The 1980s were a decade of pop culture in the United States. The decade saw the rise and fall of several iconic characters, be it those from movies, the pop music scene, or even the politics scene. Despite the passing of several beloved characters, there were others that are still popular among younger generations today.
The 1980s saw many new characters enter the scene, with some such as Teen Wolf, The Simpsons, and even a few from cartoons becoming household names with every generation since then.
The following article is a glance at some of the most popular characters from the movies released in the 1980s. This is a good list of characters to refer to if you’re wondering who to go to for a 80s-themed Halloween party.
The Terminator from “The Terminator” (1984)
Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the biggest action stars of the 1980s. This movie alone had him acting as the titular role, reprising it five times and counting, with the most recent one being “Terminator: Dark Fate” (2019). The Terminator is considered by many to be his most famous role, which also propelled him to stardom.
Indiana Jones from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
Harrison Ford was one of the biggest action stars of the 1980s, with this being his most famous role. Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr., also referred to as Indy in the movies, is a character that has been featured in many movies over the years, with him appearing in this one and two more films after it. Additionally, there’s currently an upcoming Indiana Jones installment set to be released in 2023.
E.T. from “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial” (1982)
Steven Spielberg was one of the biggest directors of the 1980s. This movie alone had him directing and producing it. The story is about a young boy who is a friend to an alien that comes to Earth looking for his home planet. The alien, called E.T. became a beloved icon and the movie itself is one of the most monumental movies in the history of Hollywood.
Marty and Doc from “Back to the Future” (1985)
Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd were both big stars in the 1980s, with Fox even going on to star in “Family Ties” and “Spin City”. The two had a great chemistry together, making their characters of Marty McFly and Doc Brown one of the top comedy duos of the decade.
The Heathers from “Heathers” (1989)
Heathers (1989) had Winona Ryder and Christian Slater playing as Veronica Sawyer and J.D., two students who strive to survive high school while dealing with the problems that come along with popular cliques.
The popular clique in question, of course, is the titular group called The Heathers. The story centers around these girls, portraying them as the classic three-person “mean girls” trope found in high school movies. Arguably, they were the archetype that inspired the following Mean Girls movie that came out in 2004.
