Top 20 Most Iconic Movie Characters of All Time: The Ones Who Left an Impact on Cinema

23.01.2023 - 11:34

Cinema is a powerful medium that has the ability to transport us to different worlds and introduce us to memorable characters that stay with us long after the credits have rolled. These characters can be heroic, villainous, or somewhere in between, but they all have one thing in common: they have left a lasting impact on the film industry. In this article, we will be counting down the top 20 most popular and iconic movie characters of all time! From classic Hollywood icons to modern day superheroes, these characters have captured the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.

1. Star Wars (1977) - Han Solo

Although Han Solo was initially shown in Star Wars as a smuggler, he soon became a rebel who joined forces with others to defeat the evil Galactic Empire. In the series, the character is portrayed by Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich. Solo is a good fighter and family man in the movie.

2. The Lord of the Rings (2001) - Gandalf

In the three-film series, the wizard is tasked with helping to combat the threat of Sauron, one of the villains of the film. To achieve this, he works in close cooperation with those who have similar goals. Gandalf is an easy character to like, as he has a strong sense of compassion and pity and is also very patient. He never hesitates to be harsh when he feels that others are deviating from the task.

3. The Terminator (1984) - T-800

Possibly the best character Schwarzenneger has ever played, the Terminator travels back to 1995 from 2029 to protect a young boy who is supposed to be a resistance leader in the future. sent, and to do so he must face the shape-shifting T-1000. The main thing that makes the T-800 such a popular character is that it has one of the best scenes in the history of cinema; He walks into a bar naked and orders a man to give him his bike and boots. Another thing fans will always appreciate about him is how he develops a sense of humanity along the way. He is initially a cold and expressionless murderer but becomes more and more a father figure.

4. Star Wars (1977) - Luke Skywalker

Like Han Solo, Luke Skywalker is part of the revolution aimed at overthrowing the evil Galactic Empire. The character comes from Tatooine, one of the best fictional Star Wars planets. Skywalker's numerous selfless decencies are enough to make him popular among fans of the series. In the end, he does the noblest thing a hero can do; he sacrifices his own life for others.

5. Star Wars (1980) - Yoda

Jedi master Yoda has several effective scenes at different stages of the film series. Yoda has a very good reputation for being a great trainer. Thanks to his firmness, Yoda raised many talented students. He is 66 cm tall, and his appearance is also remarkable with his green color. Despite his height, he can duel quite well with the weapon known as a lightsaber. He is also a kind of superhero thanks to his numerous special abilities.

6. Rocky (1976) - Rocky Balboa

Rocky, a talented boxer, destroys several talented boxers during the four-game series. That is why the films in which he starred are considered some of the best boxing films of all time. Rocky is a perfect example of how important it is to combine willpower and skill. He always wins, although most of the time the luck seems to be against him.

7. The Dark Knight (2008) - Bruce Wayne (Batman)

After his family is killed by a bandit, Bruce Wayne chooses to become a vigilante known as Batman and fights crime. The decision brings him face to face with many dangerous villains.

8. Back to the Future (1985) - Marty McFly

In the universe of the Back to the Future trilogy, Marty is the first person to travel to the past. Thanks to his abilities, he manages to change important events in different time periods. Marty is not an ordinary science fiction hero. He has a sense of humor, even choosing to choose nicknames like Clint Eastwood when traveling to the past.

9. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Hannibal Lecter

Based on the novels by Thomas Harris, the film features the notorious serial killer doctor Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter, known by the name and for eating his victims. After being caught, he helps the authorities in catching another killer. From his appearance to his tone of voice, Lecter is creepy in every way. His senses are also more developed than ordinary people. Lecter also does almost everything that can be expected from a villain of his range: whether it's escaping from prison or making light threats, he's pretty good at doing them.

10. Star Wars (1977) - Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi's popularity among Star Wars fans has decisively led to him being given his own spin-off series. He is best known for training the two characters in the series, Anakin and Luke Skywalker. Kenobi has many wonderful qualities, one of which is his unwillingness to resort to violence. He prefers to negotiate first, and when he fails in this, he takes a more aggressive approach. In addition, thanks to his skills in lightsaber duels, he can easily defeat different types of enemies.

11. The Godfather (1972) - Vito Corleone

Marlon Brando played Mario Puzo's enigmatic roman character quite well in the first Godfather movie in 1972. Vito Corleone is an enigmatic crime boss of the Corleone family, an Italian Mafia family living in contemporary New York. Don Vito is shown as a man who is dangerous to those who oppose him, but who takes care of his family members with compassion. He especially respects his little son Michael.

12. Dr. No (1962) - James Bond

There is no doubt that Ian Fleming's work describes one of the greatest fictional spies of all time. James Bond is a Royal Navy commander working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6. The secret service code is 007. The popular character first appeared on the big screen in Dr No (1962) and most recently in No Time to Die (2021). The spy movie franchise is together one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time. Six different actors played Bond in various films in the series: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

13. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) - Harry Potter

Harry Potter is one of the most popular and beloved characters both in the world of cinema and in literature. Created by the famous British writer JK Rowling, Potter is a young male wizard who protects both the wizarding and the human world from a dark wizard named Lord Voldemort. The film also deals with the events they experienced with their friends from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Potter's character was played by Daniel Radcliffe in all the films. Rupert Grint played Ron Weasley; Emma Watson played Hermione Granger, one of Harry's best friends.

14. Indiana Jones (1981) - Indiana Jones

One of the toughest movie characters ever, Indiana Jones is a character created by George Lucas. Jones is known for sometimes using his whip to escape difficult situations and prevent antique artifacts from falling into the wrong hands. The first three films were released in the 1980s, while the fourth and so far the last one, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was released in 2008. Harrison Ford appeared in all four Indiana Jones adventures, playing the main character, and all of them were directed by Steven Spielberg.

15. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) - Captain Jack Sparrow

The charismatic Captain Jack Sparrow was the single biggest reason behind the awesome success of the series. The adventures of the pirate leader Sparrow are both funny and exciting. Johnny Depp played the character in all the films of the series. In fact, one of the biggest reasons Sparrow became a popular culture icon in the eyes of everyone from children to adults was Depp's critically praised performance. One of the most memorable characters, Sparrow is portrayed as intelligent and sometimes even a traitor who uses his head to get out of a difficult situation.

16. The Matrix (1999) - Neo and Trinity

Neo and Trinity are the main characters of the Matrix series. Created by the Wachowskis, Neo and Trinity, played by Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, try to fight against the machines that created the Matrix in order to trap people in a simulated reality in the film. The film series is notable for the use of special effects and outstanding action sequences. Its cultural influence has been extraordinary, especially in terms of filmmaking, religion, philosophy and science. The scenes, which included Neo dodging a hail of bullets and Trinity dodging her pursuers on a congested highway, inspired the world of social media.

17. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) - The Bride

Featuring one of the most famous movie characters to grace the screen and appearing in a single story divided into two films, Uma Thurman is a dangerous assassin who wants revenge against a group of assassins and their leaders who tried to kill her and her unborn child. Quentin Tarantino has given the character depth with his own style with his depictions of extreme violence and breathtaking action scenes. The yellow tracksuit that Thurman wore has also become one of the most iconic outfits in the history of cinema.

18. Titanic (1997) - Rose and Jack

Their innocent love story and tragic fate have made Jack Dawson and Rose one of the most beloved couples in the history of cinema. Director James Cameron perfectly weaves a romantic story against the backdrop of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Jack is a poor young artist who falls in love with Rose, who belongs to the aristocratic class on the ship. Feeling overwhelmed in her own world, Rose, on the other hand, finds Jack's free lifestyle attractive. But then the tragedy begins and the Titanic sinks.

19. The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - Miranda Priestly

Meryl Streep plays Miranda Priestly, the demanding boss of a famous fashion magazine. Priestly is portrayed in the film as an extremely workaholic, a walking encyclopedia of the fashion industry. However, her strict attitude creates problems for her young personal assistant Andy. The film is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name written in 2003. The film, directed by David Frankel, received two Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress with Streep.

20. A Fistful Of Dollars (1964) - The Man With No Name

Although each story is independent in the film series known as the 'dollar trilogy', the common point that connects them is The Man With No Name played by one of the greatest movie characters of all time, screen legend Clint Eastwood. Each of the three Italian epic Western films directed by Sergio Leone is considered one of the best films in the history of cinema. But among the three, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, is universally hailed as the best. As for Eastwood the Man With No Name is a gunslinger on the loose in the Wild West. He is basically an anti-hero with contradictory moral values. He doesn't talk much, but his skill with weapons is second to none.