Best Movie Villains of All Time

10. Patrick Bateman, American Psycho (2000)

Patrick Bateman, American Psycho (2000) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Patrick Bateman, American Psycho

Our top 10 movie villains list starts with American Psycho. A workaholic on the East Coast during the day, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) lives a second life as a psychotic serial killer by night.

Just when you think the detective tracking Bateman-Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe)-has got his man, this American Psycho eludes us all again. A dose of sarcastic comedy also accompanies this bloodbath.

Director: Mary Harron

Cast: Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Samantha Mathis, Matt Ross, Bill Sage, Chloë Sevigny, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, Guinevere Turner, Reese Witherspoon

Release date: April 14, 2000

Runtime: 102 minutes

Watch on Prime

9. Hans Gruber, Die Hard (1988)

Hans Gruber, Die Hard (1988) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Hans Gruber, Die Hard

For all his education and fancy suits, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is no more than a bank robber. Hans is the mastermind behind a grand plot to take over the Nakatomi Plaza and steal millions of dollars in bearer bonds.

John McClane (Bruce Willis) a New York City cop that happens to be surprising his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) in LA, is the only person that has a chance at stopping this dressed up bad guy.

Director: John McTiernan

Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, Bonnie Bedelia

Release date: July 15, 1988

Runtime: 132 minutes

Watch on Prime

8. Annie Wilkes, Misery (1990)

"<yoastmark

Kathy Bates (Annie Wilkes) makes her first appearance in Misery as a very mild and loving person. But this doesn’t last long.

It’s one thing to be an admiring fan, but quite another to hold someone hostage for months on end. Annie is so delusional that she keeps writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) as her little pet project. Transforming herself into one of the best female movie villains in film.

Demanding that the well-known author write his new novel exactly how she thinks it should be written–or else. Annie has one of the most troubled minds on our top 10 villains of all-time list, and we love her for it!

Director: Rob Reiner

Cast: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Frances Sternhagen, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall

Release date: November 30, 1990

Runtime: 107 minutes

Watch on Prime

7. Darth Vader, Star Wars (1977)

Darth Vader, Star Wars (1977) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Darth Vader, Star Wars

Star Wars villains are nothing new. And there have been several bad guys since the franchise began in the 70s. Names like Darth Sidious, Kylo Ren, and Maul all imply terror.

The Star Wars phenomenon wouldn’t be what it is today without Luke, Princess Leia, Hans Solo, and Darth Vader. The latter’s voice and mere presence is so menacing he evokes fear in all.

Not many words are required of the leader of the Galactic Empire. Darth Vader is Sci-Fi’s original men in black villain and deserves his spot on our top 10 movie villains list.

Director: George Lucas

Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness

Release date: May 25, 1977

Runtime: 121 minutes

Watch on Prime

6. Mr. Potter, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Mr. Potter, It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Mr. Potter, It’s a Wonderful Life

We continue our list of villains by featuring a character from a very unlikely movie. I’ll bet It’s a Wonderful Life wasn’t the first movie to pop in your head when you read this article’s title.

The heartfelt story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) saving his family and his small savings and loan bank just doesn’t work on its own. We need the evil exploits of Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), George’s archrival, to bring it all together.

Potter tries every undermined trick in the book to close the doors on Bailey and his family banking business once and for all.

Director: Frank Capra

Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Ward Bond, Frank Faylen, Gloria Grahame

Release date: December 20, 1946

Runtime: 131 minutes

Watch on Prime

5. Anton Chigurh, No Country For Old Men (2007)

Anton Chigurh, No Country For Old Men (2007) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Anton Chigurh, No Country For Old Men

Coming in at #5 on our top 10 movie villains list is the popular Anton Chigurh.

Watching the superior acting of Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, and Josh Brolin is a real treat. Even better is fresh writing, and the development of the absolutely insane character of Anton Chigurh.

Javier Bardem’s onscreen persona is an unstoppable hitman who kills nearly everyone he meets. He does spare the lives of two boys after nearly being killed in a car accident, but for everyone else it’s goodnight.

The Coen brothers really went to town when they wrote this character. For example, in one scene Woody Harrelson’s character Carson asks Chigurh, “Do you have any idea how crazy you are?”

Someone should have warned him that he was talking to one of the greatest villains of all time.

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Woody Harrelson

Release date: November 9, 2007

Runtime: 122 minutes

Watch on Prime

4. Alex, A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Alex, A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Alex, A Clockwork Orange

The best villains of all time don’t necessarily look the part. Sometimes they look innocent and harmless instead of menacing and deadly.

If you’re going to cause problems in life, it usually happens as a young adult. In the case of Alex (Malcolm McDowell) that’s exactly when he decides to wreak havoc on strangers and friends alike.

Although he is raised by two loving parents, this juvenile’s mental capacity is only comprised of thoughts of total debauchery. And as with most bad guys in movies, Alex winds up in a dire predicament–jail.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri, Miriam Karlin

Release date: February 2, 1972

Runtime: 136 minutes

Watch on Prime

3. Tommy Devito, Goodfellas (1990)

"<yoastmark

Joe Pesci plays a ruthless mobster that has a serious chip on his shoulder. His running pals are Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), and his goal is to become a made man.

The only problem is Tommy Devito (Pesci) threatens, and bullies everyone in his path. This is one tough guy that will use deadly force without thinking twice.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero, Tony Darrow, Mike Starr, Frank Vincent, Chuck Low

Release date: September 19, 1990

Runtime: 146 minutes

Watch on Prime

2. Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

Despite only appearing in The Silence of the Lambs for less than twenty minutes, Anthony Hopkins took home the Oscar for best actor with his performance. An eccentric doctor who has an affinity for cannibalism, Hannibal Lecter displays a level of intelligence not found in most movie villains.

Director: Jonathan Demme

Cast: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Kasi Lemmons, Anthony Heald

Release date: February 14, 1991

Runtime: 118 minutes

Watch on Prime

1. Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) - Top 10 Movie Villains
Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

The #1 spot on our top 10 movie villains list belongs to a nurse. One look at Randle McMurphy’s (Jack Nicholson) face above and you know actress Louise Fletcher did her job as the villain and his nemesis.

Ms. Fletcher’s brilliant portrayal of an evil Nurse Ratched won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. You will not like this lady-not even remotely. Her job is to demean all the patients in the hospital, and Mr. McMurphy’s job is to stop her at all cost.

Easily, one of the best movie villains of all time.

Director: Miloš Forman

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, William Redfield, Danny DeVito, Scatman Crothers, Michael Berryman, Christopher Lloyd

Release date: November 19, 1975

Runtime: 133 minutes

Watch on Prime