Heath Ledger's Joker Voted Britain's Favorite Movie Villain

Heath Ledger's chilling portrayal of the Joker in "The Dark Knight" has been voted Britain's favorite movie villain, surpassing other iconic antagonists like Darth Vader and Hannibal Lecter.

The poll, conducted for the Freeview TV channel Great Action, found that 22 percent of film fans chose Ledger's Joker as the most iconic movie bad guy.

Darth Vader from the original "Star Wars" trilogy secured the second spot with 21 percent of the vote, narrowly missing the top position. Hannibal Lecter, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in "The Silence of the Lambs," came in third with 17 percent.

The research suggests a broader trend of audience preference for villains, with nearly seven in ten (70 percent) film fans agreeing that bad guys are often more memorable and make for better central characters than heroes.

Ledger's performance as the Joker was his final role before his death in January 2008. The film was released posthumously, and Ledger received an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA for his portrayal.

The Terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, landed in fourth place with 15 percent of the vote, highlighting the enduring appeal of iconic antagonists.

The survey also touched upon viewer fatigue with superhero films. Forty percent of respondents cited stories about heroes as being too similar or predictable, while 32 percent believe there are too many superhero films being released.

In response to the popularity of these characters, Great Action is set to premiere the 2018 anti-hero film "Venom" on Tuesday, October 27, at 9 p.m. The film stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, an investigative journalist who becomes the host of an alien symbiote.

Additionally, the channel will broadcast "Punisher: War Zone" on Friday, October 2, at 9 p.m., featuring Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle, a former FBI agent turned vigilante. Stevenson, who recently appeared in the Star Wars series "Ahsoka," passed away in May 2023.

Kate Gartland, Marketing Director at Great TV, commented on the findings, stating that while heroes have traditionally been central, audiences are drawn to the darker side of storytelling. Great Action aims to cater to this by offering a range of films featuring iconic villains and complex anti-heroes.

The top movie villains, according to the poll, are:

The Joker – The Dark Knight (2008) - 22 percent Darth Vader – Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) - 21 percent Hannibal Lecter – The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - 17 percent The Terminator – The Terminator (1984) - 15 percent Hans Gruber – Die Hard (1988) - 7 percent Lord Voldemort – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) - 6 percent Freddy Krueger – A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - 5 percent Pennywise – It (2017) - 3 percent Michael Myers – Halloween (1978) - 2 percent Norman Bates – Psycho (1960) - 2 percent