What good is a hero without a proper villain? Stories thrive on the conflict between protagonists and their antagonist counterparts, but villains don’t just come in one flavor. The villainous yin to the hero’s yang can embody any number of characteristics: Are they a misunderstood authority figure who just wants to best the protagonist? Or are they evil incarnate, so morally reprehensible that nothing short of destruction can stop them? Villains are complex, exciting, and terrifying characters onstage and onscreen—and understanding the different types is sure to make your next baddie role a smash hit.
1. Anti-villain
The anti-villain takes the traditional idea of villainy and turns it on its head. Anti-villains operate from a more justifiable perspective, their motivations often sympathetic if not downright condoned by audiences. Take Killmonger, for example: The classic comic book villain made his big-screen debut in “Black Panther,” with actor Michael B. Jordan easily winning over viewers and nudging them toward the anti-villain’s radical regime. Jordan plays Killmonger with unbeatable charisma that makes it seem reasonable when other characters in the film follow him.
2. Beast
While many a villain can be said to be monstrous, some villains are just straight up monsters. The shark (aka Bruce) from “Jaws” and the alien in “Alien” are both prime examples of the beast in film. Beyond just a force of nature, the beast cannot be reasoned with, as it follows one urge and intent above all others: to kill. Actors playing a beast should get in touch with their wild side, acting out movements and expressions with an eye toward the uncanny that’s sure to make the audience’s skin crawl.
3. Bully
A classic villain from all manner of stories, the bully provides straightforward, overpowering opposition to the protagonist. They are the villains of the schoolyard, literally and figuratively, with wins stemming mostly from some overexaggerated physical or social power. Bullies need not always be the tough, beat-’em-up types like Biff Tannen in “Back to the Future”; they can just as easily be Regina George. The high school queen bee from “Mean Girls,” Regina (Rachel McAdams) is a broken person who rules her school with an iron fist. McAdams expertly captures the popular girl bully character, embodying the absolute worst of what high school has to offer.
4. Machine
Much like the beast, the machine cannot be reasoned with. It works with calculated intensity to achieve its aims, and is that much more threatening because it is unfeeling—the machine does not experience pain, emotion, or fear. One example of the machine comes from the Kubrick classic “2001: A Space Odyssey,” where the AI supercomputer aboard the spacecraft Discovery One—Hal 9000—goes rogue, murdering several of the ship’s crew mates. Just watch as Hal speaks using a pseudo-human voice, emanating from a singular, piercing red eye, and try not to be creeped out. That it later mimics fear to try to stave off being shut down makes it all the more chilling.
5. Mastermind
A villain hailing straight from the pulps is the mastermind, the evil genius who plans to use his incredible mind for wealth, fame, world domination, you name it. Sometimes they prematurely celebrate with a classic villain monologue. The mastermind uses brains rather than brawn to fight the hero, and they often come rather close to succeeding thanks to their superior intellect. Alan Rickman plays the mastermind superbly as Hans Gruber in the (debatable) Christmas classic “Die Hard.” Gruber embodies charismatic, calculating genius, able to both plan ahead and think on his feet when need be. As Den of Geek puts it, Gruber’s “more sophisticated and cerebral presence” owes directly to Rickman’s career-defining performance as the mastermind villain opposite John McClane’s everyman hero. It’s why many still consider the character one of the best movie villains of all time.
6. Evil incarnate
Perhaps one of the most terrifying types of villains are the ones who hide ultimate evil beneath their human appearance. These villains may appear human, but their sadistic, inhumane nature points to the monster they are beneath the skin. Think Heath Ledger’s Joker or Anthony Hopkins’s Hannibal Lecter. Hopkins’ iconic performance as the manipulative serial killer in “The Silence of the Lambs” sets the bar high for portraying this variety of villain. He’s cunning, calculating, and knows when to turn up the charm—but Lecter’s menace comes from the evil monster you can see lurking beneath the surface, just waiting to emerge and take a (literal) bite out of his next victim.
7. Henchman
No evil mastermind would be complete without at least one henchman around to do the dirty work. The henchman is one of those villains that can be adapted to a variety of different genres and stories; they may be menacing like their genius bosses, or they might be complete idiots who’ve somehow managed to climb the villainy ladder to a management position. Of the former type, consider Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith), the vicious henchman working for OCP president Dick Jones in “RoboCop.” Boddicker is a cold-blooded psychopath, a brutal representation of the true evil of corporations like OCP. Smith’s chilling performance, from his piercing gaze to his eerily calm demeanor, elevates Boddicker from just another henchman to an all-timer.
8. Fanatic
Faith is a powerful tool for good and for evil—and what makes the fanatic villain type so terrifying is that they sincerely believe in their extreme ideology. What’s worse, the fanatical villain will often attempt to draw a flock to their side to do their bidding. The fanatic is perfectly embodied in Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), a Stephen King villain if ever there was one, in “The Mist” film adaptation. Mrs. Carmody represents the human threat of the film, made that much more terrifying by the fact that the portrayal of religious zealotry is so realistic. Harden’s performance as an outcast turned spiritual leader is intense, rapidly vacillating from quiet condescension to frenzied rage.
9. Femme fatale
Quite literally a “lethal woman,” the femme fatale villain type is a classic with roots in ancient mythology, though modern understandings typically place her firmly in film noir. Femme fatales are masters of manipulation and seduction, using their feminine wiles to draw in the unsuspecting hero, only to turn on him in the film’s finale…or turn back to the good side. Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson in the classic “Double Indemnity” will always be a favorite, but a more modern twist on the femme fatale can be seen in “Gone Girl.” Expertly balanced between cool-girl charm and vengeance-fueled ruthlessness, Rosamund Pike’s performance as Amy Dunne gives the villain type new complexity in the modern age.
10. Trickster
There’s no shortage of tricksters in fiction. From the Norse trickster Loki to his modern MCU counterpart, played by Tom Hiddleston, these villains have a long history of beating heroes with their wit and charm. The trickster tricks and manipulates the hero, sometimes appearing as a friend before revealing their true colors: See the famously funny Beetlejuice, a trickster who is exceedingly talented at coercing others with his fast-talking style. Michael Keaton’s role as the supernaturally comedic con man rocketed him to stardom for good reason—even if he only appears for about 17 minutes of screentime.
