Robots, androids, droids, Autobots, Decepticons, humanoids - the mechanized machines come in many shapes, sizes, and spare parts. Building an inhuman figure can make any creator revel in the unsettling achievement. To be created and to create something of your own design, even in your own likeness, is life-reflecting art in Frankenstein fashion. Others have no known inception, an added layer of horror to the cold and calculating hunks of metal. B movies from science fiction's golden age in Hollywood placed robots in a position of causing clunky collateral damage or having a mindless automaton killer's programming. Most think robots will replace humans rather than help them, but not all robots are evil.
Update September 29, 2023: In honor of the release of The Creator, this article has been updated with even more great robots in movies.
In its leaps and bounds, the best science fiction films make people think. The fancy future doodads and bells and whistles are enough to make people laugh. Some franchises die and make people cry for a better send-off. Robots have the unique role of sharing our own inhumane indifference, can-do attitude and willingness to take anything you can throw at it. Robots are a tool, but sometimes they come engineered with their own biting, dry, and whimsical personalities. Cyborgs and AI assassins can trudge on over to RadioShack. These are the best movie robots, ranked.
15 Marvin - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
Created by science fiction humorist and author Douglas Adams and voiced by the austere Alan Rickman (Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series), Marvin the paranoid android earns his moniker. The depressed robot waddles through life, thinking about how pointless it all is. The sad truth: Marvin has a point. The Debbie Downer droid leaves a bitter but hilarious taste of irony in the debris that was our planet Earth and along a galaxy-sized bypass.
14 Ultron - Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Disney
Voiced by James Spader, Ultron was a unique spin on the classic Marvel villain. While the original comic book version of the character is the typical cold-calculating robot, the version Spader played in Avengers: Age of Ultron is a more neurotic and interestingly contradictory robot. Despite being an artificial intelligence and having so many facts at his disposal, Ultron is filled with insecurities and flaws that make him somehow more human and more dangerous. This is a unique spin on artificial intelligence, evil robots, and supervillains.
13 Baymax - Big Hero 6 (2014)
In comes arguably the most helpful robot on this list in Baymax. Created by Tadashi Hamada in Big Hero 6, Baymax is an inflatable robot that simply just wants to help other people. He helps Tadashi's younger brother, Hiro, and his team of friends stop a villain that caused the death of Tadashi. Intending to use him as a medical assistant, Tadashi ended up creating a robot that cares even more. Baymax is calm in every situation, and he is funny when he is processing information that is not necessarily related to health. He helps Hiro understand the importance of helping others and not harming them.
12 Sonny - I, Robot (2004)
Sonny (voiced by Alan Tudyk) was designed with the ability to express human emotions by Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), co-founder of U.S. Robotics. He also is not primed to follow the Three Laws of Robotics made famous in the science fiction short story "Runaround" by Isaac Asimov. Sonny's personalized programming puts him at the forefront of a controversial and indirect robotic revolt. Hopefully, by the year 2035, man is no longer the maker of his own misery and dreams but better dreams.
11 BB-8 - Star Wars (2015)
After R2-D2 and C-3PO, which readers will see later on this list, BB-8 is the next great Star Wars droid. Starting with The Force Awakens, BB-8 would go on to appear in each of the three films of the sequel trilogy. After being a great friend to Poe Dameron on many missions, the loyal astromech droid would go on to help serve Rey on her journey to becoming a Jedi. He also helped Rey and the Resistance find the location of Luke Skywalker. Looking and moving like a soccer ball, BB-8 has no trouble jumping, getting into X-wings, and starting them up before the pilot gets there. He is a very instinctive droid and extremely protective of his friends.
10 Gort - The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Gort is the original RoboCop. He is arguably better than the cyborg law enforcer. Being a space-faring keeper of the peace in a larger interplanetary police force, Gort holds Earth's redemption and damnation in the balance. He does not operate from an evil place, but out of a Stoic anti-war composure. Gort wants to defend the human race from its own destruction and from destroying other planets. However, if the human race does not comply, Gort will use the ultimate use of lethal force: destroying Earth to save the other planets.
9 Bishop - Aliens (1986)
An android who prefers the term "artificial person," Bishop (Lance Henriksen) would never jeopardize the lives of his fellow flesh and blood brethren. Bishop is the complete opposite to the saboteur android Ash from Alien, whose fascination with the Xenomorph alien species is met with a motivation to protect and serve the Colonial Marines. Henriksen does a fantastic job conveying innocence, pity, and intelligence as a robot.
8 T-800 - The Terminator (1984)
Another evil robot, at least for the first Terminator film. The Terminator franchise has opened up the eyes of audience members for decades to the unstoppable cyborg known as T-800 (portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger). First appearing in the original Terminator film, T-800 is a human cyborg sent back from 2029 to 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor, whose future son will lead a battle against Skynet, the artificial intelligence network that could spark a nuclear holocaust against Earth's population.
T-800 is later reprogrammed to be good in the next film, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The evil T-800 in the original film is an iconic robot because he is such a force. He is extremely violent and ruthless. No human being or bullets can stop him. While the good version of the character in the sequel is one of the ultimate movie heroes. Even if it is just his programming, he will do anything to protect someone.
7 WALL-E - WALL-E (2008)
WALL-E stands for "Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth Class". In WALL-E, as the last robot left on Earth, WALL-E's job is to clean up a deserted and garbage-filled Earth in the very distant future where the planet's remaining population is now living on a cruise ship in Space. After developing a personality over hundreds of years, WALL-E is curious, cute, and lonely. But once he meets a probe named EVE, he finds companionship and adventure. He also learns to become more accepting of those around him on his adventure in Space. It is hard to find a more beloved animated robot.
6 Robby the Robot - Forbidden Planet (1956)
Deemed "the hardest working robot in Hollywood," Robby the Robot has appeared in the revolutionary science fiction film, Forbidden Planet, the Lost in Space television series, and many other science fiction movies and shows. He is a robot that follows Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics and with the knowledge and capabilities of an entire alien population, Robby is a wonderful, friendly helper.
5 Futura / Maria - Metropolis (1927)
Also known as the Maschinenmensch (German for machine-human), the gynoid, or female robot, was first an oppressor to the working masses. She soon became a symbol of hope and rebellion in the groundbreaking silent dystopian film from German expressionist director, Fritz Lang. Maria is one of the earliest depictions of a robot on film and certainly one of the most memorable.
4 Optimus Prime - Transformers (2007)
Optimus Prime is one of the most famous Transformer. The leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, is a noble hero and has been a source of inspiration for fans since he originated in the original toy line and animated series. When the decision was made to bring the character to live-action, original voice actor Peter Cullen returned to voice the character and has played the part in every live-action film, including the recent Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
3 Iron Giant - The Iron Giant (1999)
The Bedtime Story by Ted Hughes became a cult classic animated film by director Brad Bird. The anti-war machine is an ironic statement on how hurting each other and being someone we are not is not the answer. The robot made of autonomous parts that can put itself back together again never fails to make us feel like Superman. The Iron Giant is a beloved animated classic, and the character has stood the test of time.
2 C-3PO - Star Wars (1977)
The gold-plated protocol droid is "fluent in over six million forms of communication" and has the etiquette and manners of a reserved butler. Maria's design from Metropolis also inspired the parts for the droid from a galaxy far, far away. Played and voiced by Anthony Daniels, he brings a steady mix of comic relief and rationale in the face of danger. C-3PO is a true friend first and a robot second, and the character has left such an impression that his recent appearance on Ahsoka got audiences cheering.
1 R2-D2 - Star Wars (1977)
It is hard to find a greater robot in all of cinema than the very serviceable astromech droid from a galaxy far, far away known as R2-D2. R2 was first introduced to audiences in the original Star Wars film A New Hope. Like his best friend in C-3PO, he has appeared in every Star Wars film except for Solo: A Star Wars Story.
R2D2 has helped save his masters and other friends from dangerous threats and evils. He has served the likes of Senator Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, and Luke Skywalker. The character has been played by three different actors over his existence: Kenny Baker, Deep Roy, and Jimmy Vee. He is known for his bravery, as well as his reliability. R2D2 is known to everyone and anytime he appears, he is likely to get a smile and a cheer.