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6 Of The Most Successful Movie Drug Lords of All-Time

There have been many movies showcasing drug lords and the crime world. Some of these figures are purely fictional while others are based on real-life people. These antiheroes show how power and crime can change a person and ultimately lead to their down fall. Often, the beauty of these films is in watching the characters rise to the top through manipulation and violence to become filthy rich. So which movie drug lords became the most successful? Here are 6 of the most successful movie drug lords of all-time.

6. Nino Brown in New Jack City

Photo: Tumblr/Warner Bros.

Brown is a drug lord played by Wesley Snipes who ruthlessly deals crack in 1980’s New York City. He ends up taking over an apartment complex to make his lab den. He’s quite brilliant and uses that to survive, however as he becomes more and more diabolical he gains many enemies.

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5. Frank White in King of New York

Photo: Tumblr/Reteitalia

Once you get in the drug game, one of your biggest obstacles becomes your competition. In King of New York, we see Christopher Walken portray Frank White, a drug lord who is determined to wipe out his competition and give profits to the poor in New York.

4. George Jung in Blow

Photo: Tumblr/Apostle

Johnny Depp plays the real-life figure George Jung who goes from selling weed, to establishing the American market for cocaine by running drugs for Pablo Escobar. Jung becomes a millionaire from his work and he strives to make it legit by getting out of the cartel.

3. Frank Lucas in American Gangster

Photo: Tumblr/Universal Pictures

Denzel Washington plays the head of a drug empire being investigated by a detective. We don’t get to watch Frank Lucas climb to the top, but he’s captivating as he strikes fear into his subordinates.  Lucas is a real person, and one of the most notorious kingpins in New York history. The gangster was able to be successful by streamlining his business to the source.

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2. Tony Montana in Scarface

Photo: Tumblr/Universal Pictures

Al Pacino stars as Tony Montana a Cuban refugee who starts off in camp and later makes it to getting a green card in America. Still living a modest life as a dishwasher, Tony Montana decides to begin dealing cocaine. Eventually, he is able to  live a life of luxury by running his own organization. He has the mansion, the clothes, and the attention of beautiful women. However his paranoia puts his empire at risk.

1. Michael Corleone in The Godfather saga

Photo: Tumblr/Paramount Pictures

This character’s journey from outsider to patriarch spans over three movies and several decades. Al Pacino portrays Michael Corleone who becomes successful by making hard decisions to stay on top. He also lives long enough to enjoy what he works hard for. But that doesn’t come without the guilt. Not only does the character become successful financially, but the movies are one of the most successful of all time and are critically revered as some of the best movies ever made.

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