There are many notable villains thatHorrorfans will always love. Some of them are so well known that people recognize them based on a single phrase, like the man who haunts teenagers' dreams, the machete-wielding psycho, or the quiet masked killer who is out to destroy his family. Some horror villains simply need no introduction. However, over the past decade,some new villains have been gaining popularity, putting them on par with the greats of the genre.
While audiences will always love their familiar antagonists, there’s always room for new ones to shine. Many of these newer killers also have similar characteristics tofan-favorite horror movie characters. There are plenty of crazed, silent attackers like Michael Myers; others are haunting, terrorizing murderers like Freddy Kruger.Horror villains come in all shapes and sizes,and some of the recent ones are giving these older killers a run for their money.
5Art The Clown
Terrifier (2016)
Most people don’t realize Art the Clown — the killer clown fromtheTerrifiermovies— has now been around for more than a decade. Damien Leone, creator of theTerrifierfranchise, first brought Art to life in his 2008 short film,The 9th Circle. From there, Art appeared inAll Hallows Eve,and then his character received his own movie.The firstTerrifier, released in 2016, is where Art’s (David Howard Thornton) violent nature was first truly showcasedas an incredibly sadistic killer who shows no mercy.
Art The Clown’s Origin, Powers & Victims In The Terrifier Movies Explained
The Terrifier movies feature a memorably scary villain in Art the Clown, but where does he come from and what are the killer clown’s powers?
Terrifieris about Art’s pursuit of a couple of women on Halloween, hunting them down and violently killing people along the way.This movie is not for the faint-hearted, as it’s incredibly gruesome and fits into the realm of torture horror.Terrifier 2andTerrifier 3further showcase just how menacing this clown can be. Like Michael Myers, Art the Clown is the strong-silent type, which adds to his freakish behavior. He enjoys savoring each of his kills in ways that madeaudience members vomit and walk out ofTerrifier 3while it was in theaters.
4Valak
The Nun (2018)
Valak (Bonnie Aarons) fromThe Conjuringuniversemade her first appearance inThe Conjuring 2and then briefly appeared inAnnabelle: Creation.The Conjuring 2revolves around Ed and Lorraine Warrens' investigation into a possessed young girl, and Valak appears during one of Lorraine’s visions. However,Valak’s backstory is explained inThe Nun,released in 2018, about a young nun who travels to Romania to investigate the death of another nun and, unfortunately, meets Valak, one of the scariest entities in the franchise.
The Nun: The True Story Behind The Conjuring Prequel
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Valak, who takes the form of a nun, is a frightening presence to look at with her sharp teeth, overly pale face, and creepy eyes. She’s another horror villain who doesn’t speak, which adds to her haunting, mysterious persona. Religious horror movies about demonic entities andhorror movies about nunswill always be frightening, but Valak’s intentions make her stand out among other horror killers.Valak enjoys tormenting her victims for the long haul, eating away at their souls and driving them to the point where they question their sanity.
3Pearl
Pearl (2022)
Pearl, the prequel toX, is about a young, demented woman who lives with her parents and helps take care of her sick father. Mia Goth’s Pearl wants more out of life and fantasizes about stardom, which begins her unraveling journey into a killer.The character of Pearl is an over-the-top, eccentric woman with a big imagination,andit’s easy to have sympathy for her because of her suffering. Many great horror villain origin stories start with a tragic tale when painful backstories make their transformation from victim to villain much more compelling
“Pearl’s descent into murderous instability as she struggles to break through the unforgiving industry is brought to life with frightening passion by Goth. The composure with which she portrays Pearl’s murderous instincts makes Mia Goth’s performance an instant horror movie classic.”
- Arteyo Palit -Screen Rant’s 15 Best Performances In A24 Movies, Ranked
By adding relatable layers to her story, Pearl’s transformation also makes her villain arc much more enjoyable. She’s one of thegreatest female horror villainsbecause her true inner being is a monster who murders those who stand in her way. Like most great villain endings, Pearl starts to put herself first and her needs above anything else. She’s one of the few horror killers with a tangible goal, and when her dream is crushed, it makes her character go from submissive to violent.
2The Strangers - Trio (Man In The Mask, Pin-Up Girl, Dollface)
The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)
The firstStrangersmovie was released in 2008 and is known as one of the most frightening horror moviesbecause of the menacing killers.The Strangers: Prey at NightandThe Strangers: Chapter 1revolve around the same premise wherethe trio of masked killers stalk their victims and psychologically torture them until they decide to kill them. Horror fans love these movies and characters because the villains know how to prey on the fears of everyday people.
Aside from some very few lines of dialogue said by the trio, the masked killers are totally silent in the movies, letting their actions speak for themselves. While there are manyhome invasion movies, this group stands out among others because of their taunting, creepy behavior. Just like great horror killers like Michael Myers, they are experts at lurking in the shadows and stalking their victims before unleashing hell onto their lives.
1The Grabber
The Black Phone (2021)
The Black Phoneis about a young boy who is kidnapped by The Grabber and held hostage in a basement where he receives mysterious phone calls from the previous dead victims of The Grabber.The Black Phoneis a terrifying movie featuring a masked killer who specifically enjoys tormenting and killing young boys. Instead of a one-note serial killer, The Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke, does an excellent job of portraying a character who comes across as an abnormal man with macabre interests.
However, The Grabber is one of the most sadisticmovie serial killersbecause his true motives aren’t revealed. Just like the trio fromThe Strangers, the strong prey on the weak, and The Grabber recognizes the children he kidnaps are weak and easy to manipulate. He’s one of the scariesthorrorkillers because he’s every parent’s worst nightmare and a man nobody would want in their neighborhood.
