Summary

A movie is only as good as its villain , and a beneficial villain should almost be able-bodied to convince even the hero that their cause is worthy , but when this works it can make even the most stately fighter change side . There are many reasons that a character , once well , no longer feels devoted to their fight against iniquity . Something traumatic might happen to them or the people they love , or bad , they ’re ineffective to baulk the draw of absolute power , no matter the cost .

While the radioactive dust of this perfidy can ravage the characters around the freshly turn villain , it ’s a strong dramatic choice that often elevates a film . It ’s a shocking twist that blindside both the other heroes and the audiencewhen done correctly . It also means that the betting odds stacked against the hero ’s now - decrease squad are even greater . This raises the overall stakes of the film and has created some of the best baddie in movie theater .

Movies that turn their heroes into villains can surprise audiences , subvert their expectation , or pave new pathways for cinematic storytelling .

Collage of Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby in Memento, Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in Fight Club, and Edward Norton as Aaron/Roy in Primal Fear

10Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Anakin Skywalker

Cast

Though Anakin ( Hayden Christensen ) is be intimate to be the scoundrel of the firstStar Warstrilogy , learn him grow up inthe prequel motion-picture show makes it severe to imagine that he will become the monster that is Darth Vader . He is a strong Jedi who is devoted to the cause and believes in the sanctity of the force . However , he is swayed by away forces in his life story and succumbs to temptation . His betrayal of Obi - Wan Kenobi ( Ewan McGregor ) in the final moments of the film and their epic fight is devastating and out of the question to look away from .

9X2: X-Men United (2003)

Pyro

The engagement between the mutants on the side of Professor X ( Patrick Stewart ) and those on the side of Magneto ( Ian McKellen ) interrogate the right way to pop out a rotation . Professor X consider in reform and working with humans , but Magneto has been hurt too many times and believe that there must be a ended inspection and repair of the arrangement . However , this belief rapidly turns into hate and force on Magneto ’s part , and he play tirelessly to recruit immature sport to his crusade .

Pyro ( Aaron Stanford ) is one of those young mutants who can no longer imagine a world where he is loved , accept , and feels good around human race . After fighting alongside Wolverine ( Hugh Jackman ) and the other heroes , who form a brief confederation with Magneto , he switches side and dedicates himself to Magneto . It ’s a hard loss for Professor X and his followers , but it illustrates the complexness of the central issues of the film .

8The Dark Knight (2008)

Harvey Dent

The Dark Knighttrilogy by Christopher Nolan is considered one of the most definitive adaptations of the Batman fib . InThe Dark Knight , the second flick of the trio , Harvey Dent ( Aaron Eckhart ) , is a by - the - ledger territorial dominion attorney who has the best interests of Gotham City at heart . However , the Joker ( Heath Ledger ) may not successfully corrupt Batman ’s ( Christian Bale ) morals , but he does with Dent . After have enormous hurt and release , Dent becomes an unrecognizable man who takes the jurisprudence into his own hands as an exculpation to enact wildness and revenge on those he believes have wronged him .

Christopher Nolan ’s The Dark Knight was as much Harvey Dent ’s story as it was Batman ’s , but Nolan ’s plan for Two - Face was originally very different .

7Terminator Genisys (2015)

John Connor

John Connor ( Jason Clarke ) is an enormous part of the originalTerminatorfilms , but inTerminator Genisyshe becomes a much unlike character from the immature male child that audiences once jazz . He is first introduced as the drawing card of the immunity and a critical part of the human contingency . When it is revealed thathe has been transmute into a Terminator himself , and is no longer human , it ’s a dramatic shift from his former depiction . One of the greatest hero of the enfranchisement has become one of the greatest villains .

6Watchmen (2009)

Ozymandias

Watchmenwas originally brought to life as a film by Zach Synder in 2009 , before the 2019 serial . It was an challenging version that includedOzymandias ( Matthew Goode ) as a hero within the populace who is corrupt by his pastand has trouble accept all parts of himself . His public role greatly differs from his private beliefs , and he is behind the plans to pour down off all the former heroes and vigilantes . His intentions do n’t make it easy to paint him as a villain or paladin , but a virtuously gray man who is disappointed by the world .

5The Godfather (1972)

Michael Corleone

One of the greatest trilogies of all clip , The Godfatherfilms are universally beloved for the lineament that rank from virtuously complex to out-and-out evil . In the first moving-picture show , Michael Corleone ( Al Pacino ) has distance himself from the condemnable imperium that his forefather , Vito ( Marlon Brando ) , has builtand wants nothing to do with the cruelty of its earth . regrettably , as the film get on , it becomes clear that he is unable to remain out of it , and even savor bring down violence on others . By the net moment of the picture show , he becomes the new patriarch of the crime family .

4The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (2023)

Coriolanus Snow

Tom Blyth playsCoriolanus Snow ’s glum ending inThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeswith enough refinement to make the audience believe that there could be a luck he wo n’t succumb to the villain within himself . Although he is from the Capitol , Coriolanus starts to see how others live , especially after he fall in love with Lucy Gray Baird ( Rachel Zegler ) . However , his desire for world power and safety is too much for him to overcome . After a series of more and more brutal actions , Coriolanus sell even Lucy Grayand assumes the role of the ruthless potentate in the original movie .

3Megamind (2010)

Hal Stewart/Tighten

ThoughMegamindis technically a children ’s movie , it still has complex characters and provides interesting ontogeny throughout the story . Hal ( Jonah Hill ) is a regular cameraman who accidentally gets superhero powers , which he quickly uses for his own amplification . Megamind ( Will Ferrell ) , is frame in as the villain throughout most of the celluloid , butwhen Hal AKA Tighten becomes even more redoubtable than him , they alternate part , and it ’s up to Megamind to stop a baddie worsened than he ever was , and discover the hero within himself .

2Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

Saruman The White

The Lord Of The Ringstrilogy is one of the cracking phantasy adaptation in movie theater , based on J.R.R. Tolkien ’s novels , and star a fantastic cast who bring to animation the iconic lineament . One of the most atrocious villains turns out to be Saruman The White ( Christopher Lee),an ally of Gandalf ( Ian McKellan ) who betrays him for the power and protective cover of Sauron , the most wicked entity in the universe . When Gandalf turns to him for assistance , Saruman traps him and disclose his double-faced nature , which eventually leads to an epical fight between the two whizz .

1The Departed (2006)

Trooper Barrigan

Aaron Eckhart as Two-Face and Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight

Keanu Reeves looking over one shoulder as John Wick in Ballerina

Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith, Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, and Pyro in X Men 2

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Aaron Stanford as Pyro in X2

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The reveal of Harvey Dent as Two-Face in The Dark Knight.

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Jason Clarke looks to his side in Terminator Genisys

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Ozymandias in Wachmen 2009

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Marlon Brando

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Cast Placeholder Image

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Saruman walks with Gandalf

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