Hans Gruber (1988's Die Hard)

In the pantheon of movie villains, few names resonate as powerfully as Hans Gruber, the cunning antagonist from Die Hard (1988), portrayed with unparalleled sophistication by the late Alan Rickman. In an action film landscape filled with straightforward brutes and one-dimensional antagonists, Hans Gruber introduced an entirely new archetype. With his mix of refinement, intelligence, and ruthless ambition, he became a standard-bearer for the modern cinematic villain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices