2024: A Year of Outstanding Movie Villains
This year brought us some unforgettable movie villains who managed to capture our attention with their complex characters, eerie performances, and despicable deeds. From Hugh Grant’s terrifying monster in Heretic to Chris Hemsworth’s charismatic Warlord in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, 2024 has given us a plethora of villains to hate.
At number ten is Josh Hartnett, who stunned us with his hilariously over-the-top performance as a psychotic killer in M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap. While the movie may not be a complete thriller, Hartnett’s antics more than make up for it.
Coming in at number nine is Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, the main villain of the Wicked movie. Yeoh brings depth to the character, fitting in perfectly with the campy tone of the film.
The next spot belongs to Ed Harris as Lou Langston, Sr., a despicable villain in the romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding. His abusive nature and manipulative ways make him easy to hate.
At number seven is Nicolas Cage’s chilling performance as Satanic serial killer Longlegs in the psychological thriller of the same name.
Number six goes to Chris Hemsworth as the talkative and charming Warlord Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Despite his questionable morals, Hemsworth makes him hard to dislike.
Coming in at number five is Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed, a sinister figure holding two Mormon missionaries hostage to question their faith in Heretic.
Next is Denzel Washington as power-hungry Macrinus in Gladiator II. He brings much-needed comic relief and makes the villain unforgettable.
Number three goes to Sue, the manifestation of a beauty-enhancing drug in The Substance. Sue’s presence makes the body-horror metaphor more terrifying and believable.
Austin Butler takes the second spot with his iconic portrayal of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two. His performance as a sly, sadistic, and evil villain makes him stand out as the most complex character in the movie.
Finally, number one belongs to Anxiety, a character in Inside Out 2. Played by Maya Hawke, Anxiety is a misunderstood and complicated character who is not easily categorized as evil or good.
Overall, 2024 has given us some fantastic movie villains, and these are just a few of the standout performances from this year.
