Top 10 Movies That Killed a Major Character off Early

Top 10 Movies That Killed a Major Character off Early

Subverting expectations, one dead star at a time. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Movies That Killed A Major Character Off Early.

For this list, we’re looking at cinema’s most morbid curve balls, as seemingly major characters bite the dust in quick and spectacular fashion. Only deaths that signal the end of the celebrity's screen-time will be considered, so no, "Citizen Kane" doesn’t count. Please be warned, major spoilers are included for these films!

#10: “Deep Blue Sea” (1999)

You think a film would make the most of its Samuel L. Jackson, but this "Jaws" wannabe had other plans. Since it was released after "Pulp Fiction" and "Die Hard with a Vengeance," Jackson was well-established as a Hollywood A-lister, so many expected the charismatic actor to survive the majority of "Deep Blue Sea's" shark attacks. Stalked by some deadly super-fish, Jackson is actually among the first to be turned into food, and he and his character barely survive until the film's mid-point. To be fair, Jackson's speech and subsequent mauling is probably "Deep Blue Sea's" greatest moment.

#9: “Hereditary” (2018)

This is a horror film packed with surprises, and we’re not talking about jump scares. The trailer and poster push Milly Shapiro's Charlie to the forefront, but the girl meets a rather untimely death quite early in the film. The most surprising thing is the way that Charlie kicks the bucket, as the young child's death has little to do with any of the film's supernatural elements. Instead, Charlie suffers an allergy attack, and while being driven to the hospital sticks her head out the window for air, only to connect directly with a telephone pole.

#8: “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” (2013)

Channing Tatum's career shifted quite a bit between the release of the first and second "G.I. Joe films;" by 2013, Tatum and his character Duke were way too big of a deal to stick around for a glorified toy commercial. Despite being "G.I. Jose: Rise of Cobra"’s protagonist and starting the sequel as the leader of the G.I. Joes, Duke is eliminated within a couple of minutes. After being framed for stealing some nukes, Duke is among the victims of a military air strike that leaves only three survivors. Luckily for viewers, Dwayne Johnson's Roadblock was among those who lived to fight another day.

#7: “Executive Decision” (1996)

Released at the height of Steven Seagal's power, "Executive Decision" seemed like a typical bromance starring the soft-spoken actor and Kurt Russell. With Seagal portraying an experienced Lieutenant and Russell taking on the role of a brainy doctor, the heroes tried to sneak onto a hijacked 747 by attaching a boarding sleeve while in mid-air. In a genuinely shocking move, the operation backfires halfway through, forcing Seagal to sacrifice himself to protect the rest of the team. While a risky move, "Executive Decision" ended up benefiting greatly from Seagal's sudden departure.

#6: “The Place Beyond the Pines” (2012)

Sure, the poster may have Ryan Gosling smack in the middle, but when the film hit the screen, that just meant that the star was the first in line for the ax. Brilliantly acted and directed, "The Place Beyond the Pines" is a touching intergenerational thriller focusing around two father and son relationships. A rookie bank robber trying to finance his family, Gosling's Luke is cornered and killed by Bradley Cooper's rookie cop at the 50-minute mark in this more than two-hour-long film. The rest of the story focuses on Cooper and Gosling's children, rather than Gosling himself.

#5: “Life” (2017)

Space monsters named Calvin care little for name-recognition or status, so everyone on the International Space Station was deemed fair pickings. Hot off the success of "Deadpool," Ryan Reynolds was the man of the hour, so nobody expected the Merc with a Mouth to be the first astronaut to fall prey to Calvin's whims. With the multi-celled alien running amok and threatening to kill a fellow crew-member, Reynolds' character stepped in to try and contain Calvin; however, the dude proved little match for the monster and suffered a most horrifying death!

#4: “Godzilla” (2014)

With the exception of killing the "King of the Monsters" within the first 20 minutes, 2014's reboot could not have picked a worse candidate for an early death scene. Heavily featured in the marketing and fueled by "Breaking Bad"’s critical and commercial success, Bryan Cranston seemed like the perfect actor to carry the action film's more human-centric moments. Unfortunately, TV's Walter White dies within the first act and the focus shifts to Aaron Taylor-Johnson's far less engaging soldier. "Godzilla" is still an enjoyable romp, but the film never truly manages to fill its Cranston-shaped hole.

#3: “Scream” (1996)

As the old saying goes, you never forget your first! Wes Craven's slasher series gained a reputation for axing recognizable celebrities during its opening minutes, but this bit of Craven trivia was a loss on mainstream audiences when the original "Scream" hit the scene. Among the most identifiable names in the cast, Drew Barrymore's Casey Becker inaugurated Ghostface's killing spree with a thrilling cat-and-mouse game that ended with one of the best deaths to ever be put on film. Even if Barrymore served as nothing more than an appetizer, Casey arguably remains the most memorable part of the entire franchise.

#2: “Alien” (1979)

Nowadays, Sigourney Weaver is the indisputable human face of the sci-fi themed horror franchise and among the greatest stars of any generation; however, prior to the release of "Alien," the American actress' resume mainly consisted of a brief appearance in "Annie Hall". At the time, John Hurt and Tom Skerritt were the biggest names in Ridley Scott's epic, but both actors meet a rather quick demise. Axing one popular name after another, before long, Weaver's Ripley was the Nostromo's last remaining crew member and the only person standing in the Xenomorph's way.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The Evil Dead” (1981)

“X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006)

“15 Minutes” (2001)

“Contagion” (2011)

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

#1: “Psycho” (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock loved to subvert expectations, and this was never more evident than the director's influential 1960 psychological thriller. On the run with a bag of stolen cash in hand, Janet Leigh's Marion Crane dominates the opening half of the film and is presented as the protagonist, but things take an unlucky turn when the criminal decides to rest at the Bates Motel. In a scene that is the very definition of iconic, a showering Marion is greeted with a couple of stab wounds and Bernard Herrmann's brilliant score.