The 35 Best Horror Movie Characters of All Time
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
There's a popular theory that attempts to explain why we love horror movies called "The Beast Within." According to this theory, there's "an unconscious, repressed part of every human is actually savage; that the veneer of civility is very thin, and beneath that is essentially a monster ... although we consciously disapprove of what the monster is doing, deep down part of us enjoys seeing the murder and mayhem the monster unleashes—because if we could, we would do that.”
That's a pretty dark way of looking at a movie genre, but it does come with the horror territory. And it also explains why we can so deeply identify with both horror movie villains and the heroes. For every survivor you're rooting for, there's also a ghost or a maniac wielding a sharp object that we understand. On its surface, the genre is a fight between good and evil, but in the best horror films those lines are blurred. Like we're looking into a horrifying mirror of our own reality.
That's where this list comes in: a rundown of the best horror characters, whether they were being chased or doing the chasing. From Georges Méliès's first depiction of the Devil in Le Manoir du diable to Ma, from the movie Ma, these are the humans, animals, ghouls, and shape-shifting interdimensional evil entities that we love.
M3GAN, M3GAN
M3GAN: Robot, girlboss, best friend, living nightmare, princess, queen, dancer, singer, killer, master swordswoman. We'll say no more, because nothing else needs to be said. —Brady Langmann
See the original post on Youtube
The Devil, Le Manoir du diable
Three minutes is all it took to scare the bejesus out of people in 1896. Granted, film for entertainment was a relatively new thing to the world at this stage, but director Georges Méliès was onto something when he clocked that a good scare made for good visual entertainment. The short film may have only been a few minutes in length, but the French illusionist conjured up fear in a character that still haunts us to this day. And yes, that is the whole film. —Justin Kirkland
See the original post on Youtube
Ma, Ma
What can I say? She doesn’t drink alone and I respect that. Octavia Spencer’s “Ma” is campy horror excellence because the premise of the film is insane (and somehow uncomfortably relatable). High school went poorly for this woman, so she waited years and years, had a daughter who she essentially holds captive in a Munchausens by Proxy situation, and then invites high schoolers to her basement to make them pay for their parents’ transgressions. It’s vicious, and inspirational. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Mrs. Carmody, The Mist
Honestly, screw The Mist and its surprise twist that completely deflates the whole movie. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about Marcia Gay Harden’s end-times-style pulpit-eer, Mrs. Carmody. As soon as the titular mist sets in over the town, Mrs. Carmody comes to life as a Bible thumping terror who starts suggesting that maybe the way forward is to deal with the sinners and offer God a child sacrifice. She’s a terror and a real anthropomorphized version of right-wing Twitter. God bless, Mrs. Carmody. Somebody has to. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
The Hand, Talk To Me
If the scariest monsters truly are faceless, then Talk To Me's The Hand—is that the name we're rolling with?—takes the cake. If you ever see this thing whipped out at a party, maybe go to the next room. Or, you know, leave. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Annie Wilkes, Misery
It’s called stan culture. Look it up.
But seriously, long before Eminem ever recorded “Stan” there was Annie Wilkes. The Stephen King protagonist (yeah, we went there) ends up caretaking for her favorite author after an accident, which is nice until she starts badgering him about what Misery’s next installment will look like. Annoying, right? Then when she doesn’t like the answer, she holds him hostage and… well, let’s just say there’s a sledgehammer scene. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Gale Weathers, Scream Franchise
In the pursuit of truth, a great journalist makes enemies. A great journalist gets their hands dirty. A great journalist fucks up serial killers, even if her bangs get away from her every once in a while. Monica be damned, there’s no Courteney Cox role better than Gale Weathers, the scathing dark heart of Scream. While those in Weathers’ orbit may admire her most for her best-selling books or the Stab movie franchise they inspire, let's give her credit for the many near-fatal injuries she has survived (and avenged). But she was never braver than the morning she put on that chartreuse skirt-suit and thought, now I’m TV ready. — JK
See the original post on Youtube
Chris Washington, Get Out
It truly is difficult to decide which one of Jordan Peele's characters from Get Out is the most genius. Each one plays an important role in the film's analysis of systemic racism in America. I mean, Lakeith Stanfield is only in the movie for a few minutes and he should have his own entry on this list! But, if we have to choose just one, it must be our hero, Chris Washington played by Daniel Kaluuya, whose single tear remains a haunting image in 21st century cinema. - Matt Miller
See the original post on Youtube
Black Phillip, The Witch
In a movie called The Witch, one might not expect the main antagonist to be a huge black goat. But this is no ordinary goat. Phillip is actually the devil in disguise, set to destroy a puritanic Christian family. But in the real world, the goat was also somewhat of a villain himself. The 210-pound billy named Charlie was reportedly a pain in the ass to work with, and seriously wounded his co-star Ralph Ineson. Regardless, his on-set behavior didn’t stop him from becoming a superstar. — MM
See the original post on Youtube
Jack Torrance, The Shining
It is without a doubt the finest performance of Jack Nicholson’s storied career. Never have those insane eyes and brows been put to better use than to illustrate Jack Torrance’s slow descent into madness. There’s a reason his line delivery of “Here’s Johnny” remains one of the best movie moments of all time. This is a movie where he can go from insane to casually sipping a cocktail with a ghost bartender within matter of moments. —MM
See the original post on Youtube
Pennywise, It
Since Stephen King first imagined him into existence through two iconic adaptations, Pennywise the dancing clown has ruined clowns for multiple generations. Whether played by Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgård, Pennywise is a terror to behold. Or, perhaps, he’s just a misunderstood demon clown who is legitimately funny. We’ll let you decide. —MM
See the original post on Youtube
Summerisle Pagans, The Wicker Man
As far as I could tell, the pagans on Summerisle are actually the heroes of The Wicker Man. Here’s some conservative Christian cop coming into their small village telling them what to believe and how to live. He threatens them. He insults them. He’s kind of an intrusive asshole! Sure, they lured him there to kill him as a sacrifice to their pagan gods in return for a bountiful harvest, but who are we to judge what’s wrong or right? —MM
See the original post on Youtube
Norman Bates, Psycho
Sixty years after Psycho, it’s easy to think of Norman Bates among the likes of fantastical movie monsters in the horror genre. But, what’s easy to forget is that the most terrifying thing about Bates is how even today he remains a very real example of the violent white men who exist in modern day American society. There have been entire psychological profiles written to examine the mind of Norman Bates—an emotionally abused, sexually oppressed man with mommy issues and dissociative personality disorder. He might be one of the most iconic movie villains of all time, but he’s also very real. —MM
See the original post on Youtube
The Mother, Barbarian
Don't make me talk about The Mother, even if the real villain of the Barbarian isn't The Mother. Please. I'm still not ready. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Daniel Robitaille, Candyman
You never actually learn Daniel Robitaille’s name in the original 1992 film, Candyman. He’s known only as Candyman, and it’s impossible to think of him as a “villain.” Candyman is a victim of a heinous hate crime. The son of a former slave, Robitaille is brutally murdered for impregnating a white woman. He haunts the Chicago projects that stand atop what was the place of his death, killing anyone who summons him. Certainly one of the most complex, political, and nuanced characters on this list. The terror of Candyman is the terror of America itself—a place that is still haunted by the ghosts of its racist past and present. —MM
See the original post on Youtube
Flying Monkeys, The Wizard of Oz
Is the Wizard of Oz a horror movie? However, if you—from your youth to this very day—prefer to shield your eyes when a character appears on screen, I think they qualify as a horror in and of themselves. And do I ever dread having to look at the Flying Monkeys. From the Wicked Witch’s henchmen’s weird prosthetic blue faces to the very off-putting growl/hoot noise they make when they waddle/fly, I want nothing to do with any of it. So yes, I still cover my eyes during a children’s movie. No shame to admit you do, too. —Lauren Kranc
See the original post on Youtube
Alien, Alien
Is there any science fiction shot as iconic as the moment in Alien 3 when the titular alien bestows a slimy kiss on the cheek of a cowering Sigourney Weaver? Forty years and six movies later, the alien’s hijinks never get old—or any less blood-curdling. Each film features a cat and mouse game between new gangs of interstellar travelers, who get progressively dumber, and our old pal the xenomorph, whose familiar tricks include slicing through metal and bone with its acidic blood, chomping on people’s faces, and bursting merrily from the chests of their hosts. If those visuals didn’t horrify you enough, check out the ending of Alien: Resurrection, where a newborn xenomorph is violently atomized into space through a hole in the spaceship’s hull. Truly the stuff of nightmares. —Adrienne Westenfeld
See the original post on Youtube
Babadook, The Babadook
I’ve heard that the Australians, generally, are nice and pleasant people. But not this guy! This tall glass of heebie-jeebies is not only an allegory for Australia’s colonial history, but a dude who somehow delivers genuine scares wearing a top hat. Impressive, really. While we all know that The Babadook’s screaming little child was the real monster here, we’re still thinking about Mister Babadook all these years later, too. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Count Orlok, Nosferatu
You don’t get much more OG than Nosferatu’s dastardly vampire, Count Orlok. I mean, the guy was iconic enough to appear in a silent German film circa 1922 and influence the genre for the next century. But Count Orlok is really just here because of this: He gives a masterclass in horror-movie weirdness. The dude is just weird! Skulks around his castle, flings his talons around like life is a game of shadow puppets, and acts just mysterious enough to make you wonder what the hell his deal is. May your legacy (and chic trench coat) never die. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Frank, Donnie Darko
Behold, the greatest horror-villain zinger in the history of the genre, courtesy of Donnie Darko's rather large, probably imaginary, costumed bunny, Frank. Donnie Darko: “Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?” Frank: “Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?” Frank is galaxy brain personified, the buried corner of our id that would tell us—you know, if it wasn’t buried—that time travel is real! You can get away with anything! The world is ending soon! (Though he’s probably right about that last one.) —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Pearl, The X Trilogy
Thanks to Mia Goth's unrivaled performance, Ti West's X franchise has gifted us an all-time horror villain. If you need any evidence, just watch (or rewatch) Pearl's credits, where Goth smiles at the camera for an impossible amount of time, unblinking, with tears streaming from her eyes.
See the original post on Youtube
Madame Blanc, Suspiria
If we were to measure scary-movie bads in terms of skill—like, how good they are at bein’ bad— you don’t get much better than the deputy headmistress of Tanz Dance Akademie, Suspiria’s Madame Blanc. Yeah, the ballerina-school coven is technically a group endeavor. But Joan Bennett (and later, Tilda Swinton) gives an all-timer of a turn as the dance instructor/witch. Raining maggots, reanimated corpses, bloodthirsty dogs? Cruelty at its best. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Fog, The Fog
Ah, fog. One of the most underrated natural occurrences, next to dew, mist, bubbles, and hail. The Fog’s fog was genuinely spooky, carrying with it a merry band of bloodthirsty ghost-mariner-pirate-demon-people. But that’s later on. It turns out you can villainize an unusually overcast morning with some incredible low-end ambient music, and for that, John Carpenter deserves major cred. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Laurie Strode, Halloween Franchise
You’d think the inevitable Halloween spot on this list would go to Michael Myers. But the guy kinda sucks at his job! He’s still chasing Laurie Strode, the real hero here, all these years later. Why does he refuse to run? Laurie has successfully employed all kinds of weapons in the war against this creeper—gun, knife, coat hanger—so it’d be a mistake to call good ol’ Mikey the best of anything. Maybe it’s time to hang up the mask, man. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Jason Voorhees, Friday the 13th
What's impressive about Jason Voorhees is that he's so iconic that people sometimes forget that he wasn't even really in the original Friday the 13th movie. That's right! Jason's mom is the one murdering campers in the original 1980 movie. It's not until Friday the 13th Part II that he even becomes the main villain of the franchise. And it's not until Friday the 13th Part III that he even gets his iconic hockey mask. Major credit for a guy who knows how to reinvent himself. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Leatherface: Really not the best name for a villain! It’s like calling someone Linenface. Or Denimface. Cheeseclothface. It’s unnerving when you find out that, you know, it’s human skin he’s wearing—this guy is a cannibal, you know—but Leatherface is a fixture of the iconic ’70s era of horror. Put some respect on the misguided name of this man and his chainsaw. —BL
See the original post on Youtube
Quint, Jaws
The Indanpolis speech alone more than qualifies him. —Danny Dumas
See the original post on Youtube
Clarice Starling, Silence of the Lambs
Fava beans, anyone? Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling is one of the most intriguing characters on this list for a few different reasons. Not only is Clarice one of the smartest and most layered horror protagonists in the genre, but she’s presented as an equal to her male counterparts. There’s a psychological complexity to Clarice, allowing viewers to see her backstory in a manner rarely allotted to the “good character.” Also, the Oscar that Foster won for the role doesn’t hurt either. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
The Blood, Carrie
Sure, “Carrie” is the obvious addition to the list. Or even Carrie’s mom. You might even argue it’s John Travolta’s terrible (and ill-fated) high school bully, but the truth is, there’s no character more integral than the blood in Carrie. From moment-go, it’s the ultimate weapon of destruction. The blood is what ostracizes Sissy Spacek’s Carrie from her classmates in the period scene at the start of the film, and it haunts her again as her classmates dump blood on her at the prom. Never has otherwise innocent blood been so haunting in film. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Giant Ants, Them!
Crude and rudimentary? Sure. But if we walked outside and ran into the giant ants from Them, we’d be scared shitless. The transparent size of the ants make them terrifying and exemplify the horror maxim that is: bigger is scarier. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare on Elm Street
Krueger is an all-timer. Even if you haven’t seen Nightmare on Elm Street, the mangled face and striped red sweater that Krueger wears is a pop culture staple. And like a lot of the characters on this list, there’s something particularly devastating about his existence: razor hands that kill you in your dreams… so effectively that it kills you in real life? How do you stop a serial killer like that? In the extensive catalogue that Wes Craven has given us, his depiction of Freddy has to be near the top of the list in terms of recognizability. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Regan, The Exorcist
Kids are objectively terrifying. Sorry parents; that’s just the truth. But when a young Linda Blair was tapped to play Regan in The Exorcist, it took the creepiness of children to a whole new level. Possessed by a demon, the foul-mouthed and putrid image of Regan is enough to haunt your dreams at night. For The Exorcist to still be so relevant nearly 50 years after its release is a testament to the film, but the star is undoubtedly Regan… or at least the demon inside of her. After all, when have you ever heard a little girl say, “Your mother sucks cocks in hell!” —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Damien Thorn’s Dog, The Omen
The devil is scary, but the devil’s dog is even scarier. Its official name, Hellhound, is a reference to the dog that serves Satan. And while facing off with Damien is horrifying in its own right, there’s something even more daunting about being at the will of Satan’s dog. It means that your fate is doomed, and you’re cornered by something more powerful than you. Damien means your demise is imminent. Damien Thorn’s Hellhound means that you’ve only just begun. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
Frankenstein’s Monster, Frankenstein
Remember: Frankenstein is not the monster! But Frankenstein’s monster is probably the most recognizable horror movie character, shy of an unnamed mummy or vampire. The 1931 adaptation of Mary Shelley’s famous story is what helped launch our current idea of what Frankenstein’s monster looks like. The greenish hue to his skin, the bolts in the neck, that… unfortunate haircut. It’s cemented its place in horror pop culture history, whether you like it or not. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
The Creature, Creature from the Black Lagoon
Imagine being so iconic that you’re brought back, decades later to star in your own romantic film called The Shape of Water. Jokes aside, in its time, the creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon was nightmare fuel and orchestrated the archetype of this fish-monster hybrid that would be recreated time and time again. The creature is a part of horror movie monster canon and for good reason. —JK
See the original post on Youtube
You Might Also Like
