15 Types of Villains Screenwriters Need to Know

screencraft.org/2015/08/26/15-types-of-villains-screenwriters-need-to-know

Do you know the difference between all of the types of villains and antagonists in movies?

“Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat
from film to film, only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph.” — Roger
Ebert

Villains. Throughout cinematic history, audiences have seen many come and go. They’ve
booed them, hated them, loved to hate them, and sometimes even rooted for them. Before
we get into the logistics of what makes a villain a villain, what drives them, and what types
of villains fit best into any given genre or story, we must first define the word and
differentiate it from another classic cinematic term.

Villain vs. Antagonist

Most writers will say that they are one and the same. However, at times, nothing could be
further from the truth.

Villains are defined as “evil” characters intent on harming others.

Antagonists are defined as characters that work in opposition to the protagonist

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(the hero).

Villains aren’t always the antagonists — often, but not always — and antagonists aren’t
always the villains. Case in point, Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) from The Fugitive.
While he is clearly the antagonist by definition — he is in opposition to Richard Kimble’s
(Harrison Ford) escape — he is not the villain because there are no evil intentions.

So there is some gray area to be sure. Villains and Antagonists (and even Protagonists to a
degree) do not live in a black and white world in the realm of cinematic and literary
storytelling — a lesson that most writers can learn from. The best stories often blur the
lines between antagonist, villain, and protagonist.

What Makes a Villain a Villain?

ScreenCraft has covered protagonists very well in Four Keys to Developing a Strong
Protagonist and Five Keys to Making Your Protagonist Likable, but what makes a villain a
villain? From the definition and breakdown above, we know that villains often have evil
intentions that oppose the protagonist. I say “often” because that’s not always the case.
How do we define evil? Cinema is subjective so we could argue this point all day. However,
when looking at your characters and stories, you need to put that term in a certain context
depending upon what type of genre that “villain” is in.

Look at a film like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — a comedy. Principal Rooney is clearly not
evil. However, if you look at it from the context of the film — namely from the perspective
of teenagers like Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron — Rooney is “evil” in terms of representing
authority that opposes their will to have fun and enjoy life and school to their fullest. We
all know how most teenagers feel about authority, especially a principal like Rooney, so in
their eyes at that point in their lives, he’s evil — especially since comedies are allowed to
present characters in a more satirical or caricatured fashion, which enhances the major
elements in villains and antagonists. In the case of Gerard in The Fugitive, Kimble
knows that Gerard is just doing his job. This moment between those two solidifies this
notion:

So the word “evil” must be looked upon in a particular context, namely through the eyes of
the protagonist. In fact, one of the greatest villains in cinematic history is Man. Man is the
personification of evil in Disney’s Bambi. Now, we all know Man (in general at least) isn’t
evil, however, in the eyes of Bambi, Man killed the one Bambi loves for no good reason. So
it’s all in the context.

With all of this gray area, how can writers differentiate between types of villains and what
makes them do what they do? And how do writers know if a specific kind of villain fits well
into the context of their genre or story?

Here we’ve taken a look at some of the greatest villains of all time, many of whom are
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present in AFI’s celebrated 100 Heroes and Villains , and many of whom didn’t make that
list — or came after it — but stand ever-present in the halls of cinema’s best villains.

While labeling villains is a difficult task, know that these are the general villain types in
cinema, television, and literature — models that can be blended into whatever hybrid
villain any given story needs.

1. Anti-Villain
Examples:

Dr. Hannibal Lecter — Silence of the Lambs

Vincent and Jules — Pulp Fiction

Patrick Bateman — American Psycho

The Anti-Villain is pretty straightforward. While their intentions may be evil, such
characters are present in the type of story that showcases that “villain” as having
characteristics that are appealing or sympathetic to the audience. Anti-Villains are often,
but not always — in the case of Hannibal Lecter — the forefront of the story. One could
even say that they are written as the protagonist, as is especially the case in Pulp Fiction
with Vincent and Jules. They are evil. They have done some evil things. You could put
those characters in other categories below (namely, The Criminal), but because we learn
more about them and learn that they have appealing and sympathetic characteristics, and
because we see much of the story through their perspectives, they’ve now become Anti-
Villains.

2. The Authority Figure

Examples:

Principal Rooney — Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Bill Lumbergh — Office Space

Gny. Sgt. Hartman — Full Metal Jacket

The Authority Figure is often an example of how “evil” is defined in terms of context. The
three characters above are perfect examples. The Authority Figure represents opposition to
a character’s free will. This type of character excels in a wide variety of genres, but are often
more prevalent in comedies and dramas. Audiences always identify with opposition to
authority. In films like the above, it’s easy to see that the protagonists look upon these

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characters as “evil” even though in the end, for the most part, they are just doing their jobs.
That’s not to say that they are doing them right or well, but their intentions are to run a
school, run an office, create soldiers ready for war, etc.

3. The Beast
Examples:

The Alien — Alien

The Shark — Jaws

The Whale — Moby Dick

The Bear — The Edge

The Beast could just as easily be defined as Mother Nature (see below). However, we
differentiate because the struggle is often very different between the two. The Beast has
intent, whether it be due to their instincts or through the need to feed. Mother Nature is
just ever-present with no intent and humans and animals alike must survive through it.
The Beast is something that is unleashed, stumbled upon, or stalking with the intent to kill.
This type of character flourishes in horror and thriller genres. It can also be blended into
other villain types, as is the case with the Alien in Alien. In the context of Alien, the alien
is a beast rather than just a mere extraterrestrial.

4. The Bully
Examples:

Mr. Potter — It’s a Wonderful Life

Johnny Lawrence — The Karate Kid

Biff Tannen — Back to the Future

The Socs — The Outsiders

Skut Farkus — A Christmas Story

Ace Merrill — Stand By Me

Nurse Ratched — One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Fletcher — Whiplash

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The Bully is straightforward opposition to the protagonist, often for little to no reason
beyond the psychological explanations as to why bullies do what they do, whether it be due
to their standing in society (The Socs), lack of quality ethics or morals (Ace Merrill), or just
outright meanness (Biff Tannen). Given what each of those films tells us — or don’t tell us
— about The Bully, it’s simply a character that all audiences can identify with. Thus it’s a
character that is best saved for dramas and comedies, as you’ll see with the above
examples. Action, thrillers, suspense, and other sub-genres like crime thrillers require a bit
more from their villains. With The Bully, less is needed. They’re mean to be mean with
little or no explanation required.

5. The Corrupted
Examples:

Michael Corleone — The Godfather Trilogy

Regan MacNeil — The Exorcist

Noah Cross — Chinatown

Captain Bligh — Mutiny on the Bounty

Mrs. John Iselin — The Manchurian Candidate

Gordon Gekko — Wall Street

Frank Booth — Blue Velvet

Alonzo Harris — Training Day

Little Bill Daggett — Unforgiven

Jack Torrance — The Shining

The Corrupted are often those that were once good but have fallen. Look no further than
Michael Corleone for a perfect example. If they haven’t fallen, they are simply characters
that are in positions of authority that should be good but aren’t. Corrupt cops, corrupt
businesspeople, corrupt politicians, etc. We also include supernatural intervention in the
likes of Regan MacNeil and Jack Torrance. Their souls are corrupted. This is a very broad
category and can apply to stories in almost all genres, namely dramas, thrillers, crime
thrillers, horror, action, etc. Comedy isn’t as represented by The Corrupted villain, but
there could be a place for them in any context.

6. The Criminal
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Examples:

Clyde Barrow & Bonnie Parker — Bonnie and Clyde

Tom Powers — The Public Enemy

Tony Camonte — Scarface

Frank Lucas — American Gangster

James Conway, Henry Hill, and Tommy DeVito — Goodfellas

The Criminal is just that… a criminal. They often broadly represent villains that are in it for
money and power. And they will all too often do whatever it takes to get it. The Criminal is
obviously most present in the crime thriller or crime drama sub-genres. However, they play
well in action and dramas as well. Characters classified as The Criminal can often be
considered as The Anti-Villain as well, as is the case with the wiseguys in Goodfellas,
especially Henry Hill.

7. The Disturbed
Examples:

Norman Bates — Psycho

Annie Wilkes — Misery

The Disturbed can be a very broad villain type. The Joker (see below) could easily be put
into this category by some. However, we’re given no real insight into why he is the way he
is — hence his classification below. We define The Disturbed as those with evident
psychological problems. Norman Bates and Annie Wilkes are perhaps the perfect
examples, both of whom are present in the horror genre. The key factor for a villain to fall
under The Disturbed type is that they showcase some clear inner personality struggles.
With both Norman and Annie, we see that they have a gentle and sympathetic side. We see
qualities that make us sympathize with them. However, unlike the Anti-Hero type, we
clearly do not find ourselves rooting for them by any means. This villain type is best
represented by the horror and suspense thriller genres, because of the fact that they are
disturbed implies that they will clash with the protagonist, often violently and
unpredictably.

8. The Equal
Examples:

Neil McCauley — Heat

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General Zod — Superman II and Man of Steel

The Equal is less represented in most genres compared to others. The Equal shares the
same skills, knowledge, and/or savvy of the protagonist, but the ethics between the two are
quite different. We know that Zod has the same powers that Superman has. They are equal
in that respect. However, they differ in ethics and morals. And for Heat? Well, look no
further than this iconic scene to showcase how the villain and protagonist are equal. In
fact, this is another perfect example of a gray area because McCauley is also clearly an Anti-
Villain. Regardless, let’s look at him in this context as The Equal.

The Equal is usually found in superhero, action, and thriller genres because it’s enticing to
watch two characters with similar characteristics but different ethics and morals going
head-to-head, which leads to action and thrills most of the time.

9. Femme Fatale
Examples:

Alex Forrest — Fatal Attraction

Eve Harrington — All About Eve

Suzanne Stone — To Die For

Catherine Tramell — Basic Instinct

Ilsa Faust — Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

The Femme Fatale is one of the most classic villain types. An attractive and seductive
woman who will ultimately bring disaster to a man who becomes involved with her.
Because this villain type will clash with the protagonist, she best fits into the thriller genre,
namely the sub-genres of crime thrillers, spy thrillers, and film noir. This villain trope can
often be utilized in comedies as well, and needless to say is in almost every James Bond
movie. The interesting aspect of this villain is that the Femme Fatale can work both sides of
the conflict, and can even come out as a protagonist in the end… or not. Look no further
than the end of Basic Instinct.

10. The Henchman

Examples:

Boba Fett — The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi

Agent Smith — The Matrix

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Mr. Joshua — Lethal Weapon

Clarence Boddiker — Robocop

The Henchman is the one that works for either The Mastermind (see below) or the overall
major baddie of the film. They are often the most skilled, the most lethal, and the most
ruthless of villains. They exist to do nothing but the bidding of their boss, which usually
means that they are in constant conflict with the protagonist — and they’re doing all of the
dirty work that The Mastermind can’t or won’t do. They prevail in the action and spy
thriller genres especially.

11. The Machine

Examples:

HAL 9000 — 2001: A Space Odyssey

Terminator — The Terminator

Ultron — Avengers: Age of Ultron

Roy Batty — Blade Runner

The Machine is one of the most terrifying of villains because they are lifeless. They have no
emotion. And they can’t feel pain or fear. They are cold and calculating. The Machine is
obviously best represented in the science fiction genre. Kyle Reese explains the draw of
writing such a villain through his classic description in the below clip.

12. The Mastermind

Examples:

Hans Gruber — Die Hard

Auric Goldfinger — Goldfinger

Lex Luthor — Superman

Dr. Evil — Austin Powers Trilogy

The Mastermind is a favorite in the spy thriller genre especially, namely in almost every
James Bond film, although we often see them appear in action movies as well. This is the
brilliant and ruthless character that oversees the whole diabolical plan that is in opposition
to the protagonist’s. However, all too often, they are not the character directly opposing the

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protagonist — in a physical sense at least. That’s what they have The Henchman for.
Everything may lead to a final confrontation of sorts, but most of the time The Mastermind
is just that — the mind — while The Henchman works as the muscle.

13. Mother Nature

The Twisters — The Twister

The Storm — The Perfect Storm

The Tsunami — The Impossible

The Virus — Outbreak

The Ocean — The Poseidon Adventure

The Iceberg/Ocean — Titanic

What greater threat than Mother Nature herself? She is unforgiving. She is all powerful.
She is always unstoppable. The protagonist can’t stop the twister, the storm, the tsunami,
the ocean, or any of the elements. Sure, they can prevent the virus, but a majority of the
time the virus prevails, either killing most of the population or making zombies out of all of
them. But the elements are impossible to stop. Protagonists can only survive until Mother
Nature decides to move past them. This villain type can be found in dramas like The
Impossible, but most often are showcased in their own sub-genre, the Disaster Flick.

14. The Personification of Evil

Darth Vader — Star Wars

The Emperor — Return of the Jedi

The Wicked Witch of the West — The Wizard of Oz

The Queen — Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Alex De Large — A Clockwork Orange

Man — Bambi

Max Cady — Cape Fear

Count Dracula — Dracula

Cruella De Vil — 101 Dalmations

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The Joker — The Dark Knight

Mola Ram — Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Sauron — The Lord of the Rings

The Personification of Evil is just that — pure evil. The character is offered little to no
backstory. Their motives are nothing more than performing evil doings, which obviously
oppose the protagonist’s journey. While Darth Vader was given a backstory, in Star
Wars: A New Hope George Lucas was adamant that the good guys and the bad guys
would have no gray area between them.

The above examples, at least within the context of the films mentioned, are full force
evildoers through and through. You could argue that Alex from A Clockwork Orange is
dancing the line between The Disturbed and The Personification of Evil, but we’re pushing
him into this category because the acts that he does perform are so outright evil that it
overshadows any hope that the character has a true good side in the end. These villains can
appear in all genres but prevail in fantasy especially. Sauron is the ultimate example of The
Personification of Evil.

15. The Supernatural/Extraterrestrial

Freddy Krueger — A Nightmare on Elm Street

Jason Voorhees — Friday the 13th

Ghosts/Demons — Poltergeist, The Amityville Horror, Paranormal Activity, etc.

Martians — War of the Worlds

Aliens — Independence Day

We combine these two villain types because they are often so similar, whether it be
hauntings or alien abductions, and often fall in the same vein as faceless foes in horror,
science fiction, and suspense thrillers. We broaden it a bit to include the Martians and
Aliens because they too are faceless entities that are inhuman, and so this villain type plays
equally well in science fiction.

While Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees could just as easily be The Personification of
Evil, in this context, they are supernatural beings that haunt their prey, be it physically or
supernaturally.

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The point is that these fifteen villain types allow us to explore the hows and whys of the
villains that we are developing for our scripts — at least in the broadest of terms. Where the
magic truly enters is when we find those gray lines to explore between any of these fifteen
examples, because, as Roger Ebert said in the quote above, all too often the heroes and
gimmicks are all too familiar throughout most movies. It’s the villains that can transform
scripts. It’s the villains that can make an otherwise routine concept or premise seem fresh
and new.

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