10 Scariest Serial Killers In Movies

Dec. 18, 2024, 2:50 p.m.

Movies

10 Scariest Serial Killers In Movies

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The scariest serial killer characters in movies rank as some of the most terrifying villains in the history of cinema. People have always been fascinated with the criminal psychology behind serial killers, and this is reflected in some brilliant horror and crime movies. Even when characters aren't directly based on real-life serial killers, they can often feel shockingly realistic and unsettling.

A lot of fictional serial killers take inspiration from real-world criminals, which makes them all the more frightening. A serial killer character can be as deadly as any monster or alien, but the fact that they could conceivably be real gives them an added layer of danger. Usually, a great movie murderer requires a strong performance. Robert Mitchum, Christian Bale and more have all been praised for their portrayals of brutal, cold-blooded serial killers.

10 Pamela Voorhees

Friday The 13th (1980)

It took a while for the Friday the 13th franchise to solidify the character of Jason, in terms of his appearance, his backstory and his supernatural powers. Before he is even introduced, the killer in the first movie is his mother, Pamela, who's seeking vengeance for her son's death. Since a group of lazy camp counselors allowed Jason to die through their negligence, she returns to Camp Crystal Lake to take out the next generation of counselors.

Pamela doesn't fit the typical profile of a serial killer, which is part of what makes her such a compelling villain.

Pamela doesn't fit the typical profile of a serial killer, which is part of what makes her such a compelling villain. Once she's identified as the killer, she isn't much of a physical threat, but the idea that anyone could become a serial killer under the right circumstances is terrifying. She's the last person who would be suspected of such horrific crimes, and keeping her off screen for so long makes her even scarier.

9 Patrick Bateman

American Psycho (2000)

Although there's already a lot of buzz around Luca Guadagnino's American Psycho remake, it will be hard to top Mary Harron's adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' novel. One big reason for this is Christian Bale's outstanding performance as Patrick Bateman, the cold-blooded serial killer who presents himself as a suave career-driven young man on the New York City bachelor scene.

Killing another person often seems like a completely natural act for Patrick Bateman, and he can comfortably chat about pop music while he does it.

Patrick Bateman has a lot of funny moments, so much so that American Psycho can almost be considered a dark comedy about ego and obsession. However, this humorous side is also part of what makes the character so frightening when he flips a switch and begins to act upon his darkest fantasies. Killing another person often seems like a completely natural act for Patrick Bateman, and he can comfortably chat about pop music while he does it.

8 Leatherface

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Franchise

The timeline of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has gotten pretty complex over the years, and not all the sequels utilize Leatherface in the scariest way. However, when he has a solid story, he's an iconic slasher villain who can send a shiver down the spine of even the most hardened horror fan. Leatherface's grotesque human-skin mask and chainsaw make him an immediately recognizable villain.

He's a silent, hulking brute who doesn't know his own strength at times, and this gives him the same terrifying nature as a wild animal.

There are a few different versions of Leatherface in the franchise with their own quirks, but he is generally portrayed as a low-IQ member of a criminal family who either doesn't comprehend the horrific nature of his murders or carries them out to appease his family. Leatherface often kills out of fear. He's a silent, hulking brute who doesn't know his own strength at times, and this gives him the same terrifying nature as a wild animal.

7 Michael Myers

The Halloween Franchise

Michael Myers deserves a spot right alongside Leatherface as one of the greatest slasher villains of all time, and he has inspired countless other characters in the genre. Michael Myers shares a lot in common with Leatherface, notably his silent nature and his creepy, inhuman mask, but he's much more sadistic and powerful. Michael Myers often feels like a force from the beyond, pursuing his victims with a sense of horrifying inevitability.

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Although Michael Myers has been imitated many times over the years, he has rarely been equaled. The reboot trilogy showed him at his best once again after a lot of messy, meandering side-roads in the franchise. Michael Myers killed his first victim when he was still a child, and he has an imposing physical presence to match his ruthless, violent personality. Although he sometimes displays supernatural powers, Michael Myers is usually scarier when he seems a little more realistic.

6 Billy Loomis & Stu Macher

Scream (1996)

Each Scream movie features a new killer or killers beneath the Ghostface mask, but the franchise still hasn't topped the reveal from the 1996 original. Billy Loomis and Stu Macher are great twist villains. Not only is the reveal a big surprise, but it adds an extra layer of horror to the entire movie. Two of the people who Sidney trusts the most turn out to be the violent, sadistic killlers terrorizing the town of Woodsboro. Having two masked killers makes Ghostface extremely hard to predict.

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Billy and Stu are a rare serial killing duo with a flair for the theatrical. In keeping with Scream's often comedic tone, they still manage to get some laughs in after the twist is revealed and they pursue Sidney. Ghostface is often a comical villain because he or she can stumble and get beaten up, but this can sometimes make them even scarier, simply because it's realistic. It gives the victim enough hope that they might be able to flee, but even if they do, Ghostface keeps coming back.

5 Harry Powell

Night Of The Hunter (1955)

Robert Mitchum delivers one of his finest performances in The Night of the Hunter, in which he plays a serial killer who uses his status as a preacher to charm those around him. While hunting for a stash of stolen money, Harry Powell embeds himself in the life of a widow and her children. His smooth charms are a mere facade, ripped away at the slightest inconvenience when he shows his true nature.

Powell is one of the earliest examples of a movie serial killer, and he remains one of the scariest. Mitchum's chilling performance is one key reason why the character still carries such an impact, but another equally important factor is his weaponization of religion. Charles Laughton's tense direction allows Mitchum plenty of space to command the room with the power of his presence.

4 John Doe

Se7en (1995)

It takes a long time for John Doe to appear in Se7en, but the payoff is well worth the wait. David Fincher's best movies have plenty of terrifying characters, but John Doe ranks among the most unsettling. Kevin Spacey's cold-blooded portrayal of the killer is vital, but the entire story is structured around making the killer almost supernaturally powerful. John Doe seems to anticipate every move that the two detectives make, as if they are stuck on a path toward their own destruction.

John Doe's pathological detachment and genius-level intelligence make him a near-unbeatable foe.

John Doe's pathological detachment and genius-level intelligence make him a near-unbeatable foe. He can't be reasoned with, nor can he be stopped by any traditional means. He is caught on his own terms, and even killing him is all part of his intricately orchestrated plan. John Doe turns the tables so that any minor victory for the detectives becomes his final triumph. The momentary catharsis of killing him ultimately means nothing.

3 Anton Chigurh

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Javier Bardem's Oscar-winning performance in No Country for Old Men grants the neo-western with excruciating tension. He represents the ticking clock in the plot, pursuing Llewelyn Moss across the country like the specter of death. He's an assassin by trade, but Chigurh has plenty of extracurricular kills to his credit, more than enough to push him into serial killer territory.

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In Chigurh's most iconic scene, he asks a gas station owner to call a coin toss, with the man unaware that he is gambling for his life. This is how Chigurh sees himself, as the hand of fate in a world torn apart by chaos. Actually, he shows several times that he will abandon this philosophy to serve his own needs. Chigurh doesn't seem to get much joy from his brutal acts of violence, but he carries them out with a businesslike precision.

2 Norman Bates

Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock had a few terrifying serial killers in his movies, but Norman Bates is the one who stands out above all the others. Psycho's villain gradually reveals more sides to his personality as the movie progresses. At first, he seems like a shy and socially awkward young man, before he shows that he's a creep, a liar, and eventually a serial killer with a twisted psyche.

Psycho's villain gradually reveals more sides to his personality as the movie progresses.

The reveal at the end of Psycho is scary enough, but Norman is often more frightening in his more innocent interactions, like his initial meeting with Marion Crane or his talk with Detective Arbogast. Hitchcock uses dramatic irony to perfection, letting the audience know that something isn't right with Norman long before the full extent of his evil is seen in the light. Anthony Perkins manages to be deeply unsettling, even with dialogue that could easily appear harmless.

1 Hannibal Lecter

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Brian Cox delivered a compelling performance as Hannibal Lecter in Michael Mann's 1986 thriller Manhunter, but Anthony Hopkins' performance in The Silence of the Lambs is what made the character a cultural icon. Hopkins won an Oscar for Best Actor despite his limited screen time, which underlines the oversized impact he has on the movie. Even when Hannibal isn't on screen, his shadow hangs over Clarice and her entire investigation.

Hannibal seems dangerous and cunning even when trapped behind bars or confined within a straight jacket.

Ted Levine also plays a chilling serial killer in The Silence of the Lambs, but it's Hopkins who steals the show with his portrayal of Hannibal as a psychopathic murderer with no remorse. Hannibal seems dangerous and cunning even when trapped behind bars or confined within a straight jacket. The intense build-up makes his violent outburst even more shocking, as the reality of his brutal nature suddenly loses all abstraction.