The Top 10 Best Movie Demons
Hide Your Ouiji Board Before Reading this List of Movie Demons
Updated: September 2020
When it comes to horror, few things are as terrifying as movie demons. Those evil beings from the depths of Hell that exist solely to torment mankind. They can’t be reasoned with or bought off because they only seek to cause suffering. Plus, the damn things are harder to get rid of than cockroaches. That’s why this week I decided to honor the fallen by counting down the best movie demons. As usual, I’m only counting live-action ones and sticking to beings that are strictly demons. That means you won’t find any gods (like Baghuul from Sinister), scary ghosts, reformed demons/demons with a heart of gold (see Hellboy) or straight up Devils (Lucifer/Satan/Your ex, whatever you want to call them, they’ll get their own list). Also, I’m going to require that all these demons take some sort of physical form or at least alter the appearance of their host (Sorry, Azazel from Fallen). That being said, cinema is still stuffed with more demons than you can shake a stick at. That didn’t stop me from gathering together a list of the best of the best. So, say your prayers because we’re about to summon the best movie demons of all time!
***Fair Warning: This list contains some potential spoilers for the movies on it.***
10. The Collector- Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
Kicking off this list of movie demons is a cult favorite from one of the Tales from the Crypt films, Demon Knight. Former model turned actor Billy Zane uses his dashing good looks to play a demon who uses manipulation and temptation to get what he wants, and what he wants is a holy artifact that could lead to the end of mankind in the wrong hands. Luckily, it’s been in the right hands for the past twenty or so centuries. Unfortunately, The Collector is like a dog with a bone and refuses to give up until he gets his hands on it. Demon Knight is a fun, campy little horror flick, which makes it seem like The Collector might be out of place on this list of movie demons. However, he has the ability to create demonic henchmen with his blood and can use psychic powers to offer those with weak wills their hearts desire. Toss in that he’s super strong and pretty much unkillable, and The Collector is one demon you don’t want on your tail.
9. Pumpkinhead- The Pumpkinhead Films
You don’t have to be one of those big-city movie demons to earn a spot on this list. Hillbillies got plenty of their own demons and perhaps the biggest good old boy of them all is the dreaded Pumpkinhead. A revenge demon that can only be summoned by a witch, his brutal services come with a heavy price and once he takes a gig there’s no calling him off. Pumpkinhead earns a spot on this list because despite the movies being trash, he leaves a lasting impression on those who have seen him. He’s also a prime example of why you should never make a deal with a demon, especially ones that spend their days plunking banjos in rocking chairs on the porch. Still, even though he’s a demonic hell beast, Pumpkinhead might not be the scariest thing you find in redneck territory.
8. Azrael- Dogma
At first glance, Azrael doesn’t seem like the scariest movie demon on this list. After all, he’s a pretty handsome guy with a charming smile and a snazzy white suit. Underneath that fedora though is a pair of horns that might just be the biggest pair on her. Most demons just want to mess with humans. Torture them for a while, break their spirits, and skedaddle back to Hell. Azrael however wants to erase all of existence. That includes humans, demons, God, the devil, everything! It’s a lofty aspiration to be sure, but the thing is that Azrael comes damn close to pulling it off. So close in fact that the only thing that can stop his plan is divine intervention. He might be the prettiest of the movie demons on this list, but that just makes him all the more dangerous. Former pro-skater Jason Lee plays this pissed off fallen angel, giving him just the right amount of snark and arrogance to keep him entertaining until the bitter end.
7. Jennifer Check- Jennifer’s Body
Remember that one incredibly popular and drop-dead gorgeous girl in high school who was so mean you swore she must have been a demon? Well, meet her big-screen counterpart. Megan Fox plays the highschool hottie, Jennifer Check, who ends up getting killed after becoming mixed up with a struggling band that wants to make a deal with Satan for fame, money, and all that jazz. The ritual backfires and soon the dearly departed Jennifer is brought back as a succubus. What’s a succubus? They’re basically sex demons that feed off the lust, desire, and sexual energy they inspire in men. That pretty much makes high school an all you can eat buffet with all the hormone-addled teenaged running around. Oh, did I forget that succubus tend to feed on human flesh too? That’s kind of an important detail because it means any guy who gets the hots for Jennifer ends up getting munched. When it comes to movie demons, Jennifer is one of the sexiest and the deadliest.
6. Lamia- Drag Me to Hell
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from movies, it’s never to incur the wrath of creepy old ladies, because you better believe they will curse you with their dying breath. Unfortunately for the protagonist in this movie, she gets one hell of a curse placed on her (get it) and finds herself pursued by the Lamia. It’s a demon that raises from the pits of hell to torment its target for three days before, you guessed it, dragging them to hell. The Lamia is one of the most twisted movie demons because of the sadistic delight it takes in showing their victim horrible visions, slowly breaking their spirit until they don’t have any fight left in them. It mostly stays invisible, but when it finally does appear, it’s a little goofy looking. That’s why it doesn’t earn a higher spot on this list.