History RedBaron / Film

* ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'' has Maleficent, the "Mistress of All Evil" whose status as such is never questioned despite [[{{Narcissist}} her having apparently given the title to herself]]. In fact, even the marketing materials for ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' make use of the title [[spoiler: [[MisaimedMarketing despite how little it fits her characterization in that film]]]].

* The ''Film/{{MonsterVerse}}'' series expands on some of the Franchise{{Godzilla}} examples above:

* {{Kaiju}}:
** Franchise/{{Godzilla}} has had numerous subtitles throughout his incarnations: God of Destruction, Champion of Monsters, God Incarnate, and Giant Hydrogen Bomb Monster among others, but his most well-known by far is the King of the Monsters. ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' has a variation on this: [[spoiler:after having killed the M.U.T.O.s, a news channel has the headline "King of the Monsters: Saviour of Our City?" This indicates the ambivalent attitude humans have toward his DestructiveSaviour status.]]
** Anguirus is the Killer of the Living and the Fierce Dragon Monster.
** Rodan is the Giant Monster of the Sky, Crimson Monster Bird, and the Airborne Monster.
** King Ghidorah is the Three-headed Monster, the Astro-Monster, Monster Zero, Emperor of the Cosmos, the Golden Demise, or, more menacingly, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The King of Terror.]]
** Mothra is The Thing, Supersonic Giant Moth, God of the Sea, and most well-known, ''[[DistaffCounterpart Queen]]'' of the Monsters (since Mothra is second only to Godzilla in number of films she starred in among all Toho kaiju).
** Ebirah is the Sea Monster, Giant Shrimp Monster, or the Horror of the Deep.
** Varan is the Unbelievable.
** Mechagodzilla is the Cosmic Monster, the Bionic Monster, the Cyborg Monster, Silver King of the Monsters, and Anti-G[odzilla] Weapon.
** Hedorah is the Smog Monster and the Ninja Monster.
** Minilla is the Son of Godzilla and the Naughty Prince.
** Baragon is the Subterranean Monster, Fierce King of the Underground, and God of the Earth.
** Dogora is the Space Monster.

** Gyaos is the Supersonic Monster and the Shadow of Evil, to name some.

* The ''Film/{{MonsterVerse}}'' series expands on some of the above:

** Mothra still holds the title of "Queen of the Monsters", acting as the counterpart to Godzilla, as well as his greatest ally, as well the new title of "Master of the Skies".

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'': While living in the Central Park Zoo, Alex the Lion is called "The King of New York City".

* The world of ''Film/MadMax'' is this trope personified. Between Imperator Furiosa, Gyro Captain, Immortan Joe, the Bullet Farmer, Ironbar Bassey, the Doof Warrior, the People Eater, the Toecutter, the Dag, the Keeper of Seeds, Lord Humungus, the Nightrider, Mudguts, Dr. Dealgood, the Valkyrie, the Splendid Angharad, and many, many others, it's like humanity collectively decided that the post-apocalypse was free license to badassily rename everything and everyone. Even the eponymous [[AwesomeMcCoolName Max Rockatansky]] has his share titles bestowed upon him ([[TheFool some admittedly better than others]]). Usage of actual, normal names is so rare that in Mad Max: Fury Road the revealing of a character's given name becomes an emotional moment in at least two points in the film's plot.

** Peter repeatedly attempts to invoke this trope for himself in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', but to his eternal annoyance, [[DefiedTrope nobody takes his calling himself Star Lord seriously]].

* Captain Gutt from ''WesternAnimation/IceAgeContinentalDrift'' is "The Master of the Seas".
* Linda Mitchell in ''WesternAnimation/TheMitchellsVsTheMachines'' becomes known as "The Lavender One" by the elite PAL Max Prime robots, who fear her MamaBear rampage.

* Often invoked in Creator/GuyRitchie movies. ''Film/{{Snatch}}'' has Boris the Blade (aka Boris the Bullet-Dodger aka Boris the Sneaky Fucking Russian) and Bullet-Tooth Tony; ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' features porn king and local gangster Harry Lonsdale aka Hatchet Harry (a name he's quite partial to himself) and his enforcer Barry the Baptist, so named because he "drowns people for Harry". And that's just a few.
--> '''Avi''': "So, what do I call you? Bullet? Tooth?"
--> '''Bullet-Tooth Tony''': "You can call me Susan if it makes you happy."

* Deconstructed in the Ritchie-inspired ''Film/LayerCake'' however. The unnamed protagonist notes how much he loathes wannabe gangsters who try to make themselves renowned with badass nicknames such as "The Duke", basically placing a bullseye on their backs and drawing the attention of the authorities--not a good option for a criminal who is just in it for the profit.
* The ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' series featured a few. For example, Apollo Creed was The Master of Disaster, The King of Sting, The Dancing Destroyer, and The Count of Monte Fisto.
** Rocky "The Italian Stallion" Balboa himself. "Rocky" is itself a nickname for Robert, and a common one for fighters (Marciano, Graziano)
** Creed's inspiration, Cassius Clay[=/=]UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli, was apparently so impressed that he regrets never having called himself The Master of Disaster. Instead, he is known as "The Greatest".

* ''Film/{{Looper}}'' gives us "The Rainmaker," the new kingpin who is moving in and closing a lot of loops. Towards the end of the film, the truly horrifying reason for this ominous-sounding epithet is revealed.
* Il Duce, the aged assassin [[spoiler:and father of Connor and Murphy]] from ''Film/TheBoondockSaints''. So badass that he can trick an FBI agent into thinking he's six guys with a gun apiece instead of one guy with six guns.

* Film/{{Blade}} is known and feared as The Daywalker.
* In ''Film/SmokinAces'', everyone assumes that The Swede must be an incredibly badass ProfessionalKiller, because he goes only by "The Swede." [[spoiler: Subverted, in that it turns out he's a heart surgeon, not an assassin.]]
* Creator/AntonioBanderas' character in the ''Film/ElMariachi'' franchise is simply known as 'Él' which means 'Him' on spanish.
* ''Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou'' has the main characters meet George "Babyface" Nelson, an actual historical gangster and bank robber. He doesn't [[BerserkButton like]] his nickname.
* ''Film/PulpFiction''. "You're sending the Wolf? Shit, Negro, that's all you needed to say."
* Among the ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' are The Bear Jew and Aldo the Apache. Another Basterd, Utivitch, is known as "The Little Man", much to his dismay. And on the side of Nazi Germany there's S.S. Colonel Hans Landa "The Jew Hunter".
* Inverted in ''Film/WildWildWest''. The ex-Confederate General "Bloodbath" [=McGrath=] doesn't seem all ''too'' proud of his nickname, and he ''really'' doesn't like being called "The Butcher of New Liberty", seeing as he got that dubious title for the annihilation of a free slave town [[spoiler:he didn't actually commit.]]
* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'' has Biff's ancestor, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen ([[BerserkButton Just don't call him that to his face]]).
* "Mad Dog" is also the nickname of TheDragon in ''Film/HardBoiled''.
* And TheDragon in ''Film/TheRaid'' is nicknamed "Mad Dog" as well.
* Actress Creator/ChengPeiPei, THE ActionGirl of Shaw Brothers' kung fu movies, is the "Queen of Swords".
* The world of ''Film/MadMax'' is this trope personified. Between Imperator Furiosa, Gyro Captain, Immortan Joe, the Bullet Farmer, Ironbar Bassey, the Doof Warrior, the People Eater, the Toecutter, the Dag, the Keeper of Seeds, Lord Humungus, the Nightrider, Mudguts, Dr. Dealgood, the Valkyrie, the Splendid Angharad, and many, many others, it's like humanity collectively decided that the post-apocalypse was free license to badassily rename everything and everyone. Even the eponymous [[AwesomeMcCoolName Max Rockatansky]] has his share titles bestowed upon him ([[TheFool some admittedly better than others]]). Usage of actual, normal names is so rare that in Mad Max: Fury Road the revealing of a character's given name becomes an emotional moment in at least two points in the film's plot.
* ''Film/TheBlueMax'', is set in and around one of the Flying Circuses. Richtofen himself is a supporting role, as is his almost-as-famous brother Manfred.
* ''Film/MuppetsMostWanted'': "I am Constantine... World's most dangerous frog."

* In ''Film/EdgeOfTomorrow'', Rita is a legendary battle queen known as the "Full Metal Bitch" and "The Angel of Verdun".
* In ''Film/TheLastWitchHunter'', the magic users call TheDreaded Kaulder the Witch Hunter.
* ''Film/TheHungerGames'': Katniss Everdeen is known both as 'Girl on Fire' and 'Mockingjay'.
* Downplayed in ''Film/FiveWeeksInABalloon'', where Sir Henry mentions once that he was formerly known as "The Scourge of the Desert" and never brings it up again.
* For the most part, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse [[ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames doesn't use codenames]]. All the Avengers are at least as well known to the public by their real names as their codenames (other than Thor, because [[HisNameReallyIsBarkeep that is his real name]]). But it does have one example in the Winter Soldier. For bonus points, he's TheDreaded and a HeroKiller, and for more bonus points, the nickname came ''before'' people found out that he has [[SuperSoldier superpowers]]. And he's definitely better known as that than by his real name, [[spoiler:James Buchanan Barnes]].
** Peter repeatedly attempts to invoke this trope for himself in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', but to his eternal annoyance, [[DefiedTrope nobody takes his calling himself Star Lord seriously]].
* The 2003 film ''Literature/{{Holes}}'', as in the literature example, features "Kissin' Kate" Barlow.

* ''Film/JohnWick'': John is known as "Literature/BabaYaga", AKA "The Boogeyman" within the criminal underworld.
-->'''Viggo:''' Well, John wasn't exactly the Boogeyman. He was the one you sent to ''kill'' the fucking Boogeyman.
* ''Film/HeroAndTheTerror'': Simon Moon has been dubbed "The Terror" by the press for his grisly series of murders.
* ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' often calls himself "The Ghost with the Most".
* In ''Film/LaScoumoune'', the nickname of mobster Roberto Borgo (Creator/JeanPaulBelmondo) is "La Scoumoune", because he brings bad luck to his enemies since he's a [[TheGunslinger master]] at QuickDraw ("scoumoune" was an old Southern French slang word for "bad luck").
* ''Franchise/StarWars'': All of the Sith are given a new name at their initiation, which they use in lieu of their real names. Dooku is a notable exception, as he wanted to be a VillainWithGoodPublicity, and people would respond better to "Count Dooku" than "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Darth Tyranus]]."
** In the Legends continuity, General Grievous was born Qymaen Jai Sheelal, but changed his name after becoming a cyborg.
** Obi wan "The Negotiator" Kenobi.
* ''Film/ShotCaller'': Any inmate with any notoriety has a nickname: Jacob (who used to be a businessman) is "Money", Frank is "Shotgun", the mid-level glasses-wearing Aryan is "Bottles", the Aryan chapter leader is "The Beast", etc.
* ''Film/ShanghaiExpress'': Donald is shocked to discover that his ex-girlfriend Madeline has become a high-class prostitute. As she puts it, "It took more than one man to change my name to Shanghai Lily".

* Captain Gutt from ''WesternAnimation/IceAge4ContinentalDrift'' is "The Master of the Seas".

* Film/PulpFiction. "You're sending the Wolf? Shit, Negro, that's all you needed to say."

* Franchise/{{Star Wars}}: All of the Sith are given a new name at their initiation, which they use in lieu of their real names. Dooku is a notable exception, as he wanted to be a VillainWithGoodPublicity, and people would respond better to "Count Dooku" than "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Darth Tyranus]]."

* Captain Gutt from ''WesternAnimation/IceAge4ContinentalDrift'' is "The Master of the Seas".

* Creator/ClintEastwood's protagonist in the ''Film/{{Dollars Trilogy}}'' is an interesting variation on this trope. Known to fans as "The Man With No Name," in-universe it's unclear whether he actually has a name or not. By the last movie (''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly''), Tuco has given him the nickname "Blondie," but it's still acknowledged by other characters that his real name is unknown. He's called "Joe' in ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars'' and "Manco" in ''Film/ForAFewDollarsMore'', but both are names also given to him by other characters.