Alan Rickman movies: Late actor has two more films out this year

It's a difficult farewell to one of British film's most treasured and beloved thespians. With so many iconic characters left behind, from Snape to Hans Gruber, this will surely be a week spent reminiscing and revisiting the best of his onscreen roles.

Though Rickman may be gone, his work remains eternal; and the actor has gifted us with two final performances yet to hit cinema screens. Honestly, it may difficult to watch these films detached of the emotions of his passing, yet there's something comforting in the knowledge that he's left us with a kind of cinematic gift to remember his incredible contribution to the industry over the years.

EYE IN THE SKY - IN UK CINEMAS 8 APRIL.



Rickman stars alongside Helen Mirren and Aaron Paul in this tense, evocative exploration of drone warfare and the impact of its collateral damage on both its victims and those in the position of responsibility. Rickman plays Lieutenant General Frank Benson, the man placed as a go-between Mirren's military Colonel and the board of government representatives tasked with the ultimate decision of whether ridding East Africa of some of its most dangerous militants is worth the death an innocent young girl.

Rickman's performance as Benson proves a lasting tribute to what has made him so iconic a performer; encapsulating the weariness of tussling between eager military and flummoxing political branches, forever living under the shadow of a ticking clock. Yet, he's funny too. Managing to slip so easily between the severity of the situation and the absurdity of his dealings with a room full of nervous, sweating politicians so alienated from the realities of war.

Part of Rickman's genius lay there, in that sensitivity that so perfectly understood life was a kind delicately shaded with the tragic and the comic. And he had a wonderful way of expressing it, too.

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS - IN UK CINEMAS 27 MAY.

"You've been gone too long Alice. There are matters that might benefit from your attention. Friends cannot be neglected." His sonorous tones open the trailer for Disney's sequel to Alice in Wonderland. "Hurry."

Though lending his voice to Lewis Carroll's ponderous Blue Caterpillar stands as a rather minor role in Rickman's packed CV, it does serve as a lasting reminder of his role in shaping pop culture. Harry Potter's Snape, Die Hard's Hans Gruber, Galaxy Quest's Alexander Dane; he was an actor gifted in shaping stand-out performances both on the blockbuster stage and in smaller fare like the forever beloved Truly Madly Deeply.

There's little knowledge of how extensive Rickman's role will be in the upcoming fantasy adventure, but every last moment with such an iconic voice will surely be treasured.