Movies love a prophetic hero. It’s not enough that a protagonist does good deeds and sacrifices to save the many, but they must have greatness thrust upon them. These are the leads of movies that follow the hero’s journey but take it one step further by having destiny play a larger role. Some of them might be reluctant heroes, while others revel in their preordained status, but they’re destined for greatness either way. They are the Chosen Ones.
Plenty of Chosen Ones have cropped up in a bevy of film franchises. It might seem like an easy trope for lazy screenwriters to use as a crutch instead of finding an organic way to involve their heroes in a grand adventure, but in the right hands, it can provide compelling entertainment. The best of the chosen are those who earn the right to bear their title and have endeared themselves to audiences to become beloved characters. These are the ten best Chosen Ones from the movies, based on how well they fit the trope and how memorable they are overall.
10
Chandler Jarrell (Eddie Murphy)
‘The Golden Child’ (1986)
Eddie Murphy makes for a hilarious chosen one in the East-meets-West fantasy comedy The Golden Child. For one thing, in the ’80s, Murphy was a fast-rising comedian who himself seemed destined for great things. Coming hot off Saturday Night Live, Murphy never looked back. After a string of hits, it seemed the star could do no wrong, and The Golden Child is proof-positive that he simply could not be stopped.
In what is his strangest film of the decade, Murphy plays a social worker who specializes in finding missing children, with his newest mission involving a Tibetan boy with mystical powers. Told he is the chosen one who will save the boy, who has been taken hostage by Charles Dance‘s ruthless villain, Murphy travels to Tibet where he must pass a test in order to obtain a mystical dagger. It’s a whole lot of hokum, but what makes it special is Murphy, who has to be the most sarcastic Chosen One in all of cinema, quick with a quip and constantly undercutting the supernatural elements that surround him. Thanks to his unstoppable comedic powers, Murphy carried The Golden Child to become one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
The Golden Child
- Release Date
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December 12, 1986
- Runtime
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94 minutes
- Director
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Michael Ritchie
9
Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt)
‘The Lego Movie’ (2014)
What’s so special about minifigure Emmet Brickowski, voiced by Chris Pratt in The Lego Movie, is that there’s nothing special about him. He’s a generic construction worker with populist tastes and no discernible talents, but that doesn’t stop him from becoming the savior of his little plastic world. Surrounded by characters who seem far more capable and charismatic, Emmet is the epitome of the bland protagonist, and he’s played with schlubby charm by Pratt, who hadn’t yet ascended to leading man status.
Despite being based on the eponymous toy line, The Lego Movie proves to be far deeper in its themes of crass corporate conformity versus creative expression and individuality. That clever concept, coupled with the colorful visuals and snappy humor, made The Lego Movie a huge hit at the box office, and while none of the sequels or spin-offs could match the original film’s freshness, Emmet maintains a very special place in the hearts of fans. Everything is awesome indeed.
8
John Connor (Multiple Actors)
‘The Terminator’ Franchise (1984-2019)
Destined to be the leader of the resistance against Skynet and the machines, John Connor’s fate was seemingly sealed before he was even conceived. While he is only mentioned in the first film, Connor would be made flesh and blood in the explosive blockbuster sequel Terminator 2: Judgement Day, played by Edward Furlong in his screen acting debut. While Furlong’s abrasive pre-teen performance rubbed some fans the wrong way, he still effectively conveyed the oppressive weight of destiny felt by the character.
Furlong would be succeeded in the role by Nick Stahl, Christian Bale, and Jason Clarke in far inferior films, before the character would be digitally recreated with Furlong’s visage only to be unceremoniously killed off in Terminator: Dark Fate and replaced with a new chosen one. Regardless, Connor as a character has had a lasting impression on pop culture, and while he wrangled with his fate more than most heroes, his love and affection for a certain chrome-domed cybernetic organism could make any action fan shed real tears.
7
King Arthur (Nigel Terry)
‘Excalibur’ (1981)
In terms of pure character history, King Arthur has most other cinematic chosen ones beat, and if there’s any film that could be considered the definitive version of the legendary tale, it’s John Boorman‘s medieval epic Excalibur. Featuring Nigel Terry as Arthur, the dark fantasy film tells a full-blooded and bloody version of the tale of the man who would be king. Book-ended with the titular sword being retrieved and returned to the Lady in the Lake, the film was noted for its shimmering visuals and explicit employment of sex as well as violence in the climactic battle scene.
Terry, who plays Arthur throughout the film, from a teen to a wasted king, is a solid lead, even if he is slightly outshone by Nicol Williamson as Merlin, and an outrageously stacked cast of up-and-coming actors, including Helen Mirren, Patrick Stewart, and Liam Neeson. Arthurian legend may be the most widely known example of the Chosen One trope, and despite many further film attempts to reinvent or update it for modern audiences, Excalibur still wears the crown.
Excalibur
- Release Date
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April 10, 1981
- Runtime
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141 Minutes
- Director
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John Boorman
6
Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd & Hayden Christensen)
The ‘Star Wars’ Saga (1977-Present)
Some chosen ones take a little longer to fulfill their prophecy, and for the sand-hating Anakin Skywalker, it took six films and a name change before he would help bring balance to the force by chucking Palpatine to death (no arguments will be heard about his supposed return in The Rise of Skywalker). The character has seen his ups and downs in terms of fan response, with his leather daddy phase as Darth Vader ranking among the most iconic villains of all time, while his formative years were a great source of scorn when the prequels were first released.
While Jake Lloyd was ridiculed for his performance in The Phantom Menace, Hayden Christensen would take up the mantle in Attack of the Clones and receive the lion’s share of the criticism. Many fans of the prequels would later reclaim Christensen’s performance, and the divisive depiction of the character, and the actor would reprise the role for the series Ahsoka. Whichever incarnation a fan prefers, there’s certainly no doubting the impact the elder Skywalker has had on pop culture.
5
Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet)
‘Dune’ Franchise (2021-Present)
From one pale, skinny desert boy to another. Many of Anakin’s traits can be traced back to the messiah Paul Atreides, just as much as many elements of Star Wars can be found in his source material, Frank Herbert’s Dune. Atreides, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet in the Denis Villeneuve-directed films, is the son of royalty, cast out into the harsh deserts of Arrakis after a violent coup that leaves his father dead. Taken in by the native Fremen, Paul becomes their messiah and seeks to reclaim his place as ruler of the planet.
The central figure of Herbert’s first two Dune novels, Paul had been played twice before Chalamet’s interpretation, including by Kyle Machlachlan in David Lynch’s infamous film version, but the young actor makes the role his own, leaning into and then subverting his boyish looks to track Paul’s transition from naive son to religious leader. Where the actor takes the character and how dark he is willing to go in his holy war in the upcoming Dune: Messiah remains to be seen, but he’s left a strong impression in two of the most epic sci-fi films of the last ten years.
4
Neo (Keanu Reeves)
‘The Matrix’ Franchise (1999-2021)
Before he was John Wick, Keanu Reeves headlined another essential action movie as Thomas Anderson, known better as Neo, the kung-fu fighting hacker in The Matrix. Waking up to discover that his entire life, and the world at large, is just a simulation, Neo is plucked out into reality where his prophecy precedes him. Mixing philosophical themes with Hong Kong-inspired action, the first Matrix film was a bullet-riddled blast that provided a new age anime-inspired twist on the chosen one trope, and even though the sequels failed to live up to the original, Reeves’ performance was instantly iconic.
As an actor, Reeves hasn’t always been known for his range, but the roles that utilize him well understand his strengths. The initial confusion, coupled with his practiced stillness, helps sell Neo’s journey from a fish out of digital water to the newly christened savior of humanity in the war against the machines. It also doesn’t hurt that Reeves has few contemporaries when it comes to his physical prowess and ability to manage complex fight choreography. Few chosen ones kick as much ass as Neo.
3
Po (Jack Black)
The ‘Kung Fu Panda’ Franchise (2008-Present)
It might seem odd to rank an animated Panda this highly, but the Kung Fu Panda films have always been about defying expectations. Voiced by Jack Black, the pudgy Po begins as a lowly noodle shop worker who idolizes the Furious Five, masters of kung fu. By way of seemingly divine intervention, Po is then selected to become the next Dragon Warrior, setting the beloved bear on a journey that’s as packed with laughs as it is with kung fu fighting.
Taken at face value, Kung Fu Panda seems like a one-note premise. Indeed, the four films in the series have always leaned on generous amounts of physical comedy, but they also contain a great deal of emotional depth and incredible action sequences. Black is the perfect choice to play the slovenly but excitable panda, and the franchise as a whole is among the actor’s most rewatchable.
Kung Fu Panda
- Release Date
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June 4, 2008
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Director
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Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
2
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe)
The ‘Harry Potter’ Franchise (2001-2011)
The boy who lived had a long journey from an eleven-year-old orphan living under the stairs to the leader of an army against wizard Hitler. While most discourse surrounding Harry Potter these days is focused on author J.K. Rowling’s controversial views, the billion-dollar film franchise that spawned from her books preceded all that drama, leading it to become the definitive fantasy film franchise for a solid decade and an entire generation of fans.
Taking on the namesake role of the franchise would’ve been a daunting task for even the most seasoned child actor, but Daniel Radcliffe proved to be perfect casting for the heroic character, nailing his moral fortitude. Potter’s greatest strength was never his skills with a wand or even a broom, but rather his resilience in the face of adversity. Radcliffe’s performance and his chemistry with his co-stars were the real magic at the heart of the franchise, something the creators of the new Potter television series should take into consideration.
1
Ash (Bruce Campbell)
The ‘Evil Dead’ Trilogy (1981-1992)
Many heroes are reluctant to accept their destiny to become great saviors, but Ash Williams, played by Bruce Campbell in the Evil Dead trilogy, is downright hostile towards his. To be fair, all Ash ever wanted to do was to spend a weekend in a cabin in the woods with his friends, but that all changed when they mistakenly turned on a tape recorder and unleashed deadite hell. It’s crazy to think that the Ash began as just another nondescript character in a low-budget horror movie, considering the place he (and Campbell) now occupies within horror fandom.
Ash’s savior status wasn’t even mentioned until the second film, and it wasn’t until his medieval time travel trip in Army of Darkness that he came to embrace it. Campbell only became more comfortable in the role from film to film, and the character eventually evolved into the loudmouth blowhard horror fans know and love. While the actor has since hung up his chainsaw and boomstick and retired from playing the character in live-action (with the Ash vs Evil Dead series serving as his final send-off), he’s left behind dozens of dismembered deadites and a legion of fans. Hail to the king.