There’s just something about a villain. Maybe it’s their oddball wardrobes or signature phrases, but they always seem to steal the show (and inspire amazing Halloween costumes). No matter how much they scare us, the best ones are also really entertaining, sometimes making it hard to remember we should be rooting against them. We just love to love the bad guys. (I mean, we did sing a whole bunch of parodies about them.)
These 10 movie villains have become favorites for cinephiles of all kinds:
The Joker,Batman
Dark and devilish, the Joker is no friendly clown. With a ghastly grin and a pension for pyro and murder, he’s one of Batman’s main nemesies. While many Hollywood legends have played this cackling ghoul over the years, Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance in 2008’s The Dark Knight will always be my favorite.
Cruella de Ville,101 Dalmatians
Admit it, the first time you saw this puppy-hating villainess, you thought she was pretty fierce. After her big-screen debut in the 1961 Disney animated classic, Cruella was brought to life by Glenn Close in 1996. With her eccentric style and crazed laugh, she’s unforgettable and Emma Stone’s latest interpretation has me more obsessed than ever.
John Doe,Seven
It was hard not to be terrified of Kevin Spacey’s deranged John Doe in the 1995 thriller about a series of grisly murders modeled after the seven deadly sins. Despite having little actual screen time, he more than made up for it by taunting Brad Pitt’s Detective Mills in the film’s final moments, making us scared to open any unexpected box. Ever.
Miranda Priestley,The Devil Wears Prada
She may have been devilish, but there’s no denying Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly was a boss. Between the coat flinging and demands for steak and unpublished manuscripts, she put lowly assistant and wannabe journalist Andy (Anne Hathaway) through the fashion ringer, but she also gave moms everywhere the ultimate one liner: “That’s all.”
Darth Vader,Star Wars Franchise
You can’t spell “daddy issues” without Darth Vader, formerly known as Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi golden boy broke bad and served as public enemy No. 1 in the original Star Wars trilogy, revealing his true identity (and giving us one of the most iconic lines in film history) in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back.
Gordon Gekko,Wall Street
They say money can’t buy you happiness, but I think Michael Douglas’ financier might disagree. The “Greed is good” champion corrupted newbie junior stockbroker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) in record time, convincing him to make questionable moves in the name of wealth and success. While I can’t say I want financial advice from him, I can’t argue with his command of those suspenders.
Lord Voldemort,Harry Potter Franchise
He Who Must Not Be Named (Ralph Fiennes) terrorized Harry Potter and the gang throughout the entire series, having killed the boy wizard’s parents when he was a baby. But the Dark Lord’s disturbing appearance also made him a frightful sight to behold, not to mention his desire for “blood purity.” No thanks.
Ursula,Little Mermaid
Okay, I know Ursula totally duped Ariel and her chances of becoming human… But! Ursula is just a woman born to lead. It seems that the patriarchal ways of society also exist under the sea. Doesn’t Ursula deserve a chance to rule as much as King Triton? It really makes you think.
Alex Forrest,Fatal Attraction
A weekend affair leads to a deadly obsession for this editor (Seriously, what is it with editors in movies?) played by Glenn Close. After a brief tryst with married lawyer Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), Alex becomes determined to have him all to herself, stalking his family and leading to one epic showdown (and one sad bunny).
Anton Chigurh,No Country For Old Men
If Anton Chigurh walks into a room, you better run. Played by Javier Bardem, this merciless hitman-for-hire will let nothing and no one get in his way as he hunts down some missing money. I’m still not sure how that bizarre, Beatles-ish haircut helped him be more frightening, but it did.
Which villain do you love to hate? Share your favorite bad guy or gal in the comments.
