The 2010s was a huge decade for cinema. It was the starting point for the current generation of moviegoers. Kids who had grown up with Terminator, Transformers, and Lord of the Rings by this point could pay for their own movie tickets, and they had a more animated mindset, inspiring movie studios to change direction and gear movies more towards Millennial and Gen-Z viewers. Green screens became the norm, and original films slowly phased out in favor of adapting popular source materials for the big screen. It was the true dawning of the superhero era but also the era of adaptation.
Most iconic movie characters are typically a part of franchises. Most days, nothing succeeds without there being a sequel following. The characters on this list personified everything that cinema was during the 2010s and are synonymous in pop culture today and likely will be forever. Here are the top 10 movie characters of the 2010s.
10 Paddington Bear — Paddington
This list has a lot of heroes, but this adorable little bear is the one fans did not know they needed. Paddington Bear from Paddington is by far the most wholesome character on this list. From the jungles of Peru, he travels to London, where he's taken in by the Brown family. As expected, lots of trouble is caused, but it's all in good fun.
What makes Paddington such a memorable character is his ability to spread kindness wherever he goes. The two films by Paul King are now widely loved for their craft and humor, but also their messages of kindness. A talking bear can transform his community and those around him through his simple gracious acts, something he brings wherever he goes. In an age motivated by selfishness and distrust, Paddington is a figure that shows viewers that being good to each other can make a world of difference, a message everyone needs right now.
9 Bane — The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises may not have been everyone's favorite, but it gave fans one of the most memorable villains of this generation. Most know Bane as the indestructible jacked-up Luchadore from the cartoons, but Christopher Nolan’s interpretation was a lot more sophisticated. And more menacing. With the Nolan Batman trilogy's practicality, this Bane looked right at home. He was not the biggest of Batman’s villains, but as soon as he appeared from the darkness behind the Caped Crusader, viewers knew the hero was in trouble.
As in the comics, there are not many foes who have been able to match Batman in combat, and even fewer who have been able to break him, but Bane did just that, literally. The mask of the terrorist is now legendary a decade later, as is his iconic voice. Fans still like to impersonate his memorable line about being born in the darkness. The Dark Knight Rises may not have been the ending that Nolan wanted, but it lives on just as well as its predecessor.
8 Christian Grey — Fifty Shades of Grey
Here’s one that may take some by surprise. When E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey novel was released, it became a worldwide sensation on the scale of Hunger Games and Twilight by capturing the fantasies of (predominantly) women everywhere. Given its extremely adult content, not many could have imagined that the three-part series would ever see the big screen, but those people should have known better.
All three films were adapted, with Jamie Dornan playing the titular tortured character. As a protagonist, Christian Grey is pretty unremarkable. He's rather bland and portrayed as a sex symbol. However, once on-screen, it was clear that he was more of a toxic villain than anything else. But no one cared. He was a chiseled hunk with a past who wanted to deliver on every desire. He was just what the ladies asked for, and it's for that reason that Fifty Shades made bank at the box office. The allure of these movies gradually fizzled out with each one, but they put Dornan and his co-star Dakota Johnson on the map. For better or worse, Christian Grey is a cinema icon.
7 Katniss Everdeen — The Hunger Games Franchise
Here she is, the girl on fire. Back at the start of the 2010s, theaters were still being dominated by YA adaptations. Harry Potter had left a considerable void, and studios were still trying to fill it. In came The Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, was a poor girl trying to provide for her family in a country of districts that each specialized in different aspects. When her sister is selected for the annual Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers as tribute in her place. She should have died in the games. Instead, she became the face of the revolution.
The Hunger Games franchise captured the hearts of fans everywhere and sold out with each film. Katniss was everyone's hero, and how can she not be? Her fierce determination to defend her family and fight the powers that be was easy to get behind. She didn’t want his fight, but it chose her. She was the humble action hero fans could relate to, and one of the rare female ones at that, giving girls a hero of their own in a culture dominated by male figures. That in itself is special.
6 Elsa — Frozen
When Frozen hit theaters in 2013, no one could have anticipated the storm it would bring. This movie was huge and practically took over the world. Toy sales skyrocketed, the characters were on everything, and "Let It Go," sung by Elsa, was played everywhere. It's not just the ice queen's face that was all over the place, but her voice too. The character gave hope to all the little kids out there that princesses did not have to be just damsels in distress and were perfectly capable of saving themselves.
Her story of going from a shut-in afraid of herself to a powerful heroine who can use her once dangerous powers to protect a kingdom is captivating and thrilling to watch. Elsa is by far the most powerful princess in Disney's roster, but now she's also an icon to little kids everywhere. This alone has been rare for far too long, but just what they needed in a time when all voices were making themselves heard, and it only led to even more films promoting representation.
5 Guardians of the Galaxy — Guardians of the Galaxy
When it was announced that this barely heard Marvel team would be getting their movie, fans weren’t exactly holding their breaths. For most, they had only ever heard of theGuardians of the Galaxy from the announcement of their film. However, the then crew of five took the world by storm after the release, making the team a household name. The Avengers are cool, and the Justice League is okay, but the Guardians are by far the funniest superhero team.
With a combination of wit, humor, and timeless tunes, this bunch gel in a way that n other team does and kicks some serious but. For a fee, of course. What makes them even cooler is individually, there's nothing special about them. By their galaxy’s standards, they are just a rag-tag bunch of nobodies who can take down the most dangerous beings alive. Their final outing premiered in theaters over a month ago for a fond farewell. The team is not over, but it is the last fans will see of this particular lineup.
4 Kylo Ren — Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Kylo Ren of the Star Wars Skywalker Saga is a polarizing figure. For some fans, he is a worthy villain, but many did not like his whiny attitude, his anger issues, or the fact that he killed Han Solo. But, dang, doesn't he look cool? Fans thought they were going to get the heir apparent to Darth Vader when they first saw this masked figure. And perhaps that’s what he could have been.
Unfortunately, Disney could not seem to get their own story right with their new trilogy under their umbrella. He seemed primed to be an example of the sway of the dark side, but at every turn, the story only ended in predictability. Despite what fans may feel about the sequel trilogy, there's no denying the excitement they felt in that first teaser that ended with Kylo walking through a dark forest before unleashing the first live-action lightsaber in a decade. And whatever they may feel, Kylo’s face will always be the one they associate with this recent series of movies.
3 John Wick — John Wick Franchise
Who doesn’t love Keanu Reeves? John Wick 4 came out just a couple of months ago, and it's one of the best action movies of the decade so far. The character was a man from an underground world of assassins who wanted to leave his life as a hitman behind to grow old with his wife. But she died first, leaving him to grieve alone with a puppy, her last gift. Fans could get behind the idea of a man going on a rampage over a dog, and his story probably could have ended there.
What instead happened was a franchise of a unique world of assassins, all of which want to pick a fight with the most dangerous man alive. What makes John Wick indestructible is that despite all the bodies he can effortlessly drop, he’s still human. He takes a lot of damage over four films, but he never gives up and does whatever it takes to earn his freedom. Most action heroes are stoic or humorous cardboard cutouts of the same person, but John Wick is a man fans can root and worry for. His is a franchise that came out of nowhere, but viewers can't get enough.
2 Deadpool — Deadpool Franchise
In a decade full of superheroes, here’s a guy that everyone had been waiting for for a long time. Perfectly played by Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool is a hero that brings the perfect blend of action, comedy, and storytelling and serves as a great outlier in the superhero community. The first attempt at the merc with a mouth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine was received so poorly that it almost broke Reynolds. However, the actor was determined to bring a faithful portrayal to the big screen, and he did.
Deadpool brings not only a cohesive story but insightful and hilarious commentary on the superhero genre as a whole. He’s a concept that no one thought would work but superhero fans, but it just goes to show that the right move can sometimes be to give the people what they want. The movie kill in the theaters, and a third one is on the way with one of the most sought-after team-ups ever. And with the character now firmly owned by Disney, there’s no telling what kind of crossovers fans can expect.
1 Thanos — Avengers: Infinity War & Avengers: Endgame
Not since Darth Vader has a villain become so synonymous and widely known in pop culture. When The Avengers first premiered in 2012, fans couldn’t help but get lost in the hype. It was the biggest crossover at the time, after all. No one expected that the Mad Titan himself was the figure looming over the whole thing. Although Thanos wasn’t seen all that much thought the Infinity Saga, his presence was ever looming as the destroyer who would inevitably arrive and turn things on their head. And do so he did, being the first villain to hand the team defeat.
In this way, he was also the arbiter that brought about Avengers: Endgame's eventual crowning as the top-grossing film of all time. Josh Brolin's portrayal as the big purple tyrant was menacing. How could a being so clearly wrong have so much humanity to him? He was the figurehead of 10 years worth of story-telling, and his arrival did not disappoint, and it's for this reason that Thanos will live forever as a cinema icon.
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