15. Candyman in Candyman (1992)
Back in 1988, Tim Burton’sBeetlejuicetaught us that nothing good can come from summoning a malicious spirit. In 1992, Bernard Rose’sCandymanput a different spin on a similiar idea.
Based on Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden,“Candymanrevolves around the legend ofCandyman, who was actually an African-American man named Daniel Robitaille. After pursuing an interracial love affair, his father sends a lynch mob after him.
With a hook for a hand and a swarm of bees following him, Candyman is a classic boogeyman and an urban legend that speaks volumes.
Related:The Best Slasher Movies of All Time
14. Chucky in Child’s Play (1988)
Today’s popular horror movie dolls—including Annabelle, M3GAN, and The Boy—owe a lot to the cult status ofChucky(who himself owes a lot to Talking Tina ofThe Twilight Zone).
We all know Chucky as the prototypical killer doll who relishes in blood and knife kills. After eight films and a Syfy show, Chucky remains a menace that no one should ever dare cross, and pop culture can’t get enough of the iconic serial killer doll.
Related:The Best Horror Movies With Toys, Dolls, and Puppets
13. Ghostface in Scream (1996)
Ghostfaceis a unique horror movie villain since his identity can be taken on by anyone—any vengeful, bloodthirsty person can be Ghostface. Though, in the case of theScreamfranchise, it’s any person linked to final girl Sidney Prescott (or even the in-universeStabfranchise).
What separates Ghostface from others is his vulnerability. Since he’s merely a disguise, his strengths and weaknesses come from the person behind the mask. But when he kills, he really kills with bloody glee.
Related:The Best Whodunit Murder Mystery Movies of All Time
12. Carrie White in Carrie (1976)
Carrie Whitewas never meant to be a horror villain, but her unflattering looks, hidden telekinetic abilities, and friendless status paint her in an unfavorable light. And when she’s pushed to the brink, she has no other choice but to be an unstoppable villain.
Of all Stephen King’s villains, Carrie is certainly the most sympathetic one. Even though she went haywire with her powers, there’s an ounce of humanity in her that makes her story a tragic one.
Related:The Best Horror Movies Without Jump Scares
11. The Great White Shark in Jaws (1975)
Jawsfeatured one of the most effective movie villains of all time… and with just four minutes of screen time.
According to the movie’s infamous but well-documented production issues, Steven Spielberg had to rely on practical tricks to depict the killerGreat White Shark—like yellow barrels, dorsal fins, and the iconic musical motif by John Williams.
It proves that “less is more” is an important concept for horror movies. More than that, the fear of the unknown—like a stealthy shark lurking in the ocean—is still the scariest force of mind.
Related:The Best Classic Monster Movies Still Worth Watching Today
10. Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980)
“Heeeeere’s Johnny!” Can you think of a more iconic line from a horror movie than that? The moment whenJack Torrancecomes smashing through the door with an axe is one we’ll always remember.
Jack Nicholson played the deranged character so perfectly that it’s hard to imagine another actor in the role. While terrifying, there’s a certain magnetism about the character that makes him one of the best.
Related:The Best Psychological Horror Movies
9. Pinhead in Hellraiser (1987)
When it comes to sick and twisted characters,Pinheadmight be one of the vilest. Pinhead and his band of Cenobites torture their victims while gleaming an unfathomable amount of pleasure from their pain.
When you include some of his clever lines and other interesting traits, you have a character who rivals any of the other horror greats. And while the 2022 remake ofHellraiserwas fine, we recommend the iconic original.
Related:The Scariest Horror Movie Scenes
8. John Doe in Se7en (1995)
Of all the serial killers in horror cinema, Kevin Spacey’sJohn Doereceives the least screen time. However, his elaborate kills are featured prominently (and disgustingly) throughoutSe7en.
The kills are modeled after the seven deadly sins (i.e. cardinal sins) that are taught in Catholicism, like an obese man who’s forced to eat until his stomach ruptures (representing the sin of gluttony).
Once John Doe starts talking, we quickly realize that while his motives seem logical, he’s easily one of the sickest individuals to grace the big screen and one of the more memorable horror villains in cinema.
Related:The Most Creative Deaths in Horror Movies, Ranked
7. Norman Bates in Psycho (1960)
Psychois a movie that helped define the horror genre and pioneered the slasher subgenre.Norman Batesis the smooth psychopath who made moviegoers stand up and take notice all the way back in 1960.
Played by Anthony Perkins, Bates is charming, witty, and insane—the perfect combination for a horror movie villain. He’s a strong example of our thesis: horror movies are only as good as their villains.
Alfred Hitchcock truly was a master of creating slow, suspenseful films, and this one still holds up today.
Related:The Best Movies About Psychopaths, Sociopaths, and Maniacs
6. Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Leatherfaceis an absolute madman. While he doesn’t have as much depth as some of the other characters on this list, there’s a certain charm to a chainsaw-wielding serial killer who wears his victims' faces as masks.
Okay, maybe “charm” isn’t the right word here. But if there’s one thing you can say about Leatherface, it’s that he’s a memorable character who will haunt your nightmares, whether you watch the classicTexas Chain Saw Massacrefilms or the newer remakes.
Related:The Scariest Horror Movies That Were Banned (And Why)
5. Jigsaw in Saw (2004)
“I want to play a game.” Before 2004, those words weren’t even remotely scary. But afterSawcame out, hearing those words told us that someone was about to be tortured in an absolutely heinous way.
No matter how strong your stomach is, there’s a puzzle built by John Kramer (a.k.a.Jigsaw) that’ll make your insides crawl.
The character is oozing with depth and personality, and he has a backstory that actually makes you sympathize with him even though he’s a despicable, sadistic killer.
Related:The Best Escape Room Movies That’ll Make You Think
4. Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Freddy Kruegeris a twisted pedophile who haunts young folks while they sleep and kills them in their dreams. How’s that for terrifying?
And if you don’t think that’s enough to land him this high on this list, don’t forget that he also makes many wisecracks throughout theNightmare on Elm Streetfilms, which really cranks up his personality.
He’s almost amusing as a horror movie villain, and that’s why he’ll always be remembered as one of the greats, both in terms of scariness and entertainment value.
Related:The Best Horror Movie Final Girls
3. Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th (1980)
Jason Voorheesand his mother are straight-up savages when it comes to taking out camp counselors. Jason has been in plenty ofFriday the 13thfilms, and his body count seems to be never-ending.
Like many of the best killers in horror movies, Voorhees doesn’t speak—he lets his machete do the talking for him. He’s big, seemingly unkillable, and relentless, making him a perfect villain for slasher films.
Related:The Best Serial Killer Movies of All Time
2. Michael Myers in Halloween (1978)
Michael Myersis a master of suspense. He slowly stalks his victims and makes viewers squirm while they watch in anticipation.
He has an interesting backstory, which helps explain why he’s relentlessly pursuing members of his family with murder on his mind. He stacks bodies along the way, taking out anyone who crosses his path.
Like Jason, he doesn’t speak—but there’s something about the mystique of Michael Myers that makes him even more badass than Jason.
Related:The Best Silent Movie Characters Who Are Mute or Don’t Speak
1. Pennywise in It (2017)
Pennywise the Dancing Clownonly gets the kill once every 27 years, but when the time comes, he definitely makes the most of it—by exploiting their greatest fears to make them truly suffer before they die.
He has some truly incredible lines throughout bothItand the sequelIt Chapter Two, with Bill Skarsgård portraying Pennywise in what I consider to be the single greatest performance of any horror villain.
Plus, there’s the originalItminiseries, which features Tim Curry as the killer clown. Between Curry and Skarsgård, Pennywise is leaps and bounds ahead of all other horror movie villains.
Related:The Best Clown Horror Movies
