16 most imaginative movie wallpapers

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Movie wallpapers usually consist of predictable still-shots that are nice to look at but nothing more. As a creative, though, you're probably looking for something with a little imagination.

That's why we've curated this list of the best movie-inspired desktop wallpapers, which all offer a different insight into your favourite films. Whether minimal, illustrative or 3D art styles are your bag, there's something here for everyone.

01. Léon: The Professional

This hand-drawn take on Léon is bang on target

Some elements of Luc Besson's hitman classic feel a lot more problematic these days than they did back in 1994, but it's still hard not to love the core story of a kind-hearted assassin taking an orphan under his wing and teaching her the trade. And it's this aspect that's reflected in this stunning hand-drawn close-up.

02. Metropolis

This graphic interpretation of the silent sci-fi classic will give your desktop some Bauhaus cool

Fritz Lang's 1927 epic is regarded as a masterpiece of early sci-fi cinema, boasting stunning special effects and beautiful art direction. The film was inspired visually by Bauhaus, Cubism and Futurism, and these inspirations are reflected in this elegant and understated wallpaper.

03. Akira

Tetsuo! Kaneda! Etc!

Katsuhiro Otomo's movie adaptation of Akira was the most expensive animated film ever when it was released in 1988, and it still looks stunning 30 years down the line. We love this atmospheric interpretation by Jonas de Ro, featuring Shotaro Kaneda and his iconic motorcycle, with Neo-Tokyo exploding in the background.

04. The Shawshank Redemption

Inspiration courtesy of Red

Who can resist an inspirational quote every now and then? This wallpaper's based on The Shawshank Redemption and nails its subject using just three elements: the tree in the background, the silhouette of a rock hammer, and a single line of dialogue.

05. Pulp Fiction

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

It would be remiss of us not to include a bit of Quentin Tarantino here, and we've opted for this fantastic vector portrait of Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, catching her just at the moment after she's helped herself to a portion of the wrong substance. Don't try this at home, kids!

06. Dr. Strangelove

Ride 'em, cowboy!

Peter Sellers might have been the star of Stanley Kubrick's Cold War black comedy, but it's Slim Pickens who steals the show right at the last minute, as he rides an atomic bomb, rodeo-style, down to earth. This lovely minimal silhouette captures that moment perfectly.

07. Batman

*squints* Hang on, that's not Ben Affleck, is it?

There's so much Batman to choose from out there, but we've kept things simple with this delightfully angular polygonal representation of the Dark Knight, and in doing so we've avoided annoying anyone by plumping for a specific Batman (although obviously Michael Keaton was the best). Result!

08. The Shining

Show you're a real horror buff with this design taken straight from The Shining

If you like your wallpaper creative, abstract and film-related, perhaps this design is for you. This pattern is taken from the gloriously retro carpet found throughout the The Overlook Hotel in Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation of The Shining.

09. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a stunning piece of architecture

The whole of Wes Anderson's 2014 movie is a work of art, and pretty much any scene would make a stunning desktop background, but the impressive pink front of The Grand Budapest Hotel (which is in reality, Palace Bristol Hotel located in the Czech Republic) makes a grand wallpaper display indeed.

10. The Hunger Games

Get two Katnisses for the price of one in this sleek desktop design

We absolutely adore this negative space Hunger Games design. If you are keen to show off your love of the film series but want something a little classier than the bog-standard film wallpaper, this design is sure to capture your imagination.

11. Fight Club

The two personalities clash with this brilliant Fight Club movie wallpaper

"I saw a Fight Club poster the other day on Imgur's website, which inspired me to create this wallpaper," explains designer Alex Cican. "I'm using two exceptional drawings of Brad Pitt and Edward Norton." A brilliant movie wallpaper for members of Fight Club.

12. Princess Mononoke

The forest spirit from Princess Mononoke makes an appearance

There's plenty of Studio Ghibli movie wallpapers out there, but our pick is this Princess Mononoke-inspired offering from designer David Lanham. Featuring a forest spirit, a Kodama, set against a life-like background gives it that creative edge we were looking for.

13. The Hobbit

Which characters will you pick for your customised wallpaper?

OK, we know we said that we were steering clear of still-shot movie wallpapers – but this one from The Hobbit has a little trick up its sleeve. Launching the 'make your own wallpaper' app, you're able to pick and choose which images you like best from various settings across the film and combine them to make your very own movie wallpaper.

14. Life of Pi

Ang Lee's Life of Pi was certainly a feast for the cinematographer's eye

The cinematography in Ang Lee's Life of Pi is out of this world. The movie certainly got critics in a spin, with this epic whale scene stuck in many movie-goers' memories. This wallpaper adds an oil-painted effect to make it even more beautiful.

15. Indiana Jones

Bringing back the old school Indie

Let's just forget about the most recent Indiana Jones release and instead try to concentrate on the old gems. This comic-inspired movie wallpaper will bring a burst of colour to any creative desktop. We love its old school feel; if only the movie makers had felt the same way!

16. Star Wars

We just had to include a Star Wars movie wallpaper, right?!

How could we compile a list of movie wallpapers without including some sort of Star Wars reference?! Here we go for minimal once again, with this Stormtrooper-inspired movie wallpaper. What more could your desktop want? Well, maybe the others in this list...

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