Top 10 Horror Characters Of All Time

We are going to count down the top 10 horror characters of all time!

Halloween is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing… horror films! 

Over the years our dreams have been haunted by a plethora of scary characters, each with their own terrifying traits and murderous methods. 

We’ll look at the scariest and best horror villains to try and find the ultimate Halloween horror character…

10. The Nun – Valak

We are kicking off the top 10 horror characters with Valak from The Nun. The film, released in 2018, is a spin-off of 2016’s The Conjuring 2 and is a whole movie based on the terrifying character Valak.

Just looking at Valak is unsettling, with her yellow eyes and pale skin, she is sure to haunt your dreams without even watching the film. 

She lurks in dark hallways hiding inside her black cloak. Her crooked nose and razor-sharp cheekbones cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. Valak really is a modern horror villain who is dressed to possess. 

9. Chucky

A top 10 horror characters list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Chucky. First introduced in the 1988 film Child’s Play, Chucky continues to be one of the most notorious horror characters of all time. In the 2019 remake of the original, Chucky takes on a modern terrifying twist, becoming an artificially intelligent doll. 

The idea of a murderous doll has been done in many movies since the release of Child’s Play, however, none more iconic than the ginger-haired, dungaree wearing Chucky doll. Truly a horror legend, and one that has terrified audiences for over 30 years. 

8. Ghostface

This black-cloaked, mask-wearing murderer is iconic in the horror world. Initially seen in the 1996 film Scream, Ghostface was one of the catapulting characters of the slasher film genre. Calling his victims to taunt them before murdering them, Ghostface is utterly terrifying. 

Not knowing who is behind the spine-chilling mask only adds to the terror as we draw suspicion onto the other characters- wondering who to trust. Scream doesn’t rely on the paranormal or supernatural but instead digs into real fears, leaving audiences sleeping with one eye open, and for that reason, Ghostface had to be on our top 10 horror characters list.  

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7. Jason Voorhees

Jason Voorhees is another iconic character that very much deserves a place on this top 10 horror characters list. The trademark hockey mask is a Halloween and horror legend- despite not actually being introduced until Friday the 13th Part 3. 

A machete-wielding mass murderer is certainly the stuff of nightmares and Jason’s apparent immortality is chilling. He is a completely blank slate with no sympathy, no empathy and no humour. He is truly a psychopathic killing machine, and despite saying very few lines across the entire movie franchise Jason still manages to petrify audiences to this day. 

6. Billy the Puppet – John Kramer

Next on our top 10 horror characters list is Billy the puppet from the Saw franchise. He is used by killer John Kramer to communicate to his victims about the traps he has set; in order to play the characters against each other, in a sadistic deathmatch. The puppets red eyes and jet-black hair are enough to make you feel uneasy, and the dolls mechanical cackle is haunting. 

The puppet is a ventriloquist dummy whose mouth is operated by John Kramer to communicate, however, the doll does appear to have a life of its own, moving its limbs and riding around on the infamous tricycle. 

The Saw films are not for the faint-hearted and with Billy appearing in 8 of them, his place is well-deserved on this list. 

5. Anabelle  

Moving on from one creepy doll to another- Anabelle is at number 5 on our top 10 horror characters list. This doll is truly sinister, based on a real-life doll of the same name, Anabelle was pronounced demonically possessed and is said to be inhabited by the spirit of a deceased girl. 

The doll now has three movies surrounding its story, all of which are truly frightening. Anabelle’s face is menacing, with her porcelain rosy cheeks and deep-set eyes. Her ability to move around when we aren’t looking and cause terror wherever she goes is spine-tingling. 

The real-life Anabelle doll is now in a glass box at The Warrens’ Occult Museum in Connecticut. Despite not looking as scary as the doll portrayed in the movie, the story behind it is the reason that Anabelle makes it to number 5. 

4. Hannibal Lecter

Just missing out on the top 3 of our top 10 horror characters list, Hannibal Lecter is one of the most iconic movie characters of all time. Anthony Hopkins portrayal of the character in the 1988 film Silence of the Lambs won him an Academy Award and introduced Hannibal as a horror icon. However, Hannibal Lecter was originally introduced in the novel Red Dragon in 1981. 

Lecter is a cannibal serial killer who after being caught helps the FBI capture other serial killers. Despite being locked up and with no access to murderous weapons Hannibal still manages to make us feel uncomfortable and terror-stricken. His sociopathic tendencies and unnerving ability to charm is what draws us into this horrifying killer. 

3. Michael Myers

With a bloodthirst for teenagers, Michael Myers takes our spot at number 3 on our top 10 horror characters list. The terrifying antagonist in the Halloween film series begins his murderous streak at 6 years old, killing his sister. 

Said to be inspired by a trip to a mental institution where John Carpenter (director of Halloween) met a 12-year-old boy whose evil stare left him unnerved, Michael Myers is truly terrifying. 

Seemingly an indestructible force of nature he is unable to be killed by bullets, fire or stab wounds, making him all the more freighting. Much like Jason Voorhees, Myers rarely speaks throughout the films making him seem even more monstrous and inhuman.  Not to mention the scary white mask that reappears every Halloween. 

2. IT Pennywise

Pennywise the clown is visually the scariest horror character on this list. Both the original pennywise and the new pennywise from the 2017 adaptation are utterly terrifying. 

The idea of a spooky clown that lures children into drains is horrifying, paired with the incredible hair and makeup of the characters, IT is truly a horror masterpiece. The film plays into a fear of clowns and delves deep into individual fears of the characters, making the ultimate supernatural scary monster. 

The clown was a terror of its time, and the remake has allowed the next generation of horror lovers to experience the hair-raising tale. For that reason, Pennywise must come in at number two on our top 10 horror characters list. 

1. Freddy Krueger

Of course, Freddy Krueger takes the number one spot on our top 10 horror characters of all time list! Despite his first appearance being back in 1984 in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy Krueger’s terrifying looks were incredibly realistic and terrifying. 

His glove made of razor blades makes him one of the ultimate serial killers and the frightening idea that Krueger was a killer who was burned to death, but still manages to kill from the grave, makes Freddy the ultimate scare-fest.

However, it is not his scary looks or razor-sharp killing methods that bring him to the number 1 spot. What makes Freddy a cut above the rest is his ability to enter dreams, invading a space where we feel safe. Over the years Krueger will have caused many of us to fear closing our eyes at night, and that is what makes him the ultimate horror character.

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