Ranking the 10 Best Horror Villains of the 2020s

Collider has compiled a ranking of the 10 greatest horror movie villains of the 2020s so far, noting the decade has already produced memorable antagonists ranging from vampires and witches to monsters, aliens, bad mothers and bad husbands.

The list highlights characters such as Adrian Griffin (The Invisible Man, 2020), Mona Wassermann (Beau Is Afraid, 2023), The Mother (Barbarian, 2022), Abigail (2024), Jean Jacket (Nope, 2022), Count Orlok (Nosferatu, 2024), Remmick (Sinners, 2025), Pearl Douglas (the X trilogy, 2022–2024), and Aunt Gladys (Weapons, 2025). The piece places Art the Clown of the Terrifier franchise at No. 1, noting he rose to wider fame after Terrifier 2 (2022) and is played by David Howard Thornton.

The article emphasizes the variety of these villains — from emotionally complex figures rooted in trauma and satire to literal forces of nature — and presents them as some of the most memorable antagonists of the 2020s so far, with the ranking reflecting films released through 2025.

Key Topics

Culture, Adrian Griffin, Pearl Douglas, Jean Jacket, Terrifier Franchise