Top 20 Saddest Movie Deaths Ever

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017) Yondu’s death scene contains two things that are guaranteed to make audiences cry— a heroic sacrifice and a touching father-son relationship. After serving as a bit of an antihero, Yondu undergoes some great character development and fully turns to the good side. He also embraces Peter as his son. This comes to a head when only one of them can leave a planet alive. Once it’s clear Yondu is giving up his life to save his surrogate son, nothing can stop the waterworks from flowing. His death is brutally sad. But it also leads to a very touching funeral scene backed by the brilliant music of Cat Stevens. It’s the beautiful sendoff that Yondu deserves.

“Moulin Rouge!” (2001) Coming from the imaginative mind of Baz Luhrmann, “Moulin Rouge!” is regarded as one of the greatest musicals of the 2000s. Not only is it visually extravagant, but it’s emotionally rewarding as well. Satine is the headliner of Moulin Rouge that eventually succumbs to tuberculosis and dies in Christian’s arms. What’s worse is that her death comes right after the duo proclaims their love for each other. Unfortunately, All Christian can do is sob as she passes in front of him. Ewan McGregor’s performance and pained cries really add to the power of the scene. Their relationship was just as beautiful as the club itself. But like the original Moulin Rouge, it had to come to an end.

#18: The Terminator

Also in:

Top 10 Saddest Movie Deaths

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) “T2” did something amazing. Not only did it make us care about a robot, but it also made us care about a machine who was originally designed to slaughter innocent people! After getting reprogrammed in the future, a T-800 goes back in time and saves John from the far more advanced T-1000. But the good robot can’t risk any scientists copying his technology and kickstarting a machine apocalypse. So, he sacrifices himself by letting himself be lowered into a vat of molten steel. It’s a harrowing death scene made all the more difficult by the father-son relationship that the Terminator shares with John. Plus, his final thumbs up is one of the most iconic images in movie history. How do you not cry at it?

“Boyz n the Hood” (1991) This John Singleton movie served as a realistic glimpse into South Central Los Angeles in the early ‘90s. At the heart of the story is gang member Doughboy and his ambitious half-brother, Ricky. While Doughboy is content with day drinking and chilling in the hood, Ricky wants to go to college. But these hopes are dashed when he is gunned down in a drive-by. Many things conspire to make this death particularly tragic. Not only is Ricky the most innocent character, but he had high hopes of getting out, passed the SAT, and has a toddler at home. The wailing from his mother and girlfriend after his demise is just too much to handle.

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014) Although many fans knew it was coming, this death was still extremely heartbreaking. Gwen and Peter were an adorable couple that felt incredibly realistic on screen. However, audiences knew that she famously died in a well known “Spider-Man” story arc from 1973. Marc Webb recreated this sad story to perfection. Unfortunately, it is as every bit as tormenting on-screen as it is in the pages of a comic book. When Gwen falls from a high place during a battle with Green Goblin, he tries to catch her. But his web reaches her too late. Peter’s realization that he failed to save Gwen breaks our hearts into a million pieces. Thanks to a terrific performance from Andrew Garfield, this death scene always gets us choked up.

#15: Neil Perry

Also in:

Top 10 Neil Patrick Harris Moments

“Dead Poets Society” (1989) Neil is a very smart teenager attending the all-male prep school Welton Academy. His life is changed forever when a new English teacher named John Keating introduces him to the magic of poetry. Unfortunately, Neil’s overbearing father does not share his newfound love of the arts and he places Neil in military school. This turn is too much for the young man. Neil tragically takes his own life. As the audience is confronted with this difficult subject matter, the grieved reactions from the other characters are excruciating to watch. It’s a very disturbing sequence that serves as a major tonal shift in the otherwise uplifting movie. #14: Goose “Top Gun” (1986) There are few movies as unabashedly macho as “Top Gun.” Yet no matter how enjoyable the flight sequences and shirtless torsos are, the film still finds time for some deep emotion. Goose is Maverick’s friend, wingman, and radar intercept officer. He’s arguably the purest character in the movie. Naturally, this means he had to die. During the film, Maverick and Goose suffer a flameout and go into a flat spin. This forces them to eject from the plane. Unfortunately, Goose is ejected straight into the canopy and dies on impact. It’s an awful thing to witness, and it launches Maverick (and viewers, for that matter) into a downward spiral of grief.

“Million Dollar Baby” (2004) This boxing drama from Clint Eastwood starts off with a hopeful tone. However, it takes a major left turn and ends in truly miserable fashion. Maggie is a waitress who gets into professional boxing and is trained by cranky gym owner Frankie Dunn. She eventually works her way up to a Las Vegas bout. But after reaching this summit, her career comes to a premature end. Maggie is illegally sucker punched and lands awkwardly on a stool. This hit causes her to break her neck and lose her ability to move her limbs. In the end, Maggie asks Frankie to end her life with a fatal dose of adrenaline. It’s an unforgettable ending that packs an enormous emotional wallop.

“My Girl” (1991) There are very few things in life more tragic than the death of a child. While searching for Vada’s mood ring, Thomas kicks a bees’ nest and its occupants proceed to sting him numerous times, resulting in a fatal allergic reaction. It’s not so much the death scene itself that stirs the emotions, as we don’t really see anything except Thomas flailing around and his glasses falling to the ground. It’s Vada’s reaction that really tugs on the heartstrings, and Anna Chlumsky sells her pain with acting skills far beyond her age. That scene in the funeral home has been indelibly ingrained in our brains since childhood, and we can’t help but get emotional every time we think about it.

“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” (2008) Movies don’t get much darker than this. It tells the story of Bruno and Shmuel, two young boys who are caught in the midst of the Holocaust. Bruno is a young German who is indoctrinated with anti-Semitic propaganda, yet befriends the imprisoned Shmuel. One day, Bruno decides to help Shmuel find his “missing” father, but the two are ferried into a gas chamber. The Holocaust is undoubtedly one of the most tragic events in human history, and by telling this story through the prospective of two children, it allows viewers a more personal glimpse into its utter depravity. This movie perfectly highlights the duality of humanity – its empathy, and senseless wickedness – which makes for some truly unforgettable viewing.

#10: Tony Stark/Iron Man

Also in:

Bruce Wayne Vs Tony Stark

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019) The mind-blowing conclusion to the “Avengers” saga saw many distressing deaths, including that of Black Widow. One of the biggest blows came when Iron Man met his end. Thanos was ready to erase the lives of everyone in the universe. Unable to lose his wife and daughter, Iron Man steps forward and gives his life to save everyone he loved.The Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Robert Downey Jr.’s endlessly charismatic Tony Stark. So, it’s fitting that phase three started to come to a close with his sacrificial demise. The death is certainly sad from a pure storytelling perspective. But it’s also sorrowful for what it represents – the symbolic end of what we've come to know as the MCU.

#9: Albus Dumbledore

Also in:

The Origins Of Albus Dumbledore

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (2009) As Harry Potter’s school years drew to a close, significant characters kept dying left and right. Perhaps the most shocking of all was the death of Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster was depicted as a wise and supremely powerful wizard throughout the franchise. But in order to get an advantage over Voldemort, he has to make his body vulnerable. While it was already hard to see him weakened, it was tougher watching Snape utter the curse that ends Dumbledore’s life. In one swoop, Harry loses a father figure, the wizarding world loses a great protector, and the heroes lose trust in Snape. (xref) And just when we were getting over Dumbledore, Dobby gets a dagger in his chest. The loss of these two characters will always hurt.

#8: Rue

Also in:

Top 10 Movie Deaths That Still Hurt

“The Hunger Games” (2012) Rue’s death made us realize the reality and brutality of the Hunger Games. The concept is quite sickening. In a dystopian future, young tributes are chosen from each “district” of the country and forced to battle until one is left alive. The winner gets personal rewards and food for their district. Although we obviously know that this is depraved, the death of Rue really drives the darkness of it all home. Rue is just an innocent little girl who befriends Katniss in the arena. Together, it looked like the two could find a way out. But Rue unexpectedly receives a fatal blow and dies. The death itself is affecting, but the tears really start flowing when her home district raises their hands in collective tribute.

“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) Brooks represents the fragility of change and the inability to adapt, especially in inmates who have been locked up for decades. Brooks was imprisoned for fifty years and has incredible difficulty adjusting to the modern world and his newfound freedom. In one of the most heartbreaking montages in film history, we watch him struggle with everyday traffic, loneliness, nightmares, and his job as a grocery bagger. His final words serve as a painful reminder that he was battling anxieties and thoughts of taking his own life. The profoundly personal words are so devastating because they reflect real struggles that people face very day.

#6: Wolverine

Also in:

Top 10 EPIC Wolverine Movie Moments

“Logan” (2017) “Logan” served as a bookend of sorts for the superhero genre. “X-Men” basically kickstarted the movement, and “Logan” closed a chapter in its history. It was as much a superhero story as it was a comment on the genre itself, which grew up, became hardened, and eventually passed the baton to the new generation. Logan’s death served as both this metaphorical baton passing and the culmination of nearly twenty years’ worth of superhero stories and character work. This movie showed us an aging superhero well past his prime and resigned to his tragic fate, and it made for some pretty bleak viewing. People literally grew up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and it was incredibly tough to see him go.

“Forrest Gump” (1994) Despite all his accomplishments and all that he saw, Forrest always returned to Jenny. Forrest was no stranger to death, having seen both his mother and Bubba pass away. But it’s Jenny’s death that truly made an impact, both on Forrest and the viewer. While we don’t see Jenny’s actual death, the final moments between her and Forrest are gorgeous, and the montage where Forrest talks to her grave is one of the saddest yet most uplifting montages in film. Tom Hanks is simply spellbinding, selling every last bit of Forrest’s sadness and loneliness, but also his penchant for bravery. Like Forrest says, dying is just a part of life. We just wish it wasn’t.

“Life Is Beautiful” (1997) This widely beloved Italian film follows a father named Guido as he and his son Giosuè (joes-WAY / jose-zoo-WAY) are imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. To guard his son from the unimaginable horrors and preserve his innocence, Guido pretends that it’s all a game. That concept alone is enough to make us weepy. Tragically, Guido is eventually executed by a German soldier. But his ploy to help the Giosuè is ultimately successful. While the young boy isn’t aware of the incredible sacrifice that his father made, he realizes in time. It’s an enormously touching sentiment that reinforces the overwhelming love that a parent has for their child.

#3: Johnny Cade

Also in:

Top 20 Johnny Depp Performances

“The Outsiders” (1983) S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders” has always been praised for deftly conveying tragedy and mature themes for younger audiences. Perhaps the most important aspect of the story is Johnny’s redemption. Johnny and the Greasers save a group of children from a burning church, and Johnny suffers fatal injuries. His impending death causes him to re-purpose his priorities – not only does he stop caring about the senseless gang drama, he tells Ponyboy to “stay gold”. His death allows Ponyboy to live – not to mention the children – and “stay gold” has remained one of the most iconic quotes in children’s literature. It’s clear that Johnny’s lessons touched not only Ponyboy, but the entire world at large.

#2: Jack

Also in:

Top 10 Jack Black Roles

“Titanic” (1997) Spoiler alert – the Titanic sinks. We all knew that going in, so we all figured that one of the two main characters would die. But that didn’t make Jack’s death any less despairing. Perhaps it’s the way in which he dies. He continues to protect Rose until the very end, sacrificing himself so Rose can lay on the drifting door. We are then forced to watch him freeze to death, and let us tell you, that did not make for easy viewing! By the end, we are left listening to Rose’s desperate and pained cries as she realizes that her love has died, and Kate Winslet perfectly captures the pain and confusion of such a tragic event.

#1: John Coffey

Also in:

Top 10 John Wick Killstreaks

“The Green Mile” (1999) There’s just something about Stephen King’s old timey prison stories that really get the waterworks going. The death of the innocent, childlike, and literally magical John Coffey is one of cinema’s saddest moments. So many aspects of this scene are downright tear-inducing, including the crying officers, the swelling music, the dramatic sparks, and of course the iconic line, “I is afraid of the dark.” John Coffey is the very personification of love and kindness, and while he recognizes humanity’s cruelty and penchant for sin, he decides to die as a scapegoat. Sound familiar? The Biblical allusions allow the story to permeate more effectively, all but ensuring that we never forget the sacrifice of poor John Coffey.