Top 10 Movie Villains Motivated by Greed

We know what you’re thinking: “Hey, Tony Montana isn’t a villain; he’s the main character!” And you’re right: he’s an antihero if ever there was one, but his quest for cash and clout transformed him from a simple Cuban immigrant into an evil drug lord. When Tony starts working for big-time drug kingpin Alejandro Sosa, he himself begins to deal drugs and obsessively snort cocaine. And the more money Tony earns, the more ruthless he becomes. Trying his darndest to keep his multi-million-dollar empire intact, Scarface eventually becomes increasingly paranoid, which alienates his friends and trophy wife and ultimately leads him to hurt those he loves the most. Oh, and uh… do NOT agree to meet his “Little Friend.”

A classic miser in a classic Christmas film, Henry Potter is always trying to make his wallet fatter. Not that he needs more money: Mr. Potter is already rich from his work as a banker, mill owner and less-than-stellar landlord. Yet he still tries to get what he wants from any business deal – and he’s particularly good at it. His sinister demeanor is especially prevalent next to a man like the upstanding George Bailey, which becomes even more obvious when Potter offers Bailey a high-paying, glamorous job – but only because Bailey’s businesses are threatening the success of his own assets. While he almost never fails to intimidate his competition to get what he wants, ultimately this heartless villain gets his.

Desperate to inherit the vast fortune entrusted to the Baudelaire children, their closest living relative – Count Olaf – employs as many dirty tricks as possible, hoping that his witty personality and clever tricks will be enough to fool them. He tries posing as an Italian scientist and as a sailor, but it never quite works out for him as they see through his disguises – you see, Klaus, Violet and Sunny are pretty intelligent kids. But, even if the Baudelaire kids are not fond of Olaf in any way, his determination to get his hands on some green helps him stand out among other greedy movie villains.

Scrooge is the #1 killjoy when it comes to the Christmas spirit. Whereas most people are more generous around the holidays, this classic Dickens antihero is moremotivated than ever to keep his profits as a moneylender flowing in. Shown in this Muppet version as child friendly, but still sinister, Scrooge refuses to give to charity, reluctantly gives his employees a day off for Christmas and – as we learn from the Ghost of Christmas Past – even let money get in the way of his relationship with the woman he loved. Lucky for Scrooge, he’s given the chance to change his ways. But there once was a time that Ebenezer Scrooge was a mean old miser with more money than heart.

That last name’s a dead giveaway. But, if that didn’t warn you about this guy’s greedy tendencies, all you chemistry buffs probably recognized that his first name also means gold. Auric Goldfinger is a successful businessman, but just cause a guy has wealth doesn’t stop him from wanting more. And Goldfinger is ingenious in his moneymaking schemes: he strategically smuggles gold and makes a fortune at it. Operation Grand Slam is his next step, and if it comes to fruition this Bond villain would have access to some of the only valuable gold in the world. Cruel and sadistic as well as greedy, Goldfinger will capture anyone who tries to thwart his plans. And while he may not expect them to talk, he will expect them to die.

Losing your job sucks, and it may lead you to wonder what to do with your life. If you’re anything like Jordan Belfort, you’ll pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and stay on the same path by starting your own brokerage firm to make a bunch of money. Belfort has that certain something about him that can get almost anyone listening to subscribe to his signature brand of corruption, one that’s full of cars, drugs, women, drugs, yachts, drugs and more drugs. And for a while, that’s how he thrives. He may consider slowing things down on his father’s advice, but the money and everything it buys keep calling his name. This dude’s addicted to the green… well, the green and Quaaludes. 

Just because the guy wears a nice suit and speaks with an accent doesn’t mean he’s not out for dolla-dolla bills. This German mastermind sure is sophisticated, what with his use of learned quotes and all. While he may pretend to believe in a higher ideology, his ultimate goal is a lot more grounded: he’s after the cash… or $640 million worth of bearer bonds. Yup, he’s just your normal, everyday crook – albeit a stylish and smart one who makes stealing loads of money look like a simple hobby. But, as John McClane proves, it’s not the clothes that make the man. Or the shoes.

Daniel Day-Lewis doesn’t always play characters that are driven by dollar bills, but when he does they’re VERY motivated – and terrifying. Starting out as a prospector, but eventually working his way to become a bona fide, genuine oilman, Plainview amasses his wealth by acquiring as much of the oil-rich California land as he can, bleeding every square foot of the territory dry in order to line his own pockets. To do this, Plainview has to resort to some less-than-moral means, which include lying, humiliation and – oh yeah – straight-up murder. One thing’s for sure: do not piss this guy off if you’re near any bowling pins.

This character is so motivated by greed; he’s become a pop culture symbol of it. A typical example of Wall Street avarice in the ‘80s, the fast-talking Gekko lives life based on the philosophy that greed is the key to success. And it works for him: while your typical stockbroker does pretty well, Gekko’s got the clothes, the cars and the corner office most only dream of. And, when he meets Bud Fox – an eager upstart with insider info he can exploit – we can practically see the dollar signs in his eyes. While other characters in the film stand for morality and the value of working for your money, Gordon Gekko represents the idea that greed is good. For better or worse, that proved inspirational for many.

Before we look at our most money-hungry movie villain, let’s look at some honorable mentions:
- The Fratellis 
“Goonies” (1985)

- Randolph & Mortimer Duke 
“Trading Places” (1983)

- Commander Rourke
 “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” (2001)

Lex Luthor in any incarnation puts up a good fight against Superman. His weapons of choice? Aside from kryptonite, Luthor uses his smarts and his loads of money to defeat his enemies. For example, in 1978’s “Superman,” Lex plans on buying large pieces of land near the United States’ West Coast so he’ll make a mint on the real estate market. Well, that seems pretty reasonable, actually. Oh, that’s because we forgot to mention that he also plans to sink California with a nuclear missile, so his land will ultimately become the new West Coast and increase in value exponentially. Clearly, putting innocent people in danger won’t stop Lex. As long as his pockets are sufficiently lined, he’s satisfied.

Do you agree with our list? Which movie villain do you think was the greediest? For more greedy top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.