History LastNameBasis / Film

--> '''[[Film/TheAvengers Tony Stark]]:''' Phil? His first name is agent.

--> '''Tony:''' Phil? His first name is agent.

* Played with in ''Film/TheAvengers'' - after appearing in three other films (and two shorts) without a first name, we finally learn that SHIELD superspy [[PhilCoulson Coulson]]'s first name is Phil, much to [[IronMan Tony Stark's]] surprise:

* All of the characters in ''Film/TheThing1982'' only refer to each other by their last names. This is only averted after Bennings is shot and MacReady calls him "George".

* Done hilariously in GiveEmHellMalone where Hardboiled private dick Malone as referred to as such by everyone... Including his mom.

** Skinner usually refers to Quartermain as Allan.

* Almost all of the characters in ''Film/{{Alien}}'' and ''Aliens'' go by last names only. Ripley's first name (Ellen) was never stated in the original theatrical cut of either film, appearing only in a deleted scene from ''Aliens.''

* In most movies about military squads, characters are referred to by either their last name or a nickname. The ''Film/{{Alien}}'' example above comes to mind, as well as ''Film/{{Predator}}'' (except Dutch, of course) and ''SavingPrivateRyan'' (his full name is James Francis Ryan).
* All of the characters in {{The Thing 1982}} only refer to each other by their last names. This is only averted after Bennings is shot and MacReady calls him "George".
* Most Film/JamesBond villains call him "Mr. Bond" (his traditional SurnameFirstNameSurname introduction helps it).

* In ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' Commodore Norrington's first name isn't even never mentioned in the first movie. Second and third movie reveal that it is James. Similarly, Barbossa's first name isn't mentioned until the third when Captain Jack Sparrow calls him "Hector," which is itself a SureWhyNot taken from an earlier interview with Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush when the former speculated on what Barbossa's name might be.
* Almost everyone in ''TheGreatEscape'' except for Roger (the leader), Colin (the forger), Danny, and Willy (the {{Tunnel King}}s).

* Withnail of ''WithnailAndI''.

* The first FinalDestination had high school bully Carter calling protagonist Alex Browning by his last name due to their antagonistic rivalry. In an alternate ending where Alex dies saving his girlfriend, Clear Rivers, from the exploding car, Carter joins Clear (who is with her son Alex Jr.) at the cemetery. He is friendlier with her and the now-deceased Alex, referring to the latter by his first name.

* Played with in ''Film/TheAvengers'' - after appearing in three other films (and two shorts) without a first name, we finally learn that SHIELD superspy Coulson's first name is Phil, much to [[IronMan Tony Stark's]] surprise:

* You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone calling [[Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick Richard B. Riddick]] by his first name in Vin Diesel's series of action thrillers. Also true for (William J.) Johns and (Carolyn) Fry

* This is shown in the Disney movie TheGreatMouseDetective: (Padraic) Ratigan, (David) Dawson, and (Hiram) Flaversham. This is possibly true of Basil himself, though neither the movie nor the books give him a second name.

* ''Film/BladeRunner'' is an interesting case. The human characters are usually called by their last names and replicants by first names, which serves to reinforce the point of how humans in the film tend to act cdistant and impersonal, and the replicants are more emotional. This also foreshadows [[spoiler:Rachael's]] status.

* Done hillariously in GiveEmHellMalone where Hardboiled private dick Malone as referred to as such by everyone... Including his mom.

* You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone calling [[{{Riddick}} Richard B. Riddick]] by his first name in Vin Diesel's series of action thrillers. Also true for (William J.) Johns and (Carolyn) Fry

* Pretty nearly the entire ''LeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'', except for Nemo (who doesn't ''have'' any other name) and Mina (most of the men address her by her first name, eventually).

* In ''{{Inception}}'', the characters often refer to each other by their last names -- the main character, Cobb, is only called by his first name by his wife and father/father in law, another character only goes by 'Eames', implied to be his last name (there's even a [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6275157/1/pseudonymous fanfic]] about this), and the team usually refers to Robert Fischer as just 'Fischer'.

* In most movies about military squads, characters are referred to by either their last name or a nickname. The ''Film/{{Alien}}'' example above comes to mind, as well as ''{{Predator}}'' (except Dutch, of course) and ''SavingPrivateRyan'' (his full name is James Francis Ryan).
* Most JamesBond villains call him "Mr. Bond" (his traditional SurnameFirstNameSurname introduction helps it).

* ''{{Highlander}}'' had Ramirez, and sometimes Connor would just be called Macleod.
* ''BladeRunner'' is an interesting case. The human characters are usually called by their last names and replicants by first names, which serves to reinforce the point of how humans in the film tend to act cdistant and impersonal, and the replicants are more emotional. This also foreshadows [[spoiler:Rachael's]] status.

* This is shown in the Disney movie TheGreatMouseDetective: (Padraic) Ratigan, (David) Dawson, and (Hiram) Flaversham.

* ''{{Highlander}}'' had Ramirez, and sometimes Connor would just be called Macleod.

* Taylor in ''PlanetOfTheApes''. His first name doesn't even pop up in the film, it was revealed later. Brent is this as well in the 'Beneath' sequel, which also has Mendez. It might not have been a last name by the time of the film, but it appears to have begun as a last name (see Battle) 'Conquest' has MacDonald and Governor Breck. 'Battle' has another MacDonald and Kolp.

* Taylor in ''PlanetOfTheApes''. His first name doesn't even pop up in the film, it was revealed later. Brent is this as well in the 'Beneath' sequel, which also has Mendez. It might not have been a last name by the time of the film, but it appears to have begun as a last name (see Battle) 'Conquest' has MacDonald and Governor Breck. 'Battle' has another MacDonald and Kolp.

* Taylor in ''PlanetOfTheApes''. His first name doesn't even pop up in the film, it was revealed later. Brent is this as well in the 'Beneath' sequel.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Waitress}}'' Jenna [[InsistentTerminology won't]] call the man she's having an affair with by his first name, even though Dr. Pomatter (Jim) uses hers.