It’s important formoviesto grab viewer’s attention within the first few moments, and creative or memorable opening credits sequences can do this incredibly well. Opening credits sequences aren’t always used, falling in and out of style over the course of cinematic history. In recent years, they’ve made a big comeback, being among some of themost amazing opening scenesin movie history when they do come first.
A great credits sequence helps set the tone for the entire film. Some of them rely on wholly graphic effects, conveying the mood of the upcoming adventure with precisely-chosen visuals that give a thoughtful overall impression of the film’s aesthetic and themes. But the best of them will be worked right into the action, throwing up title cards alongside characters in a manner that almost (or wholly does)break the fourth wall.
10Deadpool
A Hilarious Start To A Thrilling Franchise
In truth, all ofthe threeDeadpoolmovieshave phenomenal opening sequences. From the hilarious memorial for Vanessa inDeadpool 2to the amazing fight scene that shot *NSYNC’sBye Bye Byeback into the top 40 after decades inDeadpool & Wolverine, it’s hard to pick the best opening credits out of the three. If one truly had to narrow it down, however,it’s still impossible to beat the opening credits of the original film.
Deadpool
Cast
The Merc With The Mouth gets his very own film in Deadpool, an action-adventure comedy movie starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular hero. When mercenary Wade Wilson discovers he has an aggressive type of cancer that threatens to cut his life short, he decides to take a shady offer from a businessman who promises to cure him. Tortured and left for dead, the treatment makes Wade immortal - and a little bit twisted - as he seeks out his tormentors for revenge.
The entire sequence sees the camera slowly float through a chaotic action scene frozen in time, set to the tune of Juice Newton’sAngel Of The Morning.This moment isn’t only great for the visual spectacle, but it also introduces the series' irreverent and fourth-wall-shattering humor, crediting names like “A CGI Character” and “A British Villain”. The highway fight that the film jumps back to at multiple points also eventually shows how this chaotic moment even was created in the first place, giving it some great rewatch value.
9Casino Royale
The Best Bond Has Ever Looked
While Deadpool might be a newer action hero known for his incredible opening credits sequences, no fictional character holds a vice grip on them quite like James Bond. Throughout the international super spy’s lengthy cinematic career, many films standout for their stylish and stunning opening graphics, usually debuting an iconic new theme song.
Watching a silhouetted Bond take on some animated bad guys and shatter them into games of 52 pickup is something else, and that goes double for Chris Cornell belting the all-originalYou Know My Name.
Of the many James Bond films,Casino Royalearguably has the single strongest opening creditssequence. After the first scene of the film,Casino Royalelaunches into a stunning display of artistry, mimicking the decorative illustrations of the cards Bond will go on to put everything on the line with.
Watching a silhouetted Bond take on some animated bad guys and shatter them into games of 52 pickup is something else, and that goes double for Chris Cornell belting the all-originalYou Know My Name.A cool enough intro to send shivers down the spine even years later,Casino Royaleis pure style.
8Watchmen
Instantly Sets Up A Somber Alternate History
Pivoting back to superhero movies, one of the best opening gambits in the entire genre is that of Zack Snyder’sWatchmen.Set in a parallel universe in which superheroes have existed for a long time, having profound effects on the course of history, Snyder had a lot of exposition to set up in a short amount of time. Luckily,a thrilling montage set to the tune of Bob Dylan’sThe Times They Are-A Changin'.
With Snyder’s signature desaturated cinematography and usage of slow motion, the sequence jumps through a handful of scenes over the years showing the impact superheroes have had on the society of this world. Setting the stage expertly,the sequence at once conveys the history of the Watchmen and the cynical tone of the film, emphasizing the unsavory aspects of life in a mask and cape. One of thebest superhero movie scenes with no dialogue, this opening credits montage is Zack Snyder at his peak.
7Zombieland
Hilarity And Barbarity All At Once
Zombielandis one of the most perfect blends of nauseating pulpy gore and hilarious quippy comedy ever created, and it’s apparent from the moment the opening credits roll. After introducing the first zombie the nebbish Columbus encounters, the film wastes no time in establishing how planet Earth becomes the titular world of the dead.
10 Of The Best Years In Movie History (Have You Seen How Good 1999 Was?)
1999 was one of the greatest years for film, but there have been many amazing years that also deserve to be in the conversation for best in history.
Set to the driving drums of Metallica’sFor Whom the Bell Tolls, a dizzying array of zombie attacks are shown off. Once again, slow motion is the star of the show here, with the terrified looks on the faces of the victims of the initial horde telling the audience everything they need to know.
The sequence also sets upZombieland’s great use of kinetic typography throughout, with titles that shatter, scatter, and break along with the environment as the characters move through them. The relentless speed of the undead in this scene exemplifies how they were able to take over the world so fast.
6Se7en
Instills The Film’s Bitter Tone Right Away
A far grislier affair and one of thebest crime thrillers ever made, David Fincher’sSe7enhas a bleak opening credits sequence befitting of its morbid story.Se7enis the story of a deranged serial killer whose crimes emulate the seven deadly sins of Christianity.The title sequence gets across that it won’t be a pleasant ride right away, though it doesn’t sacrifice style in doing so.
Se7ensets its hazy, flashing credits to close inserts of the murderous John Doe going about his work, all dirty fingernails, worn paper, and filthy metallic objects. Even though no actual crimes are being committed yet, Doe’s intentions are clear as he assembles a grim portfolio of his “work”, with the simple actions somehow becoming nauseating thanks to Fincher’s intricate direction. The audio is also a big part of what makes this sequence memorable, fromthe distorted version ofCloserby Nine Inch Nailsto the ominous whine of what sounds like a dentist’s drill.
5Shrek
Instantly Iconic Meme Legend
It’s hard to imagine seeingShrekfor the first time in a world so inundated with the franchise’s popularity, still coming back decades later for a fifth installment. It’s even harder to objectively judge, let alone praise, the very first film’s opening sequence considering just how mythical of a meme status it’s reached over the years.
From the moment Shrek flings open an outhouse door and the first words of Smashmouth’sAll-Starare unleashed,Shreksets itself apart from other animated films as an instant classic. Obviously, the choice of song absolutely catapults this opening credits sequence into being one of the greatest of all time.
But more attention should be paid to the various wriggling swamp creatures and slimes that form the names of the main cast. The credits scene also instantly informs the viewer of Shrek’s values at the start of the film, valuing his swamp and his privacy above all else, seemingly content with his perma-bachelor lifestyle.
4Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
The Perfect Antidote For A Rough Breakup
Interestingly enough, it isn’t the first ofthe Austin Powers moviesthat deserves special kudos for its opening sequence, but the second film,Austin Powers:The Spy Who Shagged Me.The scene begins picking up right where the previous film left off, with Austin on a honeymoon with his newlywed wife, Vanessa.
When Vanessa turns out to be an android sent to kill him, Austin is heartbroken for all of five seconds before realizing that he’s single again, gleefully streaking through a fancy hotel just for the fun of it. It says a lot about Michael Myers' charm that two of his characters managed to create some of the best opening credits scenes around.
From Austin’s sheer enthusiasm for shocking and arousing those around him to the hilariously creative ways the film manages to cover up his most private areas with pieces of the environment,it’s hard to watch this scene without smiling. All the better that it culminates in an elaborate aquatic dance routine.
3Halloween (2018)
A Classic Killer Revived
At this point, the continuity of theHalloweenfranchise is a tangled web of timelines that start and stop at a moment’s notice. Creating another requel to John Carpenter’s iconic slasher might not have seemed like the best idea at the time, but the opening credits assured that the property was in the right hands.
9 Horror Movie Openings That Hooked Us Immediately
Horror movies are quite reliant on an effective opening scene to make an impression, and these first sequences can be the most memorable.
The 2018 reboot launches aggressively into its opening credits after a true crime podcast screams at Michael to speak to him while holding up his old mask, marking a chilling start to his return. After this aggressive beginning,the sequence keeps the tension high by introducing Carpenter’s classic spine-chilling score.
Emulating the pumpkin of the original film’s credits, this time around a time-lapse of a jack-o-lantern rotting in reverse is shown off, cleverly simulating the return of the terrifying slasher villain. TheHalloweenreboot might not be everyone’s favorite horror movie, but it’s hard to deny the effecacy of this impactful start.
2Godzilla (2014)
A Thrilling Trip Through The Monsterverse’s History
Another spiritual reboot of a beloved franchise, 2014’sGodzillahad some colossal shoes to fill before even thinking about its duties as the first film of the Monsterverse. Though it isn’t even thebest film of the Monsterverse,Godzillamanages to capture the imagination from the opening sequence alone.
Here, a Monarch montage of various classified footage and information makes its way across the screen, set to the haunting orchestral score by Alexandre Desplat. This sequence doesn’t only manage to excite the senses by portraying Godzilla as an ominous,Jaws-like sea monster prowling the Pacific Ocean, but it alsoestablishes a solid timeline and lore to the series.
This scene alone introduces clever concepts like the military nuking Godzilla in an attempt to kill it only to later refer to the detonations as tests or ancient peoples having their own art of the prehistoric kaiju. With old newspapers and redacted press releases, the opening of this relatively average film punches high above its weight class.
Makes Good On The Promise Of Its Title
The Good, The Bad, and The Uglyis one of the most iconic Westerns of all time, and the crowning jewel of spaghetti Western filmmaker Sergio Leone’sDollarstrilogy starring Clint Eastwood. Despite all these accolades, one element of the film that is often overlooked is the opening title sequence.
Gunshots, coyote howls, train whistles, and military bugles essentially chart the whole narrative path of the film, making for an excellent bit of foreshadowing.
Here,a microcosm of the entire film manages to introduce the exciting stakesone whistle at a time. The iconic theme ofThe Good, The Bad, and The Uglyis commonly misremembered as taking place during the famous Mexican standoff at the end of the film, but it’s actually played here in the opening credits.
Not only that, but gunshots, coyote howls, train whistles, and military bugles essentially chart the whole narrative path of the film, making for an excellent bit of foreshadowing. Though the graphics might seem a tad crude by modern standards,The Good, The Bad, and The Uglysets the stage in a way fewmoviesdo.
