Horror has churned out countless antagonists over the past 100 years. However, not all villains are created equal. Some horror villains are absolutely horrifying and if we had to go up against them, there’s no way we’d survive. On the other hand, there are some horror villains who could be bested by a capable adult given the right weaponry or circumstances. We’ve gathered together 30 of our favorite horror villains and ranked them from least to most terrifying. Take a peek at our ranking and let us know your favorite villains from this list in the comments section on social media.
Sam “Trick ‘r Treat”
Okay, this guy is a villain who kills people who break the rules of Halloween. But look how cute he is?!
Chucky “Child’s Play”
Sure, Chucky may be a knife wielding serial killer. But at the end of the day, he’s trapped in the body of a children’s toy.
Annabelle “Annabelle”
Annabelle may be super creepy, but when it comes to dangers of “The Conjuring” universe, she’s the least of our worries.
Black Phillip “The Witch”
Although Black Phillip is literally Satan himself, he’s still just a cute little goat.
Damien Thorn “The Omen”
If I needed a reason not to have children, Damien Thorn is as good as any.
Lubdan The Leprechaun “Leprechaun”
I know this film was marketed as a horror movie, but this antagonist is just straight up funny.
Esther “Orphan”
She may be a violent adult posing as a child, but at least she’s small enough for a grownup to take out.
The Pale Man “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Just don’t touch the food and he won’t eat you, that’s it!
Mister Babadook “The Babadook”
He may be a queer icon today, but this movie did a number on me when I saw it for the first time.
Adrian Griffin “The Invisible Man”
Not only does this villain mess with your sense of sight, he ultimately messes with your sense of reality.
Leatherface “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”
While he may be a cannibal wielding a chainsaw, at least we know he’s either than others to outrun on foot (or by pickup truck).
Jack Torrance “The Shining”
He may not be the biggest or strongest villain, but the fact that he turned on his family is pretty terrifying.
Norman Bates “Psycho”
Alfred Hitchcock really had a way of making a seemingly normal guy become one of the creepiest characters in all of horror.
The Candyman “Candyman”
This character is both complex and exceptionally unique, which makes him all the more scary.
Jason Voorhees “Friday the 13th”
He’s an icon and I was told never to mess with someone who carries a machete.
Annie Wilkes “Misery”
This killer is grounded in reality, which makes her pretty horrifying.
Hannibal Lecter “The Silence of the Lambs”
Hannibal Lecter is both smart and sophisticated, which makes him truly dangerous.
Samara Morgan “The Ring”
Other creepy kids scored lower on my list, but there’s just something about Samara that creeps me out.
Ghostface “Scream”
His getup is pretty generic but the fact that tons of people took on this identity is seriously unnerving.
Captain Spaulding “House of 1000 Corpses”
This clown redneck villain is absolutely scary.
Pazuzu “The Exorcist”
Possession definitely freaks the hell out of me.
Pinhead “Hellraiser”
Pinhead is pure nightmare fuel.
Valak “The Nun”
Valak was so scary during her debut in “The Conjuring 2” that she earned her own feature film in 2018’s “The Nun.”
Freddy Krueger “A Nightmare on Elm Street”
Sure, he may be campy, but I take my sleep very seriously and I don’t want anyone messing with it.
Jigsaw “Saw”
While he’s certainly among the physically weakest on this list (what with him being a cancer patient), his extensive traps and henchmen make he exceedingly powerful.
Michael Myers “Halloween”
Let’s face it, Michael Myers is absolutely enormous and certainly no one to be messed with.
Pennywise “It”
This creature can transform into your deepest, darkest fear. No thanks!
Xenomorphs “Alien”
Us Earthly mortals are no match for the antagonists of the “Alien” franchise.
The Entity “It Follows”
The entity will follow you to the ends of the Earth and never stops hunting you, that’s absolutely unnerving.
Art the Clown “Terrifier”
He’s the number one scariest horror villain, no ifs, ands or buts about it.
