Being cast as the bad guy car in the Steve McQueen classic Bullitt thrust the 1968 Dodge Charger R/T into the spotlight and established the second-gen Mopar muscle car as a Hollywood A-lister. That same movie began the Ford Mustang's successful career, from the Eleanor car in Gone in 60 Seconds to John Wick's "Boss 429." Certain rides like the Chevrolet Chevelle SS and Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda have become pop culture icons from starring roles in great movies, but there are many killer muscle cars that have never gotten the opportunity to shine.Too many amazing classics from the Golden Age of American Muscle have been typecast as background players or disposable extras. Maybe they lack solid representation or just don't park in the right spaces, but it's almost criminal that some of these cars have never topped the marquee in a blockbuster movie or starred in a TV series. Some seriously weenie cars like the '82 Pontiac Trans Am in Knight Rider or the '76 AMC Pacer from Wayne's World have headlined, and meanwhile, so many badass classic muscle cars have yet to get their shot.To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources. Cars are listed in chronological order. 1966 Ford Fairlane GT Ford's Forgotten Muscle Car 3/4 side view of 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 GTThe luxury land yacht Ford Fairlane became a mid-size in 1960 and, by the fifth generation in 1966, actually became cool-looking. The '66 GT packed a 390-cubic-inch V-8 and was every bit of a performer as any Mustang of the year, but didn't quite get the recognition. Also in 1966, Ford built a limited-edition Fairlane 500 R-Code factory drag car with a 425-horsepower 427-cubic-inch V-8 that was too awesome for words. In fact, it's kind of hard to believe an R-Code has never played a prominent role in a street racing movie. 1967 Fairlane Cameos Columbo: Lady in Waiting (1971 Made-for-TV Movie) Gone in 60 Seconds (1974) Mod Squad (Episode 4.19) CHiPs (Episode 1.01) The Day After (1983 Made-for-TV Movie) The ocean liner version, which was actually a '57 500 Skyliner, got an entire movie named after it with the 1990 Andrew "Dice" Clay action/comedy The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. The much cooler and higher-performing fifth-gen Fairlane, however, has only gotten bit parts, mostly as a car parked on the street in the background. A '67 Fairlane GT would be the perfect ride for the loose cannon half of a crime-fighting duo in a buddy-cop action film or TV series. 1968 Plymouth GTX High-Performance, Low-Profile Plymouth Sassy GrassA 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX was a David Spade and Chris Farley co-star in the hilarious 1995 comedy Tommy Boy, but once the car got a makeover in 1967, its Hollywood stock dropped. For '67, the Mopar B-bodies got a style upgrade, taking them into the muscle car era, as previous models were stuck in that early-'60s boxy design with way too many body lines. With a sleeker, smoother, and more aggressive look, the 1967 Plymouth GTX was the first Golden Age killer app, especially with a Hemi under the hood. 1967 Plymouth GTX Cameos Adam-12 (Episode 7.21) Miami Vice (Episode 1.20) Taylor Swift: "I Knew You Were Trouble" (2012 Music Video) Rihanna: "Bitch Better Have My Money" (2015 Music Video) 13 Reasons Why (Episode 1.04) In 1968, Plymouth unleashed the Road Runner, based on the GTX, as a no-frills street machine, which has gone on to movie stardom. The '67 GTX, which was a more upscale ride, however, hasn't found that breakthrough role just yet. Appearing in music videos by Taylor Swift and Rihanna has only stunted the GTX's career, as that's kind of like starring in Police Academy 6: City Under Siege. Yes, it's an acting gig, but embarrassing to the point that most actors would leave it off their resume. 1969 AMC Javelin Thrown Into Obscurity 3/4 front view of 1969 AMC Javelin SSTAll AMC muscle cars are kind of like Rodney Dangerfield in that they get "no respect", but the legendary comedian had an awesome movie career with hysterical classics like Caddyshack and Back to School. The 1969 Javelin, which is one of AMC's cooler rides? Not so much. The first-gen Javelin is the boldest of the batch, and in 1969, it was available with the "Big Bad" paint colors, making for a superior version. Many people are fixated on the Javelin-based AMX, but that stubby pseudo-sports car is just weird-looking. 1969 AMC Javelin Cameos Hi-Riders CHiPs (Episode 4.14) American Drive-In Kid Drawn Together (Episode 2.09) The '69 Javelin is in a bunch of movies nobody has ever heard of and, sadly, its most important role is in the animated series Drawn Together. This is a car that could star in a film or TV show, because it has that kind of screen presence. It would shine as the featured ride in a film reboot of a classic TV series like Vinny Barbarino's car in a Welcome Back Kotter adaptation, or whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis' first set of wheels in Diff'rent Strokes the Movie, starring Kevin Hart as Arnold Jackson. 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Four-Barrel Carb, Four-Speed Transmission, Two Exhaust, Zero Starring Roles 3/4 front view of 1969 Oldsmobile 442 W-32Back in the day, the GM universal A-Body platform hosted the Buick Gran Sport, the Chevrolet Chevelle, the Pontiac GTO, and the lesser-known Oldsmobile 442. The problem with an Oldsmobile muscle car, which is meant to appeal to youthful buyers, is that anything with "Olds" in its name doesn't sound new or exciting. The 442, however, was about as rambunctious as it got for a GM ride in 1969, and it's a car that deserves a shot at stardom. While disappointing that those numbers aren't representative of the car's displacement, the 442 was still a lethal street ride. 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Cameos Friday Foster Dad's Week Off (1997 Made-for-TV Movie) The Mentalist (Episode 5.09) Showdown in Little Tokyo Awkward (Episode 4.17) For the record, 442 stands for a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual transmission, and dual (two) exhaust. This is a car that was made for a good action/revenge pic, like maybe Liam Neeson's daughter was kidnapped, and this is the ride he drives to kick the ever-loving crap out of the baddies. Or perhaps John Wick could commandeer one in the next installment of the franchise and kill a hundred or so henchmen with it. Sure, it's going to get destroyed, but a John Wick thrashing did wonders for the Mustang Mach 1 and Plymouth Barracuda, so the 442 would be in good company. 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger A Swing And A Miss 3/4 front view of 1969 Dodge Dart SwingerWith Challengers, Chargers, and Super Bees in the lineup, it's not shocking that the Dodge Dart is the overlooked classic Mopar muscle car. Its compact size meant the Dart could do more with less displacement, and the 1969 Swinger, with a 340-cubic-inch V-8, could hang with 383 or 440-equipped intermediate stablemates. There are actually a surprisingly large number of latter-day Dart Swingers in movies, but for '69, the first year of the trim, it's mostly background actors and crowd-scene extra work. 1969 Dodge Dart Cameos Harold and Maude Emergency! (Episode 3.15) CHiPs (Episode 3.11) Footloose Christmas Getaway (2017 Made-for-TV Movie) The Swinger got a bit of love with the special edition 2023 Challenger and Charger "Last Call" vehicles, made to send the modern gas-powered muscle cars out with a bang, so the profile of the classic Dart has definitely been raised. They missed the boat in casting a '69 Dart Swinger in the 1996 buddy comedy Swingers, but if they ever do a sequel, and we hope they do, this is the ride. Mid-to-late 50-year-old Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn bar-hopping in a '69 Dart Swinger, as well as the agelessly gorgeous Heather Graham, would be better than any reboot or superhero flick Hollywood currently has in the pipeline. 1969 Mercury Cyclone CJ Joining The Cobra Jet-Set 3/4 front view of 1969 Mercury Cyclone CJThe 1969 Mercury Cyclone is pretty much a Ford Torino, but with some slightly different sheet metal that makes it look a lot cooler. Both the Torino and Cyclone are underappreciated, but the Mercury is more so, since it didn't carry the cache that comes with the Ford name. 1969 was the first year the Cyclone became available with the 428 Cobra Jet V-8, which is reason enough to adore it, but it also happens to be one of the most brutally attractive rides of the Golden Age, leaving nothing to complain about. 1969 Mercury Cyclone Cameos Black Samson How to Frame a Figg Corky The Last American Hero Adam-12 (Episode 2.04) The '69 Mercury Cyclone's filmography is somehow sadder than any waitperson in the greater Los Angeles area, but there is still hope. Based on the car's bold stance and impressive performance, this is the perfect ride for a renegade cop who doesn't play by the rules but gets results. Picture an updated Harry Callahan or Popeye Doyle, and you get the idea that this is the car that takes out all the punks and scumbags. For a gritty action crime drama, you need a tough set of wheels, and the '69 Cyclone fills that role perfectly. 1970 AMC Rebel Machine Rebel Without A Career 3/4 front view of 1970 AMC Rebel MachineThe reality is that all AMC muscle cars are fairly forgotten, but the 1970 Rebel Machine is the most tragically slept on of the bunch. For one year only, AMC transformed the Rebel into "The Machine" with every performance upgrade they offered. While those who do remember it know it as the cool-looking red, white, and blue ride pictured above, about half of them were available in solid colors. Still, the patriotic scheme is the best and captures the rebellious spirit of American independence. If ever there was a car poised to become a Hollywood superstar, it is this. 1970 AMC Rebel Machine Cameos God Told Me To Hawaii Five-O (Episode 7.02) Cheech and Chong's Next Movie Remington Steele (Episode 1.20) Billy Currington: "Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer" (2010 Music Video) The Rebel Machine should be the ride of a loose cannon hero, and Peacemaker is the perfect fit. The Marvel superhero of The Suicide Squad and the Peacemaker Max TV series wears a costume with a similar color scheme, which is a good place to start. Even better is that Peacemaker is portrayed by John Cena, who is a muscle car nut, so there's no reason why he shouldn't have one in the second season that premieres in August. Peacemaker speeding down the road in a Rebel Machine, blasting Skid Row, with Eagly soaring overhead is such a perfect cinematic moment, it's hard to believe it hasn't happened yet. 1970 Buick GSX Yellow And Blackballed 3/4 front view of 1970 Buick GSXThe 1970 Buick GSX is another ride that was only available for a single year, and it was simply the greatest GM muscle car of the entire Golden Age. Much lighter than the Chevy Chevelle SS 454 LS6, the GSX's 455-cubic-inch V-8 produced an Earth-shaking 510 pound-feet of torque, the most for any American car until the Dodge Viper. Available in either Apollo White or Saturn Yellow, named after components of the U.S. space program, this really was a launch vehicle capable of a 13.38-second quarter-mile. Despite its camera-friendly profile and action movie skill set, the GSX has barely appeared on film. 1970 Buick GSX Cameos Beverly Hills 90210 (Episode 7.27) Transformers: Dark of the Moon An Apollo White GSX appeared briefly in the background of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, but a Saturn Yellow one should have been the star of all the Transformers movies. Hero Autobot Bumblebee often takes the form of various Chevy Camaros, but he should have uploaded a GSX form, because it's a way cooler ride. A GSX will destroy a Camaro any day of the week, and Bumblebee is a high-performance character, plus the yellow and black color scheme fits. Of course, Chevrolet actually paid a lot of money to have Bumblebee transform into a Camaro, but artistic integrity says he should have been a GSX. 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T B-Body D-Lister 3/4 front view of 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T 440The all-time best-selling Mopar muscle car is the Dodge Coronet, and it's not even close. It is also the base for the Super Bee, as well as the Plymouth Road Runner and GTX, but somehow not nearly as respected. The 1970 Coronet R/T had some killer sheet metal, rivaling the second-gen Charger, and the most wicked front fascia of any classic-era muscle car. Available with the best V-8 options, including the 426 Street Hemi, the '70 R/T had the looks and the power to conquer Hollywood, but for whatever reason, its phone was never ringing off the hook. 1970 Dodge Coronet Cameos The French Connection Plaza Suite Breaker! Breaker! Northern Exposure (Episode 2.06) King of the Hill (Episode 5.12) The 1970 Coronet does appear in a ton of film and TV projects, but usually as a four-door and never in a leading role. On the other hand, it's nearly impossible to find a two-door R/T in any kind of import parts, and Hollywood is missing out on a potential star car. A shot of the front of a '70 Coronet R/T tooling down the street would instantly tell the audience that there are some bad dudes in that ride. This is a car that was made for a villain, especially in a darker color, as Sublime or Panther Pink might be a little too festive for evil. 1971 Dodge Demon Devilishly Handsome Mopar 3/4 side view of 1971 Dodge dart Demon whiteThe 1971 Dodge Demon has gained renewed interest lately on account of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 supercharged super-muscle cars. That, however, hasn't translated into a higher profile in the entertainment industry, but the OG Demon never really got its tire in the door. Based on the Plymouth Duster, Dodge originally wanted to call it the "Beaver," which would have explained it being ignored by Hollywood, but they went with "Demon," and that's the kind of name that can open a blockbuster movie. 1971 Dodge Demon Cameos Chico and the Man (Episode 1.16) The Happy Hooker Magnum P.I. (Episode 2.17) Michael Jackson: "The Way You Make Me Feel" (1987 Music Video) Supernatural (Episode 4.02) The similar-looking Duster recently broke through with a starring role in the Max streaming series Duster, so there is hope the Demon can make a go at it. The Demon is probably one of the most diverse cars that could play a good-guy with an edge or a charming villain. It's also not a gendered ride that would be just as fitting for a male or female lead to cruise around in. It has more personality, as well as screen presence, than a lot of human actors and would make a great signature ride for a movie franchise character or TV series lead.