Horror movies are filled with iconic roles in all kinds of archetypes – scream queens, psycho killers, possessed children, noble heroes, doomed lovers and nefarious conjurers among them. The very best horror characters can take the shape of an unforgettable image, or something deeper – delivering explorations of fear, grief, and death. And sometimes they're just supremely entertaining killing fodder, there to rack up the bodycount and giving good gusto while they die horribly.
From the villains to the victims, Empire presents a list of the 100 greatest horror movie characters – dating right back to the earliest days of the genre, and with inclusions from the most memorable scary movies of 2020. Because in recent years, the horror genre has been in a very, very good place, with brilliant filmmakers delivering all-time-great spooky works. Turn off all the lights, and get reading.
