Top 20 Villains from Major Franchises
We do NOT want to mess with these characters. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest villains across some of the most popular cinematic franchises. We’ll only be focusing on live-action, so no animated bad guys.
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00:00I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest villains across
00:08some of the most popular cinematic franchises. We'll only be focusing on live action,
00:11so no animated bad guys.
00:13You... you complete me.
00:18Number 20. Megatron, Transformers franchise. As the vicious leader of the Decepticons,
00:23Megatron's a villain who has staked his claim as one of the best in the Transformers movies.
00:28I am Megatron.
00:31He always manages to come across as a badass no matter what form he's in,
00:34whether it be a giant alien robot or one of his numerous vehicle forms. His bitter yet almost
00:39brotherly relationship with Optimus Prime, which we admittedly would have liked to have seen
00:43explored more, is also a popular point of interest with the character regardless. He's
00:47a Decepticon with plenty to prove he'll stop at nothing to revitalize Cybertron at humanity's
00:52expense.
00:53You still fight for the weak. That is why you lose.
00:58A dynamic leader, ruthless tyrant, and scheming megalomaniac,
01:02Megatron terrifies humans and Transformers alike.
01:04Number 19. Predators, Predator franchise. It's kill or be killed,
01:08and if you happen to exist in the Predator franchise, you better hope you aren't part
01:12of the latter. The Predators are an entire species of brutal killers. These creatures
01:16only know violence, and killing is essentially a main part of their culture.
01:20And with their advanced physiology, sophisticated body armor, and plethora of gadgets,
01:24they can do a whole lot of that. Something about these hunters just makes them stand
01:27out as unforgettable bad guys you love to root against. Whether it's the way they're designed,
01:32the way they see everything through thermal vision, or the way they just mercilessly kill
01:35everybody, they're instantly iconic.
01:38Number 18. The T-1000, Terminator franchise. While Arnie's T-800 was a bad guy turned good,
01:44there's pretty much no redeemable qualities about the T-1000.
01:47The shape-shifting robot is a whole other level of messed up, more powerful and murderous than
01:51the T-800. He has no problem doing anything to assure Skynet's victory. Just the way he can look
01:56in your eyes and pierce your soul is unsettling, to say the absolute least. He's just such a
02:00dangerous robot that even Skynet figured it'd be best not to make more of him.
02:11He might not be as much of a physical presence as you'd think, but he's a pretty good-looking
02:16physical presence as Schwarzenegger, but he's definitely the scarier threat.
02:20Number 17. Khan Noonien Singh, Star Trek franchise. For as intelligent and adept as
02:25the crew of the USS Enterprise are, they've met their match in the form of Khan.
02:28You are in a position to demand nothing, sir.
02:35I, on the other hand, am in a position to grant nothing.
02:40A genetically altered human augment, Khan possesses many superhuman abilities,
02:44but a lot of that power has also gone to his head. He's a bloodthirsty villain who seized
02:48control of Earth and set out to pick fights with the rest of the galaxy. He's more intelligent
02:52than we can grasp, and more ruthless than we'd like. I shall leave you as you left me,
02:58as you left her, marooned for all eternity in the center of a dead planet, buried alive.
03:08In fact, parallels were even being made between Benedict Cumberbatch's Khan and real-life
03:12extremists. Considered by Spock to be the Enterprise's deadliest threat,
03:16we think he lives up to the expectations.
03:18Number 16. Dr. Octopus, Spider-Man franchise. Though he redeemed himself at the end of
03:23Spider-Man 2, it shouldn't be understated just how violent Dr. Octopus was for a majority of
03:28the film. With weaponized robotic arms grafted into his flesh, he terrorizes New York. If you
03:33thought Spider-Man was going to get a break from psychopaths after dealing with Green Goblin in
03:36the first movie, think again. From subconsciously slaying poor surgeons to kidnapping elderly ants
03:41to endangering countless civilians, Doc Ock put Spider-Man through real hell.
03:45Shut it down, Ock. You're gonna hurt a lot more people this time.
03:49Well, that's a risk we're willing to take.
03:52Well, I'm not!
03:53Alfred Molina's brilliant portrayal of the sinister yet tragic scientist endeared him to so
03:58many Spidey fans, who were thrilled when he reappeared later in the franchise. This supervillain
04:02will grab your attention, either with his great characterization or his lethal arms.
04:06Number 15. Biff Tannen, Back to the Future franchise. It really doesn't matter what era
04:11and time you come across, pretty much every version of Biff Tannen is a gigantic jerk.
04:15Hello? Hello? Anybody home? Think, McFly? Think! I gotta have time to get him re-typed. Do you
04:23realize what would happen if I handed my reports in your handwriting? I'll get fired. You wouldn't
04:29want that to happen, would you? The main antagonist for the Back to the Future films, Biff is the
04:34standard obnoxious boneheaded jock who terrorizes his high school. He's not necessarily the most
04:38dynamic villain, as he doesn't fight superheroes or use superpowers, but he still deals out plenty
04:43of damage. Oh, McFly, your shoes are dying! Don't be so gullible, McFly! I don't want to see you
04:48in here again! While he's never been the smartest, his penchant for making the lives of those around
04:53him absolute hell proves that he's dangerous. He's the quintessential numbskull who's got just
04:58enough resourcefulness to come out on top. Number 14. Ulrich Goldfinger, James Bond franchise.
05:03We don't want to say that having a weapon of mass destruction at your disposal is a flex,
05:07but who are we kidding, it totally is.
05:09Both of us know perfectly well what we are talking about, Mr. Bond.
05:13But I see that it is necessary to remind you. Our job!
05:19Many people have tried to involve themselves in my affairs, unsuccessfully.
05:23Ulrich Goldfinger is a classic Bond villain known primarily for his diabolical scheme called
05:28Operation Grand Slam. There's just something about threatening to drop an atomic bomb that
05:32exudes both pure insanity and a great villainous aura at the same time.
05:36Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!
05:41He's also not a Bond villain who looks evil right away,
05:43as the visually striking Ernst Blofeld does. Sure, he doesn't look like the average Joe either,
05:47but would you really expect the guy sipping mint juleps while wearing a
05:51cardigan to be as deranged as he actually is? Number 13. John Kramer, Jigsaw, Saw franchise.
05:56Determined to show people the importance of life after failing to take his own,
06:00John Kramer creates the enigmatic persona of Jigsaw and places unsuspecting people
06:04into his murderous traps.
06:07You don't know me, but I know you. I want to play a game.
06:12The level of care and detail that goes into creating these killing machines is
06:16both methodical and messed up. He manipulates people into doing horrific things in order
06:20to survive while he's still alive and then still manipulating people even after his death.
06:24In a way, Kramer represents the worst of humanity considering what he puts people through.
06:28Yes, I'm sick, officer.
06:30Top, like, the hunchikeens here!
06:33Sick from the disease eating away at me inside. Sick of people who don't appreciate their
06:38blessings. Sick of those who scoff at the suffering of others.
06:42We won't get too specific on just how deadly these traps are,
06:44but believe us when we say they're truly grotesque.
06:47Teaching others about the value of life has never looked more horrifying.
06:50Number 12. Immortan Joe, Mad Max franchise.
06:53Burning rubber is an act of prayer in Mad Max,
06:55and for the denizens of this wasteland, their prayers go to Immortan Joe.
06:59I am your redeemer. It is by my hand you will rise from the ashes of this world.
07:09He's like if an overweight, even more asthmatic Darth Vader never left Tatooine and instead
07:13ditched his podracer for a monster truck. He's a cruel warlord who sees people as property,
07:18and that's especially reflected through how he treats his five wives.
07:21Some might argue that his master plan of ensuring that healthy babies are born
07:25isn't all that nefarious, but the execution of said goal is nightmarish.
07:29Put a bullet in her skull, stop the raid, return my treasures to me,
07:34and I myself will carry you to the gates of Valhalla.
07:39We trust that you can understand why Immortan abducting women to be his wives
07:43and locking them away is problematic. This guy's less of a saint and more of a false prophet.
07:47Number 11. Ghostface, Scream franchise.
07:49The poster boy for the Scream franchise is pretty much just a killer who stabs
07:53people while in dark robes and a Halloween mask.
08:00But it's this simple concept that essentially revived the slasher genre.
08:06The other interesting angle to Ghostface is that it's not really a person but more like a title,
08:10as multiple people don the mask in each new movie. Think of it as an R-rated take
08:14on the Spider-Man mantra of anyone can wear the mask.
08:16If it's you two, that just leaves...Mindy.
08:30Hey, roommates.
08:32In this case, it's probably best that nobody dons this specific one. The Ghostface character
08:37proves that sometimes all you need to do to create a cultural phenomenon is go back to the basics.
08:42Number 10. Xenomorphs, Alien franchise.
08:44The Xenomorphs are some of the most recognizable and terrifying creatures in all of cinema.
08:48They first showed up in Ridley Scott's Alien and soon appeared in numerous other projects.
08:58They're nasty parasites who have a penchant for sucking faces and bursting chests. They can also
09:02move pretty fast and possess an exoskeleton which can protect them from all kinds of damage.
09:07We know they're not real, but the way these animatronic monsters
09:10move and act is just so dynamic it's easy to forget.
09:13Get away from her, you bitch!
09:15The Xenomorphs are just these perfect sci-fi creepy-crawlies that remind us
09:19of the dangers that are lurking in the shadowy depths of outer space.
09:23Number 9. Magneto, X-Men franchise. Magneto's been a thorn in the X-Men's side for decades.
09:28He seems like he has noble intentions by wanting to protect mutantkind,
09:32yet his desire to extinguish humanity to achieve that works against our sympathies.
09:36I will bring you hope, old friend. And I ask only one thing in return.
09:44Don't get in my way.
09:45But he's not a generic bad guy, either. The intriguing thing about him is definitely his
09:49tragic past. Sure, many villains have tragic pasts, but the fact that Magneto was a Holocaust survivor
09:55adds an extra level of depth to the character. He wasn't just wrong. He was put through one of
09:59the darkest chapters in history and lived to tell the tale.
10:02There is no land of tolerance. There is no peace. Not here, nor anywhere else.
10:09Women and children, whole families destroyed simply because they were born different from
10:14those in power. He's one of the most dangerous mutants the X-Men have faced,
10:17but also one of the greatest villains in the Marvel universe.
10:20Number 8. Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. It's always a nightmare when
10:24Freddy Krueger's around. With a burned face and razor blades strapped to his fingers,
10:28he made a hell of a first impression in the first Elm Street film,
10:31and has continued to throughout the series.
10:35Come to Freddy.
10:39But what might be more memorable is his ability to visit people in their dreams and kill them.
10:43He's also not a stoic serial killer by any means, as he's been known to have a truly
10:46wicked sense of humor.
10:48You can check in, but you can't check out.
10:52It's his stylish charisma, unsettling design, and murderous appetite that's made Freddy
10:56one of the staples of the horror genre.
10:58Number 7. Agent Smith, The Matrix franchise. Are we in a simulation? Agent Smith lives in one,
11:03and we know for a fact that he hates it. Tasked with making sure The Matrix remains stable,
11:07Smith hunts down those that pose threats to it.
11:10You disappoint me.
11:11You can't scare me with this Gestapo crap. I know my rights. I want my phone call.
11:18Tell me, Mr. Anderson, what good is a phone call if you're unable to speak?
11:26He's a computer program who's also a trained killer decked out in stylish suits and rocking
11:30a sleek pair of shades at all times.
11:32The idea of AIs being sentient and potentially even sinister is an interesting concept,
11:36but Agent Smith goes even further by being an AI whose bitter hatred
11:40extends past just the humans and also to The Matrix itself.
11:44I must get out of here. I must get free. And in this mind is the key. My key.
11:53Once Zion is destroyed, there is no need for me to be here. Do you understand?
11:58It's the pure irony of someone whose whole goal is to protect The Matrix also loathing it that
12:02makes him so compelling.
12:03Number 6. Michael Myers, Halloween franchise. Who knew that a painted William Shatner mask
12:08and blue coveralls would eventually become the unforgettable wardrobe of a horror icon?
12:12Michael Myers is the definition of a silent killer. He lurks in the shadows,
12:15he stalks the innocent, and he kills in some particularly inventive ways.
12:23He's one of the most instantly recognizable slashers, and for good reason. It takes a lot
12:29for some villains to win audiences over, but Michael has achieved fame unlike any other.
12:34He rarely speaks, instead choosing to communicate through the language of violence.
12:38At the end of the day, this isn't some run-of-the-mill mass murderer.
12:41Michael Myers may just be the epitome of evil.
12:43Number 5. Sauron, The Lord of the Rings franchise. Gigantic floating eyes have
12:48never looked more menacing. While Gollum is a surprisingly complex villain with a steady fanbase,
12:52Sauron's the final boss who fans gravitate towards. The Forger of the One Ring,
12:57he's a force of darkness capable of devastating entire armies just on his own.
13:01The Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret a master ring to control all others,
13:08and into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life.
13:15Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings adaptation lifted Sauron seamlessly from the page,
13:19and arguably made him even more terrifying. While he can and has adopted many forms,
13:24his most infamous is the eye. Many have given instinct to interpretations as to what Sauron
13:28represents, but most can agree that he's a near-perfect encapsulation of true darkness.
13:37Number 4. Thanos, Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's no secret that the MCU has had a villain
13:43problem. Unless you're someone as charismatic as the trickster god Loki, chances are you're
13:47just a generic evildoer who is expendable. Thanos, thankfully, isn't that at all.
13:51"...shall honor our agreement, Kree, if you bring me the order. But return to me again empty-handed,
14:01and I will bathe the stalways in your blood."
14:04He's a tried-and-true big bad and the villain that the entirety of the Infinity Saga hinges upon.
14:10His ambitions are seriously messed up, and what's even more messed up is that he succeeds in his
14:14plans and wipes out half of all life. Yeah, the Avengers eventually beat him and fixed things in
14:24Endgame, but Thanos made his mark. How many villains in the MCU so far have even come
14:28remotely close to what Thanos has done? Number 3. Voldemort, Harry Potter Franchise.
14:33There's a reason Voldemort's often called He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.
14:36This pioneer of the dark arts is a terrifying presence both on and off the screen.
14:40"...I'd introduce you, but word has it you're almost as famous as me these days."
14:48"...The boy who lived."
14:50With a ghastly physical appearance and a twisted personality, Voldemort only wants to destroy
14:55Harry Potter and stake his claim at the top. He's certainly got the tools to do it, too,
14:58possessing mastery over dark magic like no other.
15:01"...From this day forth, you put your faith in me."
15:08Voldemort shed his skin as the former Tom Riddle in order to embrace his darkness,
15:12and that's made him one of the most prolific dark wizards in all of pop culture.
15:16Number 2. Joker, Batman Franchise. Some were skeptical when Heath Ledger got
15:20cast as the Clown Prince of Crime for The Dark Knight, but his portrayal soon became the gold
15:25standard. His Joker is far more than a simple prankster or a cunning criminal. He's a force
15:34for chaos and a mascot for anarchy who pushes Batman to his limit and brings Gotham's rottenness
15:39out to the surface. He's the perfect foil for the Caped Crusader, and the complexity of their
15:43relationship is still discussed at length today. The Dark Knight is essentially one of the greatest
15:53superhero movies out there, and that wouldn't have been possible without Heath Ledger's
15:57extraordinary Joker. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and
16:01ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for
16:06occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
16:10and switch on notifications. Number 1. Darth Vader, Star Wars Franchise.
16:17There might not be any villain who is ingrained into pop culture as Darth Vader. We all know his
16:21story. Once promising Jedi, Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side and trained under Darth Sidious,
16:26a terrifying villain in his own right. His fall from grace and eventual path to redemption
16:45through meeting his son Luke is a story that transcends movies. It's practically myth.
16:50Vader has single-handedly slain Jedi, enslaved civilizations, terrified fellow Sith warriors,
16:55he's a villain whose appearance doesn't just grab your attention but demands it.
16:59There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you.
17:04Every detail from his unforgettable suit of armor, to his sleek black cape,
17:07to the sound of his raspy breathing forms our favorite bad guy of all,
17:10Darth Vader. Is there a franchise big bad we missed? Let us know in the comments.
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