Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers.There is no shortage of great heroes in cinema today: protagonists that are too relatable, endearing or virtuous to overlook. But what will always fascinate audiences are those that stand against the heroes, those who are only in it for themselves. Studios today seem more than happy to oblige, with the call for more screen time with villains being answered in the many spin-offs and expanded media being made to satisfy audiences’ obsession with mischief and villainy.
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Not every villain had humble origins as mere rivals and afterthoughts of a movie’s protagonist. Sometimes, movie villains, intentionally or not, were the highlight of certain films themselves.
Updated on November 29th, 2022, by Hannah Saab:
Movie protagonists and antagonists don't always have clear-cut roles, with some villains often becoming the star of the film. Recent examples like Hellraiser prove that villains can sometimes steal the spotlight from movie heroes and can even end up becoming more iconic than the protagonists.
The Joker in 'The Dark Knight' (2008)
Available to stream on HBO Max.
To outshine Batman at the height of his trilogy of solo films is an impossible task indeed. Enter Heath Ledger’s Joker. Director Christopher Nolan’s reinterpretation of the Joker as a calculating supervillain was universally praised for breathing new life into the decades-long rivalry between the Caped Crusader and Clown Prince of Crime.
For his unparalleled, masterful work as Batman’s greatest enemy in The Dark Knight, Ledger was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars in 2009, having tragically passed away some months after the end of shooting for Nolan’s film.
John Silver in 'Treasure Planet' (2002)
Available to stream on Disney+.
One of animation’s greatest villains, this cyborg pirate from Treasure Planet was somewhat overlooked, not unlike the 2002 film in which he appears. Treasure Planet reimagines the story of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel Treasure Island as an adventure set in space. The movie tells the story of Jim Hawkins, who stumbles upon a map to a planet sheltering the “loot of a thousand worlds”, the treasure trove of Captain Flint, once the most notorious pirate in the galaxy.
The film takes special care to portray the bond that grows between Jim and the morally ambiguous Silver, a pirate greedy for the treasure himself. Treasure Planet’s emphasis on its villain makes it one of the most heart-wrenching animated films, one that does a good job in making audiences unsure of whom they want to root for.
King Jareth in 'Labyrinth' (1986)
Available to stream on Netflix.
Directed by Jim Henson, of Muppets fame, Labyrinth depicts a young girl’s journey as she travels deeper into a magical maze in order to retrieve her stolen brother. David Bowie plays the movie’s villain, Jareth, the Goblin King, the leader of the goblins and master of the maze, in a performance that you could not imagine the film without.
That is to say nothing of the cast of heroes, including Jennifer Connelly’s Sarah and a supporting cast of fantastical creatures. But David Bowie is David Bowie, and the film makes no effort to suppress his charisma and artistic talent.
Loki in 'Thor' (2011)
Available to stream on Disney+.
Chris Hemsworth’s Marvel debut as the Norse god of thunder consolidated Thor as one of the MCU’s mightiest heroes. Unfortunately for his character – but fortunately for us – 2011’s Thor introduced us to the trickster-god Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. Hiddleston’s Loki has become a fan favorite and has seen unprecedented popularity within the fandom, moving on to serve as the primary antagonist for the knockout first Avengers film, and then becoming the star of his own Disney Plus series.
Charismatic and tragic in equal measure, Loki’s lasting presence in the MCU demonstrates how both Marvel Studios and their audiences can’t get enough of their greatest villain, and both wait with bated breath for the next appearance of the god of mischief.
Anton Chigurh in 'No Country For Old Men' (2007)
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel of the same name, No Country For Old Men tells the story of Llewelyn Moss (played by Josh Brolin), who stumbles upon two-million dollars left by a drug deal gone wrong.
Though the film also features such talent as Tommy Lee Jones as Sherriff Bell and Woody Harrelson as Carson Wells, no one who saw that movie is forgetting Javier Bardem’s performance, and his character Anton Chigurh. A relentless hitman, Chigurh motivates much of the film’s themes of violence and indifference, on top of simply captivating viewers for every second he is on screen.
Regina George in 'Mean Girls' (2004)
Available to stream on Paramount+.
A high schooler can't exactly qualify as a villain, can they? Rachel McAdams’ Regina George, the primary antagonist of Mean Girls, puts that assumption to the test. While the plot centers on Lindsay Lohan’s Cady Heron as she navigates high school and its social cliques, it’s Regina who steals the spotlight.
Her especially-cutting brand of evil is so show-stopping that it serves as the primary inspiration for Cady’s own downfall in the legendary teen film. Ruthless and dominant, it’s no mystery why Regina defined what it meant to wear the crown in the high school hierarchy.
Jason Voorhees in 'Friday the 13th' (1980)
Available to rent on Apple TV.
In all fairness, Jason Voorhees, the antagonist of the 1980 slasher Friday the 13th, didn’t have much to go up against in terms of unforgettable characters. In standard 80s horror affair, the film follows a group of carefree teenagers as their summer camp takes a deadly turn.
Jason, the tragic victim turned villain of the original story, has reached mythological status since his movie debut, a fact greatly aided by the character’s unforgettable look. His hockey mask and machete weren’t always a part of his wardrobe, but with appearances in various horror franchises (and even the Mortal Kombatgames) it would be hard to argue that Jason has no place in the slasher cinema hall of fame.
Kylo Ren in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017)
Available to stream on Disney+.
Kylo Ren barely needed to do anything more to make this list, not after the mere ignition of his crossguard lightsaber set the Star Wars fandom on fire. But actor Adam Driver ensured that audiences received a capable and multifaceted antagonist, deserving of the legacy of unforgettable Star Wars villains like Darth Maul, Christopher Lee’s Count Dooku and, of course, Darth Vader of the original trilogy.
Though he was as compelling during his first on-screen moments as he was during his last, Kylo really came into his own in 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Sure, protagonist Rey was having an identity crisis, and training with Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, but as the descendant of Han Solo and Princess Leia, Kylo very believably struggled with his conflicted past and with the legacy of an even more conflicted family history.
The Terminator in 'The Terminator' (1984)
Available to stream on AMC+.
1984’s The Terminator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in the titular role – and can be partially held responsible for making him a household name – but you’d be forgiven for forgetting that his character is not the focus of the film. The filmfollows Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor, a waitress who discovers that her unborn son will lead the last vestiges of humanity in a war against the machines. What ensues is a gripping game of cat-and-mouse, as Sarah and the time-traveler Kyle Reece attempt to escape the lethal sights of a cybernetic assassin.
Schwarzenegger has since portrayed many versions of the character, from the relentless T-800 model that appears in the first film to a reprogrammed killer-turned-protector in the sequels that followed the action classic.
Cruella de Vil in '101 Dalmatians' (1961)
Available to stream on Disney+.
You wouldn’t think that a fashion designer known for trying to kidnap puppies for their fur would be a treasured part of an animated children’s film. Yet, after her movie debut in 101 Dalmatians, Cruella de Vil is not only one of Disney’s most iconic villains, but characters in general.
Fans of the devilish designer were given more of the character and her backstory in 2021’s Cruella, which shined a spotlight on the origins of Cruella’s stylish brand of villainy. The film featured Emma Stone in the titular role, and has a sequel – Cruella 2 – in the works, so audiences won’t have to wait for long to see the fashion magnate scheme again.
Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl' (2014)
Available to rent on Apple TV.
For those who haven't read the eponymous 2012 novel by Gillian Flynn that Gone Girl is based on, it's not immediately obvious that Amy Dunne (masterfully played by Rosamund Pike) is the villain in the story. Directed by David Fincher, Almost half of the film is dedicated to pointing the finger at her husband Nick Dunne (played by Ben Affleck) after her sudden disappearance, after all.
Amy's cunning and evil character soon outshines her (apparently) genuinely distressed and confused husband when it's revealed that she staged the crime scene. When viewers think back on this thrilling film, it's Amy they'll likely remember first, not Nick.
Ava in 'Ex Machina' (2014)
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Ex Machina is Alex Garland's critically-acclaimed directorial debut. Domhnall Gleeson stars as Caleb Smith, an awkward computer programmer who wins a one-week visit to the luxurious home of their company's CEO Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). There, he meets Ava (Alicia Vikander), an advanced android who's seemingly being kept there against her will by the eccentric CEO.
It's soon clear that Ava is the villain in the story, as once Caleb falls for her manipulative pleas, she's free to murder Nathan and everyone else (other androids) in the house. She's a smart and devious antagonist who is memorable for all the right reasons, much more than Caleb could ever be.
Pinhead in 'Hellraiser' (2022)
Available to stream on Hulu.
Although the latest entry in the legendary Hellraiser franchise premiered to mixed reviews, there's no denying that the villain outshines the protagonist in the horror movie. Odessa A'zion plays Riley McKendry, a recovering drug addict who discovers a puzzle box that leads her and her friends into the murderous world of the Cenobites.
Among the Cenobites is their leader, the iconic Pinhead (this time played by Jamie Clayton) whose chilling presence and appearance are enough to induce nightmares for both other characters and audiences. It's hard to remember any of the brave protagonist's friends when Pinhead steals every scene she's in.
