Here is a list of the greatest movie villains of all time
Darth Vader (“Star Wars” trilogy)
It’s hard to think of a villain who is as memorable and has influenced so many others than Darth Vader. Whether he’s Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) turning to the dark side (and killing younglings in the process) or as the Sith Lord, voiced by James Earl Jones, who can kill a man by crushing his throat by using the Force, Vader is the gold standard of villainy.
The Joker (“The Dark Knight”)
There have been many great portrayals of DC Comics villain The Joker, but Heath Ledger’s went beyond any of them. Appearing in the middle movie of Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, his performance would not just earn him an Oscar, but elevate the movie to become one of the best comic book blockbusters of all time.
Anton Chigurh (“No Country For Old Men”)
Javier Bardem’s portrayal of this cold-blooded killer led to an Oscar win. It also led to the character being one of the most evil in the Coen brothers filmography thanks to his use of a coin to decide a person’s fate and his weapon of choice, a captive bolt stunner.
Hannibal Lecter (“Silence of the Lambs” franchise)
Yes, Buffalo Bill is pretty bad in this movie, but it’s Hannibal the “cannibal” who is the true villain. Played perfectly by Anthony Hopkins, who won an Oscar for the performance, he would go on to play the role in two sequels. And the character itself has also shown up in a TV series.
The Shark (“Jaws”)
Nicknamed Bruce (after the first name of Steven Spielberg’s lawyer), this mechanical shark didn’t get much screen time, and didn’t operate very well behind-the-scenes, but that’s what made it so horrific. Just the idea of something down below was scary enough. But at the end, when it finally got its time on screen, it didn’t disappoint in how evil it can be. Thanks to ol’ Bruce there are people who are still scared to go in the water.
Amon Goeth (“Schindler’s List”)
Ralph Fiennes is pure evil as the commandant of a Nazi concentration camp.
Terminator (“Terminator” franchise)
It’s the movie that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a movie star. As the indestructible T-800 (and with the line “I’ll be back”), Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron created a villain that to this day (despite numerous awful sequels) we can’t get enough of.
Alex Forrest (“Fatal Attraction”)
Glenn Close brought a ferocity to this character, who is brushed off by the man (Michael Douglas) she’s having an affair with, that you could make the case that the things she did were justified (though boiling the family bunny may have been too much).
Norman Bates (“Psycho” franchise)
With a kind face and quiet voice, Anthony Perkins crafted this villain into the most memorable from an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
Mr. Potter (“It’s a Wonderful Life”)
Legendary actor Lionel Barrymore brings this despicable character to life. Epitomizing the scrooge of Bedford Falls, he shows his true evilness when he keeps the cash that the absent minded Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) leaves by accident in his office.
