Many of the movies released in 2022 have introduced fans to new protagonists and villains but a few have featured iconic characters too. Among the popular characters to show up once again are Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell of Top Gun: Maverick and Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. But how good are these characters compared to the millions of others that have appeared on screen?
Each fan has their favorite movies and hence their favorite characters too. For that reason. it could be hard for cinephiles to agree on who deserves to be at the apex. Luckily, Ranker has made all that possible. Through upvotes and downvotes on the site, the best-ever characters to ever appear on the big screen have been determined.
Note: Ranker lists are fan-voted, live, and continue to accrue votes, so some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
Han Solo
Han Solo is introduced in Star Wars as a smuggler but soon becomes a rebel who joins forces with others to defeat the evil Galactic Empire. The character has been portrayed by Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich.
Solo has everything fans would want from a protagonist, from a good demeanor to a likable sidekick in Chewbacca. In addition to that, he is a good fighter and a family man. Such attributes were highly valued in cinema at the height of Solo's run in the '70s and '80s. More important is his brilliant character development. Initially, he is cynical and disagreeable but he redeems himself by being understanding and heroic.
Gandalf
In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the wizard is tasked with helping combat the threat of one of the movie villains whose faces are never seen, Sauron. To achieve this, he works closely with those that have a similar objective.
Gandalf is an easy character to like as he has a strong sense of pity and also happens to be very patient. He never hesitated to be harsh either whenever he feels that others are straying from the mission. Additionally, he is extremely wise and it's partly because of his plans and strategies that Saaroun is defeated. His good eyesight is a thing of wonder too as he can even see through dimensions of wraiths,
T-800, aka the Terminator
Arguably the best character Schwarzenneger has ever portrayed, the Terminator is sent back in time from 2029 to 1995 to protect a young boy who is meant to become a resistance leader in the future. And to do that, he has to face off against the shape-shifting T-1000.
The major thing that makes T-800 such an iconic character is that he has one of the best scenes in movie history, one where he walks into a bar naked and orders a man to give him his bike and boots. Another thing that fans will always appreciate about him is how he develops a sense of humanity along the way. Initially, he is a cold and expressionless killer but by the second installment, he is more of a father figure.
Luke Skywalker
Like Han Solo, Luke Skywalker is also part of the revolution meant to bring the evil Galactic Empire down. The character hails from one of the best fictional Star Wars planets, Tatooine.
Skywalker's numerous selfless moments are enough to make him a darling among franchise fans. Eventually, he does the noblest thing a protagonist can do, sacrificing his own life for others. Skywalker also contributes greatly to some of the action sense, mostly because he is naturally gifted in lightsaber combat.
Yoda
Jedi Master Yoda hold several influential positions at different stages of the film series. Additionally, he has a reputation for being a great trainer.
Thanks to his strictness and firmness, Yoda is able to forge many capable students through his tutelage. Standing at 66 cm tall and being green in color, his appearance is also striking. And despite his size, he can duel quite well with the weapon known as the lightsaber. Furthermore, he is somewhat of a superhero too, thanks to his numerous special abilities.
Rocky Balboa
A gifted boxer, Rocky obliterates several talented boxers throughout the tetralogy. As such, a couple of the installments are considered some of the best boxing movies of all time.
Rocky is the perfect example of how important it is to combine will and skill. Most of the time, the odds seem against him but he always triumphs. And he provides plenty of entertainment because he is a hybrid fighter, capable of combining brawling, swarming, and inside-fighting. Even more fascinating is his iron jaw, enabling him to absorb brutal hits time and time again.
Batman
After his parents get killed by a thug, Bruce Wayne chooses to become the crime-fighting vigilante known as Batman. The decision pits him against many dangerous villains.
Proof of Batman's awesomeness lies in the numerous movies that get made about him. Though DC has a wide variety of characters to pick him, Batman is always the choice whenever there is the need for a box office hit. And the hero isn't just favored for no reason. He not only has an amazing Rogues Gallery but is extremely competent, despite not having any superpowers.
Marty McFly
In the Back to the Future trilogy's universe, Marty is the first person to ever travel to the past. Thanks to his abilities, he manages to alter key events in different time periods.
Marty isn't just the ordinary sci-fi protagonist. He has a sense of humor, even opting to pick aliases such as Clint Eastwood while traveling to the past. He has a variety of hobbies too, making it easier for each fa to pick one thing they like from him. And in the future, he even gets to be as famous as Elvis.
Hannibal Lecter
In The Silence of the Lambs and other movies based on the novels of Thomas Harris, notorious serial killer Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter is known for eating his victims. After getting captured, he assists the authorities in nabbing another killer.
From his appearance to his vocal tones, Lecter is terrifying in every possible way. His senses are also more developed than that of ordinary humans. Lecter also does just about everything that would be expected of a villain of his caliber. Whether it's escaping from captivity or issuing mild threats, he is quick to do so.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi's popularity among Star Wars fans has led to him being given his own spinoff series. He is known for training two of the best characters in the franchise, Anakin and Luke Skywalker.
Kenobi has many great attributes, one of them being his reluctance to engage in violence. He prefers to negotiate first and when that fails, he adopts a more aggressive approach. Ad thanks to him being skilled in several forms of lightsaber duels, he can take on different kinds of foes with ease.