Witches have been at the center of human imagination for a long time, particularly in villainous roles— though they have also been the good guys in things like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Harry Potter. All told, witches of today's pop culture pieces are more diverse than ever.
Still, witches as scary antagonists remain the most popular archetype, in both classic films as well as some lesser known hidden gems. While they all are frightening in their own way, the witches on this list have different reasons for being so. Some are visual horrors, while others are terrifying specifically because we never actually get to see them at all. Whether they are scary to look at or scary for other reasons, these witches will have you sleeping with the lights on after you watch the movies they are featured in.
The Blair Witch
The genius behind what makes the Blair Witch so scary is that the audience never even gets to see her. Sometimes seeing a character makes them less scary, and what's left to the viewers of The Blair Witch Project is just their imagination— and that is a powerful scare tool.
In terms of what is actually known about the Blair Witch, there are mostly only theories— but perhaps the truest thing about her is that she has scared off countless moviegoers from ever wanting to go camping again.
The Woodland Witch (The VVitch)
This witch was only seen briefly in the film The VVitch, but she stuck in the minds of those that saw her. She first appears as a beautiful woman deep in the forest, but the moment her hands touch the young child who approached her, her true, older form is revealed.
Beyond this scene, little is known about this witch. She appears to be partly at fault for the family being cursed, and her powers are pretty horrifying in that sense. Throughout the film, we see her bewitch, spy, make illusions, and even make little boys vomit up apples.
Margaret Morgan (The Lords Of Salem)
This 2012 horror thriller got mixed reviews, but won the hearts of some horror fans. It had a pretty memorable witch— Margaret Morgan, the leader of the witch coven. Most of what we see of her and what she is capable of are through the visions of the character Heidi, but that doesn't make the witch herself any less scary.
Margaret cursed the protagonist in a way where her own life is beyond her control. Not only is that power horrifying, but the witch also does not seem to care about personal hygiene which is terrifying in its own way.
The Witch (Sleepy Hollow, 1999)
The legend of Sleepy Hollow is one that gets told over and over with different details, most recently adapted for a Fox TV series. In the 1999 film adaptation starring Johnny Depp, there was a pretty creepy witch, though some find her more humorous than scary. It depends on whether audiences see her actions as dark or darkly funny.
Her scariest moment is when her face is actually revealed from under her veil. Her skin looks dead and cracked, her eye sockets are empty, and her teeth as sharp as nails.
Nancy (The Craft)
The Craft is a fantasy horror film from 1996. It revolves around teenage girl outcasts who decide to practice witchcraft in order to get what they want.
Nancy stands pretty far apart from other witches on this list. She is quite humanized in comparison, although she lets the power get to her head and becomes the main antagonist of the film. She isn't afraid to make any sacrifice to get what she wants. By getting into witchcraft, she goes from troubled and rebellious to mentally unhinged.
Haggis (Pumpkinhead)
Haggis from Pumpkinhead teaches an old lesson, and that is to never make deals with witches. This 1988 film is a monster/horror movie with a cult following. The witch isn't the movie's main monster, but rather she creates it for a grieving man who wants revenge. He originally goes to her with the hopes of bringing someone dear to him back from the dead, but instead she plants vengeance into his head. As it does with witch deals, it ends up costing the man greatly.
Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter Series)
Not all scary witches come from horror movies, nor do they all reject good hygiene habits. Sometimes they like the color pink and take on the job of teaching children.
Harry Potter is a series that revolutionized the way people see witches, but that doesn't mean bad witches do not exist within that universe. Dolores is a nightmare hidden under a bright, colorful disguise. She isn't afraid to make children bleed as punishment for small things, and will do the most unjust deeds with a sweet tone and practiced smile.
Helena Markos (Suspiria)
This 2018 supernatural horror film was inspired by an Italian film of the same name from 1977. The movie focuses on an American woman who goes to a prestigious dance school in Berlin that is actually run by a witch coven. It's a pretty artistic film with a focus on themes like motherhood and abuse of power.
Helena is an unnatural looking figure due to her magically-induced old age. Her voice itself seems decayed and is unnerving. On the inside though, she is even more ugly, willing to do anything to get a younger body for herself and not caring about her loyal followers.
Bathsheba (The Conjuring)
Bathsheba is a witch as well as a ghost from the film The Conjuring. She haunts her land and possesses the matriarch of families that move in, forcing them to murder their own children and then offing themselves. While there are multiple spirits in the film, Bathsheba is the most dangerous. Other spirits are tormented from guilt while her spirit is bloodthirsty and unsympathetic.
The Pit Witch (Army Of Darkness)
Army of Darkness is a classic horror and comedy genre film from 1992. The witch is from a famous scene where Ash is fighting in a pit while people watch from above. The witch design is horrifying and is making a permanent scream as it swipes at him.
The witch may not have scared viewers as much as it scared Ash, but the creature has a decent number of fans. It even has its own action figure!