10 Most Terrifying Comic Book Movie Villains, Ranked

The comic book movie villains of the MCU, the DCU, and beyond take many forms, but only a handful among them can rank as the most terrifying. Though the MCU’s movie timeline might well have seen the comic book genre rise to its cinematic zenith and cement the genre’s generally family-friendly tone, there are many movies that forgo this at least in part when it comes to the matter of making a suitably unsettling villain. As all good heroes need an appropriate villain, the choice of antagonist for these movies is often a core part of their success or failure.

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There is no template for what constitutes a good villain, but one of the most consistent qualities they possess is that they inspire fear in audiences. Sometimes this is down to their appearance, and others it’s more a matter of their deeds being frighteningly plausible or realistic. From the movies of the MCU, the DC Universe, and other non-related comic book movies, here are the 10 scariest villains of all time, ranked.

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10 Gorr The God Butcher Manages To Be Both Creepy And Tragic

Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)

Thor: Love and Thunder might not be the most beloved movie in the MCU, but for all its flaws, it did boast a pretty terrifying villain. Love and Thunder’s Gorr was not entirely comic accurate, as certain aspects of his design were changed for the film, but Christian Bale’s performance combined with the MCU’s character design made him particularly unsettling. As well as detailing his tragic backstory and giving him redemption in Thor: Love and Thunder’s ending, the MCU’s Gorr was truly scary.

Gorr’s grotesque design included a black substance oozing from the villain’s mouth, as well as various bizarre mannerisms that were equally unnerving. The way that Gorr is shown gleefully kidnapping and menacing Asgardian children and passionately describing his desire to kill all gods only serves to make him even more fear-inspiring. Bale’s deeply disgusting Gorr might be somewhat sympathetic at times, but he’s still downright terrifying.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Director Taika Waititi Release Date July 8, 2022

9 Scarecrow’s Entire Character Is Focused On Inspiring Fear

Batman Begins (2005)

When it comes to terrifying comic book villains, few are as conceptually frightening as the Scarecrow. The Batman villain’s entire character is built around inspiring as much fear as possible in his victims, although the concept hasn’t always translated perfectly to the screen. 2005’s Batman Begins, however, used a grounded approach to its Batman story that made its Scarecrow uniquely horrifying.

Seeing Jonathan Crane’s grotesque Scarecrow mask, and then having the terror-inducing visions of his victims appear on-screen made the Batman Begins villain one of the all-time scariest in the comic book genre. Cillian Murphy’s measured, detached portrayal of Dr. Crane only added to the inherent creepiness of the character, creating a divide between the clinical nature of Crane and the outlandish horror of the Scarecrow. Despite being the film’s secondary antagonist, Scarecrow was undeniably its scariest figure.

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Director Christopher Nolan Release Date June 15, 2005

8 General Zod Has Superman’s Powers Without A Shred Of Humanity

Superman II (1980)

One of the most obvious overlaps between the superhero genre and the horror genre is the use of aliens as villains. While 1980’s Superman II used an alien as its hero, too, its extraterrestrial antagonist was unforgettably chilling. Even decades after the film’s release, Terence Stamp’s General Zod was, at the time, the scariest comic book villain to have appeared in live-action, and the character is still influencing superhero cinema so many years later.

What makes Zod so scary is simply that he possesses all of the tools in Superman’s arsenal, but without the key component of his humanity. The only real difference between Superman and Zod is that the hero was raised on Earth by humans, and the central struggle is between Superman’s human morals and Zod’s Kryptonian ones. The idea of an all-powerful alien appearing on Earth and laying waste to the human race is a terrifying concept, and it’s one that at the core of Zod’s character.

Superman II (1980)

Director Richard Lester Release Date June 19, 1981

7 Jigsaw’s Grotesque Appearance And Murderous Habits Are Horrifying

Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Jigsaw might not be one of the most well-known Marvel villains, but he’s a pretty frightening figure in his own right. Long before he made his MCU debut, Jigsaw appeared in Punisher: War Zone, played by Dominic West. The film’s version of the character is a member of an organized crime family who is thrown into a glass crusher by Frank Castle, significantly disfiguring his face, with Jigsaw stating this “killed” the old him, and sent him on path of vengeance against the Punisher that seemingly also sees the villain abandon any remaining trace of his humanity.

Jigsaw is entirely psychopathic, and relishes sadistic violence of all kinds. His gleeful demeanor, even in the most nightmarish situations, makes him more akin to a horror-movie villain than a superhero antagonist, making Jigsaw a memorably terrifying villain.

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Director Lexi Alexander Release Date December 5, 2008

6 Danny DeVito’s Penguin Combines Gross-Out Visuals With Subtle Malice

Batman Returns (1992)

It’s pretty obvious that Batman Returns was influenced by horror movies, especially when it comes to the film’s presentation of its main antagonist. The Penguin is a unique Batman villain in that he’s often presented as a more bumbling foe than most, and is only occasionally shown in adaptations to be a genuine match for Batman. Batman Returns’ take on the Penguin fully embraced the weirder side of the character, making him as gross as possible while also giving him a bizarre and tragic backstory.

Danny DeVito’s Penguin is essentially more animal than man in many ways, due to having been raised by birds after being abandoned by his parents. Indeed, the grotesque nature of some of his actions are especially haunting considering Batman Returns was partly aimed at a younger audience. As a result, DeVito’s Penguin remains a terrifying comic book movie villain over three decades after Batman Returns’ release.

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Director Tim Burton Release Date June 19, 1992

5 Willem Dafoe Makes The Green Goblin Truly Frightening

Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

In a conceptual sense, the Green Goblin isn’t necessarily a terrifying villain in his own right. He’s an important figure in the Marvel universe, and he’s certainly had his share of dark storylines, but two of his two major film appearances have seen him rank as one of the most terrifying movie villains of all time. Willem Dafoe was first cast in the role for 2002’s Spider-Man, later returning as part of Spider-Man: No Way Home’s cast.

What makes Dafoe’s Green Goblin so terrifying is the dichotomy between his two halves. Norman Osborn is rational and kind, but his Goblin persona is the dominant one, and it’s cruel and calculating. Seeing the way Osborn battles futilely against the Goblin only for his villainous side to win each and every time is both tragic and deeply scary, especially as the Goblin has committed more than a handful of horrible acts.

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Director Sam Raimi Release Date May 3, 2002

4 Ma Ma Is Casually Cruel And Deeply Unsettling

Dredd (2012)

Dredd might not be as mainstream a comic book movie as those under the Marvel or DC banners, but the 2012 movie has earned a respectable cult following in the years following its release. Based on the eponymous character from 2000 AD, Dredd is an incredibly violent and conceptually dark film that sees a future cop go up against a block of hardened criminals led by Lena Headey’s Ma Ma. Though she’s far from a well-known comic book movie villain, Ma Ma is utterly terrifying.

The way in which Ma Ma commands her followers – mostly average citizens who happen to be unlucky enough to live in her block – is as callous as it is casually cruel. Ma Ma’s design also features some intense facial scarring, but that’s not what makes her frightening: her demeanor is that of a person who has come untethered from basic morality. Headey’s performance helps really sell what was undoubtedly a well-written villain, making Ma Ma especially memorable in the fear she inspires.

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Director Pete Travis Release Date September 21, 2012

3 Ultron Takes A Real-World Issue And Makes It Terrifying

Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

In the Marvel universe, Ultron is a massively powerful villain, mostly due to his adaptable nature. His MCU debut saw him face the Avengers in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, with Tony Stark unwittingly creating an advanced AI with the task of protecting the Earth. Ultron takes the task a little too literally, and considers that the best way to save Earth is to wipe out humanity, forcing the Avengers to step in and stop the rogue AI.

What makes Ultron so utterly terrifying is that, in the modern world, he no longer seems as far-fetched. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is something that many see as a major cause for concern, and self-learning AI models are a growing source of anxiety for society at large. As a result, the concept of Ultron as a villain seems to become more frightening with each passing year, making him a deeply unsettling villain.

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Director Joss Whedon Release Date May 1, 2015

2 Paul Dano’s Riddler Is Unnervingly Plausible

The Batman (2022)

Matt Reeves’ The Batman was a major success upon release, with critics citing its dark and grounded approach to its protagonist’s world as especially impressive. This extended to the film’s characters, with its main antagonist, the Riddler, getting a realistic makeover in the process. Paul Dano’s Riddler terrorizes Gotham throughout the movie, executing his plan to expose the deep-rooted corruption in the city by committing multiple murders.

Reimagining the Riddler as a disenfranchised internet user and domestic terrorist who builds up a devoted following online is incredibly dark. He’s exactly the sort of character who evokes real-world figures and tragedies, meaning that he hits incredibly close to home in his presentation. As such as plausible figure, the Riddler stands out as especially terrifying, particularly because his descent into villainy is so far removed from many of the most conventional modern superhero villain tropes.

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Director Matt Reeves Release Date March 4, 2022

1 Heath Ledger’s Joker Is Frighteningly Charismatic

The Dark Knight (2008)

Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is cited by many as one of the greatest movie villain performances of all time. The Dark Knight’s groundbreaking approach to the Joker reinvented the character in the darkest way possible, and Ledger’s performance sold every chaotic moment in spectacular fashion. Ledger’s Joker is the most terrifying movie villain, and it’s all because of the many levels he operates on.

As well as being terrifying in an obvious sense, Ledger’s Joker is mesmerizing. It’s difficult not to agree with some of the philosophical points he makes, even when he punctuates them with an incredibly heinous act. Heath Ledger’s Joker is the embodiment of the darkest parts of the human psyche, and his encouragement to gleefully embrace violence and chaos is ultimately what makes him the most terrifying comic book movie villain from the MCU, the DCU, or beyond.

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