Dragons are as timeless in world folklore as they are in pop culture, and whenever one appears, awe and fascination soon follow. Over the years, creative minds have brought dragons to movies and TV shows with varying degrees of success. However, the best live on and continue to thrill audiences old and new.
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The following is a collection of dragons that have had a tremendous impact on audiences over the years. Some scared moviegoers in theaters, while others thrilled moviegoers from the safety of their living rooms. Here are the top 10, in no particular order.
Drogon - War of the Thrones (2011)
Along with his brothers Viserion and Rhaegal, Drogon wasone of the three dragonsshocked and imprinted on Daenerys Targaryen just before she begins her quest to retake the Iron Throne. Drogon grew to be the largest and most formidable of the trio, and a difficult beast to tame in his youth.
Eventually, Drogon would master his temperamental ways and serve as Daenerys' main steed when it came to transportation and combat. After the deaths of Viserion and Rhaegal, only Drogon remained as perhaps the last dragon in all the world and left alone as a free creature. He is without a doubt the coolest dragon to ever grace a television screen.
Smaug - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
The terrifying power of Smaug finally received its due day in the theatrical release of the second installment.the hobbit movie, and it was worth the wait. This menacing-looking dragon was as extremely intelligent as it was formidable and terrifying, and Peter Jackson's production team managed to bring that stature to the big screen.
Smaug's rage, greed and cruelty were given an extra touch of intensity, thanks to the excellent voice acting of Benedict Cumberbatch, who gave Smaug everything he needed to scare viewers, while stealing their admiration at the same time.
Vermithrax Peyorative - Dragonslayer (1981)
In the 1980s, on-screen dragons were few and far between, and none really captured the spirit of the creature the way Dragonslayer did. The evil dragon Vermithtrax Pejorative was a masterpiece of practical effects that brought a sense of realism and belief to a genre accustomed to men in rubber suits and wires. In fact, 25% of the film's budget was devoted specifically to the special effects needed to bring Vermithrax to life.
In fact, the dragon was so popular that it influenced several high-profile creatives, including Guillermo del Toro and George R.R. Martin, who were inspired by his design to create the dragons that would eventually appear in hiswar two thronesbooks.
Bahamut - Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)
While not technically a dragon in the purest sense, Bahamut started out as one and has steadily evolved over time.Final Fantasy Franchise. When Square released a full sequel to the popular Final Fantasy VII video game, the creature retained certain dragon-like elements from its early appearances in previous titles.
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The fight between the heroes and Bahamut is one of the most adrenaline-fueled battles ever seen in an animated film. The seemingly unstoppable titan wreaks havoc from above before being slain by Cloud Strife in a truly spectacular and heartbreaking climax, sending him crashing through the city streets.
Eborsiano - Sauce (1988)
Sauceit had enough chilling imagery to last a lifetime and it was all rooted in a sense of plausibility and realism. This included the use of magic, especially when Willow hits a troll with her wand, triggering a magical transformation into the Eborsisk, a grotesque, skinless, fire-breathing two-headed dragon.
The creature itself is plucked straight out of a nightmare, with masses of droopy flesh and twisted mouth that look completely unique to Willow's world, and something that has perhaps never been seen before, and hopefully never again!
Falkor - The Neverending Story (1984)
Not all dragons are malevolent or destructive. Some, like Falkor, bring luck and companionship to those who befriend them. Falkor's presence inthe never ending storyit was a very different version of the traditional dragon formula. He was kind, gentle, but mischievous and full of humor.
It would also serve as a faithful companion for Atreyu and his battle against Nothingness. Even when all hope was lost, Falkor remained by his side and did everything he could to comfort a hero he believed had failed Fantasia. No other dragon is quite like Falkor, making it one of the best by far.
Rey Ghidorah - Godzilla (1964 - 2019)
This particular dragon is not native to Earth, but is actually an alien creature that came to Earth for the purpose of devastating the planet. He appeared in a ton offilmes godzillaand is widely considered the most dangerous and deadly enemy.
Its three-headed design is a big departure from traditional dragons and gives it an advantage in combat, especially as they are all capable of shooting gravity beams from their mouths. Its bite force is also formidable and capable of draining its victims' life force. Fans still get emotional whenever Ghidorah appears, a testament to his iconography.
Hungarian Horntail - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
One of the fiercest dragons in the worldharry potterUniverse is the Hungarian Horntail, a deadly predator with a 50-foot fire breath that produces extremely high temperatures, along with incredibly fast flight speeds and agility in the air. The Horntail is known for its unrivaled aggressiveness, especially in defending its young.
This dragon has some of the most distinctive features of the classic dragon image, from its lizard-like appearance to its horned head and pointed tail. It also serves as one of the most emotional moments inThe Goblet of Fire, scoring major points on the cool list.
Mother Dragon - Sucker Punch (2011)
the inevitablefeatures one of the coolest dragons to ever appear in a Hollywood movie. He appears mid-act when Babydoll and the girls go on a quest to retrieve two crystals buried inside a baby dragon. After killing the creature, they incur the wrath of its very angry mother, a fire-breathing behemoth of epic proportions.
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This big reveal sets up a multi-faceted combat sequence, in which the dragon chases a WWII-style plane while the girls try to shoot it down. It ends with a super stylized slow motion shot of Babydoll leaping into the air to impale its skull with her katana, slaying the dragon to Skunk Anansie's "Search And Destroy".
Granamyr - He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983)
Granamyr is one of the most original dragons on this list and is one of the main protagonists of the classic.The mancartoon series from the 1980s. This ancient being is the dragonlord who lives in Darksmoke, an area isolated from the human population of Eternia.
He is a scholarly sage and a powerful sorcerer, two qualities that have endowed him with a degree of patience. This is necessary due to their species' dislike of humans, thanks to a shared bloody past. He-Man's actions inspire Granamyr and the dragons to begin to view humanity with a newfound respect, but Granamyr's wisdom and temper will take him even further.
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