How Many Times Sean Bean Has Died In Movies & TV Shows

There are two things that are certain in this world: taxes and Sean Bean dying in a movie or on a TV show. One of the most acclaimed and prominent actors of his generation, the English thespian has been an impossible force to ignore. Over his career, Bean has appeared in a diverse array of productions, from blockbusters like the Lord of the Rings trilogy to television programs such as HBO's "Game of Thrones." The fate of Bean's characters is almost always the same: he just keeps dying in everything. For context, he dies in the aforementioned "Lord of the Rings" and on "Game of Thrones," as well as "The Island," "Equilibrium," and several other projects. In fact, Bean has perished in 25 movies and TV shows ... to date. 

Yes, Bean has died over two dozen times, and if Hollywood execs will it, he'll die plenty more for our on-screen entertainment. The actor's first major death was in the 1986 film "Caravaggio," which most likely haven't heard of. He would later go on to pass in the 1992 Harrison Ford vehicle "Patriot Games." In that blockbuster, Bean's character is struck by an anchor. Ouch. Keep in mind that the actor had multiple deaths in between. 

After his stint with Ford, Bean joined the James Bond series in 1995's "Goldeneye," only to die by falling onto a satellite. After a couple more funerals, Bean appeared in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" — which he thinks is his best on-screen demise.  

Sean Bean is just one of those actors who always seem to die on-screen, and by the time "Fellowship of the Ring" came out, it became clear that the star would always perish. His post-"Lord of the Rings" films are riddled with deaths. In 2002's "Equilibrium," his character is shot. The British actor later appeared in Michael Bay's "The Island," which sees his supporting role die thanks to a hanging. Surprisingly, he doesn't die in 2004's "National Treasure," which features him a key villain role. 

In fact, many of Bean's most prominent films from the 2000s, like "Troy," "Silent Hill," and "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," don't feature the actor succumbing. By then, he was a major supporting player in blockbusters, and it was his smaller productions that featured him passing, such as the 2007 independent flick "Far North." 

In 2011, HBO debuted the genre-defining fantasy series "Game of Thrones" to rapturous acclaim. On the show, Bean's Ned Stark is positioned as a leading player. Expectations were subverted for those unfamiliar with the books when the Stark clan leader is brutally decapitated, making it one of the show's first shocking deaths — and arguably Bean's best. Despite death being such a being big part of "Game of Thrones," Bean didn't give any of his co-stars advice when it came to dying, even though he has tons of experience.     

Sean Bean is obviously aware that audiences recognize his penchant for dying, which is why he started denying roles where his character would perish. "I've turned down stuff. I've said, 'They know my character's going to die because I'm in it!'" he told The Sun in 2019, adding, "I just had to cut that out and start surviving, otherwise it was all a bit predictable."

Creatives, however, have found convenient ways to go around Bean's interests. In 2019, he starred on the BBC series "World on Fire," which dramatizes World War II. The actor starred as Douglas Bennett, a veteran who is still reeling from traumatic events. Bennett survives the 1st season, but is sneakily killed off-screen during Season 2. Released in 2023, the 2nd season of "World on Fire" marks Bean's 25th death; while it's almost impossible to know if Bean has died more than other actors, that's still a rather tragic milestone.

While Bean has made efforts to pick projects that keep him alive, he also recognizes the goodwill he's garnered in the film industry. While speaking with The Guardian in 2022, the "Fellowship of the Ring" star said that creatives tend to keep him around now for name recognition. "When you're starting out, you're much more dispensable. Now they might keep me alive and get their money's worth," he jokingly said.