Fantasy Cookout: 9 fictional characters who would make awesome BBQ party guests

A lot of daydreaming (rightfully) takes place during the summer, but have you ever thought about who you would invite to your dream BBQ?

There's a good chance you've already been asked about your dream dinner party guests. A BBQ is an entirely different thing though, and the guest list should definitely reflect that.

I mean, a BBQ shouldn't be a black tie event where everybody is trying to keep their elbows off the table. It should be a much more chilled out vibe with custom Hawaiian shirts being the only dress code, and the boxes of chocolates and bottles of wine you would bring to a fancy dinner party being replaced by potato salad and six packs.

So, if you could invite anyone, who would it be? We've got a few ideas of our own, and to keep things more interesting we decided to go for people that only exist within their own respective fictional worlds.

1. The Dude - The Big Lebowski

You want people who are willing to go with the flow, and absolutely nobody flows like The Dude. It might be tricky to get him to take off his signature knitted sweater and throw on a custom Hawaiian shirt, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

He's the kind of guy who'll maintain the right kind of atmosphere while you take care of the food. If he's not offering the other guests bowling advice or blasting Creedence Clearwater Revival on the speakers, he'll be serving up White Russians to the other guests while you tend to the grill.

2. Mia Wallace - Pulp Fiction

It would be remiss of us to exclude one of the coolest movie characters of all time when thinking up a dream BBQ guest list. Not only is she a savage on the dance-floor, but she's the kind of person you want to impress.

Just be sure to know what you're doing when it is time to plate up her food. A vanilla milkshake never hurt anybody, and it's worth remembering that she likes her burgers rare.

3. Han Solo - Star Wars

We did say this was about cool fictional characters, so please don't start with any eye-rolls just because this guy comes from a galaxy far, far away. Han is a pretty cool guy when it comes down to it, and he would be a fine addition to any BBQ party.

Once you get him off the Millennium Falcon and into a custom Hawaiian shirt, we bet he'll turn into a completely different guy. In fact, he'll start to become quite similar to another fictional character who bears a striking resemblance to him...

4. Indiana Jones - Indiana Jones, obviously

This one is partially out of curiosity. Seeing as we have enough interdimensional travel at this party to make even Doctor Strange start to sweat, what would happen if both Indy and Han Solo were together in the same place?

Would they become confused as to how their doppelgänger got the same invite they did, or would Harrison Ford just turn up and explain that he is actually just an actor who gets paid to perform these roles? Either is cool with us, Harrison Ford seems like the kind of guy you want at a BBQ.

5. Frank Reynolds - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Someone has got to keep the conversations interesting, and there is no one better on earth for that job than Frank "The Warthog" Reynolds. You never really know what kind of stuff is going to come out of his mouth next, and his seemingly endless stacks of cash ensure that any extravagant plans you had in mind can still fit within your budget.

Also, his is another good invitation to send out if this whole idea of getting all these cool fictional characters together doesn't actually pan out. If the worst case scenario is that the legendary Danny DeVito turns up with some rum ham, that isn't really a bad state of affairs whatever way you look at it.

6. Doc Brown - Back to the Future

We might have mentioned Doctor Strange already, but we would rather go with someone a bit more old school if anything goes pear shaped. Not only is Doc Brown, in our humble opinion, a much cooler guy, but his relentlessly chaotic science is bound to keep the party popping from start to finish.

Plus, if it's such a good party that you don't want it to end, it doesn't actually have to. Simply hop into the DeLorean and start the whole day right from the beginning.

7. Ellen Ripley - Alien

Some people really deserve a break, and Ellen Ripley certainly is one of them. After countless years of tracking down extra-terrestrials and consistently blasting them away, a little bit of music and some freshly grilled grub is not exactly too much to ask for.

We wouldn't even ask her to do anything or bring any food, it would mostly be so we can let her chill out for a while and put her feet up. Ellen has earned this.

8. Thomas Magnum - Magnum P.I.

We might not have talked about the dress code that much so far, but it is a pretty essential part of the whole atmosphere. Having at least one person guaranteed to don a Hawaiian shirt can help convince others to do the same, especially if that trend setter looks like an absolute boss with it on.

Most of the time he's dressed like he just got called in while in the middle of a family cookout, so you probably won't even need to tell him about the dress code. As an added bonus, he could put his iconic Ferrari up against Doc Brown's DeLorean with some drag racing out the front.

9. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos

Someone has got to bring the meat, and who better than Tony Soprano? You might want to tread lightly given his vocation but still, he's not the worst guy in the world.

Grab him a cold one, let him relax and you will be rewarded. It's probably not worth your while if you don't really want copious amounts of gabagool, but you're onto a winner if that sounds like the perfect side dish to round off your BBQ offering.