Movie Characters based on Historical Figures — Market Mad House

Scriptwriters often turn to history for inspiration. In particular, historical figures inspired some famous fictional movie characters.

Therefore, reading history can help screenwriters and fiction writers create intriguing characters. History helped past writers create some of their most famous characters.

Some famous movie characters and the historical figures who inspired them include:

1. Napoleon III and the Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious)

Palpatine is the most prominent movie character whose career mirrors that of a major historical figure. Even the name Palpatine, is similar to the name Napoleon.

Unlike his famous uncle Napoleon I, Napoleon III rose to power through politics not military conquest. Napoleon III was a brilliant and ruthless politician who manipulated the French Republic’s political system to make himself Emperor.

In the Star Wars universe, Palpatine was a brilliant and ruthless politician who manipulated the Galactic Republic’s political system to make himself Emperor of the Galaxy. Napoleon III destroyed France’s Second Republic and created the Second Empire on its ruins. Palpatine destroyed the Galactic Republic and built the Galactic Empire.