The 10 Best Movies Where The Lead Character Is The Villain, Ranked According To IMDb

Unfortunately, being a hero in a movie is both a blessing and a curse, as villains are almost always the most memorable characters. Being largely due to how bad-guys are often more eccentric, spontaneous, and completely off the rails, some of the most iconic movies of all time are thanks to the villain.

Whether it’s Joker in The Dark Knight, Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, or Darth Vader in Star Wars, these characters are more embedded in culture than the hero of their films. So it comes as no surprise that movies where the villain takes the lead are some of the most consistently great movies ever, with the top spot even being considered the greatest film of all time.

10 Beetlejuice (1988) – 7.5

Being one of the most popular Halloween costumes ever, Beetlejuice is a horrible character, as he hurls insults at anyone who confronts him, does things that border on sexual harassment, and he is remarkably selfish. But somehow, he is one the most loveable characters in cinema.

The movie has become a classic in its 30+ years since release, and it’s mostly thanks to the titular character, who is a poltergeist that uses his powers to mischievously prank anybody who crosses him. Whether he is the lead character is debatable, as Adam and Barbara Maitland have much more screen time than him, as do several other characters, but he is the titular character and he steals the show.

9 Nightcrawler (2014) – 7.9

Not to be confused with the X-Men hero of the same name, Nightcrawler follows Lou, who becomes obsessed with documenting crimes, such as car jackings and even murder. He sells what he records to news networks, but being the psychopath that he is, he craves something more exciting, so he sets up a gunfight between the police and a criminal gang in a public place. Lou shoots the whole thing from afar, seemingly enjoying it. At the end of the movie, Lou recruits a whole reporting team, and he tells them he wouldn’t have them do anything he wouldn’t do himself, which is the scariest part of the whole movie.

8 The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013) – 8.2

Even when Martin Scorsese isn’t directing a crime movie, he is directing a crime movie. Predominantly known for his gangster movies that are full of murder and empty of any moral compass, Scorsese takes that formula and puts it into Wall Street offices. Though there isn’t any murder or violence in the movie, it is still organized crime, and the characters in The Wolf of Wall Street share the same themes of greed, power, and corruption that can be found in Goodfellas, Casino, and many other of the director’s classic movies.

What’s worse is that this is one of the movies where some of the audience didn’t realize that Jordan Belford was actually a villain.

7 The Shining (1980) – 8.4

With enough fan theories to have viewers trying to wrap their head around the movie for days, The Shining is one of the greatest (yet loosest) adaptations of a Steven King novel ever made, even if King disagrees. As the movie depicts Jack Torrance going crazy while groundskeeping the Overlook Hotel over the winter, it leads to some of the most disturbing  moments in a horror movie. As Jack tries to axe down has family, a few things come to light about the hotel that makes the building just as much of a main character as Jack, and just as evil.

6 Joker (2019) – 8.5

The Joker has a long cinematic history, as he has been portrayed by many different actors in many different ways. From being affiliated with organized crime in Tim Burton’s Batman to looking like a gangster rapper in Suicide Squad, though the Joker has always been a supporting character, he always stole the show in every movie, for better or worse.

It was only a matter of time before the character got his very own movie, and though the depiction is completely unlike any origins story found in the comics, Joker is one of the most profound movies of the decade, as it tells a much larger story than just being a comic-book movie. Considering the movie almost didn’t get made, it amazing that it’s one of IMDb’s top 60 movies.

5 The Usual Suspects (1995) – 8.5

Though the movie would look a lot different if it was remade today, the cast of The Usual Suspects is iconic, and what makes the movie so great is that even the way the criminals dress corresponds to their attitudes and personality. However, as great looking and well written as the ensemble cast is, every one of them is a murdering scumbag.

Not one of them has ever had a single morally decent thought, and that’s why the movies so brilliant. As the film sees the rag tag gang jump from one robbery from the next, whether it’s stealing from the cops or businessmen, there isn’t one likeable character among them, which makes it ironic that the movie is so beloved.

4 The Professional (1994) – 8.5

Leon: The Professional is one of the best assassin movies mostly because of the relationship the audience develops with the titular character. Leon is better than most of the other villains on the list, as he follows one rule; no women and no children, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t kill people for money.

However, he might not seem like a villain because Stansfield is so much worse than him, and though they are both filthy murderers, Leon cares about plants and raises Mathilda, whereas Stansfield is an instinctual, erratic, and violent drug dealer. That’s the hilarious thing about movie magic, as films can make audiences believe that hitmen are nice guys just as long as they’re seen taking care of a plant.

3 Goodfellas (1991) – 8.7

There are very few movies that Scorsese has made that don’t have anything to do with organized crime, as the director has become the go-to director for meaty screenplays with villainous lead characters. Goodfellas is almost like the mafia counterpart to The Wolf of Wall Street, as they both have a similar structure; a casual narration, rapid camera movements and quick cuts, and a supremely charismatic lead character who just happens to be scum of the earth. Henry might not look as bad compared to Jimmy or Tommy, but the character murdered several people, cheated on his wife, and drove his family into witness protection.

2 Fight Club (1999) – 8.8

Fight Club is one of the reasons why 1999 was the greatest year in movies, even if it was critically panned upon release. Part of the negative reception the movie got may have been due to the lack of a moral compass in the movie and how it is completely soulless. The narrator is a despicable character, as he forms a nihilistic cult, scars his followers, and literally commits terrorist attacks. Though the narrator tries to do the right thing in the end, it’s too little too late, and he still doesn’t seem to care about all of the skyscrapers he is in the middle of blowing up.

1 The Godfather (1972) – 9.2

The Godfather series takes the lead character as a villain to a whole other level, as the three-movie story arc is about just that. The first movie is about Michael Corleone literally going from a war hero who has never gotten involved in the family’s criminal enterprise, to the head of that very organization.

The Godfather Part II shows how he devilishly uses all of that power and how it completely corrupts him, which is why it’s one of the best movies about the mafia. The villainous lead character is the exact reason why the third movie in the series isn’t as well received, as it sees Michael regretting his past decisions and trying to find redemption.