Just because an actor has top billing for a movie doesn’t mean they’ll be around for long.
There are plenty of examples where a shocking twist leaves a major character dead long before the credits roll. Sometimes, it even happens in the opening scene.
Drew Barrymore – Scream
The 1996 horror classic features Drew Barrymore on the top billing for the film’s poster. She’s even the only actor to appear on the poster.
Despite this, she’s only in the movie for its opening scene, lasting barely over ten minutes on screen.
Steven Seagal – Executive Decision
While it’s common for people to make jokes about Chuck Norris’ strength and power, few action stars of the ’90s matched Steven Seagal.
Having him billed as a lead actor alongside Kurt Russell in 1996’s Executive Decision seemed like an action movie dream come true, but Seagal’s character dies within the movie’s first 15 minutes.
Bryan Cranston – Godzilla (2014)
2014’s Godzilla is an excellent movie that helped reboot the franchise’s popularity for modern audiences.
A key part of the film’s advertising campaign is the prominence of Cranston, fresh off a legendary run as Walter White in Breaking Bad. However, Cranston’s character doesn’t make it out of the movie’s opening moments alive, with the rest of the film taking place fifteen years after his death.
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Pete Davidson – The Suicide Squad
Davidson isn’t the only actor here to die in The Suicide Squad‘s opening moments, but he’s the one who had the biggest billing and hype leading into the movie’s release.
Along with Michael Rooker and Nathan Fillion, Davidson’s role is merely a cameo before we’re introduced to the real stars of the show.
Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock – The Other Guys
Since the movie is literally called The Other Guys, we knew it’d be more about Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrel.
We assumed, however, that they’d be in the shadow of Jackson and The Rock for the entire movie. Instead, they die, in hilarious fashion, mind you, in the film’s opening moments.
Channing Tatum – G.I. Joe: Retaliation
2009’s The Rise of Cobra isn’t a great movie, but it’s perfectly good as a mindless action flick that did a good job of setting up the rest of the franchise.
Channing Tatum, who starred as Duke, was prominently featured in the film’s advertising, only to die in the opening moments, handing over the leading reigns to The Rock and Bruce Willis. At least he made a return, unlike Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Cobra Commander).
Elizabeth Hurley – Austin Powers
While Hurley wasn’t necessarily prominently featured in advertising for the second Austin Powers movie, she was still the co-star of the original and Austin’s love interest.
As a way to write her off, she is introduced as a fembot in the movie’s opening moments before being killed and never spoken of again.
Ryan Reynolds – Life
Reynolds is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, following his rise in the 2010s. He’s billed as a top star alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson.
That didn’t stop his character Rory Adams from being killed in Life‘s opening moments, though.
Emilio Estevez – Mission: Impossible
Technically, Estevez’s role is uncredited, but it’s my list, and I’m including him because I loved The Mighty Ducks movies.
Estevez’s death, along with the rest of the crew (the ones who actually died, anyway), was both shocking and did a great job kicking the film’s story into high gear.
James Marsden – X-Men: The Last Stand
Marsden’s role in X-Men: The Last Stand was always going to be limited due to his commitment to Superman Returns.
However, instead of giving him a limited role and keeping him alive, the studio decided to kill his character. Worst of all, his death occurs off-screen.
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