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45 Movie Villains People Hate So Much, They No Longer Watch The Movies

From Scar from The Lion King to Jason Voorhees and Pennywise, these movie villains are unforgettable.
by mykethompson Contributor
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Warning: The following list contains 45 movie villains that are so evil or cringey that you won't even be able to read this list more than once.

Lionsgate / Via gfycat.com I'm super serious: I hate these villains so much that it felt like torture creating this article. Thanks to these fools, we don't want to watch the movies again, talk about them, reminisce about them, daydream...nothing.

We all hate them so much that it's easy to forget they're our favorite beautiful and talented actors simply playing a role.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Via knowyourmeme.com Below are 45 movie villains so awful, they ruined the movie for people forever.

1. Alonzo Harris (Training Day)

Warner Bros. Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Denzel Washington played the hell out of the role. In his award-winning performance as the crooked, heartless cop Alzono Harris, everybody thought twice about the beloved actor in his first actual role as a villain. Fortunately, Alonzo was defunded in the end and got what was coming to him.

2. The Hunter (Bambi)

Walt Disney Productions / Via gfycat.com I could barely keep it together when the old lady abandoned Tod in the forest in The Fox and the Hound (1981), so imagine the trauma caused by watching Bambi and his mother run for their lives from the ominous hunter. Most characters in Disney movies are raised by a single parent but this was the first time we watched how it all went down. Until this day, Bambi is one of the most recognizable Disney films ever made, but no one will forget the devastation of witnessing that freaking hunter's senseless murder.

3. Scar (The Lion King)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Via media.giphy.com I don't care how flawless that conditioned mane appears; Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons) broke our hearts when he dropped his brother from a mountain. The sultry-voiced lion was fighting for the center stage since day one and when he put on his best Hamlet performance, it was over for everybody.

4. Pennywise (It)

Warner Bros. Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Tim Curry established one of the most iconic evil clown portrayals in the '90s TV miniseries. Still, Bill Skarsgård's wonky eyes and devilish grin are burned into our poor little souls forever. Until this day, grown-ups everywhere wonder if their greatest childhood fears will return to haunt them and it's all this bozo's fault.

5. The Shark (Jaws)

Universal Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Honestly, the shark is doing what it's supposed to do. The fisherman, the surfers, and the horny teenagers had no business invading its living room. Shark attacks are 100% real, and this movie put fear into the minds of anyone who thought about sticking their feet in the dark water.

6. Anton Chigurh (No Country for Old Men)

Miramax Films / Via media.giphy.com Sadistic killers are constantly snacking on something, right? You probably didn't even know who this deep-voiced Don Juan was until he stumbled onto the scene in this movie. The Academy Award was well deserved because I can bet money if you see a briefcase of cash sitting on the sidewalk, you'll second-guess taking it home and being hunted by the psychopath Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem).

7. Nurse Mildred Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)

United Artists / Via media.giphy.com It takes a different type of cruel person to hold a position of power intended to help others and use those powers for evil. We thought Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) met her match for a second there, but the infamous nurse sought to demolish all her unstable adversaries. Don't be fooled by her gentle demeanor. She's the angel of death.

8. Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest)

Paramount Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Not all terrifying villains are supernatural monsters. In this film based on the true life of Joan Crawford, audiences had to sit through the painful abuse of a deranged mother. Watching the horrors of this demented woman's relationship with her children was a one-time deal for most. Whatever you do, don't put wire hangers in your closet.

9. John Doe (Seven)

New Line Cinema / Via media.giphy.com Now we know what's in the box; we can't go back. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) doesn't arrive until the final act of the film but it's those few moments with this stone-cold freak that remind us of all the horrendous torture we witnessed throughout the movie. With a stacked cast of all Academy Award–winning actors, it's hard to shake the fact that what I saw is a movie and not a real true-life crime story on Netflix.

10. Alien (Alien)

20th Century Fox / Via media.giphy.com With Swiss artist H.R. Giger responsible for the creatures' designs, it was apparent the fear of the aliens would remain in our hearts forever. The first time one of the scorpion-like facehuggers leaped from an egg, we knew it was downhill from there for the space crew. We had no idea this was only the beginning and the aliens were just getting started.

11. Alex DeLarge (A Clockwork Orange)

Warner Bros. / Via media.giphy.com Hollywood and literature's portrait of mental health established a stigma that is hard to erase. In this adaptation, we are forced to follow the horror of Alex DeLarge's (Malcolm McDowell) deranged rampage about town ripping and tearing through the streets with no regard for others. It hits a little too close for home and it's painful to acknowledge.

12. Amon Goeth (Schindler's List)

Universal Pictures / Via media.giphy.com In the role that made him perfect to portray the sinister dark wizard Voldemort, Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) unwantedly reminded us of the horrors of World War II and the persecution of Jewish people. It doesn't need to be said what atrocities this character based on a real person committed. They're inhumane and disgusting.

13. Captain Vidal (Pan's Labyrinth)

Warner Bros. Pictures A giant misshapen faun, disgusting fairies with sharp teeth, and the gnarliest walking bag of skin with eyeballs on its hands, and yet the ugliest character is Captain Vidal (Sergi López). From his violent treatment of everyone in the film to his final heartless act against the film's protagonist, Vidal is a personification of the true evils of war and power.

14. Buffalo Bill (Silence of the Lambs)

Orion Pictures / Via media.giphy.com It's easy to forget who this film's main villain is because of Anthony Hopkins' chilling performance as Hannibal Lecter. Yet when we finally arrive at the moth-filled house of human skin fashionista Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), we realize "it doesn't need to watch this creepy movie ever again, or it will get nightmares."

15. Edwin Epps (12 Years a Slave)

Fox light Pictures Why must they make Hollywood hotties into slave owners in movies and ruin it for me? I hated every second of Michael Fassbender's Edwin Epps. There's no redeeming a selfish, manipulative abuser who exerts his power in the worst way. Almost every movie about slavery gets a single viewing from me and other Black people agree. Enough is enough.

16. Bellatrix Lestrange (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

Warner Bros. Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Truth be told, Helena Bonham Carter's characters always rubbed me the wrong way in most of her movies because of her incomparable talent to embody the most maniacal characters. This one hits differently and even though we love the Harry Potter films, it's hard to sit through this particular entry knowing she's about to kill her cousin.

17. Norman Stansfield (Léon: The Professional)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International / Via media.giphy.com If you need some help getting over Sirius Black's murder at the hands of Bellatrix, check out Gary Oldman as the crookedly evil cop Norman Stansfield. In the first 10 minutes of the movie, he made a statement as one of the most heartless villains in cinematic history by executing an entire family, children included.

18. That Yellow Bastard (Sin City)

Miramax Films / Via gfycat.com He's gross, from the pages of the graphic novel to the silver screen. The sadistic son of the foulest family in the universe, Ethan Roark Jr. (Nick Stahl) is a monster inside and out. He's based on the realistic fear of child-endangering criminals and it's uncomfortable to watch. His demise didn't come fast enough to stomach finishing the movie.

19. Predator (Predator 2)

20th Century Fox / Via media.giphy.com That's a face only a mother could love. It's easy to understand why the Predator wears a mask most of the time. The cheap extensions, the ridiculous underbite, and the sunken eyes are the stuff of nightmares. In the sequel, he abandoned the rainforest for the concrete jungle and proved that nowhere is safe from his predatory behavior.

20. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street)

New Line Cinema / Via media.giphy.com He's one of the horror genre's original gangsters, reigniting real fear in movie audiences everywhere. The sadistic hipster with his creepy custom-made glove and crusty fedora was a grade A villain preying on the dreams and souls of innocent children and teenagers. He clearly has stock in Starbucks.

21. Jack Torrance (The Shining)

Warner Bros. / Via media.giphy.com Getting in trouble with your dad can be a little scary but imagine being chased through a haunted hotel with an ax? Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) lost every bit of his mind and tried to murder his family. The Shining is considered one of the scariest horror films ever made, and even the stories behind its creation are enough to upset your stomach.

22. Tobi (Paranormal Activity)

Paramount PIctures / Via media.giphy.com I didn't even know that scary ghost had a name but apparently, the apparition is named Tobi and he's somehow connected to every Paranormal Activity throughout the years. Found footage is already an appalling concept so tossing in an evil spirit you can't fight is not fair.

23. Pazuzu (The Exorcist)

Warner Bros. Studios / Via media.giphy.com It was the horror movie that changed everything. First, the gruesome depiction of a possessed child was reasonably new. The idea of someone you love being overcome with a sexually deviant demon that only a priest can remove is an easy way to get people out of the movie theater and back in the church.

24. Calvin Candie (Django Unchained)

The Weinstein Company / Via media.giphy.com What did I say about Hollywood hotties transformed into slave owners? Quentin Tarantino managed to place our favorite smirking playboy into the role of a ruthless racist who takes pride in treating his slaves like expendable animals. Gratuitous violence and unnecessary use of derogatory language? Hard pass on a second viewing.

25. Candyman (Candyman)

TriStar Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Staring into a toothpaste-stained bathroom mirror with the lights off is an absolute no-no. It only takes saying Candyman's (Tony Todd) name five times before this monster with a tragic history appears and starts ripping you apart for no reason other than he can't get over his ex-girlfriend. He doesn't even let his own descendants off the hook.

26. Jigsaw (Saw)

Lionsgate Films / Via media.giphy.com Yes, I understand that Billy the Puppet is creeper than Jigsaw. Lucky for his victims, Jigsaw likes to work behind the scenes, giving his creepy, little puppet on a tricycle the spotlight. This dynamic duo have mastered torture, leaving their victims with the slightest opportunity of survival. Once you know the outcome, there's no reason to sit through it again. Cut this film franchise off immediately.

27. T. rex (Jurassic Park)

Universal Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Of course, she had one of the greatest reveals in cinematic history, snapping depowered electrical wires one by one and targeting crooked lawyers before everyone else. The sheer size and the surround sound roar will never leave our souls. Think about how often you notice your glass of water shaking and get a little nervous.

28. Raymond Lemorne (The Vanishing)

Argos Films Raymond Lemorne (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) is a family man with a highly dark secret. He orchestrated the murder of an innocent woman for pure pleasure and curiosity, and when her husband's search finally caught up to him, he committed the crime all over again. Throughout the film, Lemorne showed no remorse or concern for his crimes but instead admitted he has no conscience. I would rather be buried alive than sit through this movie again.

29. Chucky (Child's Play)

United Artists / Via media.giphy.com Exposed ankles everywhere are not safe. When this scary doll with a suntan was possessed with the voice of Brad Dourif and the killer instinct of a mass murderer, it gave every parent another reason not to buy their kids toys for Christmas. Sure, the subsequent films became a farce of the genre but there are those of us out there who still have enough childhood trauma to never watch these movies ever again.

30. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th: Part 2)

Paramount Pictures Before the hockey mask and machete, the demented mama's boy made his debut in the sequel with a dirty diaper on his head and a pickax. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but dealing with a bunch of horny teenagers in his neck of the woods was a piece of cake.

31. Annie Wilkes (Misery)

Columbia Pictures / Via media.giphy.com In her own opinion, Annie Wilkes was just a concerned fan. Before Reddit forums and Twitter existed, the stans had to get creative when their celebrated authors ruined their favorite franchises. This poor thing could've found a different way to express her obsession. Get a LiveJournal like the rest of us or create your own stories on Wattpad, girl. Goodness.

32. Samara Morgan (The Ring)

DreamWorks Pictures / Via media.giphy.com This is what happens when your high-definition TV is doing too much. Based on a Japanese horror film (which portrays the most unfair ghost situations), the evil spirit of the afflicted Samara Morgan (Daveigh Chase) crawls out of the TV and murders her victims with a single look. Everyone could get it in this movie and there was no stopping her. Whatever you do, don't watch the tape. Again.

33. The Hårga (Midsommar)

A24 / Via media.giphy.com I thought the freaks only come out at night. Whatever you do in this fictional remote Swedish village where it's constantly daytime, you must never drink the Kool-Aid. The Hårga are overly polite, incestuous murderers who wait until their elders fall from grace before they treat them with respect.

34. Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)

Lucasfilm Ltd./20th Century Fox / Via media.giphy.com Call me crazy, but I feel like the extreme hate for Jar Jar Binks is giving 1960s racism vibes, but go off, Star Wars fandom. I will agree the character is one of the most annoying heroes (not villains) in the entire Star Wars universe but many theories question his intentions. Thanks to the offensively Caribbean Steve Urkel alien, the prequel trilogy didn't stand a chance against other Star Wars entries. So today, you're a villain, Jar Jar.

35. Hans Landa (Inglourious Basterds)

The Weinstein Company / Via media.giphy.com He's a Nazi. Do I really need to elaborate? Christoph Waltz disappeared into the soul of militaristic monster Hans Landa and carried out the orders of Hitler's deadly regime with harrowing ease. He used long-winded charisma to mask his true nature — a scourge of mankind. You had to be evil incarnate to chug a full glass of milk like it's a Gatorade.

36. Peter and Paul (Funny Games)

Warner Independent Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Don't let the harmless, all-white Jehovah's Witness look fool you. A house call from Paul (Michael Pitt) and his other privileged teen partner marked the start of absolute carnage riddled with eloquent limericks and deadly gimmicks. Watch this movie if you wonder why people have security systems and gated communities. Once.

37. Pinhead (Hellraiser)

Entertainment Film Distributors / Via media.giphy.com I'll admit the Cenobites have some freaky, sleek Clive Barker fashion but they take slaying the runway literally and get off by snatching weaves and all the skin off the bone. If they show up unwanted to your house party, just know it's about to go down...to hell.

38. Lex Luthor (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)

Warner Bros. Pictures Yes, he's not as violent or sadistic as the other villains on this list. I'm not even sure he comes out with as a little as a scratch in the end. That's the problem. As one of the most sinister villains in comic book history, it was a significant failure that we were presented with this Mark Zuckerberg 2.0 version. Tech bro Lex (Jesse Eisenberg) said enough to ensure we would never want to sit through this nightmare again.

39. Patrick Bateman (American Psycho)

Lionsgate Films / Via media.giphy.com If Mad Men and Game of Thrones had a baby, it would be this movie. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is the poster child of unchecked, extreme white male privilege. The Wall Street metrosexual (?) is clearly a repressed and confused mess, going around town slaughtering whoever rubs him the wrong way. Maybe it's the gratuitous blood or the gratuitous entitlement that makes us want to never see this movie again.

40. Mary Johnston (Precious)

Lionsgate / Via tenor.com The beautiful comedy legend Mo'Nique acted her ass off right into an acceptance speech for her Academy Award. Every time the character Mary appeared on the screen, we knew she was going to give Joan Crawford from Mommie Dearest a run for her money as the world's worst mother. It's a painful truth for unfortunate youths and a reality that is hard to swallow.

41. Annabelle (The Conjuring)

Warner Bro. Pictures / Via media.giphy.com Nobody could foresee her success when she made her first appearance in The Conjuring. Now, the creepiest doll in the world is the face of one of the most successful horror film franchises. At least Chucky was a witty, wise guy who could hold a conversation. Annabelle just stared with empty eyes, relying on camera tricks and jump scares without getting her hands dirty. Her movies combine all the tropes we hate about horror films so if you can get through this movie, kudos to you.

42. Wild Bill (The Green Mile)

Warner Bros. / Via media.giphy.com Sam Rockwell's Will Bill was barely onscreen in this adaptation of the Stephen King novel but every second was too much to bear. He is a vile creature that found humor in the pain of others. When it's revealed that he was at the center of everything wrong in the movie, it's heartbreaking because he never truly had to answer for his crimes.

43. Yolanda Saldívar (Selena)

Warner Bros. / Via gfycat.com It's the film that marked the end of the career of one of the most talented Latin American women in the world and sparked the rise of another. The true story of a famous singer, Selena became a heartbreaking tragedy at the hands of Yolanda (Lupe Ontiveros). If you find yourself revisiting this movie, I won't blame you if you turn it off before it reaches a conclusion.

44. Commodus (Gladiator)

DreamWorks Pictures / Via media.giphy.com When my dad thinks I'm out to get him, it's probably because he just finished rewatching this movie. Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) is a conniving, senseless, and spoiled brat who murdered his father and tossed his daddy's best general into slavery after murdering his family. He got dealt with in the end. But the amount of torment in every act of this movie was too painful to watch.

45. Kevin (We Need to Talk About Kevin)

BBC Films/Oscilloscope Laboratories / Via media.giphy.com There are villains in films that are redeemable characters when we try to understand their backstories or how they came to be evil. Unfortunately for Kevin Khatchadourian, I feel he was a hell-spawn as a sperm. From start to finish, Ezra Miller delivers a cringey-evil performance before the final act that depicts a genuine horror of American society.

OK. That's enough. Talking about the movies is too much.

20th Television Animation / Via media.giphy.com

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