The 10 Weirdest Horror Villain Costumes
A creative costume can help a bad guy stand out. Here are my top ten strangest horror villain costumes. Some of them are creepy, a couple are unintentionally hilarious, and most are just plain weird.
These movies deserve credit for having the guts to be creative. Evil clown makeup and hockey masks are great, but they’ve become overused.
I’ve provided scant commentary for the movies below because I’m focusing on the villains’ aesthetic appearances. In terms of overall quality, the entries I would wholeheartedly recommend watching are #9, #8, #7, #4, and #3.
10. The Biker in Night School (1981)
Slasher movies have tried many innovative ways to hide their villains’ identities, and this is one of the best examples. An evil biker is a cool idea and one that I’m surprised isn’t used more often.
You wouldn’t want to encounter this maniac in a dark alley at night! Night School doesn’t have many distinguishing features (other than the notorious “head in the fish tank” scene), but at least it has a badass-looking antagonist.
9. Lola Stone from The Loved Ones (2009)
Not all villains wear masks. Sometimes they wear pink dresses and paper crown hats that look like they came from Burger King. Lola’s the only villain on this list who isn’t hiding behind a mask. She prefers to get up close and personal.
Lola Stone made my list of the best underrated villains and here she is again. She may be a stalker and a psycho, but at least she has style!
8. Jack Carver from Thanksgiving (2023)
I’ve had deeply mixed feelings about Eli Roth’s work over the years, but I’m glad he blessed with us with a rare Thanksgiving horror movie. I’m surprised that Roth didn’t have the villain wear a turkey costume. Maybe he wanted to avoid comparisons to the Thankskilling movies?
In any case, the pilgrim outfit is fun and creepy. The face reminds me of the mask from V for Vendetta. That movie is also set in November. Coincidence? Probably.
7. The Seven Deadly Sins Killer in AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead (2024)
Like John Doe from Seven, the AMFAD‘s killer’s spree is based on the Biblical seven deadly sins. Unlike Doe, this villain grew up in the age of rampant social media.
This very online maniac wears an LED mask and uses a variety of creative weapons, including a dildo. Generation Z, beware! The Seven Deadly Sins Killer knows you all too well.
Movie Review: AMFAD All My Friends Are Dead
6. The Druid in Slasher: Solstice (2019)
The Druid is the main villain of the third season of Slasher, a Canadian TV program. This vengeful killer wears one of the creepiest costumes of the series. The Druid got his name because he’s active during the summer solstice. He uses surgical instruments to impale and dissect his victims.
He is completely covered in black, making any form of identification impossible. His face is deeply disturbing, with a mask design with a mouth that has been sown shut. Are those tears coming out of his eyes? Truly a disquieting outfit.
5. The Fencer in Graduation Day (1981)
A fencing costume seems like an obvious choice for a slasher villain but, surprisingly, few movies have used one. Urban Legends: Final Cut did, but the O.G. is Graduation Day, a vintage slasher about a killer who targets the members of a girls’ track team. It came out in the same year as the aforementioned Night School.
Along with his fencing costume, the killer uses a stopwatch to time how long it takes for him to finish off each victim. Maybe he’s trying to make a statement about the pressure track athletes are under to finish races quickly.
4. The Gentleman in Slasher : Flesh and Blood (2021)
Not to be outdone by its predecessor, Slasher‘s fourth season features a maniac who is exceptionally well-dressed. This presentable and distinguished gentleman does his killing in style! There’s just something about the combo of a top hat, dark overcoat, and white mask that makes this guy both scary and strangely appealing.
Is it just me, or does he look like a deranged version of Abe Lincoln, sans the beard? He also looks a bit like Judge Doom from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Or like a 1930s mafia gangster. So derivative, yet so fun!
3. The Owl from Stage Fright (1987)
Is this guy creepy, or what? Seriously, how many horror movies have a killer dressed as an owl? Owls are spooky anyway, and when you add in that this guy is holding a blood-splattered chainsaw, he’s easily the most intimidating villain on this list.
Giallo movies have a long tradition of having spooky villains and the owl certainly lives up to that. Stage Fright made my list of the most underrated slasher movies, and a big part of the reason is the villain’s costume.
2. The Anvil Mascot in Student Body (2022)
My last two entries are exceptionally weird costumes from super obscure movies. Student Body (not to be confused with the unrelated ’80s slasher spoof Student Bodies) features a villain that wears a high school mascot costume: a leering, wide-eyed oaf who brandishes an anvil.
After a slow start, this guy eventually gets down to business and starts using his anvil for some bloody head-bashing. The villain’s costume is by far the most memorable part of this movie.
1. The Bear from Girls Nite Out (1982)
Like Student Body, the villain in Girl’s Nite Out uses a goofy school mascot costume to hide their identity. I’d love to know the story behind why the producers decided to use such a ridiculous outfit.
This costume looks like it could have been found in the discount rack of some mom and pop costume shop. Actually, considering this movie’s budget, that’s probably exactly what happened. The hanging tongue and bright yellow eyes aren’t exactly an intimidating sight. Still, for sheer weirdness and cheesy ’80s slasher hilarity, nothing surpasses Girls Nite Out‘s killer bear.
what will they think of next?
What I would really like to see is more animal costumes. How about a movie where the killer dresses up as a turtle? Or maybe an Easter horror movie with the villain in a bunny costume? We’ve already had a bunch of Santa slashers, so why not?
My wildest (and most tasteless) idea: a maniac in a Mickey Mouse costume stalking a Disney theme park. This is legally impossible with the modern version of the character (although Steamboat Willie has now entered the public domain). Hey, if the Winnie the Pooh can star in a slasher movie, maybe someday Mickey will too!
