A list of the best ginger villains of all time
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the plight of the gingers in film history has taken a turn for the worse recently with an increase in red-haired villains on the big screen.
But what is it about ginger hair that makes these redheads such great baddies? Are freckles the mark of a man likely to kidnap your family? Does an intolerance to sun really inspire you to take over the world? We take a look at the top 17 ginger villains on film and TV.
17. Dexter Morgan, Dexter
It’s not every day that you become acquainted with a man that makes you question whether a serial killer can have good morals. But Dexter makes you do just that. Dexter watched his mother’s murder when he was a child, which inherently led to his slaying behaviour. Yes, he is a serial killer… But he is a sociopath and psychopath who kills other serial killers. In my opinion, Dexter Morgan is both an antagonist AND a protagonist of the book and TV series.
I’m not saying that Dexter kills these people to make the world a better place, but this is what makes him so dangerous. Dexter makes you think – come on, is he really that bad?
16. Pennywise, IT
I think we can all blame this guy for our revived fear of clowns. Hiding in a drain and luring children in by expressing his love for popcorn, simply because it “POPS” – I have no words for how scary Pennywise is.
15. The Riddler, Batman
You can’t get more scheming than the Riddler. Although he is intelligent, he is incredibly manipulative and uses his brain to plot against other people. The Riddler lacks empathy and has no conscience or accountability for his actions. He is not the main antagonist in the comic books, but don’t be fooled – he is a very very dangerous man to encounter.
14. Madame Medusa, The Rescuers
In the words of the 1950s superstar Marilyn Monroe: “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. Madame Medusa is the owner of a pawn shop in Disney’s 1977 animated hit The Rescuers. She is a greedy and obsessive person who absolutely loves diamonds. Madame Medusa uses people, and betrays them in the process – she only values herself and her love for expensive stones.
13. The White Witch, Narnia (The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe)
Jadis, AKA the White Witch, is Aslan’s enemy. When Jadis is around, everything turns frosty. I must warn you not to be tempted by her fur coat, hot chocolate or Turkish delight because she is not as sweet as she looks. Friends or not, the White Witch is not afraid to turn you to stone.
12. Red-haired witch, Hansel & Gretel
The red-haired witch in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, was portrayed by Joanna Kulig in 2013. The red-haired witch is a sadistic psychopath who enjoys forcing people to kill each other… Nonetheless, she is a confident being who takes pride in being a witch – you can’t say the same for all of those redheaded women in the Middle Ages who were denied being supernatural beings!
11. Winifred Sanderson, Hocus Pocus
Winifred is, in my opinion, the most iconic Sanderson sister to appear in Hocus Pocus. Not only is the film a classic Halloween watch, but Winifred is a true leader…of very bad things. Winifred Sanderson is arguably the most dangerous villain out there, purely because of her intelligence. She is witty and logical, making her a danger to the town.
10. Van Pelt, Jumanji
Finding yourself trapped playing a boardgame with a grown man wearing a loincloth is terrifying enough for any child. But in Jumanji, the two Shepherd children find themselves hunted down by Van Pelt – a man whose idea of ‘big game hunting’ is essentially chasing two unarmed children around with a large rifle and giant ginger moustache.
9. Big Red, Bring It On
She may be the queen of all things cheerleader-ish, but Big Red is a mean piece of work. She’s a thief too, in order to win national competitions. Naughty, naughty.
8. Poison Ivy, Batman and Robin
This redheaded rogue proved to be one of Batman and Robin’s deadliest villains, using her poisoned kiss to command men to do her bidding. While that’s a handy trick for any female to have in her arsenal, Poison Ivy’s plans are foiled by Robin wearing rubber lips so he is literally “immune from her charms”. So essentially, she could be beaten by anyone wearing braces, a helmet, or someone wearing too much lip gloss.
7. Little My, The Moomins
Sure, she may look sweet and innocent. But this dinky flame-haired package has evil on the brain. Little My often chooses to terrorise the kingdom with her wicked ways. It’s like her red hair is a beacon to warn all the Moomins that danger is looming.
6. Kazuo Kiriyama, Battle Royale
In a group of school children who are forced to kill each other off in exchange for their own lives, it’s fairly difficult to distinguish who is the real villain. Unless of course you single him out with bright ginger hair and a samurai sword.
5. Leprechaun, Leprechaun 1-5
In total, there were six films made in the Leprechaun franchise, with each more ridiculous than the last. The crowning moment of ludicrousness being in Leprechaun 4: In Space, the plot of which includes lightsabers, cross-dressing, scorpions, and the leprechaun emerging from a space marine’s penis before killing him. Weird.
4. Dana Barrett, Ghostbusters
While not your typical villain, Sigourney Weaver’s character in Ghostbusters is as sexy as she is mental and possessed. Any demon who can bed Rick Moranis and unleash a near unstoppable force shaped made entirely out of marshmallow, deserves pride of place on any list of villainy.
3. Chuckie, Child’s Play 1-2
As most criminals do when trying to escape from police, Charles Lee Ray buries his soul inside in doll. A doll whose bright red hair and dungarees were creepy enough without a mass murderer trapped inside. Cue absolute terror.
View our Halloween costume for redheads tutorial for Chuckie
2. Auric Goldfinger, Goldfinger
The only ginger villain throughout the James Bond series (so far, anyway), the egg-shaped Goldfinger also featured in the Top 40 Best AFI villains of all time. By far his greatest moment, and what sets him apart from other villains in our list, is his sadistic tendency to not only tell the entirety of his evil plans while Bond is strapped to a table about to be cut in half with a laser, but to cut him in half from the crotch upwards.
1. Syndrome, The Incredibles
By a long margin, Syndrome from The Incredibles is the most likeable and yet sadistic of the ginger villains. Having been shunned by his hero as a child, Syndrome plots to wipe out the entire ‘superhero’ population so that everyone can be normal. And he does a fantastic job of it, too.
This is a man whose only talent is MASSIVE GINGER HAIR. His list of evil deeds is endless; wiping out over 90% of the superheroes in the world; capturing Mr. Incredible; making Mr. Incredible nearly cheat on his wife; making Mr. Incredible watch as he tries to blow up his family. And the reason for all of this? He just wants to be liked.