12 Best Michael Fassbender Movies, Ranked

There are plenty of actors out there who are content to stay in their lane. That’s not an insult — plenty of genuinely good actors are perfectly aware that they have a type, and don’t see the need to challenge it. After all, when you’re lucky enough to find a niche in Hollywood, why not stick to it? Michael Fassbender, on the other hand, is an interesting performer precisely because he so frequently switches between genres, doing a superhero blockbuster one minute and a sexy independent film the next. Unafraid of taking on characters who are complicated, unlikable, or even despicable, Fassbender is equally at home playing the hero or the villain of any piece; in some cases, he’s even able to bring us around to the villain’s point of view. The one genre he really hasn’t worked in is comedy, although he’d certainly like to.

Over the course of his career, Fassbender has been nominated for two Academy Awards — in 2014 for “12 Years a Slave” and in 2016 for “Steve Jobs” — but these are far from his only standout performances. In fact, he’s been a part of so many top-tier projects that it’s a difficult task to pick out the very best. After some hemming and hawing, we’ve decided upon the most glistening gems in Michael Fassbender’s filmography.

David Cronenberg may be best known for his forays into body horror, but that doesn’t mean he can’t knock an erotic period drama out of the park when the occasion calls for it. Actually, considering the psychoanalytic history at the heart of his films, it makes perfect sense that he would direct “A Dangerous Method.” Michael Fassbender stars as Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, whose life and professional relationship with Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) become considerably more complicated when he begins treating Sabrina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), a patient who suffers from “hysteria,” a 19th-century diagnosis reserved exclusively for women who are depressed, anxious, sexually frustrated, or a combination of the three.

The chemistry between the three actors is electric, and although Jung is married and is committed to the ethics rule that bids doctors not to date their patient, they just can’t help themselves. “A Dangerous Method” details the psychosexual relationship that develops between Jung and Spielrein with distinct flair. Fassbender and Mortensen are both note-perfect in their historical roles, but the film really serves as a showpiece for Knightley, whose tortured, extremely horny performance walks away with the entire production.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley
• Director: David Cronenberg
• Year: 2011
• Runtime: 99 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

The success or failure of a biopic often revolves around the quality of the lead performance — a stunner of a star can rescue even the most mediocre historical drama based on a real-life figure. That’s arguably the case for “Steve Jobs.” On the surface, it’s a fairly pedestrian look at the visionary but famously difficult founder of Apple, who made his company one of the most famous in history. However, Fassbender’s performance gives us a glimpse into the often inscrutable tech figure, elevating the material into something that’s utterly fascinating (even if Fassbender didn’t look like the real-life figure he played … like, at all).

Fassbender is ably supported by Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman, Jobs’ closest ally at Apple, and Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, the beleaguered co-founder of Apple who had a complicated relationship with Jobs. Make no mistake, though — this is Fassbender’s film through and through, and he rises to the challenge. Although we don’t always understand how Jobs’ mind works (that’s an insult as much as it is a compliment), Fassbender’s approach gives us enough to latch onto. His work here was enough to earn him his second Academy Award nomination.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen
• Director: Danny Boyle
• Year: 2015
• Runtime: 122 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

The fact that a movie like “Kneecap,” which is about a real-life rap group from Ireland and performed primarily in Irish, was able to find mainstream success is a testament to the strength of its story and performances. In it, we watch the development of a hip-hop group who went on to use their music to connect the younger generations with the Irish language, which was struggling to survive until recent efforts led to its revival. 

Fassbender provides a memorable supporting role as Arlo, the father of one Kneecap member. He has something of a checkered past, having been a member of the Irish republican paramilitary, and has spent the majority of his adult life with his head on a swivel, since he’s still wanted by the British authorities. He’s a driving figure in the film’s use of the Irish language, since he himself was the one who taught it to Naoise, and Fassbender (who is half-Irish, half-German) plays him with aplomb. It speaks to his interest in supporting the burgeoning Irish film community that he takes on a relatively minor role in an Irish-language independent film — not exactly an easy sell — and fully commits to his performance.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, DJ Próvai
• Director: Rich Peppiatt
• Year: 2024
• Runtime: 105 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Any film that has Steven Soderbergh’s name attached to it is worth a watch, and that is certainly the case with “Black Bag,” arguably the director’s best film in years. Looper called it “an exquisite spy thriller,” and the film won over the hearts of critics and general audiences alike.

“Black Bag” stars Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse, a British counterintelligence agent who’s tasked with discovering the person responsible for a leak of highly sensitive information. Complicating matters considerably is the fact that his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett), is one of the potential suspects, leading him to host a dinner party for the suspects, where he’ll drug them into revealing themselves. Stylish, clever, and unabashedly fun, “Black Bag” is one of the best spy movies in recent memory.

• Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela
• Director: Steven Soderbergh
• Year: 2025
• Runtime: 93 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Many actors of Michael Fassbender’s caliber — and frankly, level of physical attractiveness — would balk at the idea of playing a character who spends almost the entire film wearing a comically large face mask that covers his entire head. Nonetheless, that’s exactly what Fassbender did in “Frank,” a quirky independent dramedy from Lenny Abrahamson. In it, a young musician named Jon (Domnhall Gleeson) unwittingly becomes part of the recording career of a band led by Frank (Michael Fassbender), a talented artist who refuses to be seen without a bulbous papier-mâché mask. 

“Frank” explores the often complicated relationship between creative genius and mental health issues — Jon supposes that Frank’s eccentricities are a contributing factor to his musical prowess, while Frank’s mother contends that they’ve only ever held him back. For Fassbender’s part, he seems liberated by the mask, putting in an incredible — though rarely visible — performance.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Domnhall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal
• Director: Lenny Abrahamson
• Year: 2014
• Runtime: 95 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Hit man films always have an inherent appeal, especially when they star someone as charismatic as Michael Fassbender. Part of what makes “The Killer” so special, though, is that it isn’t your typical action thriller. In fact, it specifically avoids many of the trappings of the genre. Ordinarily, the lead character in one of these films has a sort of magnetism, in part to make sure that the audience is firmly on his side despite the fact that he’s, you know, killing people for money.

While Fassbender’s certainly capable of engaging audiences on that level, in “The Killer” he’s dialed down, projecting an air of anonymity that is a perfect fit for the character. This is a man you could easily imagine blending into the crowd, quietly slipping into a room, doing his job, and leaving the scene. Although some complain that the low-key nature of the character makes the film feel slow or difficult to connect with, Fassbender’s performance is a fascinating take on a familiar character, one that adds to the production rather than detracting from it.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard
• Director: David Fincher
• Year: 2023
• Runtime: 118 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

A 2011 adaptation of the most famous work by Charlotte Brontë, “Jane Eyre” tells the story of a young woman (Jane, played by Mia Wasikowska) who has been cowed and terrorized her entire childhood. As an adult working as a governess at a spooky country manor, she begins discovering herself through her relationship with the taciturn Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender). “Jane Eyre” has been adapted plenty of times over the years, but this version is easily one of the most enjoyable. 

The chemistry between Wasikowska and Fassbender is electric, and if Fassbender is a little too conventionally handsome to play the stern, frequently antisocial Rochester, his performance more than makes up for it. “Jane Eyre” is moody, atmospheric, and thoroughly adept at capturing the gothic energy of the original story — mad wife locked away in the attic and all.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Mia Wasikowska, Jamie Bell
• Director: Cary Goji Fukunaga
• Year: 2011
• Runtime: 118 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

After the soaring success of “X-Men: First Class,” 20th Century Fox quickly set about making a second film that would explore the younger versions of Professor X and Magneto. “X-Men: Days of Future Past” splits its time between a dystopian 2023, where robotic Sentinels are on a mutant murder spree, and 1973, where Logan (Hugh Jackman) is sent back in time to change the past. 

There, Logan hopes to avert the chain of events that allowed the Sentinels to be created in the first place. What he finds in the ’70s is not at all encouraging, as Charles (McAvoy) is in the depths of alcoholism and Erik (Fassbender) is in prison for murder (for murdering JFK, no less). “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is successful largely thanks to its ability to find new ways of utilizing the characters rather than just re-treading familiar waters, and it remains one of the best superhero sequels.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence
• Director: Bryan Singer
• Year: 2013
• Runtime: 132 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Is this the easiest movie to watch that Michael Fassbender’s ever been in? No. But does it feature his most likeable performance to date? Well … also no. Nonetheless, “12 Years a Slave” is a searing, important film that reunites Fassbender with filmmaker Steve McQueen after their excellent collaborations in “Hunger” and “Shame.” The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup, a free Black musician whose life is upended when he is captured and sold into slavery. Once accustomed to a certain level of dignity and respect, he has no choice but to adjust to his new reality, gaining a new understanding for the struggles of life as a slave. 

Filled with powerhouse performances — Lupita Nyong’o won an Academy Award for her work as Patsey — “12 Years a Slave” gives all of its actors material that allows them to shine individually in and in relationship with one another. Michael Fassbender plays Edwin Epps, and although there are plenty of villains in a movie about slavery, he stands out as one of the most villainous, playing a plantation owner with no compunctions about raping and otherwise abusing his slaves. Fassbender’s willingness to bring to life such a reprehensible character made his versatility as an actor shockingly clear to audiences, especially those who weren’t used to seeing him in such a light.

• Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender
• Director: Steve McQueen
• Year: 2013
• Runtime: 134 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

You’ve seen Dr. X and Magneto as the old guard of the mutant world, leading the new generation of disciples to either find ways of living in harmony with humankind or in direct defiance of them. But what if they were … young? “X-Men: First Class” offers up an origin story for the classic comic book characters, showing us where Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr came from, informing their views on mutants and society. 

Charles, raised in a comfortable but sterile upper-class mansion, has no reason not to see the best in people, while Erik, a Holocaust survivor, knows all too well the depths to which humanity can sink. It’s an unexpected thrill to see these younger versions of beloved characters, and both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender seem tailor-made for the roles. With a mid-century flair, “X-Men: First Class” breathes fresh life into a franchise that had been feeling stale and adrift for quite some time, eclipsed by the unprecedented success of their Marvel cousins.

• Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
• Director: Matthew Vaughan
• Year: 2011
• Runtime: 131 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

For those who aren’t familiar with the story of Bobby Sands, “Hunger” may come as a bit of a shock. Sands (played by Michael Fassbender) was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who was imprisoned in Northern Ireland during the 1980s and, in a bid to be recognized as a political prisoner, engaged in and led protests while jailed. Most memorable among them was the 1981 hunger strike, where Sands and several of his fellow inmates refused to eat until their demands had been met. Sands ultimately survived for 66 days, drawing international attention to the Troubles in Ireland at the time.

Now, “Hunger” is best known as director Steve McQueen’s feature debut (and what a debut it is), but none of it would be possible without Fassbender’s intense, brutal performance in the lead role. He captures both the vulnerability and the iron strength of Sands, who is rigid in his convictions and will not allow himself to be swayed by anyone from doing what he believes is right.

• Starring: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Liam McMahon
• Director: Steve McQueen
• Year: 2008
• Runtime: 96 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

In this iconoclastic, controversially revisionist World War II film, Michael Fassbender gives us his best impression of a classical Hollywood movie star, and it is glorious. Set in the midst of the Second World War, “Inglourious Basterds” tells the story of a joint Allied operation to kill Hitler and the majority of Nazi high command at a film premiere held in Paris (a scene which, by the way, nearly killed half the cast). Christoph Waltz, as the villainous Hans Landa, was the breakout star of the production, winning an Academy Award for his dastardly, coolly intelligent performance. 

Although Michael Fassbender has merely a supporting role as a British officer enlisted in the plot thanks to his German language skills, he’s the centerpiece of the film’s most memorable set piece, a meeting in a local basement bar that goes horribly wrong for everyone involved. The entire scene is a master class in building tension, and Fassbender’s calm, reserved performance exponentially adds to the proceedings, making the film one of Quentin Tarantino’s best. One of the greatest strengths of “Inglourious Basterds” is how well it balances a sprawling ensemble cast of actors who work seamlessly with one another, and this basement shootout is a prime example of that.

• Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender
• Director: Quentin Tarantino
• Year: 2009
• Runtime: 153 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%