Welcome to our countdown of the top ten scariest horror characters! Horror films have been keeping us entertained and scared for decades, and it’s all thanks to these terrifying characters. Some of these villains invade your sleep to give you the most dangerous dreams. Some use the supernatural to take over their victims while others grab a trusty kitchen knife to do their bidding.
From classic monsters to modern-day killers, these characters have haunted our nightmares and become iconic symbols of the horror genre.
It’s very difficult (and scary) to think about some of Horror’s most diabolical characters so we worked with the Artificial Intelligence platform Jasper. AI to help us choose the top ten scariest in horror movie history. You may be surprised at some of their choices so feel free to let us know if it was right or be afraid.
Michael Myers is one of the most iconic horror movie characters of all time. He first appeared in the 1978 classic, Halloween and has since gone on to appear in 10 sequels and two remakes. The character is known for his relentless pursuit of his victims, often using a large kitchen knife as his weapon of choice. His signature mask has become an iconic symbol in the horror genre and he remains one of the scariest movie characters ever created.
2. Pennywise from IT
Pennywise is a demonic clown who first appeared in Stephen King’s 1986 novel, IT. In 2017, Pennywise was brought to life on the big screen by actor Bill Skarsgård in the highly successful adaptation of King’s novel. The character quickly became a fan favorite due to his menacing appearance and ability to shape-shift into various forms to terrorize children.
3. Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street
Freddy Krueger is a serial killer with razor-sharp claws who preys on teenagers in their dreams in Wes Craven’s 1984 classic, A Nightmare on Elm Street. The character was portrayed by Robert Englund and quickly became one of the most recognizable horror movie villains ever created due to his memorable catchphrase “Welcome to my world!”
4. Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Leatherface is an iconic slasher villain who first appeared in Tobe Hooper’s 1974 film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The character is known for wearing a mask made out of human skin and wielding a chainsaw as his weapon of choice. He has since gone on to appear in numerous sequels and spin-offs, cementing him as one of the most recognizable horror movie villains ever created
5. Jigsaw from Saw
Jigsaw is an enigmatic serial killer whose victims are forced to play deadly games that test their will to survive in James Wan’s 2004 film, Saw. The character was portrayed by Tobin Bell and quickly gained notoriety due to his twisted methods and dark sense of humor which made him one of the most memorable horror movie villains ever created.
6. Ghostface from Scream
Ghostface is an anonymous serial killer who wears a white mask with a ghostly face while pursuing his victims throughout Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher classic Scream .The character was voiced by Roger L Jackson and quickly gained recognition due to its clever use of meta-humor which made it stand out among other slasher villains at the time.
7. Chucky from Child’s Play
Chucky is an evil doll possessed by a serial killer looking for revenge against those responsible for stopping him from living out his life as a human being in Tom Holland’s 1988 film Child’s Play. The character was voiced by Brad Dourif and quickly gained recognition due to its dark sense of humor which set it apart from other horror movies at the time.
8. Regan MacNeil from The Exorcist
Regan MacNeil is an innocent young girl possessed by an evil demon in William Friedkin’s 1973 classic The Exorcist. The character was played by Linda Blair who won an Academy Award for her performance which helped make this one of the scariest movies ever made.
9. Hannibal Lecter from Silence Of The Lambs
Hannibal Lecter is an infamous serial killer with exceptional intelligence who helps FBI agent Clarice Starling track down another serial killer in Jonathan Demme’s 1991 thriller Silence Of The Lambs. The character was played by Anthony Hopkins who won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal which helped make this one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made.
10. Annabelle From Annabelle Series
Annabelle is an evil doll possessed by a malicious spirit that terrorizes people throughout James Wan’s 2014 supernatural horror film Annabelle . The character quickly gained notoriety due to its creepy design which helped make this one of the scariest movies ever made
