In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is Darth Vader, followed by The Joker and Hannibal Lecter.
The best movie villains make their films great: without them, the hero would have no one to beat. We weighed the performance, the writing, their influence and how unsettling they still are years later.
Who do you find most terrifying? Vote below or add the one we missed.
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1. Darth Vader
Star Wars · Since 1977
His breathing, helmet and voice made him the most recognisable villain in cinema. His reveal in The Empire Strikes Back is one of the most famous twists in history.
2. The Joker
The Dark Knight · 2008 · Heath Ledger
An agent of chaos with no clear past and no understandable motive. Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for the role.
3. Hannibal Lecter
The Silence of the Lambs · 1991 · Anthony Hopkins
He is on screen for only a few minutes and still dominates the film. Anthony Hopkins won the Oscar for Best Actor.
4. Anton Chigurh
No Country for Old Men · 2007 · Javier Bardem
A killer who decides his victims' fate with a coin toss. Javier Bardem won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the first for a Spanish actor.
5. Norman Bates
Psycho · 1960 · Anthony Perkins
The friendly motel owner with a terrible secret. With him, Hitchcock changed suspense cinema forever.
6. HAL 9000
2001: A Space Odyssey · 1968
An artificial intelligence that speaks calmly while deciding to eliminate the crew. It remains the reference point for every story about machines that rebel.
7. Hans Landa
Inglourious Basterds · 2009 · Christoph Waltz
Polite, multilingual and terrifying. Christoph Waltz won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
8. Jack Torrance
The Shining · 1980 · Jack Nicholson
A writer who loses his mind in a snowbound hotel. Nicholson's performance has some of the most quoted scenes in horror.
9. Thanos
Avengers: Infinity War · 2018 · Josh Brolin
A villain with a monstrous plan but a logic of his own, who actually wins. He is the most ambitious antagonist in superhero cinema.
10. Nurse Ratched
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest · 1975 · Louise Fletcher
Her cruelty is cold, bureaucratic and completely believable. Louise Fletcher won the Oscar for Best Actress.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best movie villain of all time?
In our ranking, Darth Vader, for his impact and influence on popular culture. Heath Ledger's Joker and Hannibal Lecter complete the podium.
Which villains have won an Oscar?
On this list, Heath Ledger, Anthony Hopkins, Javier Bardem, Christoph Waltz and Louise Fletcher won Oscars for playing their villains.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.