When people consider creepy movie characters, they frequently recall classic horror films like The Exorcist or Stephen King’s It. Some of the most frightful characters in movie history, however, are from movies intended for younger audiences.

Children’s movies frequently feature villains in an effort to present an engaging tale of good versus evil, providing the audience with a character to support and oppose. However, a lot of the antagonists in these films are genuinely very frightful and tend to give the creeps to both adults and children alike. To find out what some of the creepiest villains from children’s movies are, just keep on reading!

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1 The Other Mother (Coraline)

     Focus Features

Overall, Coraline is a really freaky film, but despite the scary atmosphere of this parallel universe, nothing can adequately prepare viewers for the Other Mother. Even though the idea of having a different mother is an odd one in and of itself, young viewers may find the visual representation of this character to be extremely frightful.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

The Other Mother is the complete antithesis of the nice and loving mother that was presented earlier in the movie. Her manipulative nature, creepy smile, and black button eyes all contribute to Coraline’s reputation as one of the scariest children’s movies of all time.

2 Slappy (Goosebumps)

     Columbia Pictures

This ventriloquist dummy from Goosebumps is highly terrifying. Just look at those eyes. The combination of Slappy’s movements, appearance, and speech creates a horrifying whole. Slappy the dummy is arguably the scariest thing to appear in Goosebumps, despite the film’s abundance of spooky villains and monsters.

One of the most disturbing things about Slappy is the fact that he is so conscious of his creepy persona. Throughout the movie, Slappy is just interested in wreaking havoc, and the fact that he succeeds in that goal only serves to reinforce the public’s dislike of him. But in the end, it’s the eyes—the lifeless eyes—that elicit true fear.

3 Voldemort (Harry Potter)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

While the later Harry Potter films certainly have a darker tone, there is no denying that the first movie has a strong family feeling that everyone can appreciate. The story takes place in a fascinating, entertaining universe with many interesting individuals, but like any good family fantasy film, there must be a bad guy.

In the end, it turns out that Professor Quirrell is the bad guy in this story, but there is a surprise. He ultimately becomes absolutely terrible due to Lord Voldemort’s appearance on the back of his head. While it only appears in the movie for a brief moment, the sheer sight of this one is immensely spooky, and there’s no ignoring the fact that it is terrifying.

4 Oogie Boogie (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

     Walt Disney Pictures

The stop-motion animated movie The Nightmare Before Christmas is a favorite of musical theater enthusiasts and early 2000s scene kids. This melancholy yet joyful musical follows Jack Skellington, the most famous creature in Halloween Town, as he strives to fulfill his ambitions of spreading the Christmas spirit among his neighbors.

In order to properly grasp the holiday spirit, Jack hires a cunning trio to capture Santa. Instead, the group chooses to give Santa to Oogie Boogie, a devilish gambler who has no qualms about using Santa’s soul as a negotiating chip. Oogie’s scary appearance and murderous attitude are what make this villain so creepy.

5 Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmatians)

     Buena Vista Distribution

One of Disney’s most well-known animated villains is Cruella De Vil who is the evil villain in the animated 101 Dalmatians. Perhaps what is so frightening about Cruella is that her main goal is to kidnap helpless dalmatian puppies in order to have them skinned so that she can make coats from their spotted fur. That’s just plain evil, and this malicious desire is what makes her one of the creepiest children’s movie villains.

What makes Cruella even scarier is her appearance. When in a frenzy, Cruella’s eyes are animated bright red which makes her look demon-like. Her high, unnatural cheekbones and mean grimace also add to the effect.

6 Judge Doom (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?)

     Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is a classic movie that’s packed with some well-known characters. Judge Doom, the film’s terrifying villain, is one of those recognizable characters. He is initially shown as one of the live-action characters, but when it is revealed that he is a cartoon, he turns into a truly terrifying sight.

When he inflates himself and his eyeballs protrude to show his true identity, children and parents alike were surprised at this very spooky moment. But what makes him even more of a terrifying children’s villain is the fact that he uses the dip to inflict as much suffering as possible on other characters.

7 Usula (The Little Mermaid)

     Disney

Ariel, a rebellious young mermaid played by Jodi Benson in The Little Mermaid, longs to experience life on land. Ariel turns to Ursula the Sea Witch for assistance because she is desperate to have a human experience and is determined to keep her forbidden desire a secret from her strict father.

Ariel’s voice and the possibility of incarceration are the prices Ursula is ready to pay to make Ariel into a human. If having a pair of terrifying eel minions isn’t enough of a villain, Ursula’s willingness to do a sketchy deal with a teenager most surely is. Not to mention, she has one of the creepiest smiles!