Whether it’s a movie or TV show, a good villain is a must. An antagonist trying to keep heroes from achieving greatness or even simply surviving can make or break the film. In fact, some on-screen villains seem to be something out of all our nightmares. Those are the greats. The ones who remain with you long after the credits have finished rolling. The ones who you can’t stop thinking about. A great villain can make you love them or loathe them while you watch their story unfold. Whether you start empathizing with them or are terrified of them, they still leave a mark. So, let’s talk about some of the best movie and TV villains and find our favorites.
The Joker
The Joker began as a comic book character who was a classic villain. As you know by now, he’d been brought alive on TV and in movies by several talented actors. However, it would hard to deny the fact that Heath Ledger and Chris Nolan’s Joker was by far the best one. They perfected the creepy character and introduced him in The Dark Knight back in 2008. This Joker is a villain who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And what he wants is to watch the world burn.
The Joker
Darth Vader
Oftentimes, you’ll see Darth Vader appear at the top of lists when it comes to best villains. The character has had a long-lasting impact compared to most movie villains, that’s for sure. While the revelations of his younger years didn’t do much help, they didn’t hurt either. With his evil presence, Darth Vader’s somewhat tragic story takes all the great twists and turns. His ending even has a redemption which helps. The best part has to be James Earl Jones’ deep booming voice that makes the character so recognizable.
Darth Vader
Hans Gruber
Alan Rickman did an incredible job bringing Hans Gruber to the screen in Die Hard. A cultured, scheming villain who had the ability to improvise at the drop of a hat or whenever the situation ruined his original plan? Amazing. It also helps that the writing for this character was so memorable, not to mention, perfectly delivered by the actor in a precise way. All great villains are in need of a noble defeat, but not many get to fall the way Hans does.
Hans Gruber
Hannibal Lecter
Robert Harris’ villain was portrayed memorably both by Brian Cox and Mads Mikkelsen. However, Anthony Hopkins is the one who turned Hannibal into a modern legend. While most great villains are defined by their actions, Hopkins’ stillness is exactly what’s so unsettling. His horrific acts are more implied than shown, but all the same, his words are just as violent. Hannibal Lecter is still an iconic villain to this day.
Hannibal Lecter
Voldemort
There are people who claim that Voldemort’s name was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s decaying character, M. Valdemar. However, it was J.K. Rowling’s love of French that resulted in the name, in reality. It means “flight of death”. The author said, “I needed a name that evokes both power and exoticism”. Well, those words describe the character rather well. Exotic seeing as he’s a chilling mix of man and snake, and powerful due to his command of dark magic. You can sense his presence in every shadow on-screen, making him an excellent villain.
Voldemort
Norman Bates
One of cinema’s greatest scenes is, of course, the shower scene from the iconic horror film, Psycho. The man behind the woman is Norman Bates who is no ordinary villain. He was the first of his cinematic kind. A monster who is completely human. Not some fantastical beast, but a guy who could pass you on the street. Someone you’d never suspect in the first place. We may be used to movies filled with serial killers, but in 1960, this was a first. And it definitely captured the audience and completely redefined horror as they knew it.
Norman Bates
Freddy Krueger
Aside from his chilling and creepy appearance, Freddy Krueger was a very effective bogeyman in A Nightmare On Elm Street. However, it wasn’t until the 1985 sequel, Freddy’s Revenge that the villain began taking shape. Freddy developed a sense of humor in the second film – one that grew more and more demented as time went on. He evolved into a somehow lovable genre mascot of sorts. All the same, losing his edge never reduced his appeal to fans.
Freddy Krueger
Agent Smith
Hugo Weaving’s Agent Smith became recognizable for his permanently downturned mouth and furrowed brow. He’s a remorseless enforcer who is solely focused on maintaining cold, hard order. He is just an AI program in a virtual reality that was designed to keep humanity comatose. As a matter of fact, he shouldn’t despise humans, but it’s clear that his files are corrupted. That’s the key to his effectiveness as a villain – an oppressive regime stooge who hates his job.
Agent Smith
Michael Myers
The silent killer. The psychopath with serious family issues. The co-writer of the movie Michael Myers appeared in, Halloween, is the one who deserves the credit for turning an old William Shatner mask into one of the most iconic killer characters in cinema history. His non-threatening attire attributed to his recognizable appearance as well. Michael is one of those villains who doesn’t need all that much in terms of personality and backstory to be an effective threat. His appearance on-screen was enough to chill any audience member. This character is another one that’s become a horror movie classic.
Michael Myers
Loki
Even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where there are more than enough witty, memorable heroes, there is a chance for a villain to make the largest impact. That happened with Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki, the bitter, scheming, adopted child of Asgard. From his witty remarks to his villainous schemes, Loki has won over the hearts of fans all over the world. That isn’t to say he’s not evil – he most definitely is.
