This week marks the release of "The Martian," Ridley Scott's highly anticipated sci-fi drama starring Matt Damon as a lone astronaut stranded on Mars. Despite the fact that the film has already made Damon a serious Oscars contender, this is hardly the first time audiences have gone gaga for the Red Planet.

From Marvin the Martian to John Carter, countless movie characters have fed our fascination with Mars. Here, a few of our favorites:

1. Jim McConnell “Mission to Mars”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UccsxuP8Tk8
"Mission to Mars" failed to ingratiate itself to movie critics but we still have nostalgic memories of Gary Sinise as a sidelined astronaut who redeems himself on a mission to Mars to rescue Don Cheadle whose crew is quite literally lost in space.

2. The Martian Madame "Mars Attacks!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYHeZCEFwhI
Tim Burton may have had a few missteps in this silly satire of science fiction B movies, but there's no denying Lisa Marie's performance as a sexy, come-hither martian nearly steals the show in this star-studded sci-fi comedy.

3. Marvin the Martian “Space Jam”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKNy-MWjkcU
What Mars list would be complete without mention of Marvin the Martian? This mischievous Warner Bros. villain made his big-screen debut as a referee in "Space Jam" opposite basketball great Michael Jordan and the cast of The Looney Tunes.

4. Douglas Quaid “Total Recall”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFMLGEHdIjE
Before he became the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger was heralded as one of the great action heroes of the '90s. There are countless reasons why and this is one of them. His performance as Douglas Quaid, a construction worker-turned-secret agent, is nothing less than a mind-bending thrill ride.

5. John Carter "John Carter"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlvYKl1fjBI
"Friday Night Lights" heartthrob Taylor Kitsch plays the leading role in this family-friendly Disney film, which tells the story of a jaded military captain who mysteriously wakes up on war-torn Mars. Despite his war-weary past, Carter eventually regains his humanity after realizing everyone's fate lies in his capable hands.