Poll: Main Character Did Not Get Top Billing

Results of 362 votes:

1. 1.
   

   Superman (1978)

    

   Christopher Reeve billed third after Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman.
2. 2.
   

   Alien (1979)

    

   Tom Skerritt gets first billing over Sigourney Weaver, who wound up in every sequel thereafter.
3. 3.
   

   Apocalypse Now (1979)

    

   Martin Sheen billed after Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall.
4. 4.
   

   Goodfellas (1990)

    

   Ray Liotta, stars and narrates the epic mob classic about working class hoods in the New York mob while Robert De Niro gets billed over him.
5. 5.
   

   Scream (1996)

    

   Drew Barrymore got top billing and then is killed in the first scene.
6. 6.
   

   Platoon (1986)

    

   Charlie Sheen billed after after Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe.
7. 7.
   

   Batman (1989)

    

   Michael Keaton is billed after Jack Nicholson (The Joker).
8. 8.
   

   Willow (1988)

    

   Warwick Davis (Willow) billed after Val Kilmer.
9. 9.
   

   Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

    

   It's only after Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda and Jason Robard's name appear do we get Charles Bronson who, plays a mystery man named "Harmonica," the central character in this epic Western…
10. 10.
    

    Superman II (1980)

     

    Christopher Reeve billed second after Gene Hackman.
11. 11.
    

    Halloween (1978)

     

    Donald Pleasance is barely in the movie, shows up every once in awhile.
12. 12.
    

    Working Girl (1988)

     

    Melanie Griffith billed third after Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver.
13. 13.
    

    Batman & Robin (1997)

     

    George Clooney comes in second to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
14. 14.
    

    Blow-Up (1966)

     

    David Hemmings third after Vanessa Redgrave and Sarah Miles.
15. 15.
    

    Midnight Cowboy (1969)

     

    It takes at least twenty minutes for Dustin Hoffman’s character Ratso Rizzo to appear. The plot is about the tragic New York City life of Jon Voight’s character Joe Buck.
16. 16.
    

    Crash (2004)

     

    Though Sandra Bullock is well renowned for her role and is given top billing, she has only 5 minutes of screentime throughout the entirety of the film.
17. 17.
    

    Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)

     

    Tom Hanks aprox. 15 minutes in the film.
18. 18.
    

    Broadcast News (1987)

     

    William Hurt and Albert Brooksbeat out the real star, Holly Hunter.
19. 19.
    

    National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

     

    John Belushi receives front runner status as Bluto in this John Landis college party classic, even though Tim Matheson’s character Otter is the main Delta.
20. 20.
    

    Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

     

    Jennifer Jason Leigh’s freshman Stacy Hamilton is the main character, but Sean Penn, receives first star billing... over several other cast members (including Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates) with mor…
21. 21.
    

    Necromancy (1972)

     

    Orson Welles lands the lead credit in this thriller about a beautiful young woman, played by Pamela Franklin.
22. 22.
    

    Left Behind (2014)

     

    Cage has first billing, but he is barely in it at all. He features in the opening sequence.
23. 23.
    

    The Wrath of God (1972)

     

    Ken Hutchison's character is the one everything, and everybody, centers around. The saddest part is Ken’s pretty far down on the opening credit list, with another actor's name above his.