Blumhouse Productions has helped create some of the best modern horror films. One of its recent creations, The Black Phone, is another winner, with praise mostly going to Ethan Hawke’s terrifying performance as its antagonist.
A surprise this is not since Blumhouse Productions has produced other horror villains who have left their marks on the screen. They’ve been memorable for displaying horrifying actions against the innocent, giving off powerful energy and using it to steal a scene that will visit audiences in their nightmares.
The Man - Hush (2016)
Hush was a home invasion thriller directed by Mike Flanagan. The movie depicted a deaf writer pursued by a killer who wants nothing more than to get inside her isolated home, and there's nothing she can do to stop him.
Known only as "The Man," this antagonist is horrifying because of how unsympathetic and sadistic he is. He devotes himself to the cat and mouse game he created and there is no reasoning with him as he makes his target a prisoner in her own home by limiting her options more than they already were. He's a cunning predator who makes each moment tenser than the last with how he can stop any attempts to escape.
Josef/Aaron - The Creep Franchise (2014 - )
Wild and terrifying experiences are guaranteed in this found footage horror series that involves an enigmatic, goofy serial killer who always returns with a new name and a new victim who documents his descent into madness.
It's easy to feel sympathetic towards "Josef," a terminally ill man wanting to make a video for his unborn son. But his darker side seeps out with his constant manipulation and playing with his victim's sympathy. With this, he's given power, which he still possesses in the intense sequel where there's a different dynamic displayed between predator and prey and he's now dubbed "Aaron." He's more upfront about who he is, but still scary.
The Grabber - The Black Phone (2022)
Based on the 2004 short story by Joe Hill, this supernatural slasher centers on a boy kidnaped by a serial killer known as "The Grabber," a mysterious man who lures his young victims in with his charm before capturing them.
Although there have been similar villains in the past, Ethan Hawke's unsettling performance made this character stand out. He does so by horrifically portraying his every mood with an unbalanced nature. There's never any telling how he'll interact with his victims -- he'll show sympathy one moment before letting out giggles or going into a fit of rage the next. No matter what, he's an expressive villain, even as he hides behind his masks.
Adrian Griffin - The Invisible Man (2020)
This modern remake of a Universal classic has a woman trying to put her life back together after leaving her abusive partner. But that's easier said than done when it's as though an unseen but familiar presence is stalking her.
Adrian Griffin uses technology to make himself the titular antagonist in an attempt to take back control. Even without a visible presence on screen, his ominous energy is still very much there for all to witness. With the movie's themes revolving around abuse affecting someone's mental state, Adrian is a scary villain because he's as smart as he is despicable. His need for control comes with more sinister intentions with how he makes his ex feel she's going insane after his "death."
The Grandparents - The Visit (2015)
The Visit is a found footage film documenting siblings visiting their grandparents for the first time. The results are a week of disturbing antics that continue to increase each day.
The elderly couple in the movie is more than just a little eccentric and their bizarre behavior and creepy mannerisms create high tension throughout, written off as allegedly being a form of Alzheimer's. The audience also becomes fearful of Nana and Pop Pop's fits and boundary crossing and since this is an M. Night Shyamalan film, of course, there is a twist as to their identity. It's a revelation that kicks the already uncomfortable viewing up a notch.
Sue Ann "Ma" Ellington - Ma (2019)
A group of teens befriends a lonely woman who seems cool, at first. It turns out, however, that her hip demeanor is hiding something more vindictive. The movie may have flaws, but the unhinged and entertaining performance of Octavia Spencer overpowers them.
The reflective revenge tale has the troubled woman come off as playful, if not slightly awkward, with how she relives her youth with the teens. But she eventually snaps into the vengeful murderer she is. What makes Ma a good villain are the justifiable motives behind her heinous actions. As a cruel high school prank still torments her, she can be considered a sympathetic character. The added layer to her gives more reason to the carnage.
The Blissfield Butcher - Freaky (2020)
In this fun horror twist on Freaky Friday, a teenage girl becomes the latest target of a local serial killer. Unbeknownst to either of them, the ancient dagger he uses as his weapon of choice leads to their swapping bodies.
Since this movie is also an homage to classic slasher films, it's no surprise that the Blissfield Butcher has a Michael Myers/Jason Voorhees style to his killings. No matter what form he's in, he's a resourceful killing machine who's silent but deadly and creative with his kills. He does it all with absolutely no remorse and with more sadistic enjoyment and swapping bodies does little to stop him. He uses his new form to his advantage by posing either as an innocent bystander or alluring bait.
Michael Myers - The Halloween Franchise (2018 - )
The recent retcon of the Halloween franchise welcomed fans old and new. In this iteration, there is an exploration of Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode. Audiences see how she coped as the one who got away from Michael Myers. The movie also shows how the babysitter killer has been waiting 40 years to strike again.
The iconic horror villain still brings out the scares with his quiet intensity and the haunting depiction is reminiscent of what made him a household name in the first place. Myers is relentless and unstoppable in his simple but terrifying form as he manages to evade death like the boogeyman he is. He's the embodiment of evil who won’t rest until he finishes what he started in 1978.
The Armitage Family - Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut tells the story of Chris Washington, a Black man going to meet his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time. During the visit, however, he uncovers many skeletons in the family closet.
The Armitages, on the surface, appear to be a well-adjusted and well-meaning family. Their only flaw is how they can come on a tad too strong with their Liberal agenda. Peele’s commentary on racism makes for some scary scenes, and yet it's also brilliant. The Armitages have actually been kidnapping Black people for their bodies to house the consciousness of wealthy whites. These villains take over their host bodies while the victims lay powerless in the "Sunken Place."
The Tethered - Us (2019)
Sinister doppelgangers have left their underground home to take the place of their counterpart in another disturbing film by Jordan Peele. Us made audiences afraid of their reflections because of how terrifying the Tethered were. On the other hand, these villains came with justifiable motives.
The Tethered wish to live their own lives after being linked to those who were privileged enough to live up above. But this doesn't make what they do with the originals less terrifying as they hunt them down. Not unlike what Peele did with Get Out and its themes of racism, Us has plenty to say about class warfare with how the Tethered come together to overpower their double. And in some cases, they're taking back the life stolen from them.