Who are the best on-screen villains in history?

[Crayo]

This thread is inspired by my avatar (Gus Fring), who I have found to be one of the most incredible villains I have seen on weekly television. I know there are some legendary films ones, so I am interested in reading about them. The obvious answer will be Joker as well (Heath Ledger's version), who I am a massive fan of. I don't even consider him a villain sometimes due to how popular he was, lol.

 

[Stopspot]

Sylar on Heroes was a very well put together TV villain. Most of the first season he was kept as a sort of boogeyman, people were following his footsteps trying to find him and we saw glimpses of him and what he could do. Then they delved into the character and why he was the way he was and you became a bit sympathetic towards him. Then came the retribution/saving his soul arc of his existence which put more depth in him. I enjoyed that character a ton.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

De Niro in Cape Fear
Kathy Bates in Misery
Hannibal Lecter
Jack Nicholson as the Joker (the superior Joker IMHO)
Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York

Vince McMahon

 

[CM Punk]

Geoffry from Game of Thrones. Such a heel magnet.
Haven't watched any of season 3 btw.

 

[Xanth]

Geoffry from Game of Thrones. Such a heel magnet.
Haven't watched any of season 3 btw.

He's just become king in the episode I'm watching and I already hate him. I want him to die so much, I'm nominating him as well.

 

[CM Punk]

He's just become king in the episode I'm watching and I already hate him. I want him to die so much, I'm nominating him as well.

When you're done season 1, you'll hate him more.

 

[Farooq]

Fire Lord Azula o3o

 

[Xanth]

When you're done season 1, you'll hate him more.

Finished it earlier. Fuck him. I want to be in the show just to stab him in the throat and rip out his tongue.

 

[Lady Deathbane]

Fire Lord Azula o3o

I haven't read the books on where her and Zuzu go on a mission to find their mother, but judging from the series by itself I think she's a huge schizophrenic.

 

[Stopspot]

Magneto is another favorite of mine. Because he is such a deep and well put together character with a compelling and interesting backstory and a reason for being the way he is. He and professor X are truly two sides of the same coin. One side that refuses violence and preaches co-existence whilst one sees co-existence as impossible and violence as needed to protect his people.

 

[CodebreakerGuy6190]

The Jack Nicholson Joker is my all-time favorite.

 

[Danielson]

Darth Vader, Wickedwitch of the west. Those were the iconic ones, but Col. Hans Landa aka Chrisoph Waltz in inglorious bastards was pretty good.

 

[Donald Trump_]

Heath Ledger Joker was awesome. And the guy that played Hanibal Lector.

 

[Laura]

For me, I'd say Nolan's Joker is without question the GOAT villain. He embodies raw evil in a way that no other movie villain does (that I know of.) Most villains have their goal or motivation, but the Joker is just evil, pure and simple. Add to this the thematic universality of chaos and anarchy, the relevance to the political climate at the time the movie was made, the imagery of the purple suit and the makeup, and fact that Ledger done a brilliant job acting him and Nolan done a brilliant job writing/directing him, and it's pretty difficult to consider any other villain even in the Joker's league. Jack Nicholson's Joker was great and truer to comics, but from a technical standpoint, he doesn't really compare to Nolan/Ledger's.

 

[Crayo]

For me, I'd say Nolan's Joker is without question the GOAT villain. He embodies raw evil in a way that no other movie villain does (that I know of.) Most villains have their goal or motivation, but the Joker is just evil, pure and simple. Add to this the thematic universality of chaos and anarchy, the relevance to the political climate at the time the movie was made, the imagery of the purple suit and the makeup, and fact that Ledger done a brilliant job acting him and Nolan done a brilliant job writing/directing him, and it's pretty difficult to consider any other villain even in the Joker's league. Jack Nicholson's Joker was great and truer to comics, but from a technical standpoint, he doesn't really compare to Nolan/Ledger's.

Couldn't agree more. Great post. Not sure if he is the GOAT villain though, I think it is impossible to label someone the greatest of all time in terms of movie villains, due to the sheer volume of them. But I do think he is the greatest portrayal of The Joker, and sometimes think people who disagree are doing the typical nostalgia legacy crap, where something is ALWAYS better in the past. Some may genuinely prefer Nicholson's Joker though.