The Top 10 Best Movie Dragons
This List of Movie Dragons is for all You Fantasy Geeks Out There.
There have been tons of movie dragons that have appeared on the big screen over the years. Unfortunately, most of them don’t exactly leave a lasting impression. That’s why this week, Stars & Popcorn is counting down some of the best movie dragons of all time. Dragons prove to be quite the diverse bunch, and this list has a ton of different types on here. Eastern and Western. Animated and “live-action.” Good and bad. This list will have something for even the most discerning fantasy fan. The end result is a hodgepodge of movie dragons (that’s what you call a group of them, after all) and one of the most eclectic lists to appear on Stars & Popcorn. So, if you like a fire breathing monsters that soar through the air with the greatest of ease, you’re definitely in the right spot!
10. Haku- Spirited Away
Kicking off this list of movie dragons is the creation of one of the greatest animation directors in not only Japan but the entire world, Hayao Miyazaki. Haku is actually a boy (well a river spirit) who transforms into a dragon. He’s a picture perfect interpretation of a Japanese dragon, which means you won’t see wings on him. That doesn’t stop him from soaring through the air with the greatest of ease. Haku earns a spot on this list because in the world of Spirited Away he proves to be one of the only characters looking out for the human Chihiro who finds herself trapped in the spirit realm. Even then, he’s hardly the hero of the story, but he is a noble creature that can’t abide seeing the weak taken advantage of.
9. Elliot- Pete’s Dragon
Not all movie dragons are scaley beasts. In fact, some are just big old goofballs. Now, the 1977 version of this film would definitely qualify for this list, but I’ll be honest that the 2016 version is so much better. Plus, Elliot just looks a lot better computer-generated rather than hand-drawn. The 2016 version adopted more of a dog-like approach to the design of Elliot, which makes sense given that he’s Pete’s protector. However, he still has a fantastical look with his green fur, yellow eyes, wings, and the fact that he’s freakin’ huge. As the film goes on people grow to fear Elliot because they misunderstand him, and in the end, this watchful protector has to do what’s right for his best friend. But that just proves that dragons tend to be pretty wise.
8. Mushu- Mulan
One of Eddie Murphy’s first forays into voice acting was in the Disney masterpiece, Mulan. In it, he plays the pint-sized dragon Muchu who takes it upon himself to help Mulan bring honor to her family after he accidentally destroys the family’s actual guardian. Of all the movie dragons on this list, Mushu is by far the tiniest of them all, but that doesn’t make him any less heroic. Together with Mulan’s horse and lucky cricket, he sets off to help her become not only the hero of China but also one of the most badass Disney princesses of all time. Mushu might not look like he would be much help in battle, but he still manages help defeat a horde of Huns. I guess that just proves it’s not the size of the dragon in the fight after all.
7. The Hungarian Horntail- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter fans would never let me hear the end of it if I didn’t include at least one dragon from the Wizarding franchise. There have been plenty, but the one I remember best is the Hungarian Horntail, which Harry managed to barely escape from during the Triwizard cup. There are plenty of wondrous beasts in the series, all of which the likes of Hagrid and Newt Scamander would claim are just misunderstood, creatures. The Hungarian Horntail though doesn’t seem like he just wants to live in peace and proves to be pretty damn aggressive. Luckily, Harry is no ordinary movie wizard and his skills help him to make it out of their encounter relatively unscathed. Still, this is one dragon I’d hate to encounter in the wild.
6. Smaug- The Hobbit Trilogy
While a lot of actors have lent their voices to famous movie dragons over the years, watching Benedict Cumberbatch do the motion capture for Smaug is still one of the best parts of The Hobbit trilogy. Smaug is an old school dragon. He hordes gold and burns armies to ash, which might make the battle between him and Bilbo seem a little one-sided. Of course, if Tolkien has taught us anything it’s never to underestimate Hobbits. Even still, it’s kind of ridiculous that he was defeated by such a tiny guy, which is why Smaug isn’t higher up on this list. Still, when it comes to the ideal Western version of a dragon, it doesn’t get much better than this guy. Plus, his voice is just so deep and velvety.