10 movie characters that should be in jail for what they did

Movies love giving us villains who aren’t just evil—they’re chillingly clever, morally bankrupt, and dangerously persuasive. These characters manipulate minds, exploit the vulnerable, and commit heinous crimes with unnerving ease. Often shielded by privilege—be it wealth, power, or social status—they manage to dodge justice far too long. But make no mistake: their charm doesn’t erase their cruelty, and a prison cell is exactly where they belong. Here are 10 movie characters who absolutely should be behind bars for their actions.

Disclaimer: This piece reflects the opinions of the writer

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10 movie characters that should be in jail for what they did

1) The Joker – The Dark Knight (2008)

In a list of movie characters who belong in jail, one can always expect to find The Joker. He is a terrorist in the true sense. He bombs hospitals and police stations without giving a second thought about the innocent civilians who might also lose their lives. He enjoys sadism and torture and manipulates his captives, driving them to the edge of mental breakdown.

Most of the time, the crimes he commits have no purpose and are done just to enjoy the chaos they bring with them. For him, the worth of human life is almost nothing, so he never feels remorse. He is a danger to the public and belongs most definitely in jail.

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2) Hans Gruber – Die Hard (1988)

Hans Gruber from the movie Die Hard is another criminal who is skilled at pulling off heists. Through very clever strategies, he pulls off massive heists and in the process keeps a vast number of civilians hostage. Hostage-taking is a felony that comes under the list of war crimes and federal terrorism, and people guilty of it find it very hard to escape jail time.

Hans Gruber’s crimes aren’t limited to hostage taking only; he arms people with illegal weapons and is also involved in corporate sabotage and extortion. He conspired to commit murder, attempted mass murder, and pulled off armed robbery, all without feeling an ounce of remorse.

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3) Patrick Bateman – American Psycho (2000)

Patrick Bateman from the movie American Psycho is nothing but a cold-blooded serial killer. His condition is clinical as he enjoys psychologically and physically tormenting his victims. He films killing them, chases them with a chainsaw, and mutilates their bodies.

It shows his obsession with power and pain. It is abundantly clear throughout the movie that among the many psychological disorders he harbours, narcissism is definitely one of them, preventing any remorse from seeping in. On account of the many first-degree murders he has committed, before hell, the only other place meant for him is prison.

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4) Tony Montana – Scarface (1983)

Al Pacino in his role as Tony Montana in the movie Scarface is one of the most popular anti-heroes of cinematic history. He is a drug trafficker who indulges in international narcotics crimes daily. He is involved in the first-degree murders of his former boss, Frank Lopez, his associate, Omar Suarez, his best friend, Manny Ribera, among many, many more people.

He launders money, traffics arms, bribes officers, commits tax evasions, and is also domestically violent towards his wife. This long list of his crimes would definitely earn him a lifetime behind bars.

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5) Tony Stark – Iron Man (2008)

While Tony Stark, aka our beloved hero Iron Man, has committed his list of crimes unbeknownst and constantly tries to redeem himself, one cannot ignore the fact that he has his hands sunk deep into a number of crimes. First of all, he is the CEO of Stark Industries, an industry known for manufacturing and dealing in illegal arms, thus fuelling a lot of terrorist organisations that then kill innocent civilians.

He has been involved in unauthorised military activities, global-scale destruction due to his AI, Ultron, ignoring government orders, destruction of property, and child endangerment, among others. If it were not for his Stark surname and S.H.I.E.L.D., he most definitely would have ended up in a cell somewhere.

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6) Jack Sparrow – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Jack Sparrow from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean is a pirate, which in itself is enough to land him in some medieval prison. He commits robbery on the high seas, breaking maritime law, which is punished by lifetime imprisonment in most ancient naval empires, like Britain and Spain.

He is a smuggler, trader of stolen cargos, is involved in a vast number of mutinies, colluded with enemy forces, endangered civilians, and has committed several prison breaks. All of these chaotic acts of his would for sure receive a royal decree sentencing him to some well-deserved jail time.

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7) Miranda Priestly – The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Our snarky editor-in-chief of a big shot fashion magazine - Miranda Priestly in the movie - The Devil Wears Prada, may not have committed manslaughter or drug trafficking, but her instances of workplace abuse would most definitely earn her a place behind bars. She has psychologically harassed her employees, created a hostile work environment, and has indulged in constant verbal humiliation of her employees, which in the U.S. and EU is a violation of labor codes.

She has exploited her staff, sabotaged colleagues, and most definitely shows ethical misconduct in leadership, all of which today would have her knee deep in civil lawsuits and labor board hearings.

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8) Louis Bloom – Nightcrawler (2014)

Louis Bloom is a journalist who constantly tampers with the crime scene to make a sellable news story, which directly comes under obstruction of justice. He withholds evidence, incites violence, and purposely causes incidents to help him thrive in the world of media.

Worst of all, he is also involved in the proxy murder of his assistant, Rick, and then blackmail and coercion to hide the evidence against him, which are all offences that would suspend his journalist license and earn him a place in jail. If this isn’t enough, he has also been involved in illegal surveillance, privacy invasion, corporate fraud, and trespassing, evidence enough to seal him in a cell for the entirety of his life.

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9) Cruella De Vil – 101 Dalmatians (1961)

It is no secret that fashion-obsessed Cruella De Vil has attempted mass animal murder. She actually planned to kill 99 Dalmatian puppies to make her fur coats. This animal cruelty and conspiracy to commit animal homicide warrants her years of imprisonment. She is involved in multiple accounts of theft, burglary, endangerment of children, and harassment.

There is no denial of the fact that while she may be a wealthy elite of high-class society, she is also a dangerous and obsessive criminal who needs to be locked up as soon as possible.

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10) Lady Macbeth – Lady Macbeth (2016)

While many advocate for Lady Macbeth on the grounds of feminism, it cannot be denied that she has premeditated murder by poisoning her father-in-law and suffocating her husband, Alexander. These first-degree murders in themselves would earn a life sentence. She has manipulated, gaslighted, and even given false testimonies to frame others for the crimes she committed.

She has abused her power in an era of class oppression and displays characteristics of a sociopath with a lack of remorse. There is only one place for her, and it is most definitely a prison cell.

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While some of these characters may have won our sympathy, admiration, or even laughter on screen, their actions—if judged in the real world—are nothing short of criminal. From psychological torment to mass murder, from manipulation to outright terrorism, their crimes are too grave to ignore. No amount of charm, wit, or screen presence should excuse the havoc they’ve unleashed. In a world where justice matters, these ten characters would be exactly where they belong: behind bars.