Movies Where the Black Character Isn’t the First to Die

For years, many horror and action movies followed a predictable pattern: the Black character was usually the first to die. This became such a common trope that audiences almost anticipated it whenever a diverse group of characters appeared. More recently, filmmakers have started to challenge this expectation by creating Black characters who survive – and often even become the heroes – of the story. The films below feature examples of this positive change, showcasing Black characters who defy the odds and live to see the end.

‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968)

In George A. Romero’s iconic zombie film, Duane Jones plays Ben, the resourceful hero who takes control during the crisis. While others panic, Ben secures a farmhouse and defends the group against the approaching zombies. The film shockingly begins with the death of Johnny, who is attacked by a zombie in a cemetery. Despite his bravery, Ben’s night ends tragically when he’s killed by a group of living people. This ending was particularly impactful because, for the time, it subverted expectations about how Black characters were typically portrayed in films.

‘Alien’ (1979)

This classic sci-fi horror film follows the crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo as they battle a terrifying alien. Engineer Parker is a key member of the team, fighting alongside Ripley to survive. The crew first suffers a loss when Kane is killed by an alien creature bursting from his chest. Parker manages to survive much of the ordeal, ultimately sacrificing himself near the end to help Ripley collect essential supplies. His courageous act buys her the time needed to activate the ship’s self-destruct system.

‘The Thing’ (1982)

In John Carpenter’s suspenseful film, set in Antarctica, Keith David stars as Childs, a man trying to survive an encounter with a creature that can mimic others. The alien slowly eliminates the research team in terrifying ways. Childs doesn’t trust anyone, but somehow avoids being taken over. The horror begins with the Norwegian team and the dogs, then spreads to the American crew. The movie famously concludes with Childs and MacReady facing each other in the icy darkness, leaving the audience to wonder who – if anyone – will survive.

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’ (1987)

Roland Kincaid is a strong-willed teenager in a psychiatric hospital, haunted by constant nightmares. He teams up with fellow patients to battle Freddy Krueger in the dream world, using his incredible strength. Throughout the film, several characters are attacked by Freddy before the climactic fight. Roland, along with Joey and Kristen, are the survivors. Importantly, his character broke ground by showing a Black supporting character could survive a horror movie without being quickly killed off.

‘Predator’ (1987)

In this thrilling action movie, Carl Weathers stars as Dillon, a member of a rescue team hunted by an alien in the jungle. The creature first kills Hawkins, taking him by surprise. Dillon figures out what they’re up against and works with Dutch to create a plan. He ultimately dies bravely, sacrificing himself to give his teammates a chance to escape. His death happens later in the film, after we’ve gotten to know his character.

‘The People Under the Stairs’ (1991)

This horror film, directed by Wes Craven, is a darkly comedic take on the genre. It follows a young boy named Fool who breaks into the house of a dangerous couple and discovers they’ve been holding children captive. He must then use his wits to avoid the house’s many traps and escape, all while others around him fall victim to the villains or are revealed to have died long ago. Ultimately, Fool doesn’t just survive – he returns to rescue the other children and free his neighborhood from the couple’s terror.

‘Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight’ (1995)

In this scary and funny movie, Jada Pinkett Smith plays Jeryline, who works at a boarding house that’s suddenly attacked by demons. A villain called The Collector starts hunting the people who live there, looking for an old, powerful key. Jeryline starts as a somewhat unhappy employee, but she rises to the challenge, becoming the hero who fights off the demon and ultimately becomes the key’s new protector. Throughout the movie, she changes from a cynical worker into a strong, supernatural guardian.

‘Se7en’ (1995)

In this intense thriller, Morgan Freeman stars as Detective Somerset, investigating a series of murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. The first victim is found after being horrifically forced to consume himself, symbolizing gluttony. Alongside his younger partner, Mills, Somerset navigates increasingly disturbing crime scenes. Despite the bleakness and death surrounding the case, Somerset endures, remaining a grounded and moral compass throughout the horrifying events.

‘Anaconda’ (1997)

In this adventure film, Ice Cube stars as Danny Rich, a cameraman following a documentary crew deep in the Amazon rainforest. They are stalked by a colossal snake, leading to a deadly fight for survival. Several people, including the villain Sarone and other crew members, are killed. Danny teams up with Jennifer Lopez’s character to defeat the giant reptile and remarkably survives the dangerous expedition, returning to safety. He’s an unusual hero – a cameraman who lives to tell the tale, defying the typical fate of those facing the jungle’s perils.

‘Event Horizon’ (1997)

When a starship emerges from a terrifying alternate dimension, the rescue ship Lewis and Clark is dispatched to investigate. Richard T. Jones stars as Cooper, a technician on the rescue mission. An explosion sends Cooper hurtling into space, but he’s able to use his suit’s thrusters to get back on board. Before his return, several crew members suffer horrific deaths. Cooper ultimately survives the ship’s destruction and enters a frozen stasis alongside the other remaining crew.

‘Scream 2’ (1997)

Duane Martin plays Joel, a cameraman who teams up with reporter Gale Weathers to cover the latest murders in Woodsboro. The movie begins with two students being killed at a theater. Joel quickly understands how dangerous the situation is when he learns what happened to the previous cameraman. He decides to leave town with his equipment to protect himself. Joel reappears at the end of the film, safe and ready to continue working.

‘Sphere’ (1998)

In this thrilling sci-fi movie set deep underwater, Samuel L. Jackson stars as Harry Adams, a mathematician who joins a team investigating a strange spacecraft. The spacecraft has a terrifying effect: it makes the crew’s deepest fears come to life. As the crew battles these mental manifestations – including deadly jellyfish and other dangers – several members are killed. Harry and two fellow scientists are the only survivors. Ultimately, they choose to use the spacecraft’s power to erase their memories of the ordeal, hoping to protect the world from the same fate.

‘Halloween H20: 20 Years Later’ (1998)

I was so surprised to see LL Cool J in Halloween! He plays Ronny, the security guard at this fancy boarding school that Michael Myers goes after. It’s hilarious because while he’s supposed to be watching over everything, he’s actually writing romance novels on the side! Michael Myers, of course, starts picking off the students, and eventually, he runs into Ronny. There’s a crazy scene where someone accidentally shoots Ronny, but thankfully he pulls through! It was a relief to see him still standing there at the end, waving to the paramedics – a true survivor!

‘Blade’ (1998)

Wesley Snipes plays Blade, a vampire hunter dedicated to protecting people from the undead. The movie begins with a chaotic attack by vampires at a nightclub. Unlike most, Blade is the one doing the hunting, relentlessly taking down his enemies. He ultimately defeats the main villain, Deacon Frost, and continues his fight in subsequent films. This movie was groundbreaking for featuring a powerful Black lead in the horror-action world.

‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1998)

Brandy Norwood stars as Karla Wilson, who wins an exciting trip to the Bahamas with her friends. However, their dream vacation quickly turns terrifying when a dangerous killer begins stalking them during a powerful storm. As people around them – including hotel staff and friends – are brutally murdered, Karla is injured while trying to escape. Despite the danger, she fights to survive and is one of the few who make it off the island alive.

‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)

In the movie, LL Cool J plays Preacher, a chef working at an underwater lab that comes under attack by smart, dangerous sharks. The sharks cause a helicopter to crash and kill multiple scientists. Preacher cleverly hides in his oven and uses his kitchen tools to defend himself. He manages to survive when the facility sinks, ultimately killing the last shark with a harpoon. His resilience and survival, alongside another main character, are key moments in the film.

‘House on Haunted Hill’ (1999)

Taye Diggs stars as Eddie Baker in a new version of the story about people challenged to spend a night in a haunted asylum. Once inside, the group is trapped and terrorized by the ghosts of those who used to live and work there. A reporter is the first to be killed, pulled away into the shadows. Eddie teams up with the other participants to find a way out, and he’s one of just two who make it through the night and win the money.

‘Pitch Black’ (2000)

In this sci-fi horror film, Keith David stars as an Imam whose transport ship crashes on a planet inhabited by creatures that hunt in the light. The crash claims the lives of many, including the captain. The remaining survivors must journey across the dark, alien terrain while being pursued by the monsters. The Imam uses his faith and relies on Riddick’s protection to survive the night and eventually escape the planet on a shuttle.

‘Ghosts of Mars’ (2001)

Ice Cube plays Desolation Williams in a new sci-fi thriller directed by John Carpenter, set on a Mars that humans have colonized. When a police team arrives to take him into custody, they discover the mining colony is haunted by ancient Martian ghosts. These spirits cause the miners to violently attack and kill many police officers and colonists. Desolation joins forces with the remaining police commander to battle their way to the train station. He makes it through the chaos and gets ready for a final showdown against the growing supernatural threat.

‘Thir13en Ghosts’ (2001)

Rah Digga stars as Maggie, a nanny who is both funny and strong. She finds herself stuck in a glass house built to hold twelve dangerous ghosts. A lawyer is the first victim, tragically cut in half by a glass wall. Throughout the film, Maggie focuses on keeping the children safe while trying to escape the constantly changing, maze-like house. In the end, she survives the house collapsing and manages to leave with the family.

’28 Days Later’ (2002)

In this post-apocalyptic thriller, Naomie Harris stars as Selena, a tough survivor in a Britain overrun by a deadly rage virus. She rescues the main character, Jim, from infected people and shows him how to stay alive. Along the way, many characters, including Jim’s parents and friend Mark, don’t make it. Selena remains focused and deadly, skillfully using her machete to fight off both the infected and a dangerous group of soldiers. Ultimately, she’s saved by a pilot who arrives by jet.

‘Halloween: Resurrection’ (2002)

Busta Rhymes stars as Freddie Harris, the producer of a reality show filmed in the house where Michael Myers grew up. As the show is being made, the real Michael Myers starts picking off the contestants. Freddie, who is skilled in martial arts, fights Myers in a fiery garage and manages to survive. As an ambulance arrives, he delivers a famous line directly to the camera. Freddie’s character is both funny and a surprisingly capable action hero.

‘Gothika’ (2003)

Halle Berry plays Miranda Grey in this thrilling and spooky mystery, set inside a prison. Miranda wakes up accused of a murder she has no memory of, and soon learns her husband was mysteriously killed. As she tries to prove she’s not crazy, she begins investigating a vengeful ghost that seems to be haunting the prison. Ultimately, she unravels the truth, survives the ordeal, and is released a free woman.

‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004)

In Zack Snyder’s action-packed remake of a zombie story, Ving Rhames stars as Kenneth, a police officer who guides a group of people to safety in a shopping mall. As they try to secure the mall against the zombies, the group loses many members. Kenneth becomes friends with the owner of a nearby gun shop and ultimately escapes to a marina with the other survivors, where they board a boat.

‘AVP: Alien vs. Predator’ (2004)

In the movie, Sanaa Lathan stars as Alexa Woods, the leader of a team exploring a strange pyramid hidden under the Antarctic ice. They soon discover they’ve stumbled into a battle between Aliens and Predators. The Predators quickly begin hunting the team, and most are killed. Alexa fights bravely and gains the respect of the last remaining Predator. She ultimately survives the pyramid’s destruction, becoming the only human to escape.

‘Snakes on a Plane’ (2006)

In this thrilling action movie, Samuel L. Jackson stars as Neville Flynn, who must take control when deadly snakes are unleashed on a plane. As passengers and crew are killed in terrifying ways, Flynn leads a desperate fight for survival, using a taser and gun to protect a key witness he’s transporting. Ultimately, he manages to land the plane safely and deliver the witness to court.

‘Attack the Block’ (2011)

In this funny sci-fi movie, John Boyega stars as Moses, who leads his street gang in a fight to protect their South London neighborhood from invading aliens. When the aliens crash land, they immediately begin attacking people. Moses and his friends use whatever they can find – like fireworks and homemade weapons – to fight back, but not everyone survives the night. Moses manages to survive a huge explosion, and while his apartment building is destroyed, he’s hailed as a hero and arrested by the authorities.

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Daniel Kaluuya plays Chris in this scary and suspenseful movie. He visits his girlfriend’s family at their estate and begins to realize something terrifying is happening: wealthy, older white people are taking over the bodies of Black people. Instead of being a helpless victim, Chris fights back, using his intelligence and physical strength to escape and ultimately kill his captors in self-defense. The flashing lights at the very end reveal that his friend Rod arrives just in time to help him get away.

‘Us’ (2019)

Lupita Nyong’o brilliantly portrays both Adelaide and her frightening counterpart, Red. While on vacation in Santa Cruz, the Wilson family is attacked by sinister duplicates who wield scissors. These “tethers” swiftly kill neighbors and friends. The Wilsons work together to defend themselves, eliminating their attackers one by one. Though initially overwhelmed, the entire family survives and escapes in an ambulance.

‘Nope’ (2022)

In California, siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood, who own a horse ranch, stumble upon a mysterious UFO. This creature has been secretly feeding on horses and people, and it’s responsible for the sudden disappearance of a theme park owner and everyone attending. Determined to document its existence, OJ and Emerald come up with a plan to film the UFO. They manage to survive a dangerous encounter with the creature and ultimately capture the proof they were looking for.

2025-12-18 02:48