, to say that Academy Award nominee Anne Ramsey gives one of her most intimidating performances as a woman trying to beat a group of children to the site of hidden loot is really saying something.

Mola Ram (Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom)

Harrison Ford’s intrepid fortune hunter, Indiana Jones, has made enemies with many dastardly personalities, but I do not believe a single one of them comes close to being as haunting as Amrish Puri as Mola Ram. What better proof is there than the terrifying scene from 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when the Thuggee cult leader reaches into a man’s chest, pulls out his still-beating heart, and lowers him into a fiery pit as a sacrifice to his ruthless deity. 

Mother Alien (Aliens)

In the franchises’ decades-long history, the Alien movies have shown us various breeds of the Xenomorph — each one horrifying, but also undeniably picturesque, in its own way — but the one that might take the cake, however, is the (literal) mother of them all. Then again, we cannot blame this queen for her main goal in James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, Aliens, which is to protect her children from Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, who is on her own mission to rescue the young, orphaned Newt (Carrie Henn).

The Predator (Predator)

The Xenomorph may be cinema’s definitive depiction of extra-terrestrial evil, but the most badass of them all would have to be the titular creature played by the late Kevin Peter Hall in director John McTiernan’s 1987 sci-fi hit, which is still the best of the Predator movies in most people’s eyes. As Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch would demonstrate in the third act of the testosterone-fueled, jungle-set action thriller, it does not take brawn, but brains to defeat the hulking beast, who admirably maintains a code of honor when hunting his prey.

Principal Richard Vernon (The Breakfast Club)

I pray for anyone who ever felt like their principal relished in making his students’ lives miserable when they were in high school, because that would mean that they actually knew someone like Richard Vernon. 

Paul Gleason, an actor who seemed to relish playing unlikable characters with brilliant focus, may have hit his peak in that regard in 1985 with his performance in John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club cast as a nearly sadistic principal with no sense of respect or concern for his youthful peers. I hope the custodian, Carl (John Kapelos), managed to talk some sense into him and save him from being a dangerous embarrassment to the public school system.

Rene Beloq (Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

Out of all of the memorable Indiana Jones movie villains, my pick for the all-time best would be Rene Beloq, played by Paul Freeman in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. As a fellow fortune-hunter, the charismatic Frenchman is a perfect match for Harrison Ford’s hero — having a similar goal, but going about it in a more despicable manner by partnering with the Nazis and being willing to kill and manipulate to get his hands on any great fortune.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

There really is not a “good guy” in director Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking — yet commercial unsuccessful — adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? from 1982, considering how there is nothing admirable about Rick Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) occupation in “retiring” Replicants from a moral standpoint. Furthermore, as an artificial being who wants nothing more but to live longer and freely, I think that Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty is actually one of Blade Runner’s more sympathetic characters, which is what makes him such a unique example of antagonism.

The Terminator (The Terminator)

One of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most iconic characters would come to be known as a great hero in the early ‘90s with the release of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but that is a far cry from his original depiction in 1984. The titular antagonist of James Cameron’s breakthrough, The Terminator, may look like an ordinary (yet extraordinarily ripped) man, but is really a futuristic machine that does not negotiate, feel any emotion, and refuses to cease until his target — Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the unwitting mother of a dystopian war hero — is dead.

The Thing (The Thing)

Imagine not being able to trust if someone you know personally is really who they say they are or if they are a shapeshifting, otherworldly creature in disguise. That is the concept of, arguably, the best of John Carpenter’s movies, 1982’s The Thing, which more faithful adapts John W. Campbell  Jr.’s horror novella “Who Goes There?” into a master class in suspense in which its alien antagonist pits an Arctic research crew against each other, challenging them figure out who is still human.

For anyone who wants to get in the business of playing bad people on the silver screen, they should consider ‘80s movie villains their heroes.

Are you ready for Barbieheimer? It feels as though ever since the release dates for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer were set, cinephiles have been having an absolute blast at the idea of the two movies coming out on the exact same day. There have been so many memes, and same-day double feature ticket sales are real, making this weekend quite an eventful one to be in movie theaters. But did you know iconic pairings such as Barbieheimer have occurred before in movie history? 

What same-day movie release pairings would the internet have absolutely geeked about in retrospect? From The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia having neighboring theatrical openings in 2008, to ‘80s classic movies Ghostbusters and Gremlins sharing the same summer date, let’s talk about ten times big and beloved movies premiered on the same day and how things shook out in theaters. 

Poltergeist Vs. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan 

On June 4, 1982, moviegoers could buy a ticket to both the Steven Spielberg horror classic Poltergeist and arguably the most beloved of all the Star Trek movies ever made, Wrath of Khan. Both movies shared some major (and quite comparable) success in this case. Poltergeist was the highest-grossing horror movie of 1982, at No. 8 in overall movies that year along with some really positive buzz from critics and audiences alike. The Star Trek sequel won the match up overall, though, when it had the biggest opening weekend in history at the time. It later became the sixth highest grossing movie of the year. The Trekkies showed up big time, but both of their successes showed there were big audiences for both.  

Blade Runner Vs. The Thing

Just three weeks later, another iconic matchup happened in theaters in the year 1982 as well! On June 25th, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and John Carpenter’s The Thing landed in theaters on the same day. Funny enough, the massive successes of both Poltergeist and Star Trek II (along with E.T. and Conan the Barbarian) somewhat hurt the commercial successes of both these movies in the summer of ‘82. Both rather misunderstood, garnering mixed reactions from its audiences at the time, and having OK, but not great box office returns. 

Ghostbusters Vs. Gremlins

Jumping over to 1984, two more massive genre films, Ghostbusters and Gremlins, both came out on June 8. Ivan Reitman’s supernatural comedy starring Bill Murray and such won the weekend, with Gremlins swiftly behind and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in its third week of release and still very much making bank. Both Ghostbusters and Gremlins were warmly received in theaters and were among the highest-grossing movies of 1984, with Ghostbusters at No. 2 behind Beverly Hills Cop and Gremlins at No. 4.  

Die Hard Vs. A Fish Called Wanda 

Another great summer ‘80s release day occurred on July 15, 1988, when both Die Hard and A Fish Called Wanda hit theaters on the exact same day. Neither film earned the distinction of No. 1 at the box office, as the Eddie Murphy-led comedy Coming To America continued to dominate ticket sales a few weeks into its release. Die Hard didn’t necessarily sell critics, but audiences carried the movie to its iconic status and Bruce Willis to a solid breakout movie role. 

A Fish Called Wanda was named one of the best movies of the year, led to Kevin Kline winning an Oscar and earned No. 1 at the box office six weeks into its theatrical run before becoming the most rented movie in the U.S. the following year. Both of these made a massive mark on audiences in 1988, but technically Die Hard was the bigger blockbuster. 

Batman Vs. Honey, I Shrunk The Kids 

Here’s one more massive ‘80s versus scenario: Tim Burton’s Batman and Disney classic, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Both summer movies hit theaters on June 23, 1989, and they were top hits of 1989. However, Batman absolutely takes the win here, as it went on to become the highest-grossing movie of that year, and a seminal movie release that directly affects the superhero blockbuster era were in today. In 11 days, Batman became the fastest film to earn $100 million and earned over $400 million worldwide total. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids still had a solid release, with it becoming the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1989!

Boyz N The Hood Vs. Point Break 

Well, aren’t these two a solid double feature? On July 12, 1991 moviegoers could experience both Boyz in the Hood and Point Break in theaters for the first time on the same day. Neither movies cracked the top 20 of highest-grossing movies of 1991, with films like Beauty and the Beast, Terminator 2, Silence of the Lambs and Hook being among the biggest blockbusters. Still, their cultural impact and continued following is unquestionable. Overall, Boyz n the Hood edged out Point Break between its higher cash flow and critical praise. 

Heat Vs. Jumanji 

Another solid matchup of all-time beloved films happened during the holiday season of 1995: Michael Mann’s Heat and Joe Johnston’s Jumanji. These two were very much counter-programing for each other, with one being a violent crime film and the other a family comedy. Considering the holiday weekend, Robin Williams’ charm won over Al Pacino and Robert De Niro’s team-up, hitting No. 1 in its first weekend, beating out Toy Story reign for weeks. Jumanji also became the seventh highest-grossing movie of 1995, whereas Heat was No. 25. Since then, both are well loved and have certainly made their mark on modern cinema in their own distinct ways. 

10 Things I Hate About You Vs. The Matrix 

When we talk about beloved ‘90s movies these days, 10 Things I Hate About You and The Matrix are certainly big favorites that are mentioned high up. Both films premiered on March 31, 1999 too. The Wachowskis' science fiction action movie not only opened at No. 1, it earned one of the best openings for the Spring season ever of the time along with earning praise right off the bat. 10 Things I Hate About You opened at No. 2 at the box office. Obviously we’re talking about two vastly different kinds of movies, but yes, The Matrix was the winner here. 

The Dark Knight Vs. Mamma Mia!

15 years before Barbieheimer, there was a comparable matchup on July 18, 2008, when Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia! hit theaters. In this instance, The Dark Knight would go on to become the highest-grossing movie of 2008, with an over $1 billion of earnings at the box office, but Mamma Mia! was a big hit too, becoming the No. 5 movie of the year. The Dark Knight has always been well-loved from the get go, but Mamma Mia’s popularity has only but soared since it initially came out.   

A Star Is Born Vs. Venom

Anyone else remember the A Star Is Born/Venom memes of 2018? A lot of that had to do with the Oscar-winning drama and superhero flick premiering on the same day: October 5, 2018. It’s hard to choose a winner here, all things considered, but commercially Venom became the most successful of the two with its $856 million worldwide haul, which was the seventh highest-grossing movie of 2018. A Star Is Born was No. 21, but it also received a ton of award buzz and was one of the most popular movies of the year. 

It sure is fun to think about all these double features in retrospect. Did you turn out twice in the movie theaters for any of these and which did you choose first? The next massive cinematic showdown comes this weekend, July 21 when both Barbie and Oppenheimer hits theaters. 

Was Harrison Ford’s Blade Runner character a human or replicant? It’s a question that has long plagued fans of Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic, one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. And when Denis Villeneuve made his 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049, the filmmaker shared with CinemaBlend that the discussion was a point of disagreement between Ford and Scott. Now the legendary actor behind Rick Deckard has shared his own take on the long-standing debate. 

Per Villeneuve, when Blade Runner’s director and star got in the same room, they “don’t agree” and “start to talk very loud” about the whole thing. It certainly doesn’t help that Ridley Scott’s movie had no less than eight different edits of the film, with different endings and story devices. So, when Ford was asked by Esquire to speak to the disagreement, he said this: 

Interesting. If you watched Blade Runner 2049, you know that Villeneuve’s film didn’t ultimately answer the question after the original film’s ambiguity on the subject, perhaps on purpose. I don’t know about you, but I think the whole point of the question has been the debate. You know what I mean? The idea that this world makes it so difficult for one to distinguish between who’s human and who’s a bioengineered humanoid is part of the beautiful and terrifying horrors of the science fiction classic. 

It was reported before that Harrison Ford believed his character to be human and he played him as such in the Blade Runner movies. As for Ridley Scott, he previously shared his viewpoint on Deckard being a replicant (per Telegraph). However, Hampton Fancher, one of the screenwriters of the 1982 movie, has said that he didn’t write Deckard as a replicant. Does anyone on this film actually agree about who Deckard is? 

Harrison Ford answered the question from his point of view while explaining all sorts of elements of his career with Esquire. Check out the interview below: 

The actor is currently promoting one of the most-anticipated 2023 new movie releases, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The movie is set to hit theaters later this month, and Harrison Ford will play the adventurer one last time. The fifth Indy movie comes 15 years after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and it marks the first movie in the franchise not to be helmed by Steven Speilberg. Instead, Logan filmmaker James Mangold is holding the proverbial golden statue of the movie series in his hands. 

Ahead of the fifth Indiana Jones movie, you can check out what people are saying about Harrison Ford’s new movie following its glitzy premiere at Cannes. Given it’s the end of Indiana Jones, who knows, maybe Ford will be at the center of another age-old cinematic debate come June 30. 

Every weekend, Hollywood’s biggest releases compete with one another to be the biggest hit at the box office, but when you look at things from a more long term perspective, you realize that a movie’s success is not always measured by the dollar amount. You might be surprised to learn that some films — despite how much they are cherished by audiences and hailed by critics to this day — were not what you would call a financial success when they first came out. Take, for example, these box office flops that you may consider to be a hit in your own heart.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Just about the most beloved adaptation of a Roald Dahl novel is this wondrously delicious favorite starring the late, great Gene Wilder as an eccentric chocolatier who invites five children to tour his legendary factory. However, according to The Numbers, the success of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was not so sweet early on as the $3 million production only made a little more than $1 million in profits at the box office.

Annihilation (2018) 

Alex Garland made a strong directorial debut with 2014’s Ex Machina -- which made more $25 million on a $15 million budget — but his follow-up did not quite inspire the same returns. While certainly a critical success, his Natalie Portman-led adaptation of the surreal sci-fi novel, Annihilation, was a few million shy of making back its $40 million budget, raking in just $32.7 million domestically, according to Box Office Mojo.

Ali (2001)

Director Michael Mann’s dramatization of Muhammad Ali’s life was a major milestone for the lead actor's career (and is still considered one of Will Smith's best movies) from a performance standpoint — his portrayal of the boxing champ earned him his first Oscar nomination — but not from a commercial standpoint. Ali made $58.2 million domestically, just barely matching even half of its $107 million budget.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

By crafting a traditional film noir story but with an aimless, aging pothead protagonist (Jeff Bridges), the Coen Brothers created one of the most worshipped films of their career and most popular comedies of all time. However, The Big Lebowski’s road to success was long one, having cost 15 million bones to make, but only turning in a not-so-far-out profit of more than $3 million dollars.

Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Phillip K. Dick’s dystopian mystery novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, is just about as influential to sci-fi cinema as Star Wars, but was certainly not the runaway success that said 1977 epic was. Even with a star like Harrison Ford in the lead as a cop hunting artificially created humans, Blade Runner only surpassed its $28 million budget by nearly $5 million domestically.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited follow-up to Blade Runner — in which Harrison Ford reprised his role as Rick Deckard alongside Ryan Gosling as K — is regarded by many as an improvement on its predecessor in some ways, but would suffer a worse fate at the domestic box office. Blade Runner 2049 is estimated to have cost $150 million, but only brought in a little over $92 million.

Blow Out (1981)

Both director Brian De Palma and star John Travolta can cite Blow Out as one of the biggest bombs of their careers, having made $12 million on an $18 million budget (which was low even for the standards at the time). However, this suspense thriller about a movie sound recordist who uncovers life-threatening evidence to a murder has since been regarded by many — including Quentin Tarantino, as recalled by Studio Binder — as a vastly underrated classic.

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Wes Anderson’s directorial debut, Bottle Rocket — a funny tale of three amateur thieves that he also wrote with star Owen Wilson — marks an interesting time in the prolific filmmaker’s career. In addition to being a far cry from the quirky, retro aesthetic that has defined his career since, it remains his biggest commercial failure, making only $560,069 on an estimated $7 million budget.

Children Of Men (2006)

While some argue it is Alfonso Cuaron’s magnum opus, Children of Men is one of the filmmaker’s least commercially successful films. Now, that may not sound like too much of a loss to the director of one of the best Harry Potter movies and Gravity, until you learn that the bleak dystopian drama’s budget was $76 million and it only raked in $35.5 million domestically

Doctor Sleep (2019)

While Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining — one of the best horror movies ever — was not a runaway success, it at least went on to make more than $45 million on a $19 million budget. However, Mike Flanagan’s stunning sequel, Doctor Sleep — following an adult Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) — was not so fortunate, being made for $45 million, but only earning about $31.5 million.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Writer and director Richard Kelly’s mind-bending, $6 million debut, Donnie Darko — starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the troubled titular teen — had some help achieving theatrical distribution from none other than Christopher Nolan. However — while it is widely beloved now for its inventive concepts and bizarre imagery — it proved to be a major financial disappointment, only making $517,375 domestically.

Dredd (2012)

There was a time when even the best R-rated comic book movies were still considered a big risk, and the disappointing financial returns of the Karl Urban-led cult favorite, Dredd — which made only $13.4 million on a $50 million budget — are a prime example of why. The original Sylvester Stallone-led adaptation of the dystopian comic, Judge Dredd, was not much of a success either, being made for $90 million but not even making back half domestically. 

Fight Club (1999)

Director David Fincher’s Fight Club is one of the most essential examples of a film that really took its time to earn a reputation as one of the most idolized films ever made. Even with career-defining performances by Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, the provocative, darkly comic satire took in just a little over $37 million, despite a budget of $63 million.

Grindhouse (2007)

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez teaming up on a project that recreates a lost era of B-movie double features sounded like surefire hit, especially with only $67 million put up for it. Unfortunately, the 191-minute Grindhouse underperformed in its debut weekend, leading to separate distribution for Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and Tarantino’s Death Proof, and a domestic total of only more than $25 million by the end of its run.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

The biggest flop of Joel and Ethan Coen’s career — as reported by The Atlantic — was the 1950s-set industry satire, The Hudsucker Proxy. Even with the star power of Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Newman, the dark comedy, which cost $25 million dollars to make, only made $2.8 million dollars domestically.

Idiocracy (2006)

Is it a sign that we are headed toward a future devoid of intelligence, like this smart satire predicts, that such a film only made a little more than $444,000 on a $2.4 million budget? In reality, writer and director Mike Judge’s cult favorite, Idiocracy, was — as a retrospective by Uproxx recalls — the victim of extremely small distribution (only 130 theaters) and the lack of a fair marketing campaign to promote it.

The Iron Giant (1999)

Before he earned millions, and Oscars with classic Pixar movies The Incredibles and Ratatouille, Brad Bird made his feature-length directorial debut with an ode to ’50s B-movies called The Iron Giant. The underrated animated movie cost Warner Bros. $70 million dollars, but, sadly, it only raked in $23 million domestically.

Kingdom Of Heaven (2005)

Director Ridley Scott has helmed a few very successful historical epics in his day — such as Best Picture Oscar winner Gladiator — but Kingdom of Heaven, unfortunately, is one of his least profitable, taking in only $47.4 million on a $130 million budget. However, most fans agree that theatergoers saw the lesser version of the Orlando Bloom-led dramatization of the Crusades, as most prefer the director’s cut. 

The King Of Comedy (1982)

Even a master of cinema like Martin Scorsese has had a few flops in his day, with one of the least profitable actually being one of his collaborations with Robert De Niro: The King of Comedy. According to Esquire, the story of an aspiring comedian driven to crime to achieve his dreams had a budget of $19 million, but only made back just a little more than $2 million.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

David Lynch is one of cinema’s most inventive filmmakers, with most of his devoted followers citing the surreal Neo-noir thriller, Mulholland Drive, as his best film yet. Unfortunately, it is also one of his biggest box office bombs, barely making back half of its $15 million budget.

Office Space (1999)

Director Mike Judge’s Office Space is one of the sharpest, most quotable, and most beloved cult favorite comedies to come out of the ‘90s. However, people were not really showing the love in its initial theatrical run, during which — according to CNN — it made back its $10 million budget, but only profited less than a million.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

The Lonely Island’s Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is hailed to this day as one of the funniest movies of 2016, which is why it is still surprising that the $20 million movie only brought $9.6 million. Andy Samberg has said he was not bothered by the mockumentary-style music industry satire bombing, but he, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer did tell Collider that its very “[Justin] Bieber-driven” marketing was disappointing to them.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

While Edgar Wright’s visually stunning, cleverly funny adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s series of popular graphic novels might be his defining achievement, it is also one of his biggest commercials failures, making only $33.2 million on a budget of $60 million. However, the filmmaker has told IndieWire that he does not measure the movie's success on its box office results, and an upcoming Netflix original Scott Pilgrim vs. the World anime series shows the love for it is still strong.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Writer and director Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most beloved Stephen King adaptations, but not one of the most financially successful. Even with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman giving powerful lead performances (the latter got an Oscar nomination), the $25 million prison drama made a profit just shy of $4 million.

Steve Jobs (2015)

Most critics and audiences favor the Aaron Sorkin-penned, Danny Boyle-helmed, and Michael Fassbender-led drama based on the life of Apple’s founder over the one with Ashton Kutcher from 2013, Jobs. However, making $16 million on a $12 million budget, that one was the greater financial success, as the $30 million dollar Steve Jobs only brought in $17.8 million, with Boyle blaming its “too wide, too soon” release when speaking to BBC.

The Thing (1982) 

Today, John Carpenter’s The Thing is considered a masterpiece of sci-fi and horror for its clever themes of paranoia and brilliant special effects, but it was neither a hit with critics nor audiences when it first came out, costing $15 million to make — according to Far Out Magazine — and bringing in just $13.8 million. Some of the cast and crew believe that the Kurt Russell-led film’s failure had something to do with the success of a more lighthearted alien movie that came out around the same time: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

The cult favorite comedy, Wet Hot American Summer, boasts a packed, star-studded ensemble that some films would only dream of having…but only retroactively. The cast — including the likes of Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks — still had a few years before hitting the A-list and its lack of star power (at the time) might have contributed to its extremely low box office returns, bringing in only $295,206 on a budget of just $1.8 million, according to EW.

By surviving diminishing box office returns on the road to becoming beloved classics, these movies prove that slow and steady does win the race.

From the earliest days of cinema, filmmakers understood the power of the medium to show us worlds that we would never be able to otherwise experience. Science fiction, in all its forms, can show us a future that's terrible or wonderful. It can show us alien worlds and it can bend the laws of physics and make us wonder, what if?

Science fiction covers a lot of ground, and so, any list of the best sci-fi movies ever made is going to cover a variety of fantastical stories. While they all share a few common characteristics, the main thing these 35 films have in common is greatness.

35. Annihilation 

Annihilation is a movie that was generally reviewed well, and it’s also a movie that a lot of people have very strong feelings about. However, the fact that everybody feels strongly about it shows how well the movie did its job. On its surface Annihilation is a science fiction story with a mysterious alien presence and strange creatures, but there’s a lot more going on inside Annihilation. It’s also an emotional journey about change, grief, and loss. 

34. Robocop

There's a lot to love about Robocop, and, to be clear, we're talking about the original version from 1987. If you're into hyper-violent action movies, it has that. If you just like science fiction movies with cyborgs, you're covered. However, one thing that elevates Robocop from simply being a fun movie to becoming a great one is the satire. The film has something important to say about modern society, something that might be even more relevant today than it was in the 1980s. It's a smart film that just so happens to have people turned into a red mist via high-caliber machine guns. 

33. The Fifth Element

Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is one of those films that took a while to become a fan favorite. It did solid box office business but was far from a huge hit when first released. However, through home video and streaming services, more and more people have come across the film and it seems to have become a film with little negative reaction. Bruce Willis plays a cab driver who gets pulled into a fight for galactic survival by a beautiful woman played by Milla Jovovich. The premise is simple but thanks to delightfully fun characters like Chris Tucker's Ruby Rhod and a musical number that nobody will ever forget, this one will survive the test of time. 

32. Blade Runner 2049 

The sequel to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner took decades to produce, and much like the movie that came before it, Blade Runner 2049 largely failed to ignite audiences but make no mistake, this movie is, also much like the original, an absolutely amazing piece of filmmaking. It’s beautiful, both in cinematography and tone. Ryan Gosling’s performance is excellent. It’s a fitting follow-up to a classic. 

31. Tron

In the 1980s the computer became a device that the average family could afford, as such, there was an explosion in ownership, yet, in many ways, people didn't understand them. This aspect of science fiction made real was the premise of Tron, a film that wondered about what was happening inside the machine. While the film may feel a little dated by current standards, you simply can't underestimate what the movie brought to the screen upon its release. The computer effects that created the digital world had simply never been seen before. It was a leap forward in technology that dozens of films would be influenced by. The film has ultimately spawned enough additional materials it can be hard to keep the Tron timeline straight, and a third Tron film is finally on the way. 

30. The Abyss

While most science fiction movies take place among the stars, some of them can work within the confines of our planet. The Abyss finds alien life residing at the bottom of the ocean, showing that James Cameron has been wondering what's going on in our waters since long before Titanic. The claustrophobia of the environment is palpable, making the movie an exciting ride all the way through. In addition, it brought computer-generated characters to the next level thanks to groundbreaking work from Industrial Light & Magic. They're still impressive effects, even if, James Cameron now finds them "quaint."  If you haven't seen this one, fix that soon. 

29. Inception

While director Christopher Nolan did a lot of good to bring credibility to the comic book genre with his Dark Knight trilogy, it was a film he made in between those movies that was truly revolutionary. In many ways, the set-up was that of a simple heist. However, the trick was that the information our team needed to steal was inside somebody's mind. The story creates technology that allows them to enter the dreams of unsuspecting victims. Inception has many of the hallmarks of the best science fiction. It creates a fictional world with specific rules that the story must abide by, making the situation feel more real than it could ever be. This, combined with some stunning visual set pieces, captured largely practically rather than digitally, makes Inception a worthy recent entry to this list. And of course, there's also the Inception ending which has remained one of the most talked about movie conclusions ever.

28. Ex Machina

The concept of artificial intelligence has been covered in countless science fiction movies over the years. However, it has never been done as well as it was in Ex Machina. Alicia Vikander plays Ava, an artificial life form that may, or may not, be capable of true consciousness and emotion. Can humans truly relate to a machine the way we relate to each other? And if we can, what exactly does that mean about our concepts of what it means to be alive? Ex Machina is the all too rare dramatic science fiction movie. It has no ray guns or explosions. It's ultimately about people, even if one of the people isn't entirely real. 

27. Edge of Tomorrow

Tom Cruise is almost always an actor who's good for having a fun time at the movies. However, the criminally underrated Edge of Tomorrow is so much more than that. The story follows Cruise's character, a military officer who has never seen combat before but is now forced to the front lines, as he accidentally gets exposed to alien technology and discovers that the reason the aliens are winning the war is that they can travel back and repeat time and learn from their mistakes. Once he gains the same ability we get to see him use it to learn how to fight and try to win. Also, you get to watch Tom Cruise get blown up, a lot. 

26. Back to the Future

And, while we're discussing time travel, let's talk about what is probably the most popular time travel movie ever made. Even more rare than science fiction drama is the science fiction comedy, yet, Back to the Future lands it perfectly. The science fiction mechanic of the film indeed exists only to give a reason to have 1980s Marty McFly experience the world of 1955, yet, the movie deals with many of your standard time travel tropes including accidentally changing the past to negate the future, the bootstrap paradox, not to mention the possibility of accidentally becoming your own father, which is funny, and also gross. It's a movie so great that fans wanted more sequels for years. 

25. The Martian 

When a science fiction movie gets nominated for Oscars, you know it's something special. The Martian is one of the more recent movies but it has earned its spot. While the movie is Cast Away in space, it's also so much more. This movie just has everything that hardcore science fiction fans love, space travel, alien worlds, and enough scientific facts built in to make the science fiction plausible. Add in the fact that the film is legitimately funny and you've got a movie that has a little something for every type of sci-fi fan.

24. 12 Monkeys

Terry Gilliam has directed some gloriously fantastic science fiction, including a couple of films that came very close to making this list. However, his best science fiction movie has got to be 12 Monkeys. The story of a man sent back in time to prevent the spread of a plague would seem straightforward, but straightforward is something that never happens when Terry Gilliam is involved. A movie that earned Brad Pitt his first Oscar nomination and also contains one of the best performances by Bruce Willis simply can't be left off this list. 

23. The Day The Earth Stood Still

The question of whether or not we're alone in the universe is a consistent theme in science fiction films. The answer to that question was the subject of one of the great classics of the genre, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Today the words "Klaatu barada nikto" still survive in pop culture, which shows just what an impact the movie had. One wonders how many people even know that this is where the phrase comes from. So often when we do meet aliens in movies they are hostile invaders, but even back in 1951, a movie wondered if we might have been the aggressive ones. 

22. Snowpiercer

Most of the movies on this list are big and popular films that you're likely familiar with, even if you haven't seen them. Snowpiercer was something of an unknown quantity upon its release. Over time, however, it has acquired a significant fanbase. Korean director Bong Joon-ho's English-language debut sees Chris Evans as a passenger on a train in a future world that has been taken over by ice. Only those on a constantly moving train survive and quality of life is dictated by your position on the train. Those in the back start a revolt that takes them forward on the massive train. Whether you're looking for great action sequences or an examination of society you'll get both with Snowpiercer. 

21. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

There are so many ways one could describe Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It's a science fiction drama, it's a romantic comedy, it's just a general mind-fuck of a movie. Eternal Sunshine is all these things and more. Charlie Kaufman is known for writing some of the more offbeat stories in recent memory but this one may very well be his masterpiece. By the time this one came out we knew that Jim Carrey wasn't just a comedian and we already knew how great Kate Winslet was, but we saw entirely different sides of both actors here. The story follows two ex-lovers as they decide to get the memories of each other erased from their heads. The movie is utterly bizarre but that doesn't stop it from being an emotional journey. 

20. Dune (2021) 

Ever since David Lynch tried, and unfortunately failed, to adapt Dune for the screen, the Frank Herbert novel was widely considered impossible to turn into a movie. Denis Villeneuve has found at least half of the solution, as 2021’s Dune is an absolutely excellently produced film, and it has a shelf full of Oscars to prove it. If there’s any knock against the film, it’s that it only tells half the actual story.

19. Arrival 

On its surface, Arrival stars Amy Adams as a linguist whose expertise is called upon when alien life makes first contact with Earth. However, as with all great science fiction, there’s a great deal more going on. A very well-constructed story, and the third science fiction movie directed by Denis Villeneuve on this list, Arrival is an emotional character exploration with a satisfying, if potentially heartbreaking, conclusion. 

18. The Terminator

No list of science fiction films could be complete without the movie that created one of the biggest action heroes of all time. The Terminator introduced Arnold Schwarzenegger as an unstoppable killing machine and for a guy that looked like he did, audiences bought it. Even if Arnold himself was unsure about his most iconic line. While the movie doesn't have the flashy special effects of future sequels, that's part of why this movie still stands up. It's a desperate fight against an unstoppable force; it's not supposed to be pretty. While most of the movies that followed never held up, the reason they even tried was because the original was so good. 

17. Wall-E

One of the best science fiction films ever made deals with elements of artificial intelligence, love between artificial beings, and the destruction of human habitat. Also, it's an animated Pixar movie. Pixar has a near-perfect record when it comes to creating good movies, however, Wall-E may be in a class by itself. It's a film so good that the movie doesn't even require dialogue for half its runtime. It is by far the best animated science fiction movie ever made and Wall-E will be one of our favorite sci-fi characters forever. Wall-E and Eve is one of the greatest cinematic romances of all time. 

16. Jurassic Park

While actors performing against non-existent characters on a green screen is fairly commonplace now, such things were mostly unheard of prior to the release of Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park. What's more, while many digital effects in other films from the era don't really hold up today, the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park do. That, combined with one of John Williams' best scores makes for not only one of the best films of the '90s but also an all-time classic. Also, it has dinosaurs in it and they eat people. You really can't go wrong with that. None of the sequels have ever come close to surpassing the original, something even Colin Trevorrow admits to now. 

15. Aliens

Following up Ridley Scott's Alien could not have been an easy task even if James Cameron acted like it was the easiest thing in the world. The director made at least one brilliant decision, however. Rather than try to recreate the pulse-pounding terror of the original film, brilliant in its own right, he traded some of that tension in for space marine action. There continue to be attempts to recreate the magic of an Alien sequel, but nobody, even Ridley Scott himself, has been able to go back to this world and figure out how to make it work. It's hard to believe people told James Cameron Aliens would end his career.

14. Planet of the Apes

Who could have possibly dreamed that all these years later a movie about a planet run by apes would still be so popular? And yet, here we are. While the original may be best known for its famous twist ending, its influence on popular culture simply can't be overlooked. It received sequels, adaptations, spoofs, a new trilogy of movies that have been as good as anything the series has ever produced, and the equally well reviewed Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. None of that happens without Charlton Heston and the "damn dirty apes" which earns it a spot on this list. 

13. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

You can't talk about science fiction without including Star Trek in the conversation. For a series that's gone on as long as it has, the movie side has seen its ups and downs, but the best of them still has to be the second film in the franchise: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn. If you were a hardcore Star Trek fan then this film was a godsend as it brought back one of the great villains from the original series. However, you didn't need to be steeped in lore to enjoy Ricardo Montalban's over-the-top evil performance. The movie's so good the reboot film series wanted to do their take on it, but really, there's no way to improve on perfection. 

12. Everything Everywhere All At Once 

The word masterpiece should not be used lightly when discussing films, but it has been used frequently by critics discussing Everything Everywhere All At Once. Michelle Yeoh is always great on screen but she is in a class all by herself in this multiverse story that sees Yeoh jumping between her various realities and trying to save everything. It’s the newest film on this list, but we’re confident this one will stand the test of time. The film had an incredible night at the 2023 Academy Awards, taking home the prizes for Editing, Screenplay, three of the four acting awards, and, oh yeah, Best Picture. Few movies have ever had a better night at the Oscars. 

11. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

While the original Terminator is a classic, it was the sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, that took the franchise to the next level. This time Arnold got to be the hero as he was sent back in time to protect John Conner from the next generation of Terminator. James Cameron has always been one to latch on to the newest technology in filmmaking and for Terminator 2 it was digital morphing effects that allowed the T-1000 to transform in front of our eyes. Add to that the fact that the film was rated-R, during a time period where the PG-13 rating was beginning to establish movie dominance and fans got exactly the sequel they wanted, bigger and better. 

10. The Thing

You know that you've made a seminal work of science fiction when your movie is so good, people forget it's a remake. John Carpenter's The Thing technically follows 1951's The Thing From Another World and while that movie is still pretty good, it doesn't hold a candle to the masterclass in science fiction and horror that Carpenter's film was. The movie is still debated today as the ending of The Thing is left open to interpretation. Was The Thing destroyed, or is one of the final survivors actually a monster in disguise? 

9. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

What is there to say that hasn't already been said about the Star Wars trilogy. It quite simply changed the way Hollywood works. While some, including George Lucas himself, aren't necessarily thrilled by that fact, it's the world we live in now. The Empire Strikes Back was the film that proved that the pop culture circus that surrounded the first film was no accident. In many ways, the sequel is even superior to the original. With one of the greatest twists in the history of film included, The Empire Strikes Back will never be forgotten. 

8. E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial

So often in science fiction, the aliens are the bad guys that need to be defeated. However, Steven Spielberg's E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial doesn't just create a sympathetic alien that needs to be protected, it puts that protection in the hands of kids, making the movie something that entire families can enjoy. As such, it becomes one of those films that people make sure is seen by future generations. It's a heartwarming story that can hit you in the feels whether it's the first time you've seen it or the 50th. 

7. Metropolis

Made in 1927, when movies were still without sound, Metropolis is still one of the most influential science fiction movies ever made. Its visuals and effects were ahead of their time, fitting for a movie that portrayed a world that was highly advanced in technology, if not in humanity. It's difficult to argue that without Metropolis we may have never had any of the other films on this list. If you've never seen the film it is worth it to take the time and find it, if only to see the precursor to so many other genre classics. 

6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Hey look, it's Steven Spielberg again! The accomplished director has numerous great films on his filmography but when it comes to the science fiction genre, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is clearly his magnum opus. The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe is a topic in several films on this list, but while most films are about the answer, Close Encounters is a film about the question. It's about humanity's fascination with the idea of aliens and the lengths to which some will go to find a connection with the rest of the galaxy. It's a beautiful film and clearly one of the top ten in all of science fiction. 

5. The Matrix

The best movies are the ones that turn out to be great when you had no idea what to expect. The Matrix surprised pretty much everybody when it was released in 1999. Its cutting-edge use of "bullet time" cameras and "wire-fu" martial arts combined with a cyberpunk aesthetic was quite simply a combination that nobody had seen before. Add a solid story with a healthy dose of philosophical discussion on the nature of reality and the result is so popular that the universe is still being mined for stories to this day.  Perhaps none of The Matrix sequels have measured up, but that just shows how great the original truly was. 

4. Blade Runner

The fact that Blade Runner saw a sequel 25 years after the original debuted is all it takes to show how this film has survived over the years. Ridley Scott's story about a future where androids are virtually indistinguishable from humans and live amongst us captured the imagination. Perhaps one of the reasons the film has been so popular is that it has so many versions to choose from. No fewer than seven different cuts have been released over the years. The fact that so much work has been done following the initial release not only shows that fans are still interested but also helps to show how involved the film's story truly is, and that it can be looked at from so many different perspectives. 

3. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

While The Empire Strikes Back is viewed by many to be the high point of the Star Wars franchise, you simply can't underestimate just how important a film the original movie is. It not only launched the biggest property in the history of pop culture, but it changed the way movies were made and the way science fiction was viewed by the masses. No longer was it simply the purview of little kids watching Flash Gordon serials. Science fiction was now serious business. Everybody tried to do their own Star Wars after the original became the highest grossing film of all time. They all failed to match its brilliance. 

2. Alien

"In space, no one can hear you scream." With that simple phrase, we were introduced to some of the most terrifying alien creatures that have ever been created. Luckily, we were also introduced to one of the most badass heroes that science fiction, or any genre, has ever seen. Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley broke the mold when it came to genre heroines and she's still one of the greatest ever created. Alien was as good a science fiction film as it was a horror movie and the two are inextricably intertwined with each other -- in fact, Alien also ranks highly on our list of best horror movies of all time. It is absolutely one of the best science fiction movies ever made. 

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey

Every movie on this list is a great one, but all of them owe something to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The movie has everything you could want. It's got impressive outer space scenes. It's got drama that borders on horror thanks to a slightly deranged computer. Then it's got completely off-the-wall imagery and symbolism from Stanley Kubrick that still has people talking and asking questions to this day. After all these years we still can't stop thinking about 2001, which is why it's still the best science fiction movie ever made. 

Good science fiction movies come out all the time, but it takes something more to truly become great. Time will tell what modern movies might one day join this group of the best the genre has to offer.

Also, be sure to check out our list of sci-fi movies that have a 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes. 

If you’re a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and/or Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, then Joe Turkel should look familiar to you. The man played key roles in both movies, which have been cemented many times over as cinematic classics. Sadly, it’s been revealed that Turkel has died at the age of 94.

Variety confirmed with a representative that Joe Turkel passed away at the St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California on Monday, a little over two weeks shy of hitting his 95th birthday. It was also shared that before dying, the actor completed a memoir called The Misery of Success, which is intended to be published later this year. Turkel is survived by his two sons, two daughter-in-laws and his brother David. 

Born on July 15, 1927, following his service in World War II, Joe Turkel made his film debut in 1949’s City Across the River, a noir feature starring Stephen McNally and Thelma Ritter. Turkel’s other early acting jobs included Angels in Disguise, Inside Detroit and The Bonnie Parker Story. He also appeared on numerous TV shows, including The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Bonanza (where he made three different appearances), The Untouchables, Adam-12 and The Andy Griffith Show.

As already mentioned though, the classic horror movie The Shining and popular sci-fi movie Blade Runner stand out as Joe Turkel’s most well-known cinematic appearances. In The Shining, Turkel played Lloyd, the ghostly bartender (a role Kunal Nayyar might be good for someday) who chatted with Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance during his stay at the Overlook Hotel. It’s worth noting that Turkel is one of only two actors (the other being Phillip Stone) to make three credited appearances in Kubrick’s filmography. They first professionally crossed paths on 1956’s The Killing, and then teamed up again for 1957’s Paths of Glory, which Turkel once said was his favorite movie he performed in.

Then in 1982, Joe Turkel starred in Blade Runner as Dr. Eldon Tyrell, head of the Tyrell Corporation and creator of the replicants. Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard met Tyrell early on in the movie, where he witnessed the Voight-Kampff test being administered. Ironically, Tyrell met his demise at the hands of one of his creations, with Rutger Hauer’s Roy killing the man after he learned that Tyrell would not be able to extend his lifespan. Both Blade Runner and The Shining can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription.

Other notable credits of Joe Turkel’s worth mentioning include S.W.A.T., Kojak, Fantasy Island, Miami Vice and Tales from the Darkside. He made his final film appearance in 1990’s The Dark Side of the Moon, a direct-to-video feature where he played the role of Paxton Warner. Turkel’s final credit overall was vocally reprising Eldon Tyrell for the 1997 Blade Runner video game.

We here at CinemaBlend express our condolences to Joe Turkel’s family and friends during this difficult time. 

Mark Blade Runner as another fan-favorite franchise that just keeps going and going and going. While Blade Runner 2049's box office numbers seemingly failed to ignite a franchise, this saga has seen comic books and an Adult Swim anime keeping the torch lit in the name of Replicants and those that would hunt them. Now fans are presented with one hell of a present for their continued support, as Ridley Scott himself is returning to the world he helped create, and it sounds intriguing. 

You can thank the good folks at Amazon Studios, as Blade Runner 2099 is currently in development as a new exclusive series for the company's Prime Video platform. Directly cited by Deadline as a sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 cinematic entry, Sir Ridley is potentially going to slip into the director’s chair, should the project take off. Presumably running the show is executive producer/writer Silka Luisa, who will be debuting the Apple TV+ original adaptation of Lauren Beukes’ Shining Girls later this spring.

Though primarily known as a film director, Ridley Scott is no stranger to the world of streaming. He's executive produced HBO Max’s futuristic epic Raised By Wolves, which also had its first two episodes directed by the man himself. Whether or not he’ll be taking on the entire run of episodes for this next project is yet to be seen, but it doesn’t seem like a stretch. As Scott’s movies like The Last Duel seem to have extended cuts sitting in the wings, lengthy storytelling seems like the man’s area of interest. And there’s another huge gap that affords the opportunity to tell as much story as humanly, or inhumanly, possible.