Heath Ledger's role as The Joker has been voted one of the ultimate film villains in a poll.

His role in the new Batman film The Dark Knight has also seen calls for a posthumous Oscar.

Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter came in at number one in the poll of UK film fans by an online rental and entertainment site that surveyed more than 2,500 members.

Star Wars' Darth Vader, played by David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones was second in the poll.

Joe Pesci's turn as Goodfellas' quick-tempered mobster Tommy DeVito came third while Javier Bardem was fourth for his role as No Country for Old Men's hitman Anton Chigurh.

Alan Rickman as German antagonist Hans Gruber in 1988's Die Hard came fifth.

The only female to make the list was nurse Annie Wilkes played by Kathy Bates in Misery.

Robert De Niro as gang leader Al Capone in The Untouchables, running the show across a corrupt Chicago, sealed the top ten list.