If a movie needs a rodent, most directors will opt to use a mouse as they are presented as much cleaner and friendlier creatures. In cinema, rats are usually presented as vile, but this isn't always the case. Several movies try to deconstruct this description, with most of them doing so effectively.
Depending on the genre, a rat can serve a variety of different purposes. Some can act as endearing protagonists, while others may fulfill the villainous role they are more commonly associated with. No matter the reason for their existence, there are countless rats in cinema that have become iconic, but some are far more memorable than others.
7 Rizzo The Rat - The Muppet Christmas Carol
Though Rizzo the Rat has appeared in countless Muppets adaptations, his role in The Muppet Christmas Carol is by far his most iconic to date. Throughout this festive feature, the unlikely Rizzo acts as a sort of narrator alongside his close companion Gonzo, who claims the role of Charles Dickens.
Where Gonzo narrates the story with a serious tone, Rizzo brings some much-needed levity to the otherwise haunting narrative. He serves as the movie's main source of comic relief, but it never feels forced or overdone. If not for this charming rodent, The Muppet Christmas Carol would likely have been a much more unsettling retelling of the Charles Dickens classic.
6 Bruno's Rats - Encanto (2021)
Bruno was always destined for great things as a member of the Madrigal family. His gift allowed him to see into the future, but the sadness this power brought with it served to make him an outcast. Because of this, the family began to regard Bruno as the black sheep of the family, a description that eventually forced him to leave.
Unbeknownst to the remaining Madrigals, Bruno didn't actually leave. He hid inside the walls of the family home and spent several years in solitude before revealing himself to his sister, Mirabel. He always had an affiliation with rats and spent most of his time in solitude surrounded by them.
5 Templeton - Charlotte's Web (2006)
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Templeton had no right in becoming one of the most endearing rodents in cinema, but he did so nonetheless. Abandoned by his parents at the age of six, he grew to become a sarcastic and crude character, that is until he made the acquaintance of Wilbur.
If not for Templeton, Wilbur may never have survived the harsh environments he was forced to endure. It was the unlikely rodent's actions that allowed Charlotte to save Wilbur from dying. Templeton spends most of the narrative showing a strong disliking for the other barnyard animals, but Wilbur's influence convinces him to change his ways.
4 Roddy - Flushed Away (2006)
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Before being flushed down a toilet into the sewers, Roddy St. James, played by Hugh Jackman, lived a peaceful life as a pampered pet rat. One day, his owners went on holiday and left Roddy alone in their apartment. Everything was fine, at least until Sid the sewer rat emerged from the sink.
Sid explained to Roddy that he planned to stay in the apartment to watch the 2006 Fifa World Cup Final, but Roddy refused to allow the strange rat to take advantage of him. He tried to flush Sid back where he came from, only to end up being flushed away himself. Though Roddy comes from a privileged life, his time as a sewer rat slowly changes his outlook on life and makes him a much better person as a result.
3 Scabbers - Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)
Scabbers is first introduced in The Philosopher's Stone when Ron meets Harry aboard the Hogwarts Express. They form a quick friendship due to their love of sugary confectionary before Ron attempts to cast a spell on the unsuspecting pet. Thankfully, the spell fails, allowing Scabbers to continue his life as a Weasley for three more years.
Scabbers remained one of the more approachable creatures in the Harry Potter universe until the third movie where his true form was finally revealed. Peter Pettigrew disguised himself as a rodent to frame Sirius Black for his murder. He spent twelve years in the form of a rat before being forced out of it during Harry's third year at Hogwarts.
2 Rat - Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Rats can be quite frightening depending on the situation, but there are few more unsettling than Rat in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Acting as the secondary antagonist, Rat presents himself as a security guard tasked with protecting Franklin Bean's cellar of apple cider. His job would be a simple one if not for Foxy Fox and his attempts to infiltrate the cellar and steal whatever he can get his hands on.
Given Bean's opinion on wildlife, Rat's profession seems unlikely, especially upon witnessing the rodent's obsession with drinking cider. Rat oozes intimidation through both his design and his skills with a knife. He meets a bittersweet end at the hands of Foxy Fox where he fantasizes about cider before passing away.
1 Remy - Ratatouille (2007)
Where Fantastic Mr. Fox's Rat had a passion for cider, Remy of Ratatouille has a somewhat more elegant taste. Remy hopes to one day become a chef and, though his family and friends regard his dream as unreachable, he never stops pursuing it. He gets separated from his family shortly into the movie before finding himself in a restaurant owned by Auguste Gusteau, the little rat's culinary hero.
His quest for culinary success lands him atop the head of Alfredo Linguini, a garbage boy with similar dreams. Alfredo lacks the required skills to become a chef, so Remy takes this opportunity to cook through him. Remy spends the rest of the narrative directing Alfredo's cooking while concealed under his hat.