Movies are a visual art form that tells a story, but many components are put together to help bring these films to life. Through sound, cinematography, lighting, editing, and casting, a film can leave a lasting impression – either good or bad – and create characters that imprint in the minds of movie audiences. One of the most important things a filmmaker can do, in addition to establishing dramatic tension and setting an intense scene, is to create unforgettable characters – man, woman, or animal – who have incredible personalities and powerful actions that we enjoy watching time and time again.
We may think of popular characters as ones who are loveable, respectful, or admirable but these traits aren't necessarily required to leave a lasting impression. According to Guinness World Records, the single most played character in movies and TV is the world's most famous vampire — Dracula. The sinister Transylvanian has appeared, in one form or another, in more than 40 TV series, and at least 200 movies, dating back to the silent film era, with two new Dracula motion pictures scheduled for release this year. (On the opposite end of the spectrum is the most played human character – Sherlock Holmes – a character that can be admired.)
It's not just a vampire who draws audiences. Two other movie villains, both animated, are among the most profitable movie characters in history who have been most responsible for the box office success of the films in which they've appeared – the murderous Bengal tiger Shere Khan in "The Jungle Book" (1967) and its successors and the grumpy supervillain Gru in the Despicable Me film series. (Click here to discover the 20 best animated films of all time.)
To compile a list of the most profitable movie characters in history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from the film industry site The Numbers, ranking characters according to an index based on the domestic box office gross of the movies they appear in and the extent of their participation in those movies.This list features both live and animated characters and includes superheroes, secret agents, fantasy figures, and one key personality from the Bible. Only six of those included are female. The single highest-grossing movie character of all time is 007, the world's most famous spy, also known as Bond, James Bond. (Here's a list of the most evil James Bond villains.)
To determine the most profitable movie characters in history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on domestic box office from the film industry site The Numbers, a subsidiary of Nash Information Services. Characters were ranked based on their total contributions to the domestic box office. Box office contributions were calculated based on billing order, with domestic box office figures successively halved according to billing order.
If an actor portraying a character received top billing, for example, they would be assigned half of the film's box office. Actors receiving second billing were assigned one-fourth of a film's box office, actors receiving third billing one-eighth, actors receiving fourth billing one-sixteenth, and so on. Box office data is adjusted for inflation.
Here are the most profitable movie characters in history:
