Summary
- Karl Urban is known for his ability to embody a diverse range of roles across various genres, from major franchises like Lord of the Rings and Star Trek to hidden gems.
- Urban's attention to detail allows him to completely disappear into his characters, employing a variety of speech patterns, mannerisms, and body language.
- Urban's performances have greatly contributed to the success of various projects, such as his instant-classic take on Billy Butcher in The Boys.
If there's anything that Karl Urban's best movies and TV shows have in common, it's that they all feature Urban's character as a complicated badass. Indeed, though the New Zealander has been somewhat typecast, this has also led to Urban playing some of the most interesting characters in both television and film. Known for his versatility, Urban's career is notable for his ability to embody a diverse range of roles across various genres of fiction. Urban's career includes major franchises, such as Lord of the Rings and Star Trek, as well as some hidden gems.
Not every Karl Urban movie is as good as his best works, but many of them make perfect use of his abilities. From movies made for children to films and shows with dark, highly violent, or other adult themes, Urban has undoubtedly made his mark in entertainment history. If the script requires it, Urban is even known for physically transforming himself to perfectly fit the role. His attention to detail includes employing a variety of speech patterns, mannerisms, and body language to completely disappear into his characters. All this allows Karl Urban's best movies and TV shows to stand out among the deluge of content in the streaming age.
10 The Sea Beast
Karl Urban stars in the animated adventure The Sea Beast as Jacob Holland, the adopted son of a legendary hunter named Captain Crow. Jacob, Crow, and his first mate Sarah Sharpe are part of a crew of hunters who've amassed fame and fortune by hunting sea beasts, who are being targeted for extermination by the King and Queen. The story is not unlike How to Train Your Dragon and The Sea Beast has been criticized for being derivative. At the same time, The Sea Beast is arguably the best modern subversion of the adventure drama tropes established by iconic stories like Moby Dick and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.
9 Pete's Dragon
Karl Urban plays the role of Gavin in the 2016 version of the 1977 musical Pete's Dragon. A supporting character in the movie, Gavin is the owner of a lumber mill, who quickly gets acquainted with both Pete and the dragon Elliot. Gavin added depth to the story as his character undergoes arguably the most complex transformation among the cast of Pete's Dragon. Undoubtedly, Karl Urban's performance helped in turning this heartwarming family adventure film into a full-blown modern fairy tale. Although the movie is not a musical like the original, it still succeeds at welcoming a classic animated Disney story into live-action cinema.
8 Thor: Ragnarok
In Thor: Ragnarok, the third standalone Thor movie by the MCU, the Asgardian warrior Skurge is played by Karl Urban. While the traditional guardian of the Bifrost Bridge Heimdall is away, Skurge is assigned in his place. Skurge is briefly useful as the new guardian of the Bifrost, but he shifts allegiances when he is appointed as the executioner for Hela, the Goddess of Death. Although Skurge has little screen time compared to the main cast of Thor: Ragnarok, Skurge's overall journey cements his place in the annals of Asgardian history, and the MCU greatly benefited from Karl Urban's dramatic acting chops and penchant for action scenes.
7 The Bourne Supremacy
Continuing the story of Matt Damon's Jason Bourne, the second movie in the franchise The Bourne Supremacy sees Bourne being pursued by the Russian assassin Kirill, who is played by Karl Urban. Kirill is an agent for the Federal Security Service, who is tasked with taking Bourne down by any means necessary. As Kirill, Urban convincingly plays someone who's dangerous enough to fulfill the difficult mission by himself. Urban's debut in the franchise was also timed well with the entrance of The Bourne Supremacy director Paul Greengrass, whose handheld spectator-style filmmaking merged perfectly with Bourne and Kirill's many action scenes.
6 LOTR: Two Towers & Return of the King
The second entry in Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, introduces Karl Urban as Eomer of the Rohirrim. After Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas endure a tense welcome from the Riders of Rohan, it is Eomer who gives the members of the Fellowship the lay of the land in the Riddermark. Later, in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Eomer plays a more pivotal role - leading the Rohirrim against Sauron's forces in the last historic battle of the Second Age of Middle-earth. Eomer has a comparatively small role in the entire saga, but Urban ensured it would be memorable.
5 Star Trek Trilogy
In the entire modern Star Trek trilogy, Karl Urban has the honor of rebooting Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. From Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness to Star Trek Beyond, Urban's performance as Dr. McCoy is a faithful homage to DeForest Kelley's original character from the series. Delighting both newcomers and long-time viewers of one of the most beloved long-running sci-fi franchises of all time, Urban successfully captured the iconic character's comic timing and unusual charisma. Urban's contribution is pivotal to the reboot trilogy's success, preserving the beloved essence of the character while injecting new energy into the Star Trek franchise.
4 Out of the Blue
The 2006 film Out of the Blue is a powerful and poignant portrayal of a real-life tragic event, the Aramoana massacre in New Zealand in 1990. Karl Urban's performance as Nick Harvey, a police constable who played a key role during the tragic incident, is deeply moving and effective in capturing the raw emotions and heroism displayed by individuals involved in the tragedy. While the production and overall reception of Out of the Blue aren't entirely bereft of controversy, the movie's restrained but still realistic handling of fairly recent violent events in New Zealand history led to largely positive reviews - including commendations for Urban's portrayal of Harvey.
3 Comanche Moon
Karl Urban portrays Woodrow F. Call in the television miniseries Comanche Moon, a prequel to Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove series. Woodrow F. Call is a Texas Ranger known for his stoic demeanor and determination. Urban masterfully portrayed Call's dedication to maintaining law and order in the Wild West, as well as his evolving relationship with his partner Gus McCrae, who is played by Steve Zahn. Notably, both Urban and Zahn faithfully depict the mannerisms and performances of their respective predecessors Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, who played Call and McCrae in Lonesome Dove - giving a better sense of continuity to the original and the prequel.
2 Dredd
In the action sci-fi movie Dredd, Karl Urban is perfectly cast as the titular judge, jury, and executioner of the dystopian future Mega Cities. While a sequel to Karl Urban's Dredd movie is unlikely to happen, it remains a worthwhile adaptation of the 2000 AD comic book series. From the scoring and sound design to the cinematography and production, Dredd seamlessly combines contemporary action sensibilities with the comic book style and references expected by long-time readers. The key to this adaptation is Urban himself, whose voice, body language, and ability to act with just the lower half of his face led to a believable but still comic book-accurate Judge Dredd.
1 The Boys
Few fictional TV badasses are as complex and dangerous as Billy Butcher, who's played by Karl Urban in the live-action series adaptation of the comic book series The Boys. A former wetwork specialist for the British and U.S. governments, Butcher now leads the titular team in their ever-evolving quest to rid the world of abusive superpowered individuals. Loosely adapted from the comic books, Butcher's story continues in The Boys season 4. From his dry wit and creative ways of doling out violence to his compellingly unpredictable character arc, Billy Butcher deserves his reputation of being the most popular character to be played by Karl Urban.