MovieChat Forums > Hocus Pocus (1993) Discussion > Movies with the Villain as the Lead

Movies with the Villain as the Lead

posted 4 years ago by CoachGainz (453)
21 replies | jump to latest

I've seen that it's rare to have your lead star as the Villain of the movie, but Hocus Pocus does it so well with Bette Midler. I personally find it makes for very interesting character study to show the perspective of the Villian.

Can you name great movies with the Villain as the lead?

Hocus Pocus (Bette Midler)
Training Day (Denzel Washington)
Wolf of Wall Street (Leo)
3:10 to Yuma (Russell Crowe)
The Dark Knight (Heath Ledger) You could argue that Bale is the lead but we all know that was Heath's movie
Collateral (Tom Cruise)

Breaking Bad (Bryan Cranston)
Game of Thrones (Pretty Much Everybody Pending on the Point of View)

[–] PaladinNJ (21510) 4 years ago

The Villain (Kirk Douglas)

[–] roto (94) 4 years ago

Batman 89 was definitely Jack Nicholson's movie.

Avengers Infinity War was Thanos' movie, really.

[–] ThrillerTalk (1118) 4 years ago

Nightmare on Elm Street is Freddy Kruggers movie
Jason movies stars the villian. Jason.
Halloween stars Michael Myers
Chucky movies..you get the idea lol.

[–] roto (94) 4 years ago

Good list.

I haven't watched it but "Lucifer" sounds like a good example.

[–] RebelBlood (213) 4 years ago

I watched it for awhile and it mostly follows an obvious redemption arc for Lucifer. The villains are really other supernatural beings that try to punish him for changing his role as Lord of Hell.

[–] roto (94) 4 years ago

Hmmm...interesting. Sounds similar to the concept of "Good Omens".

[–] RebelBlood (213) 4 years ago

Neil Gaiman was a co-creator of the Lucifer comic series around the same time of Good Omens release, so he likely incorporated the same themes. I enjoyed both, but Good Omens is my favorite.

[–] roto (94) 4 years ago

Good Omens is fantastic!

Neil Gaiman's involvement us enough to interest me in Lucifer, to be honest. I might give it a shot.

[–] RebelBlood (213) 4 years ago

A Clockwork Orange
The Shining
Svengali - I don't know how many have been made, but John Barrymore was that part, and co-lead I guess.
Hannibal Rising
Christine

TV
The Sopranos
The Borgias
Hannibal

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cards24 (47) 4 years ago

Heath Ledger is in no way the lead of The Dark Knight. Not even close. Just because he gives the best performance and owns his role doesn't make him the lead. It you had to pick a second lead, it'd be Aaron Eckhart. But Ledger? No. To compare him to Bette Midler and Tom Cruise in Collateral is just idiotic.

[–] PaladinNJ (21510) 4 years ago

Jamie Foxx was the lead in Collateral not Cruise.