Making the Cut: Our Definitive Ranking of the 15 Best Slasher Villains

1. Michael Myers ('Halloween')

Just his image of the white mask is sort of indicative of the genre. And the fact that they keep making movies about him is also kind of poetic.

Michael Myers is the embodiment of pure, unadulterated evil. His silent, relentless pursuit of his victims, coupled with his hauntingly blank white mask, established the template for the modern slasher.

He's a cold and ruthless killer who always seems able to come back for more.

2. Freddy Krueger ('A Nightmare on Elm Street')

Freddy could've easily been number one, but in the end, I went with the slightly more grounded option. Freddy Krueger has got the iconic razor-sharp glove, scarred visage, and twisted sense of humor. And he attacks us where we feel safe, in our dreams.

Freddy Krueger's ability to manipulate reality within the dream world makes him a uniquely terrifying and endlessly creative killer. And it keeps the movies he's in fresh, since there are so many different kinds of worlds to explore.

3. Jason Voorhees ('Friday the 13th')

Again, easily could have easily been number one, but I went with my gut, and I have no regrets. I dropped him since it really wasn't him in the landmark first movie, but he rocks in the sequels.

Jason Voorhees has become the face of the Friday the 13th franchise now, and probably never won't be again. His iconic hockey mask, imposing stature, and inventive kills at Camp Crystal Lake have solidified his status as a horror legend.

4. Ghostface ('Scream')

I'm not sure there's a slasher series I love more than the Scream movies, and I think they hold up really well today.

They're a meta-commentary on the slasher genre itself, but they remained scary and fed right into what we want as horror fans.

Ghostface is unique in that the identity of the killer changes with each film, and each has a personal stake in the story as it evolves.

His chillingly simple yet effective Edvard Munch-inspired mask and taunting phone calls create a villain who is both a terrifying threat and a clever deconstruction of audience expectations.

5. Leatherface ('The Texas Chain Saw Massacre')

Just a terrifying and grotesque killer. He was inspired by the real-life murderer Ed Gein. Leatherface is a brutal and mentally disturbed killer who wears a mask made of human skin and tortures teens. Even worse, he comes from a whole family of misfits.

The raw, gritty realism of his portrayal, along with the sheer terror of his chainsaw-wielding rampages, makes him one of the most viscerally frightening villains in cinema history.

6. Chucky ('Child's Play')

Now, this is why I love slashers. This movie takes the horror doll trope and builds on it into a visceral murder. The story of a serial killer whose soul is trapped in a "Good Guy" doll is so freaking funny and twisted.

Chucky is a perfect blend of horror and dark comedy. And his escapades are endlessly watchable. His diminutive size and foul-mouthed personality make all his kills darkly amusing.

7. Candyman ('Candyman')

This is such a fun villain and actually a nice building out of diversity. It's cool seeing different cultures and people play with these villains - I want more of it!

Candyman is a tragic and vengeful spirit with a hook for a hand. He was wrongfully accused and is out to get some vengeance. You can summon him by speaking his name five times into a mirror. He represents a more supernatural spin on the urban legend slasher, but I love his lore.

8. Art the Clown ('Terrifier')

These movies are so gross, but they crush at the box office and have entered the cultural lexicon as landmark horror movies with a famous villain.

Art the Clown has quickly made a name for himself with his silent, mime-like demeanor and incredibly graphic and sadistic kills. I mean, they stick with you and never leave your brain. His unsettlingly cheerful appearance of a clown contrasted with his extreme brutality.

9. Pinhead ('Hellraiser')

The face that haunted me every time I walked into Blockbuster as a kid. I can see it when I close my eyes still!

The lead Cenobite from the "Order of the Gash," Pinhead, is an articulate and intelligent being who explores the furthest regions of experience, including pain and pleasure. It's such a weird slasher, but an effective-looking one.

While not a traditional slasher, his methodical torture and his iconic, nail-studded appearance earn him a place on this list.

10. Jigsaw ('Saw')

Grounded in the idea of vengeance and justice, I find these movies to be really interesting and such a good play on a killer taking their time.

John Kramer, also known as Jigsaw, is a different breed of slasher villain. He places victims in elaborate and deadly "games" designed to test their will to live. And his kills mount up pretty frequently.

These Rube Goldberg-esque traps have made him a central figure in the "torture porn" subgenre, but I think there's a slasher crossover, too.

11. Norman Bates ('Psycho')

Look, he could be number one just because he's maybe the guy who inspired everyone on this list. Sure, Peeping Tom came first, but people never forget Psycho.

Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece introduced the world to the deeply disturbed, mother-obsessed motel owner with a penchant for stabbing. Norman Bates proved that monsters don't always wear masks; sometimes, they are the quiet boy next door.

12. Hannibal Lecter ('The Silence of the Lambs')

Okay, so I would argue he's not really a slasher in The Silence of the Lambs, but he basically is in Hannibal, which follows him killing lots of people while trying to get away from the FBI.

Dr. Lecter is a different class of killer. He's brilliant, sophisticated, and also a cannibal. I'd call him a psychological horror villain, but the eating of people after killing them leans into slasher to me.

13. The Fisherman / Ben Willis ('I Know What You Did Last Summer')

Both in the remake and the original two movies, the idea of a guy in a rain slicker hunting and killing you is scary.

In the original movie, he had way more of a reason to do it after kids hit him with their car, but in the remake, the killer is just a way to bring justice to a town.

The vengeful fisherman with a slicker and a terrifying hook for a hand became a cornerstone of the '90s slasher revival and stuck with us through the ages.

14. Angela Baker ('Sleepaway Camp')

This is one of those movies that I think not enough horror fans have seen. The killer at the heart of one of the most shocking twist endings.

We learn that Angela's quiet and traumatized demeanor hides a brutal killer, and that she's actually her own brother - if that makes sense? People still talk about this end today, and it is a shocking moment that kind of proves slasher movies have more to them than just the kills.

15. Victor Crowley ('Hatchet')

A modern love letter to the unstoppable slashers of the '80s, we meet Victor Crowley, a deformed and supernaturally powerful force of vengeance who haunts the Louisiana swamps. Guess what he uses to kill his victims? It's one of those over-the-top, killer movies that is a lot of fun to watch later at night.

Summing It All Up 

Slasher films and their villains are a lot of fun. They live on mostly because a lot come back for sequels, but also because they ground many fears and terrify audiences across decades.

Did I leave any of your favorites off the list?