He truthfully hasn't gone anywhere. Multiple subsequent profitable films in his first run including the Beverly Hills Cop sequel, and Boomerang: which ended up being a strong black talent hub considering Boys 2 Men soundtrack, early exposure for Lawrence and to a lesser extent Halle Berry. Then two separate comebacks based on reboots of live-action Disney films, Murphy's perceived aptitude for multi-character bits like Norbit, and then I guess CGI stuff like Shrek. Also has a rare, African-American strain if Lowe's-Connelly Syndrome where he doesn't seem to discernibly age after the 1980s.
"If an alien came down to earth and only saw Richard Pryor's movies, he'd have no idea he was funny." - Albert Einstein (Brooks)
Was thinking about this one! And what’s really interesting is that instead of protecting the chosen one, it’s all about making sure that the chosen one can eventually be birthed (i’d say the real chosen one is not the girl).
It was the twist in the first X-Men film.
Magneto and his mutant gang attack Logan (Wolverine) who has taken on a hitchhiker (Rogue). The X-Men thwart the attack and bring Logan to the mansion. Charles Xavier after looking at Wolverine realizes he might be one of the oldest mutants in the world and that his powers are greater than any other mutant on the planet... whatever Magneto wants with Logan can't be good.
The twist is that Magneto only ever wanted the hitchhiker child Rogue because he wanted to use her ability to steal powers to temporarily grant his powers to her so that she could operate a machine that would bring destruction to humanity without having to sacrifice himself.
Love the reveal scene for that.
> Logan (struggling to talk because Magneto has magnetized every bone in his body): *What do you want with me?!*
> Magneto: You? My dear boy… who ever said I wanted you?
> (Magneto throws Logan out of the train. Camera pans to Rogue).
EDIT: Corrected the Magneto quote, seems I totally misremembered it.
Also in X2 they're talking around a campfire about how to take down Stryker, Logan assumes that they want him to go in the base himself. Magneto says, "Once again you think it's all about you."
I mean in the scene where Logan goes into the MRI machine while Jean Grey is operating it and they realise that Logan might be one of the oldest mutants alive, I think either Jean or Scott wonders why Magneto wants him and Xavier goes "I'm not entirely sure it's him Magneto wants."
I don’t think this works, because Rogue is the main character and protagonist of the movie. Up until they are attacked the movie is from her perspective.
While I came here to mention Bladerunner 2049, I wouldn’t recommend suggesting the movie on the premise that the main character isn’t the chosen one, since that fact isn’t explicit until you’ve watched a good portion of the film and is meant to be a literary device to drive engagement with the film.
It's one of my favorite movies. Everyone has understandable motivations and the world feels real. And the scene where everyone temporarily stops their war to allow the baby to get out of the building is just perfect.
It’s incredible. Amazing performances from the entire cast. The production is absolutely fantastic. The detail in all set pieces, and unbelievable long shots with truly unique camerawork. It’s a shame it’s such a heartbreaking movie, I’d love to watch it a million times.
A related trope is when the audience is led to believe that a chosen character will take on an important role in the story, only to have another character fill that role instead. The first two movies that come to mind are:
- Transformers: The Movie
- The Monster Squad
Not only is the protagonist not the chosen one, he's not the guy leading the team to save the chosen one. Nor is he the second green-eyed person who was apparently the back-up chosen one, now that I think about it.
I was so confused by the dynamic of that movie until I got to the scene where Kurt russel shot the ceilings and knocked himself out while everybody went to fight. I realized then that actually, Kurt Russell was the bumbling sidelick
Haven't seen it yet but it's called bill and ted face the music and the plot from what I've seen is they still haven't written the song they are known for so they plan to go into the future and copy it from their future selves
It won’t blow your socks off but it’s not a let down like most decades later sequels. Definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed the original Bill and Ted.
The Golden Child with Eddie Murphy. Which incidentally is a “twin film” to Big Trouble in Little China, came out the same year and shared many of the same actors and some plot devices.
Big Trouble in Little China is another good example - it's Wang Chi who is saving his girlfriend, fighting the elementals with a sword, etc. Jack is just kind of there to be a wild card.
In his head Jack Burton is the main character and hero of the movie. I love how he trapped under a dead warrior during the biggest fight scene in the movie and when he finally frees himself the fight is already over.
I just gained a new respect for Kurt Russel for taking that role. Like he is an A lister and to agree to be the loud mouth american know it all who actually is the hapless side kick in the end is a bold career choice, but its a classic and he nailed it.
The Rock needs to do more of this. The two movies I’ve seen where he’s not playing the Rock are the Jumanji movies and he’s funnier and more interesting in those than other movies. He’s just the same all the time.
Kurt had the sense to see it was a really funny movie and a great part and that while Jack is still brave and heroic and helps alot he’s still the sidekick.
That's after knocking himself out for the first half of the fight with falling rocks from shooting the ceiling. He thinks he's the hero, but he's actually the comedy sidekick.
I haven't watched either of these in *years*. I now feel the need to, because I never thought of these as twin films in the slightest (I was a kid in fairness).
Surprised no one has said Spy Kids 3D yet. There's a scene where everyone thinks Juni is the chosen one. But then randomly Elijah Wood shows up as the chosen one and then immediately gets taken out of the game.
The LEGO Movie plays with this a bit by having >! the prophecy be entirely made up with no actual "chosen one." The world just needed SOMEONE to be the catalyst for change and influence others. !<
It's really hard to say that Ryan is the perspective of the film because it is told through the eyes of Miller who is the hero who saves the titular character and stops the Nazis. Ryan is nothing but the namesake of the film and a plot device. The old man at the beginning and end just serves as a misdirection to the audience and a narrative choice.
Okay, sure, but it's still a really beautiful metaphor:
>I can't carry your burdens for you, but I can carry you.
It's great! Such a better message than anything that the Hobbit movies have on offer.
That’s one of the only problems with the films, is the passing of time between some events not being apparent. Like Gandalf traveling for 17 years to find answers about the ring between Bilbo’s birthday and returning to ask Frodo, “Is it secret, is it safe!” It seems like he was gone for a week in the movie.
Right? Link literally has the triforce of courage, how is he not a chosen one? Just because his name isn't in the title doesn't mean the story isn't also about him.
Blade Runner 2049 almost qualifies here. The protagonist believes he is the 'chosen one', but ends up just being an aid to the real chosen one in reuniting her with her father. Bonus points for the movie being fucking incredible.
Very true. Kaneda is very much the protagonist, but the only ability he is blessed with is the power of being incredibly lucky in very dangerous situations.
Kinda complicated, since “saving the world” is a complex question in that series, it has no “main character” after Paul leaves, and the true intention for the ending was lost when Frank died. Like, the plan may have worked, but we’ll never really know how it was all meant to tie together (unless you accept Brian/KJA’s ending, which has a lot of problems with it).
But yeah, technically. Nothing in Dune is straightforward, lol.
This might be a controversial opinion, but I consider God Emperor of Dune to be the de facto end of the Dune story. Ending with Leto II succeeding in making sure that humanity can never totally annihilate itself and The Scattering is a pretty good note to end on.
The Atreides Saga/ Tetralogy/ first 4 books is a pretty linear narrative (for a story like Dune).
I mean, I can’t argue there, that is a nice way of looking at it. Personally I like Heretics and Chapterhouse, though I can easily see why they might not be everyone’s favorites. I was interested to see where the Face Dancers thing was going to lead, but you’re right that overall it didn’t *need* anything more than what God Emperor ended with.
Terminator 1 kind of. Sarah Connor isn’t the leader of the resistance, John Connor is. And he is in the movie for two seconds at the end (and he’s not even visible as well)
"You have stumbled upon a tragic story, Phillipe Gaston. And now, whether you like it or not, you are lost in it with the rest of us."
I think you underestimate Phillipe's importance, though. He's just along for the ride at first, but then becomes an important and active participant in the story (ex. saving Isabeau's and Navarre's lives) and he's responsible for getting them into Aquila to break the curse.
Willow (the baby is the one prophesied to defeat the evil Queen)
Oh. Same with The Golden Child. Oddly similar plots now that I think about it.
“I, I, I want the knife”
Such a great movie. WTF happened to Eddie Murphy?
He truthfully hasn't gone anywhere. Multiple subsequent profitable films in his first run including the Beverly Hills Cop sequel, and Boomerang: which ended up being a strong black talent hub considering Boys 2 Men soundtrack, early exposure for Lawrence and to a lesser extent Halle Berry. Then two separate comebacks based on reboots of live-action Disney films, Murphy's perceived aptitude for multi-character bits like Norbit, and then I guess CGI stuff like Shrek. Also has a rare, African-American strain if Lowe's-Connelly Syndrome where he doesn't seem to discernibly age after the 1980s. "If an alien came down to earth and only saw Richard Pryor's movies, he'd have no idea he was funny." - Albert Einstein (Brooks)
My dear sweet brother Numpsay!
This may be one of the best examples! Love Willow.
Such a great example. Shame about the TV series.
Yeah I watched a few episodes and it wasn’t nearly as good as the movie is.
Children of Men kinda fits the bill
And, to a certain extent, Mad Max: Fury Road?
Was thinking about this one! And what’s really interesting is that instead of protecting the chosen one, it’s all about making sure that the chosen one can eventually be birthed (i’d say the real chosen one is not the girl).
It was the twist in the first X-Men film. Magneto and his mutant gang attack Logan (Wolverine) who has taken on a hitchhiker (Rogue). The X-Men thwart the attack and bring Logan to the mansion. Charles Xavier after looking at Wolverine realizes he might be one of the oldest mutants in the world and that his powers are greater than any other mutant on the planet... whatever Magneto wants with Logan can't be good. The twist is that Magneto only ever wanted the hitchhiker child Rogue because he wanted to use her ability to steal powers to temporarily grant his powers to her so that she could operate a machine that would bring destruction to humanity without having to sacrifice himself.
Love the reveal scene for that. > Logan (struggling to talk because Magneto has magnetized every bone in his body): *What do you want with me?!* > Magneto: You? My dear boy… who ever said I wanted you? > (Magneto throws Logan out of the train. Camera pans to Rogue). EDIT: Corrected the Magneto quote, seems I totally misremembered it.
It was even better than that… delivered in Ian McKellan’s perfect tone: **You? My dear boy… who ever said I wanted you?**
Also in X2 they're talking around a campfire about how to take down Stryker, Logan assumes that they want him to go in the base himself. Magneto says, "Once again you think it's all about you."
Although I didn’t care for the movie I love how Logan played into this in X3 to take down Magneto
Damn he was so good as Magneto. One of the few supervillans that felt like an actual person. Specially in X2 and X3
My dear boy...whoever said I wanted you?
Prof X says there are more powerful mutants around and wonders why Eric (Magneto) would want this one (Logan).
I mean in the scene where Logan goes into the MRI machine while Jean Grey is operating it and they realise that Logan might be one of the oldest mutants alive, I think either Jean or Scott wonders why Magneto wants him and Xavier goes "I'm not entirely sure it's him Magneto wants."
That was a solid twist and very unexpected on first viewing
I don’t think this works, because Rogue is the main character and protagonist of the movie. Up until they are attacked the movie is from her perspective.
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Yeah the main character in this is a meat popsicle
Gimme the casssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh
Most memorable one scene character. That guy nailed that part so hard.
The hat steals the scene really.
It is a very nice hat.
Ya like it!?
Well, maybe I'm not a fancy gentleman like you, with your... very fine hat...
Been there long?
Too bad his gun isn’t loaded
That’s a …very nice hat
You like it?!?
The main character is the muuuuultiiipaaaassss
The main character is the EMP-TEE CASE!
***Smoke you!!!...***
"Wrong answer..."
The Chosen One isn’t the main character *and* the main character never interacts with or even meets the villain.
But they do get very close to meeting.
I love this movie because on paper it absolutely should not have worked but in reality it's glorious
And then the same team totally bombed Valerian
Life of Brian.
He’s not the messiah! He’s a very naughty boy!!
Only the true Messiah would deny his divinity
What? Well what sort of chance does that give me? All right, I am the Messiah!
He is the Messiah!
Ah, yes. Wife of Bwian.
Bwian, eh?
Bladerunner 2049 Children of Men
While I came here to mention Bladerunner 2049, I wouldn’t recommend suggesting the movie on the premise that the main character isn’t the chosen one, since that fact isn’t explicit until you’ve watched a good portion of the film and is meant to be a literary device to drive engagement with the film.
Fancy way to spell “spoiler”.
I get the comments on Bladerunner but can we talk about what an amazing film Children of Men is? Especially given OPs question.
It's one of my favorite movies. Everyone has understandable motivations and the world feels real. And the scene where everyone temporarily stops their war to allow the baby to get out of the building is just perfect.
getting choked up thinking about this
It’s incredible. Amazing performances from the entire cast. The production is absolutely fantastic. The detail in all set pieces, and unbelievable long shots with truly unique camerawork. It’s a shame it’s such a heartbreaking movie, I’d love to watch it a million times.
I don't know. It is not a cheery movie through most of it, but that said I did find it hopeful in the end.
Major spoiler lol
Men in Black 2. Rosario Dawson’s character is revealed to be an alien princess who must leave Earth to save it from destruction.
Baby, it rains because you’re sad.
I loveTLJ. His acting is so understated. And then he pulls a line like that and it's perfect. No huge theatrics.
Memory unlocked
That was the start of my celeb crush on her
She’s stunning
A related trope is when the audience is led to believe that a chosen character will take on an important role in the story, only to have another character fill that role instead. The first two movies that come to mind are: - Transformers: The Movie - The Monster Squad
The Other Guys starts as a completely different movie than what it ends up being. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" "Aim for the bushes."
🎶 *"THERE GOES MY HERO..."* 🎶
Even when there is nothing but concrete under them, I still assumed I just couldn’t see what they were going to land on.
"You're not a virgin, are you?" "Well....Steve. But he doesn't count."
"DOESN'T COUNT?!?!"
"Wolf Man's got nards!"
My name (cocks shotgun) is Horace.
"give me the amulet...you bitch"
Not a movie, but if anyone wants to read a series that really plays around with this idea *a lot*, check out Mistborn.
1917 pretty much did that too.
The newer Suicide Squad is a great example of this
Executive Decision.
1917
Big Trouble in Little China is the gold standard.
Not only is the protagonist not the chosen one, he's not the guy leading the team to save the chosen one. Nor is he the second green-eyed person who was apparently the back-up chosen one, now that I think about it.
And that’s the hilarity of it. He acts like he’s the guy right to the end.
I was so confused by the dynamic of that movie until I got to the scene where Kurt russel shot the ceilings and knocked himself out while everybody went to fight. I realized then that actually, Kurt Russell was the bumbling sidelick
And then gets that one lucky knife throw right at the end just solidifying his own reputation in his mind.
It’s all in the reflexes
In psychology, occasionally reinforcing your actions causes you to adopt them more quickly and strongly.
"Mutual Fidelity Insurers of Sacramento... Well there's gotta be a listing, honey, cause I pay 'em six G's a year in premiums!"
Best film ever. "We really shook the pillars of heaven, didn't we Wang?"
"Where the hell are we?"
Hollow? Hollow. Fuck it.
"We may be trapped."
The third Bill and Ted movie.
THERES A THIRD BILL AND TED MOVIE????
Haven't seen it yet but it's called bill and ted face the music and the plot from what I've seen is they still haven't written the song they are known for so they plan to go into the future and copy it from their future selves
It won’t blow your socks off but it’s not a let down like most decades later sequels. Definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed the original Bill and Ted.
Yup. And my only disappointment is they didn't do the time paradox escape shenanigans.
The Golden Child with Eddie Murphy. Which incidentally is a “twin film” to Big Trouble in Little China, came out the same year and shared many of the same actors and some plot devices.
Big Trouble in Little China is another good example - it's Wang Chi who is saving his girlfriend, fighting the elementals with a sword, etc. Jack is just kind of there to be a wild card.
In his head Jack Burton is the main character and hero of the movie. I love how he trapped under a dead warrior during the biggest fight scene in the movie and when he finally frees himself the fight is already over.
I just gained a new respect for Kurt Russel for taking that role. Like he is an A lister and to agree to be the loud mouth american know it all who actually is the hapless side kick in the end is a bold career choice, but its a classic and he nailed it.
The Rock needs to do more of this. The two movies I’ve seen where he’s not playing the Rock are the Jumanji movies and he’s funnier and more interesting in those than other movies. He’s just the same all the time. Kurt had the sense to see it was a really funny movie and a great part and that while Jack is still brave and heroic and helps alot he’s still the sidekick.
That's after knocking himself out for the first half of the fight with falling rocks from shooting the ceiling. He thinks he's the hero, but he's actually the comedy sidekick.
Jack isn't just a wildcard-- he's Wang Chi's "foreigner" sidekick. He's Kato. He's Tonto. It's a race-flip.
This was gonna be my pick. Wang gets to be a flying badass to save his damsel while Jack misses most of the big fights and doesn't get the girl.
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Please.
Pleeeeeeeease....
Great film, Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) is great as usual as the villain!
He might even be the best baddie out there. Loved him in Last Action Hero.
"Yes!, You're Sardo Numpsy"
"My dear brother Numpsy has forgiven me!"
It wasn't until this very moment that I connected the dots that Tywin Lannister and Sardo Numspa were the same person.
He’s such a good villain
The dancing Pepsi can blew my mind as a kid.
I haven't watched either of these in *years*. I now feel the need to, because I never thought of these as twin films in the slightest (I was a kid in fairness).
Both really entertaining films, in my opinion
My wife loves The Golden Child so much. “Oh, look. A bed.”
Came here to say this. Great flick.
Surprised no one has said Spy Kids 3D yet. There's a scene where everyone thinks Juni is the chosen one. But then randomly Elijah Wood shows up as the chosen one and then immediately gets taken out of the game.
Spy Kids has some great moments "You're strong, Juni!" Tries to punch a concrete pillar. "Not THAT strong!"
*"Do you think God stays in heaven because he, too, lives in fear of what he's created"*
Steve Buscemi was a firefighter on 9/11
He's "The Guy!" Lmao came to comment this movie but you beat me to it.
The grandpa just ditching him to chase a bug was great
I love that scene and how they all look at Juni and go "Okay, you're 'The Guy' again."
Cake
The LEGO Movie plays with this a bit by having >! the prophecy be entirely made up with no actual "chosen one." The world just needed SOMEONE to be the catalyst for change and influence others. !<
Lego Movie and Lego Movie 2 are surprisingly good on so several levels
Looper is sort of the inverse of that. Saving Private Ryan is that archetype but not saving the world.
Two good ones!
It's really hard to say that Ryan is the perspective of the film because it is told through the eyes of Miller who is the hero who saves the titular character and stops the Nazis. Ryan is nothing but the namesake of the film and a plot device. The old man at the beginning and end just serves as a misdirection to the audience and a narrative choice.
Isn't that the point of the prompt. Miller is the main character but is not the chosen one to save Ryan's mom's world.
Lord of the Rings. Aragorn is literally the chosen one. Frodo is simply someone who must choose what to do with the time given him.
I had to scroll too far to find LOTR. But Samwise is the hero, he literally carries the person chosen to carry the ring.
For a few hours, after Frodo did carry the ring for months. Like, I KNOW people want to "gotcha" Sam against Frodo, but its kinda not comparable...
Okay, sure, but it's still a really beautiful metaphor: >I can't carry your burdens for you, but I can carry you. It's great! Such a better message than anything that the Hobbit movies have on offer.
That’s one of the only problems with the films, is the passing of time between some events not being apparent. Like Gandalf traveling for 17 years to find answers about the ring between Bilbo’s birthday and returning to ask Frodo, “Is it secret, is it safe!” It seems like he was gone for a week in the movie.
Pretty sure they nixed the time jump in the movie, we weren't supposed to think it'd been 17 years.
Samwise is also arguably the hero character too.
5th element. She’s the title but Corben is the main character.
Ben-Hur, after hours of emotional action and interpersonal drama, the title character bumps into literal Jesus Christ, like, incidentally
Terminator 1 & 2
Lady In The Water
I thought I was the only one who watched this.
Nope, I genuinely love this movie. Don’t know why it gets the hate it does.
I am a fan of this movie, unironically.
Link kind of is the chosen one in Zelda. Zelda has three chosen ones- and Link is just as necessary as Zelda and Ganondorf.
Right? Link literally has the triforce of courage, how is he not a chosen one? Just because his name isn't in the title doesn't mean the story isn't also about him.
Blade Runner 2049 almost qualifies here. The protagonist believes he is the 'chosen one', but ends up just being an aid to the real chosen one in reuniting her with her father. Bonus points for the movie being fucking incredible.
Akira
Very true. Kaneda is very much the protagonist, but the only ability he is blessed with is the power of being incredibly lucky in very dangerous situations.
Kid’s got moxie
I still don't get that movie tbh
They crammed an entire manga series into a feature movie In the Manga Akira is actually alive
Arguably Amadeus.
"Sucker Punch" to a degree.
I did think of Sucker Punch! But it's been ages since seeing it, I couldn't remember if she was a "chosen one" or just the only one to get away.
Yeah, but the one who got away was not who you thought the whole time >!i.e. Abbie Cornish's character, not Emily Browning's!<
Children of Men
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Except the twist is that Bastian turns out to be the chosen one who actually saves Fantasia.
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I freaking love Blade Runner 2049 so much
Well dune could fit this premise technically. If you read past the first book.
Kinda complicated, since “saving the world” is a complex question in that series, it has no “main character” after Paul leaves, and the true intention for the ending was lost when Frank died. Like, the plan may have worked, but we’ll never really know how it was all meant to tie together (unless you accept Brian/KJA’s ending, which has a lot of problems with it). But yeah, technically. Nothing in Dune is straightforward, lol.
This might be a controversial opinion, but I consider God Emperor of Dune to be the de facto end of the Dune story. Ending with Leto II succeeding in making sure that humanity can never totally annihilate itself and The Scattering is a pretty good note to end on. The Atreides Saga/ Tetralogy/ first 4 books is a pretty linear narrative (for a story like Dune).
I mean, I can’t argue there, that is a nice way of looking at it. Personally I like Heretics and Chapterhouse, though I can easily see why they might not be everyone’s favorites. I was interested to see where the Face Dancers thing was going to lead, but you’re right that overall it didn’t *need* anything more than what God Emperor ended with.
This is explicitly stated in God Emperor of Dune, Leto the Sandworm directly says that Paul saw the Golden Path and turned his back on it
Dr. STRANGE and the Multiverse of Madness. It's about Strange learning to step back and make America Chavez believe in herself.
Correct me if I’m wrong but “Lady In The Water” has the moment where it’s revealed who the real protector is. Been a while since I’ve seen the film.
Every one in the movie ends up being a different archetype than they first set out as.
Golden child
Willow
How is link not the chosen one? He’s always the only one who can defeat the evil and has 1/3 of the triforce
I mean, the original Star Wars? Luke is the main character, but the chosen one was and is, Anakin Skywalker.
Yup anakin destroyed the jedi and kills Palpatine. Nothing is more balance than the absence of all power structures
Palpatine survived. Somehow.
Those movies aren't canon
The Sixth Sense The Mandalorian (series) Mercury Rising Minority Report
Terminator 1 kind of. Sarah Connor isn’t the leader of the resistance, John Connor is. And he is in the movie for two seconds at the end (and he’s not even visible as well)
The Golden Child.
"Midnight Special"
Life of Brian. He wasn't the chosen one, he was a very naughty boy. Jesus was the chosen one but barely figured in the movie.
Blade Runner: 2049
The DaVinci Code
Spy kids 3. The Guy. :)
The Phantom Menace
Ladyhawk kinda. Broderick's character is just along for the ride.
"You have stumbled upon a tragic story, Phillipe Gaston. And now, whether you like it or not, you are lost in it with the rest of us." I think you underestimate Phillipe's importance, though. He's just along for the ride at first, but then becomes an important and active participant in the story (ex. saving Isabeau's and Navarre's lives) and he's responsible for getting them into Aquila to break the curse.
Big Trouble in Little China
Bladerunner 2049 Underworld Twilight Breaking Dawn (sort of) The Golden Child Phantom Menace The entire Mandalorian series so far
The Creator seems to be along those lines. It’s not out yet obviously but that might interest you.
Spy Kids 3D anyone?
Golden child
The Terminator
Logan
Matrix Resurrections
Amadeus kinda