A great hero is nothing without an equally compelling villain spurring them into action, and across the history of cinema, there have been some truly awesome antagonists. From sadistic superiors to murderous maniacs, movie villains come in all shapes and sizes, as the dark depravity and calculated motivations of the bad guys have brought movies to life and made for truly nail-biting viewing. With villains often representing a dark subversion of the hero’s personality, in some cases, the antagonist has endured far more than the protagonist in mainstream popular culture.

Many of the best movies ever made gained their acclaim because of the villains at the heart of their stories, whose unsettling and intriguing nature made audiences question their own morality and beliefs. From an actor’s perspective, playing a villain is often more interesting, as their depraved nature and underhanded tactics keep things exciting. While it’s true...