An entire generation of fans knows Alan Rickman from his fantastic portrayal of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. However, for both older fans and those who watch more dramatic film offerings, Rickman has a history in cinema that is much more than just a character in one franchise.
From his early days where he made Hans Gruber the best action movie villain in history to his turns in both romantic comedies and biopics, Rickman proved time and time again to be one of the film world's greatest actors. Here is a look at the 10 best Alan Rickman movies outside of the Harry Potter franchise, based on IMDb ranking.
THE BUTLER (2013) - 7.2
Released in 2013, Lee Daniels directed The Butler, a historical drama based on the article titled A Butler Well Served By This Election by Wil Haygood. The film is loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen (renamed Cecil Gaines for the movie), a man who worked in the White House for decades. Since it goes through three decades, it includes several U.S. Presidents.
Alan Rickman stars in the movie as Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, while Jane Fonda played First Lady, Nancy Reagan. Reagan was the final President before Cecil resigned.
EYE IN THE SKY (2015) - 7.3
The final live-action film that Alan Rickman appeared in before his death was Eye in the Sky, which hit festivals in 2015 and arrived in theaters in 2016. Directed by Gavin Hood (Ender's Game), Eye in the Sky is a British thriller concerning the ethical challenges of drone warfare.
Rickman starred as Lieutenant General Frank Benson, tasked with determining whether they should fire missiles at a building to stop suicide bombers. The problem is that it would mean also killing innocent civilians as well, including a young girl he sees through drone footage.
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007) - 7.3
In 2007, Tim Burton made a big-screen adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Johnny Depp took on the lead role of the serial killer barber while Helena Bonham Carter starred as his assistant, Mrs. Lovett.
As for Alan Rickman, he starred as Judge Turpin. While Depp's demon barber was a serial killer, he was still painted as the protagonist, while Judge Turpin was the real villain of the story, the man against whom Sweeney Todd sought vengeance.
DOGMA (1999) - 7.3
Kevin Smith took a huge leap from his normal character-driven movies and tried his hand at something huge with Dogma. While the movie still contained his crackling dialogue between quirky characters, this was the story of two angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) cast out of Heaven who finds a loophole to get back in.
The problem is that, if they do, it will destroy the world. Alan Rickman stars as Metatron, the Voice of God, who heads to Earth to convince a woman named Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) to help him stop the angels.
GALAXY QUEST (1999) - 7.3
While fans today have fallen in love with The Orville, the Seth MacFarlane sci-fi comedy on Fox, movie fans saw something similar and equally brilliant two decades earlier. Galaxy Quest hit theaters in 1999 with Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Sam Rockwell, and Tony Shalhoub starring.
The movie was a Star Trek parody, with the cast being actors of a cult TV series that aliens watch and believe to be a documentary. The aliens then pull the actors into a real-life intergalactic conflict. Rickman portrayed the actor who played an alien from the Mak'tar race.
SNOW CAKE (2006) - 7.5
Snow Cake was a British comedy released in 2006, directed by Marc Evans. Alan Rickman stars as Alex, a recluse who agrees to give a teenage girl a ride, only to end up in an auto accident that kills the girl. Alex, who in no way was responsible for the accident, takes gifts to the girl's mother Linda, played by Sigourney Weaver.
Linda is autistic and, without her daughter, needs help. Alex agrees to stay for a short time to help her during the funeral preparations. When he meets a neighbor (Carrie-Anne Moss), his backstory turns out to be just as tragic.
PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER (2006) - 7.5
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) movie about a serial killer named Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who was an olfactory genius and killed women, capturing their scents. The film starred Ben Winshaw as Jean-Baptiste, as he awaited his sentencing for murder, his life story told in flashbacks.
Alan Rickman portrays Antoine Richis, the father of a girl named Laura (Rachel Hurd-Wood). It is her scent that catches the attention of Jean-Baptiste when he realizes that she possesses the final scent that would allow him to create a perfume to rule the world.
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) - 7.6
Ang Lee brought Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility to life in 1995 with Emma Thompson starring as Elinor Dashwood and Kate Winslet as her sister Marianne. With a script by Thompson, the movie tells the familiar story of the Dashwood sisters, once wealthy, but now seeking financial security through marriage.
Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman star as the two suitors for the sisters in the movie. The film received seven Oscar nominations, winning one, and has an almost perfect 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
LOVE, ACTUALLY (2003) - 7.6
The top two Alan Rickman movies, according to IMDb voters, were both Christmas movies. Love, Actually was a star-studded ensemble movie released in 2003 about various couples in different stages of their romantic relationships. The cast included names like Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Kiera Knightley, and Bill Nighy.
Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson star as a married couple, Harry and Karen. While Karen stays at home raising their children, Harry begins to start a relationship with a new secretary at his agency and has to face the consequences when his wife learns the truth.
DIE HARD (1988) - 8.2
The best Alan Rickman movie of all time was also the first movie role of his career, setting a high benchmark that no one could hope ever to top. In 1988, Rickman starred as the villain Hans Gruber in the Bruce Willis' action thriller Die Hard.
The movie has Hans and his minions take a Christmas party in a high rise building in Los Angeles captive as they attempt to pull off a major heist. However, the estranged husband of one of the employees is an NYPD cop named John McClane, and he is in the building prepared to do anything to save his wife.