Many horror movie villains are given long, dense backstories that help explain why they do what they do. Ti West's X prequel Pearl fleshes out Mia Goth's killer in a devastating character study that pulls no punches and explores her pain and suffering. Charles Lee Ray transfers his soul into a Good Guy doll, resulting in the killer doll Chucky. And each Ghostface shares who they are and why they're killing by the end of every Scream movie.
There are several horror movie villains who have an air of mystery surrounding them. While this is a good thing and leads to the main characters feeling the fear that is necessary for the genre, sometimes fans wish they knew more about these killers.
Ben Willis (I Know What You Did Last Summer, 1997)
Some of the worst horror movie villains have lackluster backstories and leave audiences wishing for more. Ben Willis (Muse Watson) from I Know What You Did Last Summer has a memorable appearance thanks to his black fisherman's outfit and cape. But he doesn't have a lot of character development.
The best teen horror movie villains have many of the things that Ben Willis does, from unforgettable clothing to an obvious motivation behind why they're killing. Unfortunately, besides finding out that Ben lost a daughter, Susie Willis, in a car accident, audiences are left wondering a lot of things about this character.
The Curse (It Follows, 2014)
It Follows has been a popular horror movie since its release in 2014 and the curse/entity in the film is definitely mysterious. While audiences know how it works (it gets passed between characters when they have sex), there isn't any information given about where it came from.
It Follows is a horror movie that needs a prequel for this reason. How did it come to this area? Who it did it start with? And why was it created in the first place? The essential rules of prequels include adding more layers to characters who fans know and love. In this case, the curse is a villain who stalks people, and audiences want to know a lot more information.
Devil Mask, Zombie Mask & Clown Mask (Haunt, 2019)
Haunt stars Katie Stevens from The Bold Type as Harper, a young adult struggling with horrible family memories and trying to move forward. It's an underappreciated haunted house movie about a literal Halloween haunted house. Harper and her friends visit an old building with creepy vibes and even creepier employees. Harper then realizes that the men working there are part of a cult and they are wearing masks because their faces are totally deformed. And she might not get out of the home alive.
It's a horror movie with one of the best settings but it's hard not to wish that the movie had explained the villains better. Harper figures out that they are lost and lonely and searching for something, and she recognizes those emotions since she is a victim of abuse. But how and when did they start this cult? Was it only when they opened the haunted house? There are definitely some questions here.
The Grabber (The Black Phone, 2022)
Ethan Hawke is awesome as The Grabber, The Black Phone's villain, but he isn't given the kind of dense and detailed background that he should be. While the movie is based on a short story by Joe Hill, there are still things that fans would love to know about this villain. How long has he been kidnapping kids? Does he have a day job? Has he been hiding in plain sight this entire time?
When wondering what makes a slasher villain iconic, The Grabber does fall into that category. He has a freaky grin on his face, he wears a few different masks, and he follows a pattern. But there's more that audiences want to find out and it's a shame not to get more information.
Man in the Mask, Pin-Up Girl & Dollface (The Strangers, 2009)
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Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) are facing the end of their relationship in The Strangers, and when three killers in masks knock on their door, they are paralyzed with intense fear. The opposite of the funniest horror movie villains, the Man in the Mask, Pin-Up Girl and Dollface are savage and bloodthirsty. They say that because the couple is home, they're going to die, which is one of the most frightening quotes in a horror movie.
The villains in The Strangers work perfectly. They're scary enough, they are impossible to beat, and they are awful to look at. But they don't get a full backstory. While this isn't totally necessary since their mysterious nature is why they're so horrifying, it would be great to learn more about them.