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A movie without a villain is just all sizzle and no steak. It takes out the joy of hating someone or something without feeling guilty, and without an evil nemesis, your hero is basically just a regular guy or gal. An especially proper villain also gives you that sweet feeling of rooting for someone who isn't exactly good, but you still wish for them to succeed. And that's such a far-fetched concept in real life that you would never think of feeling so! Except for when watching a movie, that is. Of course, some movie villains are a shameful scoundrel's portrayal, but with these (predominantly) guys, the creators of the characters and the actors who played them elevated the concept of a villain to new heights. So, here we are with our list paying all due respect to the worst, the most terrible, and the sneakiest movie villains!
A great villain comprises plenty of things, but first of all, there has to be a clear reason for why they are mad/angry/murderous. So, a backstory here is as important as ever! Then, such an evil character has to have something entirely unique about them - maybe it's their modus operandi, maybe it's their looks, or the way they talk (or don't talk at all). Only then is a villain truly memorable and frightening. And last but not least, a villain has to be likable. Maybe they're very intelligent or have a great sense of humor; maybe they're ingenious or as charming as a purring kitten. Without this certain magic, a villain turns bland, and then there's no way you can feel attracted to them, which, in turn, evokes that double-sided feeling of rooting for them. So, there you have it - a basis for creating a noteworthy movie character!
If you're interested to see which evil characters made it into our list, just scroll on down below to meet them! Also, don't forget to vote for the best movie villain and tell us why you think they are so great!
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#1
Darth Vader
In the battle for the ultimate villain, a space enfant terrible will always win against one from the Earth.
Hoi-Polloi 1 month ago
Hey... all he wanted was a stable government, to reconcile with his estranged son, and just maybe get him into the family business!
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#2
Joker
A villain you just can't help but love - intelligent, absolutely unhinged, and frightening to the max.
#4
Hannibal Lecter
After meeting with Hannibal, we've dropped our favorite Chianti and fava bean pairing forever.
#5
Palpatine
Scheming, powerful, evil from head to toe, and scary to even look at, Palpatine surely makes it into our Top 20 bad, bad guys.
#6
Loki
No other villain can boast about such beautiful hair, this whimsy in his eyes and mischief in his soul.
#7
Sauron
Now here's a villain that terrifies everyone without even showing his face. The eyes, after all, are the mirror of the soul!
#8
Hans Landa
What's even more terrifying than a villain by birth? A charming villain with speech as smooth as butter. Chills!
#9
Thanos
A genocidal warlord with an objective to bring stability by wiping out half of existing life? He surely drew inspiration from a certain real person, one might think.
#10
Lord Voldemort
Proves that you don't have to have a nose to be a terrific villain. It comes from within!
#11
Bane
Despite having the breathing ability of a pug, Bane creeps us out nevertheless. Or maybe it's because of it.
#12
Pennywise
Probably the original dude behind your fear of clowns.
#14
Agent Smith
A real professional in the occupation of a seasoned villain - cold, calculating, and humorless.
#16
Anton Chigurh
Everything about Anton screams villain - from his weapon choices to his vile hairstyle, he's definitely one you wouldn't want to deal with.
#17
Michael Myers
No matter how many times you've seen him in various sequels and reboots, he's still one creepy dude.
#18
Xenomorph (Alien)
Entities emerging from your body are always terrifying, but this puppy just takes the cake.
#19
T-1000
Androids are already scary, but what if they also shape-shift and are basically interminable?
#20
Jason Voorhees
Camp cooks are always pretty scary people, but Jason took it to another level by actually becoming a killer. Nice plot twist, Jason!
#21
Amon Goeth
#23
Dolores Umbridge
Cubbypotato 2 years ago
She needs to be castrated boiled alive chopped up and buried in an unmarked grave
#24
Bellatrix Lestrange
#35
Jack Torrance
Mega Gay 🇺🇦 2 years ago (edited)
This scene was so weird Edit: let's be honest. He was going crazy
#39
President Snow
#49
Ivan Drago
#52
Tyler Durden
#55
Tommy Devito
#61
Red Skull
#68
Kylo Ren
#70
Pinhead
Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
Pinhead isn't a bad guy in the strictest sense of the word.He and his cohorts are mor like entities just doing their job. They just REALLYY enjoy it., maybe a bit too much. In the original, they weren't the antagonists.
#80
Boba Fett
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What do you think ?
GenericPanda09 2 years ago
What's with all the 'buy now' links? I feel like I've just read a very long advert
Riley Warrick 2 years ago
I feel like General Grievous should be on the list of villains. So should President Coin.
GenericPanda09 2 years ago
What's with all the 'buy now' links? I feel like I've just read a very long advert
Riley Warrick 2 years ago
I feel like General Grievous should be on the list of villains. So should President Coin.
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