Dragons have long captured our imagination. Even the earliest humans were obsessed with these winged creatures, and they are present in just about every culture. Soaring through the skies of myths and fantasies, these majestic monsters have now also found their way into some of the best movies and shows. So much so that there have been no shortage of unique and interesting dragons available to both fear and root for.
Given this, it is about time to rank some of the best dragons to have graced our screens. From friendly to fiersome, here are the ten coolest dragons that you’ll ever see in movies and television.
10Dragonite — Pokémon
Dragoniteis one out of the hundreds of monsters in the gargantuanPokémonfranchise. Despite originally being limited to video games,Pokémonhas expanded into both movies and shows. The franchise’s animated TV series is particularly popular as it is one of the longest-running anime of all time.
What Makes It Cool
While Pokémon aren’t traditional dragons, Dragonite is a dragon-type Pokémon and deserves a spot on this list. Despite how friendly it looks, Dragonite is incredibly strong and deceptively fast. And even though it’s massive in size, Dragonite can circle the globe in 16 hours. This means it can fly at a rate of 2,505 km/hr, making Dragonite a little faster than some of the fastest fighter jets in the world.
StreamPokémonon Crunchyroll
9Toothless — How to Train Your Dragon
Toothlessis the dragon from the incredibly popularHow to Train Your Dragonfranchise. During a dragon raid, main character Hiccup manages to shoot down a Night Fury, a rare and dangerous dragon that very few have ever seen. When he goes to finish the dragon off, he can’t seem to bring himself to do it. Instead, he befriends the dragon and names it Toothless. Together, they embark on a journey that will completely change the way humans and dragons interact.
Aside from being a fierce hunter, Toothless is the epitome of friendship and loyalty. Toothless is closer to a dog than a dragon due to how it acts. And because of its cute demeanor, Toothless won the hearts of millions of people from all over the world. Sometimes being cool means being all-black, and sometimes it just means being loyal and adorable.
StreamHow to Train Your Dragonon Peacock
8Smaug — The Hobbit
InThe Hobbit, the endearing story that came before the epic tale that wasThe Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins sets off on an epic quest across Middle-earth. The journey tells the story of the One Ring and how it got to the Shire, and during that tale, Bilbo travels to the Lonely Mountain — the lair of the powerful and cunning dragonSmaug.
The infamous Smaug is one of the most popular dragons in the world of literature — and luckily, the character was translated well onto the screen. This can be attributed to the brilliance of Benedict Cumberbatch and his incrediblyinspired and unique performanceas the infamous dragon. Cumberbatch brought Smaug to life with his voice alone, sending shivers down the spine.
StreamThe Hobbiton Max
7Thordak — The Legend of Vox Machina
The Legend of Vox Machinais the animated adaptation ofthe popular web seriesCritical Role. While there are a variety of different fantasy creatures that appear on the show, the ancient red dragonThordakstands above them all. Aside from being a threat on his own, Thordak also leads a group of dragons called the Chroma Conclave.
Every Dungeons and Dragons Movie, Ranked
Dungeons & Dragons has inspired many forms of media. Here is every movie based on the popular game, ranked.
It’s evident from the get-go that Thordak is one of the more menacing looking dragons on this list. Aside from being even bigger than regular dragons in the world ofDungeons and Dragons, ancient red dragons are also well-known for being highly intelligent and incredibly powerful. Especially unique as well, their power is derived from the heart crystal on their chest. And while the crystal has made Thordak stronger, it has also caused him to go mad with power.
StreamLegend of Vox Machinaon Prime Video
6Mushu — Mulan
Mulanis a Disney animated film that tells the story of a young Chinese woman named Mulan, who disguises herself as a man and takes her ailing father’s place in the army. To help Mulan out, her ancestors summon a great dragon — however things don’t work out quite that way, and she’s left with a tiny “lizard” namedMushu.
Breaking away from what is traditionally considered cool, Mushu brings a lot of charm to what is ordinarily a fierce creature. A lot of this can be attributed toEddie Murphy’s stellar performanceas he was really able to inject a lot of iconic and memorable character into the role.
StreamMulanon Disney+
5Shenron — Dragon Ball Z
No list of cool dragons would be complete without paying homage to one of the most iconic dragons in pop culture:Shenron, from the legendary animeDragon Ball Z. The long-running anime franchise follows the adventures of Goku as he combats different threats to defend the planet Earth.
Shenron is the mythical eastern dragon summoned when the seven Dragon Balls are brought together. Once summoned, Shenron can grant one wish of the individual who assembled the Dragon Balls. This wish-granting ability makes him both mysterious and highly unique. Not only is it cool, it’s also a great way to add a lot of drama to the story.
StreamDragon Ball Zon Crunchyroll
4Falkor —The NeverEnding Story
The NeverEnding Storyis a beloved fantasy film that’s based on Michael Ende’s classic and beautiful novel of the same name. The story follows a young boy named Bastian who, after discovering a magical book in a bookstore, becomes immersed with the tale of a young warrior named Atreyu, who is on a quest to save the land of Fantasia from destruction. Along the way, Atreyu meetsFalkor, a luck dragon who ends up aiding him on his journey.
The Best Movies About Dragons
Discover the most epic and thrilling movies featuring dragons in honor of the upcoming year of the dragon.
Falkor is the last Luck Dragon in the entire world of Fantasia. He is a majestic creature that has one of the most whimsical and dreamlike designs ever. He is almost doglike in both his appearance and loyalty, but also shows rare moments of fierceness outside his usual ethereal manner. This, coupled with his fluffy body and gentle demeanor, makes Falkor one of the most memorable dragons in the history of film and television.
StreamThe NeverEnding Storyon Max
3Haku — Spirited Away
Spirited Awayis a renowned Japanese animated fantasy film written bythe legendary Hayao Miyazaki. The story follows a young girl named Chihiro who has somehow found herself trapped in a strange magical spirit world. Luckily, Chihiro meets a mysterious boy namedHakuwho becomes a key ally that helps her traverse this new world.
Haku is a river spirit, who takes on the form of a magnificent dragon. He is one of the most memorable characters inSpirited Away. Aside from the great design, the mysterious connection that Haku has to the story, and the revelation about who he is at the end, adds a lot of depth to the character.
StreamSpirited Awayon Max
2Drogon — Game of Thrones
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say thatGame of Throneswas one of the best series to come out in the last twenty years. And while the show’slackluster final seasonmay have been disappointing, the sprawling fantasy epic still deserves all the praise it gets for the early seasons of the show. The HBO series introduced audiences around the world to Westeros, a war-torn land filled with undead armies and menacing dragons.
In the epic world ofGame of Thrones,Drogonstand as the mightiest of all Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons. Not only is Drogon huge and black as a nightmare, but his ferocity is second to none. Named after Dany’s fierce husband Drogo who was killed, Drogon also plays a key role in the story as he strikes a devastating blow to the city of King’s Landing and makes conquering the land possible.
StreamGame of Throneson Max
1Vhagar — House of the Dragon
While Drogon may be the biggest baddest dragon inGame of Thrones,Vhagarmight just be even more impressive. There’s never been a show more devoted to the cool factor, and the devastation, of dragons, than the celebrated HBO spinoff seriesHouse of the Dragon, where Vhagar and other dragons are introduced. He was previously ridden by Visenya Targaryen but is inherited by Laena Velaryon and then stolen by Aemond Targaryen.
Vhagar is the largest of all the Targaryen dragons, and it’s not even close. This is because Vhagar is the oldest dragon owned by House Targaryen, and in this world, dragons have gotten smaller with time. When we think of dragons, we think of terrifying beasts that are unrivaled when it comes to their ferocity and strength. Vhagar is at the top of this list because there is no dragon that comes anywhere close to his legendary strength and size. The difference is on full display whenVhagar eliminates the dragon Arraxwith ease
