Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley named greatest movie hero

Ellen Ripley named greatest movie hero

Ellen Ripley has been named the greatest movie hero.

Sigourney Weaver's iconic character in the 'Alien' franchise topped Total Film magazine's poll of the 100 greatest movie heroes, beating James Bond and Batman, while 'Star Wars' antagonist Darth Vader was named the ultimate movie villain.

Total Film deputy editor Jamie Graham said: ''Ellen Ripley is simultaneously tough and tender, nurturing and pitiless, and it's a measure of her durability - in every way - that she's beaten the boys to land the title of the greatest hero in cinema history.

''Darth Vader, meanwhile, overcomes an asthmatic wheeze and paternal hankerings to emerge as the iconic bad guy, both cool and terrifying.''

Weaver's battle-hardened spaceship lieutenant is the only female named in the top 10 greatest movie heroes list, topping Daniel Craig's suave secret agent, Bruce Willis' hard man John McClane in 'Die Hard' and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man.

Other terrifying screen baddies who made the top 10 ultimate villains countdown include Batman's arch nemesis The Joker, most recently played by the late Heath Ledger, Javier Bardem's murderous Anton Chigurh in 'No Country for Old Men' and 'Superman' antagonist General Zod.

The full list of 100 greatest movie heroes and villains, compiled by the contributors of Total Film magazine, can be seen in the latest issue.

The top 10 greatest heroes and villains are:

Heroes

1. Ellen Ripley ('Alien')

2. James Bond ('Skyfall')

3. Indiana Jones ('Indiana Jones')

4. Han Solo ('Star Wars')

5. Iron Man ('Iron Man', 'The Avengers')

6. Batman ('The Dark Knight Rises')

7. Marty McFly ('Back to the Future')

8. John McClane ('Die Hard')

9. Aragorn ('Lord of the Rings')

10. Atticus Finch ('To Kill a Mockingbird')

Villains

1. Darth Vader ('Star Wars')

2. The Joker ('The Dark Knight')

3. T-800 ('The Terminator')

4. The Sheriff of Nottingham ('Robin Hood')

5. Norman Bates ('Psycho')

6. Anton Chigurh ('No Country for Old Men')

7. General Zod ('Superman')

8. Hans Gruber ('Die Hard')

9. Harry Lime ('The Third Man')

10. The Wicked Witch of The West ('The Wizard of Oz')