Many horror movies depend on a villain—or villains—to provide the scares. Big-name slashers like Freddy Kreuger, Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and more are often the first horror movie villains to come to mind. However, we can't forget our villainous women in horror! In some ways, they can be more terrifying than the men. Whether you're looking for your next Halloween costume idea or horror movies to watch, here are our picks for the scariest female horror movie villains.
For the purposes of this list, we include women, girls, feminine dolls, and female creatures.
1. Jane Hudson - What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
[Source: Seven Arts Productions/IMDb]
Jane Hudson was an ex-child star eclipsed by her sister when they grew up. The once-successful child actress fell out of fashion in Hollywood, while her sister, Blanche, was an acclaimed Hollywood actress. As a result, Jane becomes incredibly jealous and upset and descends into alcoholism. However, things change when an unexpected car accident paralyzes Blanche—and suspicion falls on Jane. Blanche purchased a mansion with her film earnings, where the two live together, although Jane frequently mistreats her sister. Matters suddenly escalate when Blanche mentions that she intends to sell the house, with Jane likely being sent to an institution. Jane exacted her revenge by removing the locking up and neglecting Blanche, and also by killing their housekeeper.
2. Minnie Castevet - Rosemary's Baby (1968)
[Source: William Castle Enterprises/IMDb]
Beware Minnie's chocolate mousse! Minnie Castevet was part of a Satanic cult that wanted to bring the Antichrist into the world. She used her grandmotherly charm to become close with Rosemary and Guy, the young, newlywed couple next door. Minnie learned that Rosemary and Guy were planning to have a baby soon, and she bestowed a necklace charm with tannis root in it on Rosemary. On "baby night", Minnie served the couple chocolate mousse, which tasted weirdly chalky to Rosemary. Rosemary later passed out and woke up pregnant. There were other strange occurrences, and Rosemary began suspecting the Castevets of being Satanists and wanting her baby for Satanic rituals. As it turned out, Minnie and the other cult members took Rosemary's newborn baby, and they planned to raise it as the Antichrist.
3. Regan MacNeil - The Exorcist (1973)
[Source: Hoya Productions/IMDb]
Regan MacNeil may be the youngest character we mention, but she's also one of the most terrifying, thanks to Pazuzu. She levitates, spits pea-green fluids, twists and contorts her body to terrifying degrees, makes horrifying threats, and more. There's a reason that The Exorcist is often found at the top of the scariest horror movie lists! Regan MacNeil was an otherwise unassuming young girl who became possessed by the demon Pazuzu. Although she had no recollection of the ordeal, she killed Father Damien Karras and Father Lankester Merrin while being exorcised.
4. Carrie White - Carrie (1976)
[Source: Red Banks Films/IMDb]
What happens when you infuriate a budding telepath with incredible powers that she has not even begun to realize? Carrie is a beautiful yet shy and bullied teenage girl who lives with her mother, Margaret White, an unstable religious fanatic. Her mother's treatment is downright abusive, yet Carrie gets no escape at school from her horrible peers. The final straw was when Carrie won the title of prom queen as part of an elaborate prank and had a bucket of pig's blood dropped onto her. She flew into a telekinetic rage and closed all the exits, burning down the auditorium and killing everyone at the prom. Carrie's mother was equally or more to blame for treating her daughter so horribly, resulting in her isolation and bullying. Margaret even stabs Carrie with a knife when she returns home from the prom disaster, and both of them die when Carrie destroys the house with telekinesis.
5. Helena Markos - Suspiria (1977)
[Source: Seda Spettacoli/IMDb]
The Italian Giallo horror movie Suspiria is about a cult of witches led by Helena Markos, an alias for Mater Suspiriorum. She founded the German ballet school Tanz Akademia in 1895 as a front for her coven to find sacrifices. Under her direction, they continued to use the school to kill young ballet students to prolong their lives. Many of the deaths are orchestrated by magic, resulting in what appear to be bizarre accidents that cannot be traced.
6. Pamela Voorhees - Friday the 13th (1980)
[Source: Georgetown Productions Inc./IMDb]
Jason Voorhees is one of the most famous slasher villains, but he wasn't the villain in the first Friday the 13th movie. That distinction goes to Pamela Voorhees, his mother! After the negligence of camp staff led to her son's drowning, Pamela vowed revenge and attempted to murder anyone working at or restoring the camp. She was the unidentified perpetrator behind several deadly incidents at Camp Crystal Lake, which led to its closing and the new local nickname Camp Blood. Of course, against all warnings, a new owner is determined to refurbish the camp and reopen it. Pamela continues her deadly revenge again, determined to keep the camp clear so no other children will suffer Jason's fate.
7. Alien Queen - Aliens (1986)
[Source: Brandywine Productions/IMDb]
The colony of aliens that Ellen Ripley and crew encounter behaves a lot like a hive of bees. Worker drone Xenomorphs take care of regular duties while the hive is under the charge of the Queen, who lays eggs to grow the hive. She is an excellent example of a female movie monster—and a terrifying one at that! While the other Xenomorphs are usually in charge of combat and protection, the alien Queen will jump to action should the need arise. And you don't want to mess with her!
8. Julia Cotton - Hellraiser (1987)
[Source: Film Futures/IMDb]
Pinhead and the Cenobites may be the main villains in Hellraiser, but there's also a subplot involving the horrible Julia Cotton. She is the stepmother of Kirsty Cotton, our heroine. Before being married to Larry Cotton, Julia had an affair with Frank Cotton that could not be fully realized because he opened the lament configuration and was sentenced to an eternity of torment in hell. Little does Larry know that when he accidentally cuts his hand in the room where Frank meets his demise, he releases Frank, albeit in a ghoulish form. Julia finds her beloved skinless Frank and admits she's willing to do whatever it takes for him to be restored. Under his direction, she starts feeding men to him so Frank become whole once again.
9. Annie Wilkes - Misery (1990)
[Source: Castle Rock Entertainment/Nelson Entertainment/IMDb]
In a sickening twist, Annie Wilkes goes from savior to sadist. She lives in an isolated home in the mountains where she finds and rescues her favorite author, Paul Sheldon, after a wintery car accident. However, Annie's obsession becomes apparent when she refuses to let him go or contact friends and family after he begins to recover. Instead, Annie holds him hostage and even hobbles the man, intending to keep him at her home until he finishes his next novel. As a nurse, Annie can treat him at home, but she also has the means to administer medications to keep him under her control. Later, we also find out that she is a serial killer and "angel of mercy" who purposely killed patients at the hospitals where she worked.
10. The Grand High Witch - The Witches (1990)
[Source: Lorimar Film Entertainment/Jim Henson Productions/IMDb]
In The Witches, witches aren't merely human women with a penchant for witchcraft. They're demons who despise children enough that they go out of their way to transform or kill them. They have clawed fingers, which they hide under gloves, bald heads hidden under wigs, and toeless feet that you can't see inside their shoes. The Grand High Witch is the most powerful, an ancient being who blends into society while being the leader of all the witches on Earth. In The Witches, the Grand High Witch travels to England to share her new invention, the "Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker". She intends to have the local witches use it to turn all the children in England into mice, which their families will then unknowingly exterminate.
11. Nancy Downs - The Craft (1996)
[Source: Columbia Pictures/Red Wagon Entertainment/IMDb]
Nancy Downs is the leader of a group of outcast girls who are often overlooked or bullied at school and home. She desperately wants to be a witch and have powers, and they worship an earth deity that they call "Manon" in their quest for power. Nancy becomes convinced that newcomer Sarah Bailey will complete their coven and give them access to incredible powers. The group begins experimenting with spells and hexes, finding that they are gaining power. However, Nancy becomes power-hungry to the point that she doesn't care who they hurt to get what they want, even with spells resulting in murder.
12. Nancy Loomis - Scream 2 (1997)
[Source: Konrad Pictures/Craven-Maddalena Films/IMDb]
Unlike other slasher movies, the Scream franchise has a rotating villain who dons the guise of Ghostface. Several women have been Ghostface, but Nancy Loomis was the first in Scream 2 and the primary antagonist. She was the mother of Billy Loomis, one of the Ghostface killers in the first Scream movie. Nancy feels guilty for divorcing her husband and abandoning Billy, and she becomes a Ghostface copycat killer to kill two of the Woodsboro Murders survivors. (That would be Billy's ex-girlfriend Sidney Prescott and reporter Gale Weathers.) Nancy works with Mickey to create a copycat Ghostface killing spree to exact her terrifying revenge.
13. Tiffany Valentine - Bride of Chucky (1998)
[Source: David Kirschner Productions/IMDb]
Tiffany Valentine is no ordinary doll. She was a human at one time, just like her lover, Chucky. Tiffany was also a serial killer and Chucky's accomplice, and she recovered his remains and brought his doll body back to life. After a fight, Chucky kills Tiffany, bringing her back to life in a bride doll she had gotten to tease him. Tiffany continues to torment and kill people in their quest to find the perfect human bodies to transfer their consciousness into. As the franchise continues, Tiffany continues to be a recurring character.
14. Asami Yazamaki - Audition (1999)
[Source: Omega Project/Creators Company/connection/Film Face/AFDF Korea/Bodysonic/IMDb]
Asami had a rough childhood, and she channels her rage into torturing and killing men. She uses her femininity with horrifying results, luring men to their demise after she determines that they have betrayed her in some way. Asami's favorite weapons include needles and piano wire and the fear that they induce. Out of all the women killers here, she's one of the most brutal.
15. Ginger Fitzgerald - Ginger Snaps (2000)
[Source: Oddbod Productions/IMDb]
Ginger and her sister Bridgette are two sisters who are a little strange and considered outcasts in their community. One night, they intend to kidnap the dog of one of their school bullies, but Ginger is bitten by a strange dog-like creature that they don't realize is a werewolf. After the attack, Ginger begins to change—she becomes more aggressive, her wounds heal quickly, and she even starts growing a tail. Bridgette does her best to help reign her sister in and to help keep her werewolf identity hidden, but Ginger spirals out of control. She begins attacking and killing whoever she wants and ignores help from her sister.
16. Samara Morgan - The Ring (2002)
[Source: MacDonald/Parkes Productions/BenderSpink, Inc./Vertigo Entertainment/IMDb]
Did The Ring make you scared to answer the phone? Vengeful spirit Samara Morgan uses a cursed videotape to send a message and deliver a horrifying death to those unfortunate enough to watch it. It's strange enough that her tape became an urban legend, killing plenty of skeptics and thrill-seeking teenagers. Immediately after watching, victims receive a phone call where a raspy voice whispers, "seven days". And at the end of the week, they are killed by Samara. Seattle journalist Rachel investigates the videotape story and tracks down Samara's origins, but unfortunately, she can't stop the cycle.
17. Akasha - Queen of the Damned (2002)
[Source: Village Roadshow Pictures/NVP Entertainment/Material Productions/IMDb]
Queen of the Damned is based on Anne Rice's novel series The Vampire Chronicles. Akasha is an ancient vampire and the mother of all vampires, the very first. Initially a queen of Kemet, she is thousands of years old and one of Those Who Must Be Kept—if she dies, all vampires die. The Ancient Vampires are upset about Lestat's very public profile, as he has become a musician and has live concerts. However, Akasha disagrees about killing Lestat at his concert and instead torches the vampire club and kills everyone inside. Akasha also has plans for world domination, which the other Ancient Vampires disagree with.
18. Marie - High Tension (2003)
[Source: Alexandre Films/EuropaCorp/IMDb]
Marie is a young woman who unknowingly suffers from dissociative identity disorder. She harbors a second personality, one dubbed "The Killer". Marie is also in love with her best friend, Alex, who is unaware of her feelings. While staying at Alex's house, his family falls under attack by a mysterious serial killer. They are all killed while Marie and Alex escape the house, still pursued by the killer. They run to a gas station for help, but the clerk is killed as well. However, surveillance tapes reveal that Marie is actually the killer. As it turns out, Marie killed everyone, possibly to have Alex to herself.
19. Baby Firefly - House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
[Source: Goodrights/IMDb]
Baby is part of the murderous Firefly family, who uses her youth and beauty to lure unsuspecting victims to their demise. After finding a victim or group of victims, they are taken to the family home where they are tortured and killed. The family all gleefully participates in these activities, including the sadistic Baby Firefly. The exploits of the murderous Firefly family are documented in a series of movies by Rob Zombie, including House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, and 3 from Hell.
20. Kayako Saeki - The Grudge (2004)
[Source: Columbia Pictures/Ghost House Pictures/IMDb]
The Grudge is an American remake of Ju-On: The Grudge, a 2002 Japanese horror film. Kayako Saeki is one of several ghosts who haunt their former residence, but Kayako is the main ghost of the house. She had been brutally murdered by her husband, Taeko, who suspected that she was having an affair with their son's schoolteacher. Now an onryō or wrathful Japanese spirit, her restless spirit attacks anyone who tries to stay in the house. Kayako and the other deceased spirits share characteristics that they were left with in death—her neck was snapped and her throat crushed, resulting in a croaking moan that lets you know she's close. Her signature sound, pale face, and black hair hanging in her face make Kayako a terrifying horror movie villain.
21. Jennifer Check - Jennifer's Body (2009)
[Source: Fox Atomic/Dune Entertainment/IMDb]
In another case of demonic possession, Jennifer Check becomes a succubus who must feed on human flesh after a botched sacrificial ritual. As a beautiful, popular student, Jennifer uses her good looks with terrifying results. The developing killing spree claims many classmates, leaving her best friend in shambles. Jennifer becomes invulnerable to pain and injury shortly after feeding, healing almost instantly. This caveat makes it difficult to defeat Jennifer and stop her reign of terror.
22. Annabelle - Annabelle (2014)
[Source: New Line Cinema/RatPac-Dune Entertainment/Atomic Monster/The Safran Company/IMDb]
Do dolls scare you? Annabelle is a doll possessed by the demon Malthus, who had been summoned by a Satanic cult. Malthus likes to attach itself to inanimate objects to achieve its goal—devouring souls. While the Annabelle doll itself isn't evil, as it is only a vessel, Malthus couldn't have picked a creepier doll. Annabelle is unsettlingly large, with big eyes, a toothy grin, and unsettling eyebrows and eyelashes. The doll ends up in the possession of Ed and Lorraine Warren, who lock it in a case in their artifact room to contain the demonic spirit inside it.
23. Rose Armitage - Get Out (2017)
[Source: Blumhouse Productions/QC Entertainment/Monkeypaw Productions/IMDb]
Rose Armitage is a member of the Armitage family, who are secretly part of the Order of the Coagula cult. As a cult member, she makes false relationships with African Americans and lures them to her family's home. There, the family transplants older, wealthy white people's brains into the younger and more physically capable Black men and women to achieve a sort of twisted immortality. Rose is cold and calculating, as is the rest of her family, and she appears to have no remorse for her or the family's actions.
24. Bee - The Babysitter (2017)
[Source: Boies/Schiller Film Group Production/Wonderland Sound and Vision/IMDb]
What would you do if you found out that your babysitter was part of a Satanic cult? Bee from The Babysitter made a deal with the Devil so she could obtain whatever she wanted, but it came at a price—the blood of the innocent. She uses her job as a babysitter to get close to children so she can sacrifice them to Satan. Her other high school friends are part of her cult, and they help her find and kill victims. It is unknown how many victims she claimed, but it is implied that she has some prior experience.
25. Annie Graham - Hereditary (2018)
[Source: A24/PalmStar Media/Finch Entertainment/Windy Hill Pictures/IMDb]
Annie Graham is a miniature artist who struggles with mental illness and has a poor relationship with her mother, Ellie. The movie starts with her going to Ellie's funeral and attending a bereavement support group. Things start to spiral when her daughter, Charlie, is beheaded in a freak accident. Annie begins dabbling in the occult and attempts a séance to contact her deceased daughter. Later, she discovers that her mother was "Queen Leigh", the leader of a coven, and one of Annie's support group members was an acolyte of Ellie's. The demon Paimon then possesses Annie, but he really wants to inhabit a male host, Annie's son, Peter. Annie and Paimon are only together as a villain for a short time, but it's certainly memorable!
26. Red - Us (2019)
[Source: Monkeypaw Productions/Perfect World Pictures/IMDb]
Us presents us with the terrifying idea that doppelgängers called "the Tethered" exist, and they could decide to kill you and take your place at any moment. Red is one particular Tethered, the matriarch of the Wilson family doppelgängers and a perfect match to Adelaide Thomas. However, she wears a red jumpsuit and carries a menacing pair of golden scissors. Interestingly enough, we are left wondering who is human and who is the imposter—did Adelaide disappear from the fun house years ago with her doppelgänger replacing her, who is now trying to get her family back? Were we with the real Adelaide the entire time? While the character is quite scary, this is an excellent horror movie that deserves a watch.
27. Sue Ann Ellington - Ma (2019)
[Source: Blumhouse Productions/Wyolah Films/IMDb]
Ma's Sue Ann Ellington was a victim before she was a villain, but that doesn't make her actions right. She was the victim of an elaborate prank in high school executed by Ben and witnessed by Erica, Mercedes, and many other students. This memory continued to plague her life until one day when she realized that the children of Ben and Erica were part of a group of teens who asked her to buy them alcohol. Sue Ann continues to supply the minors with alcohol and a place to drink it while putting together a plan for revenge. She ends up going on a rampage, tormenting the group of teenagers and killing both Ben and Mercedes.
28. M3gan - M3gan (2022)
[Source: Universal Pictures/Blumhouse Productions/Atomic Monster/Divide/Conquer/IMDb]
We know that M3gan is not technically a woman, but she was a robotic doll created to be incredibly life-like so it can be a human companion. M3gan is paired with Cady, a girl who lost her parents in an automobile accident and has trouble connecting with people. At first, things appear to be going well, but the doll's developing AI starts overreacting to anything it deems a threat to Cady. When a neighbor's dog attacks, M3gan kills it, and she rips the ear off of a school bully and chases him into traffic. Matters escalate, and M3gan goes on a rampage when Gemma, Cole, and Tess plan to cancel the project.
29. Pearl - Pearl (2022)
[Source: Little Lamb/Mad Solar Productions/A24/IMDb]
Pearl is a character in the X film series. She is mentally ill and upset at her parents for holding her back, which is only compounded by isolating themselves to keep from catching the Spanish Flu. Pearl appears to have psychopathy as she abuses their farm animals and even her paralyzed father. Pearl has ambitions of stardom, wishing to be an actress or a chorus girl, which her mother disapproves of. She ends up killing her mother after an argument and proceeds to kill those people who she believes have wronged her.
30. Abigail - Abigail (2024)
[Source: Project X Entertainment/Vinson Films/Radio Silence Productions/IMDb]
Vampires are a horror movie staple, fascinating us with their agelessness and bloodlust. In the movie Abigail, Abigail may look like an adorable little girl who loves pink and ballet. But, in reality, she's much older than she appears. An unfortunate group of criminals learn this the hard way when they kidnap Abigail, intent on holding her hostage for a hefty ransom. She quickly turns the tables on them, attacking them and forcing them to fight for their lives.
As you can see, women have been featured as villains in horror movies for quite a while! Which female horror villains are your favorite? Are there any movies that you need to add to your watch list? If we have you feeling inspired for your next Halloween costume, don't hesitate to check out our horror movie costumes. Nothing screams Halloween like scary costumes!
