The Best Movies & TV Shows With Jeremy Irons

Ranker Film
Updated June 2, 2024 47.8K views 55 items
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Vote for your favorite Jeremy Irons movies and TV shows, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.

Latest additions: The Beekeeper
Most divisive: The Pink Panther 2
Over 400 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movies & TV Shows With Jeremy Irons

List of the best Jeremy Irons movies and shows, ranked best to worst. Jeremy Irons's highest-grossing movies and shows have received many accolades over the years, earning millions around the world. The order of these top Jeremy Irons movies and shows are decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated films and shows will be at the top of the list. Jeremy Irons has been in a lot of films and TV shows, so people often debate each other over what his greatest role of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this, then use this list of the most entertaining Jeremy Irons films and shows to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Jeremy Irons role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Jeremy Irons performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies or shows, but they go hand in hand in most cases.

The list you're viewing is made up of many different films, like Appaloosa and Lolita.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Jeremy Irons movies and shows?" and "What are the greatest Jeremy Irons roles of all time?"

Jeremy Irons has worked with many famous directors, including big names like David Lynch and Ridley Scott. If Jeremy Irons movies are your thing, then check out the greatest movies by Matthew Broderick and Ed Harris too.

  • The Lion King
    1
    124 votes
    In The Lion King, a young lion prince named Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas when young and Matthew Broderick as an adult) is destined to become king of the Pride Lands. His wicked uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons), however, has other plans. The film, an animated musical drama produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, presents a tale of betrayal, exile and ultimately redemption. Aided by a meerkat Timon (Nathan Lane) and a warthog Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), Simba reclaims his birthright. It won two Academy Awards in 1995 for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
  • Dead Ringers
    2
    77 votes
    Elliot (Jeremy Irons), a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly (also Irons). Elliot is attracted to many of his patients and has affairs with them. When he inevitably loses interest, he will give the woman over to Beverly, the meeker of the two, without the woman knowing the difference. Beverly falls hard for one of the patients, Claire (Geneviève Bujold), but when she inadvertently deceives him, he slips into a state of madness.
  • The Mission
    3
    65 votes
    Jesuit priest Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) enters the Guarani lands in South America with the purpose of converting the natives to Christianity. He soon builds a mission, where he is joined by Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro), a reformed slave trader seeking redemption. When a treaty transfers the land from Spain to Portugal, the Portuguese government wants to capture the natives for slave labor. Mendoza and Gabriel resolve to defend the mission, but disagree on how to accomplish the task.
  • When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge -- and ultimately murder.
  • Lolita
    5
    93 votes
    Lolita is a 1997 French-American drama film written by Stephen Schiff and directed by Adrian Lyne. It is the second screen adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's novel of the same name and stars Jeremy Irons as Humbert Humbert and Dominique Swain as Dolores "Lolita" Haze, with supporting roles by Melanie Griffith as Charlotte Haze, and Frank Langella as Clare Quilty. The film had considerable difficulty finding an American distributor and premiered in Europe before being released in America, where it was met with much controversy. The film was picked up in the United States by Showtime, a cable network, before finally being released theatrically by The Samuel Goldwyn Company. The performances by Irons and Swain impressed audiences, but, although praised by some critics for its faithfulness to Nabokov's narrative, the film received a mixed critical reception in the United States. Following its theatrical release, the film was distributed on VHS and DVD, both now out of print, by Pathé.
  • When socialite Sunny von Bülow (Glenn Close) inexplicably slips into an irreversible coma, police suspect foul play -- and the obvious suspect is her urbane husband, Claus (Jeremy Irons). After being found guilty of murder, Claus is granted a retrial and hires showboat Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz (Ron Silver) to represent him. Though unconvinced of Claus's innocence, Dershowitz enjoys a challenge and -- along with a group of his students -- fights to have the verdict overturned.
  • The former musketeer Athos (John Malkovich) swears vengeance after despotic King Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio) causes the death of his son. Summoning his old comrades Porthos (Gérard Depardieu) and Aramis (Jeremy Irons), he hatches a plan to liberate a shackled prisoner rumored to be the king's twin brother, and then install him on the throne. But the three musketeers must also contend with their old friend D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne), who has remained in the king's service.
  • In 16th-century Venice, Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes) hopes to wed Portia (Lynn Collins). But to have a chance at winning her hand in marriage, he needs to have a lot of money -- a critical resource he lacks. And because Bassanio's rich friend Antonio (Jeremy Irons) is unable to help, he's forced to make a deadly deal with pitiless moneylender Shylock (Al Pacino). Bassanio will get his money -- and without paying interest. If he doesn't pay it back, however, he will owe Shylock a pound of his flesh.
  • In the heart-pounding thriller Die Hard with a Vengeance, John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself caught in a web of danger. New York City becomes his battleground as he grapples with a vengeful adversary, Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons). The stakes escalate when Simon initiates a deadly game of Simon Says, dragging McClane and an unlikely ally, Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), into a high-stakes treasure hunt. Amidst ticking bombs and complex riddles, the duo must unravel Simon's sinister motives to save their city. Directed by John McTiernan, this third installment of the Die Hard franchise astounds with its relentless action and clever plot twists.
  • In this story-within-a-story, Anna (Meryl Streep) is an actress starring opposite Mike (Jeremy Irons) in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.
  • Being Julia
    11
    26 votes
    Julia Lambert (Annette Bening) is a popular but aging stage actress who is losing passion for her career. Her husband and director, Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons), introduces her to a young American actor, Tom (Shaun Evans), who professes admiration for her. Julia and Tom start an affair, but soon she realizes that Tom is just using her to advance his own career and that of his other girlfriend, actress Avice Crichton (Lucy Punch). Julia befriends Avice, all the while plotting her revenge.
  • Elizabeth I
    12
    40 votes
    The queen has affairs with earls.
  • Kafka
    13
    31 votes
    Kafka is a 1991 mystery thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh. Ostensibly a biopic, based on the life of Franz Kafka, the film blurs the lines between fact and Kafka's fiction, creating a Kafkaesque atmosphere. It was written by Lem Dobbs, and stars Jeremy Irons in the title role, with Theresa Russell, Ian Holm, Jeroen Krabbé, Joel Grey, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Alec Guinness. Released after Soderbergh's critically acclaimed debut Sex, Lies, and Videotape it was the first of what would be a series of low-budget box-office disappointments. It has since become a cult film, being compared to Terry Gilliam's Brazil and David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch.
  • The House of the Spirits is a 1993 German-Danish-Portuguese period drama directed by Bille August and starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas and Vanessa Redgrave. The supporting cast includes María Conchita Alonso, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Jan Niklas. Based on the 1982 novel La Casa de los Espíritus by Isabel Allende, the film is about the life of a young lady named Clara during the military dictatorship in Chile, and her recollection of her family history, mainly the rise of her husband, Esteban Trueba. The film won some awards,.
  • Stealing Beauty
    15
    When she was 15, pretty but callow Lucy Harmon (Liv Tyler) visited the Tuscan town where her mother once enchanted the local male population. Four years later, in the wake of her mother's suicide, Lucy returns to the village. She plans to write some poetry, learn more about her family history and reunite with a boy she once kissed. Surveying an expansive field of suitors, Lucy finds herself taken with unattainable Alex (Jeremy Irons), as her journey imparts some unexpected lessons about love.
  • In Kingdom of Heaven, Balian (Orlando Bloom), a blacksmith turned knight, embarks on a journey to Jerusalem during the 12th century Crusades. Upon arrival, he finds himself in the midst of political intrigue and war. King Baldwin (Edward Norton) is trying to maintain peace, while Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) pushes for conflict with Saladin (Ghassan Massoud). Director Ridley Scott's historical drama is an epic tale of courage and redemption set against the backdrop of religious strife. The film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Sound Mixing.
  • Last Call
    17
    24 votes
    F. Scott Fitzgerald (Jeremy Irons) becomes close to his secretary (Neve Campbell) while dealing with his institutionalized wife (Sissy Spacek) and a mistress.
  • Margin Call
    18
    36 votes
    When an analyst uncovers information that could ruin them all, the key players (Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany) at an investment firm take extreme measures to control the damage.
  • Chinese Box
    19
    17 votes
    During the last months of Britain's control of Hong Kong, journalist John (Jeremy Irons) discovers he has only a few months to live. He decides to use the time to pursue his friend Vivian (Gong Li), who is already engaged to another man. Realizing he has never truly engaged with Hong Kong in his 15 years there, John begins walking with a video camera, recording street life and interviewing people like street vendor Jean (Maggie Cheung), in an effort to capture the real Hong Kong before he dies.
  • Georgia O'Keeffe is a 2009 American television biographical film, produced by City Entertainment in association with Sony Television, about noted American painter Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz. The film was directed by Bob Balaban, executive-produced by Joshua D. Maurer, Alixandre Witlin and Joan Allen, and line-produced by Tony Mark. Shown on Lifetime Television, it starred Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons in lead roles. At the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards, the film received nine nominations, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Jeremy Irons and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for Joan Allen. The film was also nominated for three 2009 Golden Globe Awards, including Best Miniseries or Television Movie or Miniseries, as well as receiving nominations for director by the Directors Guild of America and a Producers Guild nomination for Producer of the Year award for Outstanding Television Movie or Miniseries, and a NAACP nomination for supporting actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries.
  • Scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) is determined to prove that time travel is possible. His determination is turned to desperation by a personal tragedy that now drives him to want to change the past. Testing his theories with a time machine of his own invention, Hartdegen is hurtled 800,000 years into the future, where he discovers that mankind has divided into the hunter ... and the hunted.
  • Eragon
    22
    52 votes
    In the fantastical realm of Alagaesia, Eragon (Ed Speleers), a humble farm boy, stumbles upon a dragon's egg. This discovery catapults him into an ancient prophecy and transforms his life forever. Trained by Brom (Jeremy Irons), a wise old storyteller, Eragon becomes a Dragon Rider, the last hope against the ruthless King Galbatorix (John Malkovich). As he navigates through treacherous lands with his dragon Saphira (voiced by Rachel Weisz), Eragon must master magic and swordplay to overthrow the despotic king and restore peace to Alagaesia. A tale of adventure and destiny, Eragon is a captivating blend of fantasy and action.
  • Inland Empire
    23
    Nikki (Laura Dern), an actress, takes on a role in a new film, and because her husband (Peter J. Lucas) is very jealous, her co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) gets a warning not to make any romantic overtures -- especially since the characters they play are having an affair. Both actors learn that the project is a remake of an unfinished film in which the stars were murdered.
  • The Civil War
    24
    The Civil War is a documentary film created by Ken Burns about the American Civil War. It was first broadcast on PBS on five consecutive nights from September 23 to 27, 1990. Approximately 40 million viewers watched it during its initial broadcast, making it the most-watched program ever to air on PBS. It was subsequently awarded more than 40 major television and film honors. The film was remastered on the twelfth anniversary of its release, and a book following the movie has also been released. The nation was captivated by the film, which drew praise from President George H. W. Bush.
  • Casanova
    25
    28 votes
    With a reputation for seducing members of the opposite sex, regardless of their marital status, a notorious womanizer discovers a beauty who seems impervious to his charms. However, as he continues to pursue the indifferent lady, he finds himself falling in love.
  • Swann in Love
    26
    Swann in Love, is a 1984 Franco-German film directed by Volker Schlöndorff. It is based on volume 1 of Marcel Proust's 1919 novel In Search of Lost Time, typically translated as Swann's Way. It was nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards.
  • Appaloosa
    27
    24 votes
    Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his longtime friend and partner Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) travel the 1880s Southwest, bringing justice to lawless towns desperate enough to hire them. In the mining town of Appaloosa, malevolent rancher Randall Bragg and his cronies ride roughshod over the frightened citizens. As Cole and Hitch work to end Bragg's reign of terror, an unconventional widow (Renee Zellweger) arrives, complicating the job and threatening their bond.
  • The Wild Duck
    28

    The Wild Duck

    12 votes
    The Wild Duck is a 1984 film directed by Henri Safran.
  • Nijinsky
    29
    13 votes
    Nijinsky is a 1980 American biographical film directed by Herbert Ross. Hugh Wheeler wrote a screenplay that explores the later life and career of Vaslav Nijinsky; it was based largely on the premier danseur's personal diaries, and her 1934 biography of Nijinsky, largely ghostwritten by Lincoln Kirstein, who later co-founded the New York City Ballet.
  • Betrayal
    30
    16 votes
    One-time lovers Jerry (Jeremy Irons) and Emma (Patricia Hodge) meet in a London pub for the first time since their breakup. Emma informs Jerry that she's confessed to her husband, Robert (Ben Kingsley), about their affair. From there, in reverse chronology, they ruminate on the highs and lows of their tumultuous seven-year relationship, from their first meeting, to the eventual chilling of their romance, to their betrayal of cuckold Robert, Jerry's best friend.
  • Australia
    31

    Australia

    10 votes
    Following a stint as a fighter pilot in World War II, Belgian-born Edouard (Jeremy Irons) falls in love with an Indonesian woman, has a daughter with her and immigrates to Australia, all without the knowledge of his family back home. Years later, his love has passed away, and he's raising his daughter on his own. When his brother, Julien (Tcheky Karyo), calls asking for help with his failing wool-processing company, Edouard agrees to temporarily return home to aid him.
  • G-Force
    32
    17 votes
    Armed with the latest high-tech spy gear, a guinea pig named Darwin (Sam Rockwell) and his team of specially trained rodents are often the last line of defense against chaos and destruction. But when the government shuts them down and ships them off to a pet shop, Darwin and his gang will have to find a way to break out and prevent a mad billionaire (Bill Nighy) from taking over the world.
  • Mathilde
    33

    Mathilde

    9 votes
    Mathilde is a 2004 drama film written and directed by Nina Mimica and starring Jeremy Irons, Nutsa Kukhianidze and Sinéad Cusack. It was a co-production between several different countries. A young girl attempts to kill a UN peacekeeper after the war in Croatia, leading to an investigation into the circumstances of their first meeting.
  • When the world's greatest treasures, including the Pink Panther diamond, are stolen, only one man can solve the mystery: Clouseau (Steve Martin). Together with his partner Ponton (Jean Reno) and a team of international detectives, the bumbling detective must catch the thief and retrieve the artifacts -- without causing too much collateral damage.
  • Putting work first, editor Jack Elgin (Jeremy Irons) reroutes his family's vacation to cover a story in India. However, his selfish decision comes back to haunt him when terrorists hijack their flight. Though their demands are met, the terrorists fire on the passengers, killing Elgin's wife and daughter. Elgin manages to survive and save his son, but after the attack he dedicates his life to justice and revenge. Meanwhile, an FBI agent (Forest Whitaker) also looks to bring down the terrorists.
  • Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan
    36

    Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan

    12 votes
  • Recent widower Guy Jones (Jeremy Irons) is transferred to a sleepy small town in Britain, where he decides to audition for an amateur production of "The Beggar's Opera." The director, Dafydd Ap Llewellyn (Anthony Hopkins), is such a tyrant that most of the actors quit, bringing Guy's role to more prominence. His local fame facilitates his seduction of numerous townswomen, including co-star Fay (Jenny Seagrove) and Llewellyn's wife, Hannah (Prunella Scales).
  • In the Kingdom of Izmer, wizards use their magic to rule the land. The young Empress Savina (Thora Birch) desires to use magic for good, but the evil Profion (Jeremy Irons) plans to utilize his powers to usurp the throne from Savina and subject the kingdom to totalitarian rule. Profion gains control of the kingdom's golden dragons, while Savina sets out to win control of the even more powerful red dragons, gaining the alliance of a motley group of individuals along the way.
  • A jewel thief (Jeremy Irons) and a singer (Patricia Kaas) who both want to break free of the past meet by chance in Morocco.
  • Waterland
    40
    11 votes
    Waterland is a 1992 film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Graham Swift. The film starred Jeremy Irons, Sinéad Cusack, Ethan Hawke, and John Heard.
  • The Short Life of Anne Frank
    41

    The Short Life of Anne Frank

    9 votes
    The Short Life of Anne Frank is a 2001 Dutch television documentary film about the life of diarist Anne Frank. It was directed by Gerrit Netten. The film was narrated by several actors, including Jeremy Irons, Joachim Krol, and Bram Bart. Thekla Reuten and Nicky Mark Morris provided voices for Anne Frank. The film includes the only known footage of Anne Frank, a video of Otto Frank in English, and some pages from the original diary of Anne are also videoed in the film.
  • The Words
    42
    12 votes
    When shallow wannabe-writer Rory (Bradley Cooper) finds an old manuscript tucked away in a bag, he decides to pass the work off as his own. The book, called "The Window Tears," brings Rory great acclaim, until the real author (Jeremy Irons) shows up and threatens to destroy Rory's reputation. Cut to Clayton Hammond (Dennis Quaid), a writer whose popular novel "The Words" seems to mirror Rory's story, leading to speculation that the tome is Hammond's thinly veiled autobiography.
  • Callas Forever
    43
    Callas Forever is a 2002 biographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, who co-wrote the screenplay with Martin Sherman. It is an homage to Zeffirelli's friend, internationally acclaimed opera diva Maria Callas, whom he directed on stage in Norma, La Traviata, and Tosca.
  • The Treehouse
    44
    The Treehouse is a 2012 drama film directed by Damian Harris.
  • Faeries
    45
    5 votes
    This animated tale follows two young children as they are drawn into a magical world of faeries. While the kids are in awe of their enchanted surroundings, they are distressed to find out that they can't go back home until they complete certain challenges set out for them by the land's prince (Dougray Scott). Luckily, for the children, the lovely Brigid (Kate Winslet) is on hand to help out, but the trio faces trouble when the scheming Shapeshifter (Jeremy Irons) appears to thwart their efforts.
  • Ohio Impromptu
    46

    Ohio Impromptu

    5 votes
    Ohio Impromptu is a 2000 television film directed by Charles Sturridge.
  • The Majestic Plastic Bag
    47

    The Majestic Plastic Bag

    5 votes
    The Majestic Plastic Bag is a 2010 short documentary film directed by Jeremy Konner and written by Sarah May Bates and Regie Miller.
  • In 1950s England, young Danny (Samuel Irons) lives in a motor home with his father, William (Jeremy Irons), next to the garage that William owns and operates just outside a small village. Local businessman Victor Hazell (Robbie Coltrane) has quietly been buying up the woods surrounding William's garage to develop into a housing estate, but William refuses to sell. When Hazell organizes a pheasant shoot to woo the local upper crust in aid of his plans, Danny and his father plot their revenge.
  • Tales from Hollywood
    49

    Tales from Hollywood

    6 votes
    Tales from Hollywood is a 1992 film written by Christopher Hampton and directed by Howard Davies.
  • Freedom: A History of Us is a 2003 history documentary TV series written by Philip Kunhardt Jr.
  • The Magic 7
    51
    The Magic 7 is an animated TV movie written and directed by Roger Holzberg. It centers on the adventures of two children and a dragon as they fight the arch-enemies of Earth. It was originally slated to air on Earth Day in 1997, but was postponed. After later plans for a 2005 release, the film was once again suspended indefinitely. Production on the film began in 1990 and has been delayed many times since then. Subsequently, two of the actors who recorded voices for the parts in film are now deceased: John Candy, the voice of Smokestack Sam, died in 1994; Madeline Kahn, the voice of Wastra, died in 1999. Other actors, such as Michael J. Fox, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Ice-T and Dirk Benedict, all recorded their voices in the early 1990s. Kevin Bacon, Bette Midler, and Judy Collins appear as themselves. Candy's voice has since been removed from the film, as has Kahn's, and they are no longer being listed as part of the cast. It is unsure if this character was voiced by a new actor, or removed entirely from the film.
  • Moonlighting
    52
    Looking to cut costs on the remodeling of his new apartment in London, a Polish official brings in a handful of workers from Warsaw, using tourist visas. Their foreman, Nowak (Jeremy Irons), is the only one of the group who speaks English, and consequently the only one to learn that the Solidarity movement in Poland has just been crushed. Fearful that it will be difficult to return home, Nowak doesn't tell his crew, but initiates a series of petty crimes to keep them all financially afloat.
  • The Chronoscope
    53

    The Chronoscope

    7 votes
    The Chronoscope is a 2009 short film written and directed by Andrew Legge.
  • The Timekeeper was a 1992 Circle-Vision 360° film that was presented at three Disney parks around the world. It was the first Circle-Vision show that was arranged and filmed with an actual plot and not just visions of landscapes, and the first to utilize Audio-Animatronics. The film features a cast of European film actors of France, Italy, Belgium, Russia, and England. The film was shown in highly stylized circular theaters, and featured historic and futuristic details both on the interior and exterior. The Timekeeper and its original European counterpart Le Visionarium marked the first time that the Circle-Vision film process was used to deliver a narrative story line. This required a concept to explain the unusual visual characteristics of the Theater, hence the character 9-Eyes. 9-Eyes is sent through Time by The Timekeeper, so that she can send back the surrounding images as she records them in whichever era she finds herself in. The European attraction was also known by its film name as Un Voyage à Travers le Temps, while the Japanese version was simply named "Visionarium", with the caption From Time to Time on the poster.
  • The Beekeeper
    55
    One man's brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after it's revealed he's a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as Beekeepers.