Tony Todd is an American actor who was particularly active in the 1990s, usually appearing in action and horror movies. He’s known for his deep voice and imposing presence. Todd helmed 1990’s Night of the Living Dead before becoming a slasher icon with his villainous turn in Candyman. From there, he worked with directors like Michael Bay, appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and lent his voice to various projects, from live-action movies to animated TV shows and video games.
Whether he’s playing a wise mentor, a supernatural villain, or a military leader, Todd’s performances are always memorable. He brings a commanding presence and gravitas to these roles, even when the scripts don’t give him much to work with. Perhaps as a result, his list of credits is truly extensive, including scores of movies and series. With this in mind, here are Todd’s ten best films, ranked.
15
‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (2009)
Appeared as The Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen follows Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) as he discovers the secrets of the Transformers’ past and becomes entangled in their ancient conflict. Todd lends his deep, commanding voice to the project as The Fallen, a former Prime of the Transformers and the main antagonist of the film. The Fallen seeks to destroy Earth and reclaim his lost power, making him one of the most dangerous foes the Autobots have ever faced.
The movie itself is decidedly meh, despite being a box office behemoth, boasting a lot of sound and fury but not much depth. However, Todd’s voice work is solid. He’s fittingly intense and sinister, making his character one of the more distinctive villains in the Transformers series. Todd is a great voice-over artist, having voiced other iconic characters like Darkseid, Zoom, and Venom. Here, he growls some menacing lines like “Only a Prime can defeat me… and now, only one remains.”
14
‘Minotaur’ (2006)
Appeared as Deucalion
Minotaur is far from the most critically acclaimed of fantasy horror films, yet the straight-to-video monster horror film features some brief moments of greatness and entertainment from not only Todd, but a very young Tom Hardy. The film takes place in the Minoan Bronze Age, where, in an attempt to appease the gods of their world, the powerful King Deucalion sends eight youths to be sacrificed in an underground labyrinth to the deadly Minotaur.
While it’s easy to write off Minotaur as a cheesy, over-the-top monster in the film, Todd’s commanding and dominant performance as the powerful King Deucalion proves that even in lesser quality projects, Todd is still a generational talent. The film fully understands the talent that they have during the film, almost entirely relying on Todd’s prowess and talents to carry the rest of the film’s various downsides. It’s a relatively goofy experience all around, yet Todd saves the film from being a complete disaster. —Robert E. Lee III
Minotaur
- Release Date
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March 11, 2006
- Runtime
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93 Minutes
13
‘Hell Fest’ (2018)
Appeared as The Barker
This slasher movie follows a group of friends who visit Hell Fest, a traveling horror carnival where a masked serial killer begins picking off visitors. Todd plays The Barker, a sinister character who looms over the nightmarish amusement park where the story takes place. It’s just a supporting part, but Todd aces it with a gravelly voice and unsettling demeanor.
The cameo plays nicely on Todd’s horror pedigree, reminding audiences of his status as a genre icon. The movie itself is fine, but not especially noteworthy. It’ll please fans of this subgenre, even if it doesn’t add anything new. Some of the lead performances are shaky, but the score is evocative, the camerawork is efficient, and the third-act revelations are satisfying. It helps that Hell Fest avoids leaning on irony or nostalgia to reinterpret the slasher genre, as many recent horrors do. Slasher junkies looking for a quick watch (the film is only 89 minutes) may want to give it a try.
12
‘Sushi Girl’ (2012)
Appeared as Duke
A low-budget crime thriller that features some unexpected high talent in the form of Tony Todd and Mark Hamill, Sushi Girl makes the most out of their recognizable talent to make for a simple yet fun revenge film. The film follows a group of criminals coming together for a fancy dinner at a Sushi Girl restaurant to celebrate the release of one of them from prison. The motionless Sushi Girl soon finds herself at the center of a high-stakes conversation dealing with the location of stolen goods, having to stay silent as unexpected truths are revealed.
Todd plays the role of Duke in the film, the crime boss responsible for organizing not only the dinner, but the massive diamond heist that his group has been working on for over six years. He plays the role of a stern and intimidating mafioso perfectly, with ruthless intimidation and power over those around him. Especially as old wounds begin to open and the situation gets dangerous, Todd’s cold and calculated demeanor makes him come across as a shark in a room full of fish. —Robert E. Lee III
Sushi Girl: A Documentary
- Release Date
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February 19, 2013
- Runtime
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60 minutes
11
‘Wishmaster’ (1997)
Appeared as Johnny Valentine
Todd has proven himself to be such a striking and instantly memorable part of any horror film that, even when only serving the role of a cameo in a film, he can completely steal the show and bring an iconic performance. This is exactly the case for Wishmaster, the entertaining fantasy slasher that follows a wish-granting djinn who seeks to capture the soul of the woman who discovered him after being released from a jewel.
Todd plays the brief role of Johnny Valentine in the film, a striking and intimidating doorman who also acts as a bouncer for a party being held, going face to face with the conniving and deadly djinn when asked to keep him out of the party. The two have an iconic staredown, being imposing to one another with their own respective powerful voices, before the Djinn manipulates Valentine and tricks him to make a wish to “escape his routine life”, resulting in his death. While Wishmaster features many notable horror cameos that make the film a fun watch for die-hard horror fans, Todd’s cameo easily stands out as the best in the film. —Robert E. Lee III
Wishmaster
- Release Date
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September 19, 1997
- Runtime
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90 minutes
10
‘Hatchet’ (2006)
Appeared as Reverend Zombie
Another slasher, Hatchet unfolds in the bayou rather than a carnival. It’s about a group of unsuspecting tourists who take a haunted swamp tour, only to be hunted by Victor Crowley, a deformed and vengeful ghost. Todd appears as the wonderfully named Reverend Zombie, a Voodoo shop owner who warns tourists about the dangers lurking in the swamps. He’s one of the movie’s more colorful characters, adding a blend of dark humor and ominous warning to the film’s campy, gory atmosphere. Todd went on to reprise the role in the sequel.
Although the story isn’t exactly groundbreaking, many reviewers praised Hatchet‘s use of practical effects, as well as its homage to earlier horror movies. The film is an old-school blend of humor and horror, which sets it apart from most horrors of the 2000s. The protagonists are also surprisingly likable, which raises the tension and adds to the impact of the death scenes.
Hatchet
- Release Date
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September 24, 2006
- Runtime
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85 minutes
9
‘Final Destination’ (2000)
Appeared as Bludworth
Another classic of 2000s horror, Final Destination follows a group of high school students who cheat death by narrowly avoiding a catastrophic plane crash, only to find that death is coming for them in gruesome and unexpected ways. Todd plays Bludworth, a mysterious mortician who seems to know more about death than he lets on. His character serves as a cryptic guide, hinting at the rules of death’s design and how it cannot be escaped, no matter how hard one tries.
Todd was reportedly selected for the part because co-producer Glen Morgan liked his “eerie” voice. The movie itself is a little rough around the edges, but the inventive death scenes were intense and hard-hitting for the time. It’s because of Final Destination that a whole generation of viewers became terrified of driving behind trucks transporting timber. Despite mixed reviews, it grossed an impressive $112m, and influenced many of the horror movies that followed.
8
‘Justice League Dark: Apokolips War’ (2020)
Appeared as Darkseid
Considered to be one of the biggest highpoints in quality out of the entire DC animated universe of films, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War acts as a massive-stakes conclusion to the entire cinematic universe. The massive crossover film sees Earth dealing with the repercussions of the massive planned attack by Darkseid, having been nearly destroyed, with many heroes dying and leaving the world in pain for two years. The remaining figures of the Justice League, Justice League Dark, and Bat Family decide to combine the little strength they have left to defeat Darkseid once and for all.
While Todd is most commonly recognized for his live-action roles, Apokolips War shows just how effective he can be as a voice actor, as his iconic voice makes him the perfect fit for the big bad himself, Darkseid. His performance gives the perfect balance of striking intimidation and painful inevitability that makes the character one of the most iconic DC villains of all time, arguably being the best vocal portrayal of the character to date. —Robert E. Lee III
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
- Release Date
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May 5, 2020
- Runtime
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90 Mins
7
‘Platoon’ (1986)
Appeared as Warren
Drawing on the director’s own experiences as a conscript, Oliver Stone‘s Platoon explores the brutal realities of war and the psychological toll it takes on soldiers. Charlie Sheen stars as the young and idealistic Chris Taylor, who becomes torn between two clashing sergeants: the brutal, embittered Barnes (Tom Berenger) and the compassionate, principled Elias (Willem Dafoe). The movie feels authentic, and Stone does a great job of immersing the viewer in the deadly jungle.
Todd (in his feature debut) only has a small role, playing Sergeant Warren, but this might have been a great first project. It brought him up close and personal with a litany of stars, including Forest Whitaker and Johnny Depp. Todd called the shoot realistic: “It was amazing (…) Coming from a theatrical background, it felt like rehearsal for me.” In another interview, he described it as a “life-changing environment”, adding, “What a way to go into the film business. Oliver Stone is a genius.”
Platoon
- Release Date
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February 6, 1987
- Runtime
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120 Minutes
6
‘The Crow’ (1994)
Appeared as Grange
Recently remade cult classic The Crow centers on Eric Draven (Brandon Lee), a rock musician who is resurrected by a supernatural crow to avenge his murder and that of his fiancée. Though the plot is straightforward, the movie wows with its evocative atmosphere and distinctive aesthetic. Todd appears as Grange, the right-hand man of crime boss Top Dollar (Michael Wincott). Grange serves as one of the main antagonists, assisting Top Dollar in controlling the crime-ridden city and attempting to stop Draven’s vengeful rampage.
Todd’s portrayal of Grange is cool and fearsome; he actually lands some serious blows on Draven. For example, he wounds the crow that is the source of Draven’s immortality. As Grange memorably says: “Kill the crow and destroy the man.” Those who have only seen the lackluster remake should give the original a try. It’s worth checking out simply for the brooding soundtrack and gothic visuals—shadowy nights, torrential rain, long black hair, and trench coats.
The Crow
- Release Date
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May 11, 1994
- Runtime
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102 Minutes
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Brandon Lee
Eric Draven / The Crow
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