15 Best Tim Curry Movies, Ranked

When it comes to character actors, few are as iconic or beloved as Tim Curry. With a decades-long career spanning multiple genres, along with an unmistakable deep voice and laugh, he’s made an impression on audiences of all ages. In addition to his many film credits, he’s also known for his voiceover work on television shows like Dinosaurs and The Wild Thornberries.

Curry has played some very memorable characters over the years, from appearing in kids’ movies that defined childhoods to iconic cult classics (often, though not always, as a villain). No matter the role, Curry always turns out an unforgettable performance, and his best work showcases both his skill and versatility as an actor.

15 ‘Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost’ (1999)

Voiced Ben Ravencroft

There is a lot of ingrained love and nostalgia for the late 90s and early 2000s era of Scooby-Doo films, as they reinvented themselves and evolved the characters to the modern era in seamless fashion. One of the most memorable and iconic of this era is Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost, seeing the mystery gang investigating several strange occurrences revolving around horror novelist Ben Ravencroft, whose ancestor is rumored to be a witch, as well as an all-female rock band, the Hex Girls, performing at the town.

Curry provides his eclectic vocal talents to the role of Ben Ravencroft in the film, one of the signature original characters made for the film that plays a pivotal role as a focal point of the mystery and a potential suspect. While the one-off characters in these films are largely seen as forgettable compared to the main mystery crew, Curry’s vocal performance transforms Ben into easily one of the most iconic one-off characters in the entire series. He brings his all to the role, shifting between noble and heroic to conniving and sinister to make a layered and deeply interesting performance. – Rob Lee

Watch on Boomerang

14 ‘The Three Musketeers’ (1993)

Appeared as Cardinal Richelieu

One of many adaptations of the classic literary novel, The Three Musketeers follows young D’Artagnan on his travels to Paris in order to join the musketeers, the elite bodyguards for the king of France. However, upon his arrival, he soon learns that the musketeer corps has been disbanded by Cardinal Richelieu, a part of his continuous plot to usurp the throne and take over Paris. Thankfully, a trio of brave musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, are refusing to lay down their weapons, and are accompanied by D’Artagnan on a quest to expose Richelieu and his plot against the king.

In one of many memorable villain roles throughout Curry’s career, his take on the classic literary villain of Cardinal Richelieu finds a terrific balance between charming and deceptive, making for a highly entertaining villain. While many different acclaimed actors have portrayed the infamous fictional villain over the years, including the likes of Christoph Waltz and Charlton Heston, Curry’s portrayal of the character still stands out as easily one of the most entertaining and electrifying versions of the character on-screen. – Rob Lee

13 ‘The Wild Thornberrys Movie’ (2002)

Voiced Nigel Thornberry

While many animated series of the late 90s and early 2000s would find their way to the big screen following the $100 million box office success of The Rugrats Movie, few made perfect use of the jump to film like The Wild Thornberrys Movie. The film ups the ante of the original cartoon, which follows the misadventures of a young girl Eliza who was given the gift to talk to animals, when Eliza goes on a journey across the jungle to stop a team of vicious poachers.

Reprising his role from the original animated series, Curry voices the Nickelodeon icon of Nigel Thornberry, the caring father of the Thornberry family and host of an up close and personal nature show. While all of the memes and humor surrounding the character has certainly made Nigel an icon well after the show and film’s release, The Wild Thornberrys Movie shows exactly why Nigel and Curry’s portrayal of the performance is so well regarded in the first place. More than just a source of comic relief, Nigel is a genuine upstanding figure for Eliza to look up to, and continues to balance his optimistic outlook on life and the animal kingdom throughout the film. – Rob Lee

12 ‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest’ (1992)

Directed by Bill Kroyer

FernGully tells the story of Crysta (Samantha Mathis), a fairy living in a rainforest who believes humans are extinct. When she meets one, a logger named Zak (Jonathan Ward), she accidentally shrinks him down to fairy size. Meanwhile, Zak’s fellow loggers destroy a tree imprisoning the evil entity Hexxus (Curry), therefore freeing him, and Crysta and the other fairies fight to save their home. It was based on the book of the same name by Diana Young.

FernGully isn’t subtle about its theme of environmentalism, and although it’s very much a product of the ‘90s, it’s still relevant today. Curry’s voice perfectly brings Hexxus to life. He’s almost oddly charming when he’s released in “Toxic Love,” and although he doesn’t get as much screen time as the protagonists, he still manages to be one of the highlights of the movie; the character is a great example of why Curry does villains so well.

11 ‘Congo’ (1995)

Appeared as Herkermer Homolka

A strange, sci-fi action adventure blockbuster that was largely emblematic of the trends that dominated the 90s era of filmmaking, Congo is a bizarre and beautiful experience that is fully emblematic of the era. The film follows a group of explorers who, while on an expedition into the Congo, find themselves making the discovery of a lifetime in the unexplored depths of Africa. In a realm and area untouched by humanity and its greed, they soon find a colony of talking apes who are quick to keep their isolation away from the destructive forces of humans.

Curry plays the role of Romanian philanthropist Herkermer Homolka, who finds himself joining the expedition in search of potential profits and treasures to be found, most notably, the “Lost City of Zinj”. As it turns out, Homolka had previously led numerous other safaris in search of the lost city, all of which ended in disaster and death. Curry’s character of Homolka acts as a harsh reminder and parallel of the greed and destruction that humanity provides, made all the more effective by Curry’s iconic and over-the-top performance. – Rob Lee

Watch on Paramount+

10 ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ (1992)

Appeared as Mr. Hector

Set one year after the ’90s classic Home Alone, Kevin McCallister mistakenly boards a flight to New York City, while the rest of his family heads to Florida for a vacation over the Christmas holidays. As he explores the city, he once again crosses paths with criminals Harry and Marv, who have just escaped from jail and are determined to get revenge on Kevin. Meanwhile, Kevin talks his way into a room at the Plaza Hotel, where the concierge is immediately suspicious of him.

Curry steals every scene he’s in as the smarmy hotel concierge, Hector, who’s determined to prove his suspicions about Kevin are correct. His best moment – and one of the best in the film overall – comes as Kevin rigs a gangster movie to play as Hector and his staff enter Kevin’s hotel room, tricking them into thinking they’re about to be shot and forcing them all to deliver a hilariously unconvincing, “I love you,” as an apology.

9 ‘Annie’ (1982)

Appeared as Daniel Francis “Rooster” Hannigan

In the 1982 musical Annie, young orphan Annie (Aileen Quinn) lives in an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett) and is chosen to live with the wealthy Daddy Warbucks as part of an effort to improve his image. But Annie still hopes her parents will return for her one day, so the man launches a search for them, complete with a monetary reward; Miss Hannigan’s brother, Rooster (Curry), and his girlfriend Lily (Bernadette Peters), scheme to get the money.

Annie boasts an impressive cast, and Curry’s take on the slimy gangster Rooster is among the best. He’s a delight to watch in “Easy Street,” and he, Peters and Burnett all play off each other wonderfully to make the musical number one of the best scenes in the movie. Throughout the film, Curry shows just the kind of person Rooster is: a skilled, heartless conman who plays whatever part is needed to get what he wants.

Watch on Amazon Prime

8 ‘The Hunt for Red October’ (1990)

Appeared as Dr. Yevgeni Petrov

In the spy thriller The Hunt for Red October, the Soviet Union’s best submarine captain disregards orders and travels towards the United States in an undetectable submarine called Red October – and it’s not clear if he’s launching an attack or defecting. Curry plays a doctor onboard the submarine. The movie was based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name and is the first of many films to feature his Jack Ryan character.

The Hunt for Red October was well-cast in general, with Sean Connery as the captain and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan, plus a great ensemble cast rounding out the other roles. Curry is featured in a smaller role as Petrov, one of Curry’s most serious characters. And while it’s a small role, Curry plays him well, and he proves his acting abilities in a serious role that’s not strictly a villain – a type Curry has often played.

7 ‘Kinsey’ (2004)

Directed by Bill Condon

Kinsey is a biopic based on the life and work of biology professor Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson). As his students seek his advice regarding sexual issues, he realizes little research has been done on the subject and decides to do his own, leading him to teach sex education classes, as well as his creation of the Kinsey scale. While the work was controversial, it was also groundbreaking – and brought Kinsey lasting fame.

Kinsey is an interesting biopic with great performances from its cast, especially Neeson as the determined Kinsey. Among the smaller roles is Curry as Thurman Rice, a colleague of Kinsey’s who often disagrees with his views. Despite the two characters’ clashes with each other and Rice’s role as a sort of foil to Kinsey, Curry plays him as otherwise likable and charming; he’s entertaining in some of the movie’s funnier, more lighthearted moments.

6 ‘Times Square’ (1980)

Appeared as Johnny LaGuardia

One of Curry’s earliest and breakout roles, Times Square proved to many audiences that Curry was far from a one-trick pony and could effectively lend himself to compelling dramatic material. The film follows a duo of teenage girls, one coming from a life of poverty while the other coming from a life of riches, who end up forming an unexpected bond due to their mutual experiences at the mental hospital. The duo soon find themselves running away from their families in order to experience their own adventures at the heart of New York City.

Curry plays the role of Johnny LaGuardia in the film, a New York Radio DJ who broadcasts his widely successful radio show from a penthouse that overlooks the sprawling Times Square. He soon finds himself in an unexpected role with these missing children, as he makes the connection that one of the girls had been writing to him and is a fan of his show. While it would be easy to have Johnny act as a character with malicious intent and exploit these girls, his motives are much more complex and come from a place of true compassion, even when they have a falling out by the end of the film. Curry’s performance brilliantly sells this character and is one of the most defining aspects of the film, elevating the material beyond its simple premise. – Rob Lee

Rent on Amazon

5 ‘It’ (1990)

Appeared as Pennywise

In It, a group of outcast pre-teens in the 1960s fights an evil demon capable of taking the form of a person’s worst fears (he most often takes the form of a clown). When he returns to their town 30 years later, the group faces off against him again. It is a miniseries adaptation of the novel of the same name by Stephen King, and the book was adapted again in 2017, this time as a full-length film.

It is a faithful adaptation of King’s novel, considering it was a TV miniseries and was therefore limited in terms of content. Curry is unnerving as the killer clown Pennywise, combining cruelty with the sort of humor typical of clowns to make something truly terrifying; he’s almost completely unrecognizable. Okay so it may not technically be a movie, but it deserves a spot as it is among his most famous roles, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else in it. His portrayal cemented Pennywise as one of the icons of horror.

Rent on Amazon

4 ‘Legend’ (1985)

Appeared as Darkness

In the epic fairytale Legend, the young peasant Jack (Tom Cruise) takes the woman he loves, Princess Lili, to see unicorns, the strongest animals and the source of light in the world. When they’re spotted by the evil Darkness, he decides to use Lili as a way to kill the mystical creatures, plunging the world into eternal winter and darkness; he kidnaps Lili, intending to make her his bride. The movie was directed by Ridley Scott.

Legend is an underrated fantasy film with a unique story, including a compelling love story between Jack and Lili, as well as visually stunning sets and effects. All the members of the cast deliver impressive performances; Cruise disappears into the role of Jack, but Curry is especially intriguing. He is unrecognizable as the menacing devil Darkness, save for his voice, and he delivers one of his best performances, especially as a villain.

Rent on Apple TV

3 ‘Clue’ (1985)

Appeared as Wadsworth

In the comedy whodunnit Clue, based on the board game of the same name, six people are invited to a mansion, and their host is using their secrets to blackmail them. When the host ends up being killed, the guests and staff work together to figure out who the murderer is. In addition to Curry, who plays the butler, the star-studded cast includes Madeline Kahn, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean and Christopher Lloyd.

Curry is perfect in the role of butler Wadsworth, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the character, in part because of Curry’s deadpan delivery while he explains to the guests why they’re there and delves into their pasts. Some of Curry’s funniest moments come from physical comedy, especially during his frantic reenactment of the events of the evening, as well as his brilliant delivery of some of the movie’s funniest lines.

2 ‘Muppet Treasure Island’ (1996)

Appeared as Long John Silver

Muppet Treasure Island is a retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story. The movie follows young orphaned Jim Hawkins, who sets out with a map and an eccentric crew – played almost entirely by Muppets – to find buried treasure. Onboard the ship, Jim meets and befriends the one-legged pirate Long John Silver, played by Curry, who has hired a number of his associates to work on the ship and conspires with them to mutiny and find the treasure for themselves.

Muppet Treasure Island is a brilliant adaptation of its source material, and Curry is right at home with the over-the-top nature of a Muppet movie and The Muppets’ gags. Still, his Long John Silver is appropriately menacing, and some subtle moments showcase just how talented an actor Curry is. In his moments with Jim, in particular, he displays a heartfelt sincerity. But his most entertaining moments are when Long John shows his true colors.

Watch on Disney+

1 ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975)

Appeared as Dr. Frank-N-Furter

The campy cult film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an homage to both classic monster movies and musicals. When the young, newly engaged couple Brad and Janet get a flat tire in a storm, they seek shelter in a nearby castle. Here, they meet the bizarre Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his equally bizarre staff and guests on the very night Frank is debuting his latest creation: the perfect man. The movie is based on the stage musical The Rocky Horror Show.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the ultimate cult classic, known for its midnight screenings in which fans dress up, yell back at the movie, and even throw props. The over-the-top, fishnet-clad Transylvanian Frank-N-Furter is one of Curry’s most well-known characters – Curry also played him in the stage version. Curry’s portrayal of the mad scientist is one of the best parts of the film, as he’s all at once hilarious and cruel yet impossible to hate.

Rent on Apple TV

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