20 Scariest Female Horror Villains

Sheila Vand as The Girl (Image via VICE Films)

Read on about some of the baddest, creepiest female villains in horror movie history

Women in horror films are often consigned to a very limited set of roles. Sometimes, they’re the innocent, virginal victim. Perhaps they’re a cheerleader, or the dull yet morally upright girlfriend of a minor character. If they are good enough, the typical horror movie plot will allow them to survive. Witness Laurie Strode, heroine of the first Halloween film, who survived thanks to being, well, pretty boring. Her party-loving friends, meanwhile, were killed by boogeyman Michael Myers while drinking and fornicating. Sorry, Laurie.

Otherwise, horror movie women are destined to become villains themselves. It’s not necessarily a feminist-approved situation, to say the least. It draws a lot upon the much-discussed virgin/whore dichotomy, where women (fictional or otherwise) are often forced into narrow roles. They are either pure, innocent “virgins” who deserve to be rescued, or corrupted “whores” who typically meet unfortunate ends.

Luckily, this isn’t always the case. Thanks to innovative filmmakers, writers, and actors – as well as what we hope to be more thoughtful and equitable filmmaking – women’s roles are slowly changing. In some respects, the roles available to women are becoming more complex and breaking out of the terrible old dichotomies.

While there is a distinct need for heroic roles for women, the other side is often overlooked. For, if women can be good, then it follows that they can be evil as well (and everything in between).

Now, this isn’t exactly a celebration of female villains. In some cases, these horror movie baddies present some worrisome stereotypes that should be addressed. However, other roles allow for a more complicated version of villainy and womanhood to appear on screen. With that in mind, here are twenty of the creepiest, most affecting female horror villains in film history.

As is often the case, a few of these slides contain spoilers. In some cases, I had to reveal a major plot point or two to fully discuss a character. So, for both spoilers and your general well-being (this is horror, after all), please proceed with caution.