Davina Claire (Danielle Campbell), The Originals, 68. but creating a coven without even knowing it is pretty cool, too. We have selected the top wizards and witches across film, television, video games, comics, and books and ranked them according to powers + power in pop culture. Descend from persecuted witchesor those who escaped persecution? Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery), Salem, 91. Also known as the Original Witch, Esther is responsible for creating vampirism. According to his Chocolate Frog card, Albus Dumbledore - Hogwarts Headmaster and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, among other accolades - is 'the greatest wizard of modern times'. Thats why it hurt so much more when she left us all too soon. Still, it was up through the turn of the 20th century where the first major rumblings of non-threateningor outright good witchesappeared in media and literature. Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham), The Vampire Diaries. NEXT: Witches and wizards 24 1[pagebreak], 24. Magical education is largely divided into two camps: learning at home or at formal magical educational institutions. Thomas Edison - Top 10 Most Beloved Wizards - TIME Just as Harry Potter made it easier for fans to own their geeky habits, the Harry Potter fandom made it easier for fans to market those geeky habits as professional assets. Enroll in some sort of magical education schooling? Still, it was up through the turn of the 20th century where the first major rumblings of non-threateningor outright good witchesappeared in media and literature. Yera wizard, Harry. At first, the GHW appears glamorous, but shes not so pretty underneath her disguise. The news prompted Christian scholars to declare the move nonsense, while queer fans were in turn angry that Rowling had done so little to make the queer subtext of Dumbledores character overt during the time he was actually being written (and alive). WE MAY GET PAID IF YOU BUY SOMETHING OR TAKE AN ACTION AFTER CLICKING ONE OF THESE. Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), Harry Potter. The Harry Potter generation likes to read, for sure millennials read more than any other generation and it also created a cultural landscape in which books for children are major cultural forces, and a go-to well of ideas for Hollywood. I know, they dont possess any magical powers, but lets not forget the great Michael Jordon, who is wizard-like with his basketball abilities, did play for them. But he has one weakness; women. Harry Potter 20th anniversary: How Harry Potter changed the world - Vox Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Star Wars. (They rose only 37.37 percent between 1996 and 2006.). Most famously L. Frank Baums novel The Wizard of Oz and its famous 1939 film adaptation. The Harry Potter series is a phenomenon because it tells a story that millions of people loved, and it introduced the world to an enormous and magical world that millions of people have dreamed of escaping into. Now its your turn: Who is YOUR favorite witch or wizard? r/DnD on Reddit: Sorcerers in pop culture? Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain hes not even actually a wizard. While tales of his wizardry are often exaggerated, his death remains just as controversial. Of course, wizards from the Harry Potter universe are included, but this list features other fictional wizards as well. Buffys bestie learns shes a witch early on in the series and her powers grow strongly; at one point, she turns to the dark side. Stephen Root Monroe Fuches. Similar formal attempts at removal persisted into the latter half of the decade, and the books continue to rile up conservative religious leaders who warn of its demonic influence. The Nicole Kidman motion picture version of Samantha Stephens was missing all the magic. Daniel Radcliffe scored the coveted role of Harry, helping make the films a massive success and spawning several spinoff movies and books. As such, attempts to stay under the radar are largely imperfect. The hook came from the press: Newspapers featured articles about the little English book that had garnered such a huge sale. Almost exactly 20 years ago, on September 1, 1998, Scholastic published Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, the first US edition of the UKs Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Twenty-nine here, but no. In Harry Potter and in The Magicians, those with magical powers attend an actual school. Katrina Crane (Katia Winter), Sleepy Hollow. Angelique Bouchard (Lara Parker), Dark Shadows. Speaking of teenage witches the iconic Sabrina Spellman needs no introduction. The White Witch rules with an iron fist, turning those who oppose her into stone. These women have modernized witchcraft into the 21st century, and their practice is often linked to self-care. Harry Potters mortal enemy, Lord Voldermort is the main antagonist throughout the Harry Potter books. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. A force to be defeated. (Why she doesn't magic herself some pants remains a mystery.). Comic book character Dr Stephen Strange has become much more well-known since Benedict Cumberbatch played him in the recent Marvel movies. While some may equate the occult with Satanism, this is a misnomer. But the latter half of the century and certainly through the present, depictions of witches, especially specifically non-scary witches, are certainly broader. The coolest and most fashionable teen witch of the 80s uses her magic to get by during the toughest time of ones life: high school. Witches are rarely without some sort of inner evil, but Glinda? The books proved such a success that they were adapted into a film series. Merlins demise comes about after he falls in love with the Lady of the Lake. Aside from the cultural impact, the character itself is admirably resourceful: Mickey uses magic to do his chores for him (which eventually ends in disaster but it was fun while it lasted!). Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. Famous Wizards | List of Famous Mystics and Occultists If youre the Sea Witch, you better believe people have a reason to be scared of you reasons that might include stealing mermaids voices, a cunning personality, and a penchant of turning prisoners into a helpless polyps. Teenager Louise (played by Blake Livelys sister Robin) inherits her abilities when she turns 16. The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), The Wizard of Oz. Sometimes, they fully embrace said reputation. Whether theyre tangentially connected to the witch trials or overtly, both have an overlapping trait: there were witches in Salem. Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfeiffer), The Witches of Eastwick. By the time Twilight took over from Harry Potter as the reigning young adult phenomenon in 2005, the idea of a modern, mainstream fandom coalescing around a major sci-fi/fantasy series was well-established and generally accepted. Her son might be the King of Hell, but Rowena has enough power to spell an angel, so we wouldnt mess with her. "Sorcerers have no use for the spellbooks and ancient tomes of magic lore that wizards rely on, nor do they rely on a patron to grant their spells as warlocks do. 55. Stevie Wonderamazed the crowd with his second album Innervisionsthat was a major hit. However, this doesnt mean there arent parameters. No one is more lethally glamorous than Charlize Therons wicked Queen Ravenna, an enchantress who will stop at nothing like, changing herself into a flock of birds to kill Snow White. While the term magician might be more apt, these illusionists are still worth mentioning in the conversation of famous wizards. The budget came from Scholastic itself. Ralph Fiennes in the Harry Potter saga (200511). Pictures included where possible. Offers may be subject to change without notice. In. During the tournament, he comes face-to-face with the most feared dragon, the Hungarian Horntail. Theres a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Miracle Max is skilled just enough to know that difference. 22. Vote up the best wizard characters from film, TV, and more! RELATED: Ranking the scariest American Horror Story characters, 10. Their parents were paying for everything, and they would never be willing to pay an extra dollar or two for a longer book, with its extra printing and binding. Fun fact: Copperfield also owns 11 resort islands in the Bahamas where he likes to disappear to from time to time. In general, the Harry Potter fandom was among the first to see a number of people actively leveraging their success through fandom toward their professional careers. 17. Part of what made Harry Potter such a literary phenomenon is that so many kids were reading the books despite an unprecedented number of attempts to get them to stop reading the books. Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson), The Secret Circle. Other Harry Potter fans, like fan convention organizer Melissa Anelli and social activist Andrew Slack launched careers directly out of Harry Potter fandom. But still, in the Netflix seriesthough slightly less so in 90s sitcomthere are plenty of humans in on the secret. So at the center of this story about an Italian nobleman, The Little Mermaid | Pat Carroll in The Little Mermaid (1989) An all-singing, all-dancing, all-evil, underwater witch for the ages. Wizards are known to be mysterious, with powers to help or harm others. Google Pay. And in both iterations of. Given the secrecy surrounding witches existence, its a given that education is a vital element. The Most Iconic Castles in Pop Culture History - Yahoo! It lends an ounce of retroactive credibility to the witch hunters. Then he got greedy. Raistlin Majere One of Tracy Hickman & Margaret Weis' characters in the Heroes of the Dragonlance and Dragonlance Legends trilogies, he is a magic-user whose entire existence is about garnering more power. Please enter a valid email and try again. Category:Wizards in fiction - Wikipedia People generally didnt read the Harry Potter books in isolation; they wanted to talk about it with their friends, and then find more friends who loved the books as much as they did. Are Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in love, or are they good actors? sales of non-Potter kid lit were increasing by 2 percent a year, millennials read more than any other generation. NEXTLUXURYDOTCOM LLC IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM. See more about - The 22 Best 90s Cartoon Characters. As she learns more and becomes deeper involved with magic, Willow becomes consumed by her powers and turns into an evil witch. But he has one weakness; women. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. Oh, and the box for the game totally has a different title, which is "Beware the Ultimate . He just knew that he loved it and wanted to publish it. That budget is structured so that elevating the numbers in one category means elevating the numbers in the next category: If youre going to invest $105,000 just in acquiring a book, youre also going to pour extra money into marketing, publicity, and production, so that you have a reasonable chance of making that money back. You barely even see him, and he instills. Melisandre (Carice van Houten), Game of Thrones. In honor of one of our all-time favorite on-camera witches . It changed the business model for publishing books for kids. Books, movies, TV shows, and other mediums have featured these spell-casting humans. Many modern pop culture witches can generally trace their roots back through real historical events. Which 'Toy Story' Toys Now Need Their Toys' Stories Told? 78. Without further ado 99. Morgana Pendragon (Katie McGrath), Merlin. The secrecy is often more or less an informal arrangement between a coven or magical family. RELATED: 8 horrifying books about real haunted houses to read with the lights on, 30. Of course youd try to become popular, just as Louise does. Even, Whether theyre tangentially connected to the witch trials or overtly, both have an overlapping trait: there were witches in Salem. Bring down evil entities in your spare time? While there is some debate surrounding Saurons position as a wizard, we think he deserves a spot on this list. Booklist found that middle-grade novels expanded 115.5 percent between 2006 and 2016, the decade in which the Potter novels were at their longest. And it introduced an entire generation to the idea that its possible to interact with the pop culture you love to write about it and with it, to make music and art about it, and to build a business around it. Its sort of a two-fold conundrum, because it makes sense to use the era as a jumping off point but it also overlooks the victims, killed by fear mongering puritans presiding over sham trials. If only his [SPOILER ALERT] death wasn't so sudden and easily avoidable. Whereas the informal training, through magical elders and the like, represents magic as part of a way of life. Generates new conversations about gender that move beyond nation. Generic things also work for the other classes. Magical education is largely divided into two camps: learning at home or at formal magical educational institutions. and its famous 1939 film adaptation. People like the Russian mystic Rasputin and Nicholas Flamel, the man who discovered the Philosophers Stone, are all said to have been real-life wizards from decades back. In 2005, students at Vermonts Middlebury college created the first real-life Quidditch game, which went on to spawn an international real-world college sport. (She can also turn into a cat at a moments notice and isn't afraid to stand up to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and, oh yeah, Umbridge.). Get the latest Stanley tumbler in the new Orchid color: Stanley Soft Matte Quencher H2.0 Flowstate 40-ounce tumbler, $50. Take one bettor fond of early 2000s romantic comedies. You can even have up to 255 spells at your disposal, making him the most versatile wizard on this list. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. If you havent heard of Dr. Magic is one thing. They appear in fiction stories told in books and movies. She was the star pupil in her classes at Hogwarts and the savvy, level-headed member of the triumvirate that includes Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. In fact, among the broad depictions of witches over the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st, there are a handful of characteristics and tropes that encapsulate them all. Witchcraft is such a diverse study and the practice is intertwined with so many cultures and lore. His popularity has soared with his appearances in The Avenger movies, with Strange even getting his own standalone movie. Lo Pan's plan went awry when he kidnapped a pair of women, both of whom meant something to rogue trucker Jack Burton (Kurt Russell). Glinda the Good Witch of the North (Billie Burke), The Wizard of Oz. But the one witch who has scared more kids than even the Disney villains, is Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West, from the 1939 big screen . Winifred, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson were put to death in 1600s Salem, but a little spell brings them back to life on Halloween three centuries later. But what really makes Harry Potter stand out is the way people loved (and continue to love) Harry Potter. 53. actually circumvented this trope by making the accused witch in question actually innocent, reminding viewers of the horrific reality of the trials. , a magical mentor called a Whitelighter guides the Halliwell sistersand more recently, the Verasthrough their magical studies. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. One member of the family wholly ignoring the secrecy pact. Famous Wizards From History and Fantasy - Next Luxury But you already knew that. Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West. Jane Spofford (Susan Sarandon), The Witches of Eastwick, 54. You Know Whos name became frightening to the wizarding world and to readers for a reason: whether on the page or on screen, Voldemort is one of the most fearsome wizards of all time. D&D sorcerers don't do that. In America, they often descend from the witches of Salem, our most notedthough certainly not singularinstance of witchcraft persecution. In most depictions of modern witchcraft, good witches live in our midst with their true powers (mostly) hidden. She was repulsive even before you consider Nintendo 64s graphics standards of 1998. 1. RELATED: 15 Scary Movies We Saw as Kids That Still Haunt Our Nightmares. As more Harry Potter fans became more active online, they made discussion of YA fiction, fantasy, and science fiction seem commonplace. Prior to Harry Potter, the accepted wisdom was that kids didnt have the attention span to read long books. ), 11. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. Harry Dresden (Paul Blackthorne), The Dresden Files, 87. And the general fear of things deemed unnatural or odd. Iam Tongi Delivers Soulful Sam Cooke Cover on 'American Idol' - Billboard 95. Usually alongside a classically evil witch. With Genie's power at his disposal, Jafar took his place among the most powerful wizards in pop culture. It is now, and thats because the boy wizard and his friends transformed an entire industry. Harry Potter conventions drew thousands of fans, and Harry Potter cosplay became a well-known sight at larger geek and comic cons. He might be called a king and not a wizard, but Jareth has incredible magical powers he uses to try and stop Sarah Williams from saving her baby brother in the cult classic Labyrinth. Given the secrecy surrounding witches existence, its a given that education is a vital element. Nancy Downs (Fairuza Balk), The Craft, 15. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. In both the Sabrina sitcom and Netflix show, the titular teen initial witchs education is mostly through lessons with her aunts. Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman), Practical Magic. 46. Dont let Wanda Maximoff near your mind you might never get her out. Arthur Levine, the Scholastic editor who acquired the books, had an excellent eye for British books that would work in the US, having already acquired the US rights to Redwall and His Dark Materials. The feeling that the books thus promoted the occult proved to be the basis for constant challenges to the series presence in school libraries and bookstores by concerned conservative parents. Reviewers wanted to know what kind of book would justify that kind of money. He was a Numidian who lived under the Roman Empire. And then, of course, there are the strictly magical communities. Plus, youve gotta love those cheekbones. After years of solo hits and an ongoing stint fronting classic rock powerhouse Queen, Lambert was back on familiar ground on Sunday night (April 30) when he returned to the Idol stage for a . Nicole Kidman doesnt have the best luck with portraying witches. The Goblin King uses crystal orbs to create illusions and has the ability to shapeshift, defy gravity, and change time. Such as beloved Practical Magic aunts, Franny and Jet Owens. Magic in Popular Culture - Mysteries and the Unexplained in Credo Offers may be subject to change without notice. Even Shakespeare, who lived during a time of deep fear of witchcraft, got in on the trend. And while she might look innocent on the surface, never mess with the woman who became so powerful she eventually altered reality enough to create entire armies out of thin air. And the list goes on: The author of the bestselling Mortal Instruments series, Cassandra Clare first gained fame online as Cassandra Claire, author of the incredibly popular Harry Potter fanfic The Draco Trilogy. Pictures included where possible. Saruman (Christopher Lee), Lord of the Rings, 45. More often, a witch living a non-magical life is noted for their eccentricities. She almost brings about Buffys demise but is saved and embarks on a redemptive arc in the series. Who Are Most Powerful Wizards in Literature? - Toptenz.net Gandalf features heavily in J. R. R. Tolkiens novelsThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Rings. It turns out Buffy the Vampire Slayers best friend is a witch. Henry Winkler Gene Cousineau. So much so that she covered most of Narnia in ice. Harry Potter did fine when it first emerged in the UK 20 years ago, winning a Smarties Award and garnering respectable sales for its publisher, Bloomsbury. A father, a sith, and one of the most powerful forces on the dark side, Darth Vaders story has been central to the Star Wars films, and even in death, he looks to be leaving us no time soon. And not the foundation for which there is a strict set of rules. She is one nasty piece of work. Unlike Stannis, we dont expect The Red Woman to go down too easily. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. Special mention must be made of Ralph Fiennes portrayal of him in the films. The former is a magical secondary school, whereas the latter is more of a grad school for magicians (a.k.a. He is also the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, the group of wizards and witches determined to stop Lord Voldermort from rising to power. Winifred Winnie Sanderson (Bette Midler), Hocus Pocus, She sings. . 27. But seeing witches as forces for goodor, at the very least, incredibly nuanced peoplebetter represents witchcraft as a spiritual way of life. 1 in the Wackiest Witches ranking. He didn't even have hands, yet he gathered about him every fell beast imaginable, all to find the One Ring and kill whoever carries it. In large part, that boom is courtesy of Harry Potter, which became a surprise crossover hit adored by both children and adults, and which made it acceptable for adults to read books that are ostensibly for children. William Shakespeare seemed to have a little thing for magicand revenge. Who saved the day more than Hermione? Anyone who can teach herself magic is a badass in our book. Can you imagine learning youre a witch in high school? Sympathetic and misunderstood, Elphie proved to be a sorceress of unlimited renown (and vibrato). Worst witch ever. would put her toward the top of any list when it comes to powerful beings. The one where EW follows up with the cast. Tabitha Lenox (Juliet Mills), Passions, 82.