Horror movie fans might have a new slasher to follow when the killer android named M3GAN hits theaters in 2023. Like Chucky and other unique villains, M3GAN terrifies viewers with both their ability to kill and their unsettling doll-like appearance. Of course, horror movie slashers come in all shapes and sizes and vary in skill and competence levels.
Horror legends like Jason Voorhees have racked up impressive kill counts and escaped death on more than one occasion. Freddy Krueger found a new way to claim his victims that left them almost indefensible. These competent horror movie villains have raised the bar for newcomers like M3GAN, although not every new addition has shown as much skill.
10 Ghostface Is A Clumsy But Effective Killer
Scream
The masked killer known as Ghostface from the Scream franchise has impressed fans and has become one of the most successful modern slashers. However, Ghostface isn’t always the most competent horror movie villain. The masked slashers confuse and terrify their victims by often working in tandem as two killers.
However, Ghostface can be just as clumsy as their intended victims. Ghostface has to use their horror movie knowledge and intimidation to get the jump on their targets. It's an effective tactic used by every Ghostface in the Scream franchise.
9 The Miner Delivered An Impressive Kill Count
My Bloody Valentine
Following the success of films like Halloween and Friday the 13th, other holidays became settings for new slasher movies. While most were forgettable, 1981’s My Bloody Valentine stuck with fans due to The Miner's gory and impressive kill count. The character had a rich backstory that inspired a new murderer to continue killing as The Miner.
The Miner wore an old-fashioned breathing mask that hid his identity as he picked off his victims. He also wielded a pick-axe that he expertly used to kill his victims and carve out their hearts. To stop the Valentine’s Day dance, he gift-wrapped his victims' hearts in chocolate boxes. Emulating the original Miner, the new killer kept the legend alive.
8 Chucky Is A Serial Killer Trapped In A Doll’s Body
Child's Play
1988’s Child’s Play introduced the serial killer named Charles Lee Ray. When the police shot him, he carried out a dark ritual in his final moments. Ray possessed the body of a nearby "Good Guy" doll before he died. He returned as Chucky and began tormenting a small boy over the years as he fought to regain a human body.
Chucky often used surprise to his advantage, and he relied on being underestimated by his intended targets. He also killed with passion and treated it as a skill that be constantly honed. Chucky could manipulate crime scenes to keep his role hidden. However, he could also carry out a bloody massacre without any planning, making him unpredictable as well as competent.
7 Norman Bates Was The Original Modern Slasher
Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 adaptation of Psycho is a beloved but creepy psychological horror film, introducing fans to one of the first modern slasher villains. Norman Bates was the owner of Bates Motel, which is where the majority of his killings took place. Bates murdered visitors at his hotel, although he avoided suspicion by dressing up in his mother's clothes.
This wasn’t just a diversionary tactic, as Bates developed an alter that helped him avoid the guilt of killing his own mother. Her harsh views on “sinful women” carried on in Norman, which further drove him to kill. The police apprehended Bates, but he returned to continue his murderous sprees while using various tactics to confuse his involvement.
6 Jigsaw Avoided The Dirty Work With Creative Traps
Saw
Most horror movie killers enjoy the hands-on approach. The Saw franchise's Jigsaw killer operated a little differently. Of course, he still used a couple of costumed identities to carry out his murderous games. The biggest difference between Jigsaw and other horror movie villains is the fact that he didn’t actually kill anyone himself.
Jigsaw picked victims he felt needed a push to appreciate their lives. He designed elaborate traps that would give them a slim chance of survival in order to inspire them to fight. The traps were so well-designed that only a few survived. Jigsaw was a movie villain who actually got what they wanted, and he inspired other characters to follow in his footsteps.
5 Leslie Vernon Took Viewers Behind The Mask Of A Slasher
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
2006’s Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon took place in a world where horror movie killers existed and inspired others to follow in their footsteps. Leslie Vernon was the source of a popular local urban legend. He planned to use it to fuel his debut as the "next big psycho-killer." He even invited a documentary crew to follow his preparation for the big night.
Vernon explored his criteria for choosing his "final girl." He also went over the steps he took to physically prepare himself and set the tone for his debut. Vernon worked tirelessly to keep up with his victims without running like other killers. He even succeeded in delivering a twist ending filled with shocking kills. Behind the Mask earned Leslie Vernon a place in slasher movie history.
4 Leatherface And His Twisted Family Killed Travelers
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The dark killer known as Leatherface wasn't alone in his murderous actions. 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre by director Tobe Hooper included a few features that would become mainstays in the slasher films that followed. The killer known as Leatherface was massive, powerful, and wore the faces of his victims as a mask.
Leatherface also wielded a deadly chainsaw and worked in a gory basement dungeon. His cannibalistic Sawyer family kidnapped and tortured quite a few lost travelers over the years. They killed and ate anyone who came near the family farm before heading on the road. They continued their murderous spree for years, and only a few escaped.
3 Michael Myers Is An Unstoppable Killing Machine
Halloween
John Carpenter proved he was a master of horror early in his career with the release of 1978’s Halloween. The hit movie helped kick off the slasher genre. It also introduced the popular killer known initially as The Shape. Fans know him better as the masked killer Michael Myers. He continually returned to hunt down and kill the remaining members of his family.
The continuity of the Halloween franchise has changed quite a few times over the years. However, the best thing about Halloween's Michael Myers is that he remains an unstoppable and silent force of destruction and murder. He is seemingly impossible to kill or keep imprisoned, with each new escape leading to a brutal and gory massacre.
2 Freddy Krueger Continued Killing Even After His Death
A Nightmare on Elm Street
1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street by director Wes Craven introduced a terrifying new killer to the horror genre. Freddy Krueger was a child murderer who was killed by the vengeful parents of Springwood. However, he kept killing teens from beyond the grave as a supernatural monster.
A Nightmare on Elm Street began exploring the horrific alternate dimension/parallel universe of the Dream World. Freddy Krueger continued to target and kill his victims from the Dream World, which gave him dark abilities. He spent a decade killing almost every teen in Springwood. Krueger always escaped death as long as someone remembered his dark legend.
1 Jason Voorhees Is The Masked Killer Of Camp Crystal Lake And Beyond
Friday the 13th
Jason Voorhees has proven he is one of the most competent horror movie villains quite a few times over the years. The main killer in almost every Friday the 13th movie has amassed an impressive kill count across the franchise. His massacre began at Camp Crystal Lake but moved to other cities, like Manhattan, across the franchise.
Jason’s undying threat even headed to space in the forgettable Jason X. Armed with nothing but a machete, Jason has took out numerous groups of partying teenagers. He has even inspired other killers to take on his role. Jason is a killer who became an undead monster, which only increased his slasher skills.