The slasher genre has long been one of the most popular in horror circles, being responsible for some of the most iconic horror movies in history. The classic formula typically involves one or more killers (often in a masked costume) hunting down a group of reckless teens until only the final girl remains. From the glorious cheesiness of the ’80s to the self-referential nature of the ’90s, slashers have excelled in every decade.
Slasher movies would be nothing without characters to slice through, and the genre has delivered some of the most recognizable faces in both horror and movies in general. Everyone has their favorite masked killer, heroic survivor, and memorable supporting character, with some of them featuring in a single movie while others have evolved across a franchise. When all the dismembering and disemboweling is over, these great characters find themselves surviving for longer in the memories of fans.
25 Megan Garris — ‘Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives’ (1986)
Everyone knows the final girl in slasher movies is typically the reserved, innocent character, but Friday the 13th Part VI bucks that trend with Megan Garris (Jennifer Cooke). Rebellious, sexually forward, and constantly taking risks, Megan was the exact opposite of final girls at the time, making her a breath of fresh air and a likable protagonist.
When Tommy Jarvis (Thom Mathews) arrives, warning of Jason’s next rampage, Megan is the only one to believe him and even breaks Tommy out of jail despite her father being the sheriff. In any other movie, Megan would be the “bad girl” who suffers a brutal death, but the surprisingly great Friday the 13th Part VI allows her to become one of the most diverse and surprising final girls in horror history.
24 Clear Rivers — ‘Final Destination’ (2000)
While there is a debate to be had about whether Final Destination qualifies as a true slasher movie (it features all the tropes, just without a physical killer), what everyone can agree on is that Clear Rivers (Ali Larter) is one of the franchise’s best characters. Beginning as the love interest and dependable partner to original hero Alex (Devon Sawa), Clear becomes a mentor to the new survivors in Final Destination 2.
Clear is tough and independent, forced to take care of herself after being abandoned by her mother. Both snarky and caring, Clear often puts her own life on the line to try and save those around her, even in the face of impending death.
23 Benny — ‘Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III’ (1990)
Most slasher movie characters are helpless victims waiting to die, but then there is Benny, a former Marine capable of going hand-to-hand with Leatherface. Played by horror legend Ken Foree, Benny is drawn into the events of Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III after the protagonists crash into his car while fleeing the titular killer.
Learning of their situation, Benny switches into survivalist mode and tries to help the strangers survive the night, even at the risk of his own life. Meant to die in the original cut of the film, Benny proved too damn likable that reshoots were made to keep him alive at the end, despite eating a face full of chainsaw earlier in the movie.
22 Mark Lewis — ‘Peeping Tom’ (1960)
Like many horror fans, Mark Lewis (Karlheinz Bohm) wants to make movies. The problem is Mark likes to make snuff films, stalking and murdering women so he can record their dying moments. A rare case of the protagonist also being a villain, the movie explores his deranged mental state as he prowls for more victims.
Often credited as one of the first slasher movies, Peeping Tom presents Lewis as one of the original slasher villains. While he is not as over-the-top and brutal as the killers that would come after him, Lewis feels far more frightening as his reserved and terrifying nature is grounded in reality.
21 Pamela Voorhees — ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)
They say there is nothing more terrifying than a momma bear when her cub is threatened, and the original Friday the 13th puts that into practice as Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) slaughters teens working at the camp where her young son drowned.
While Mrs. Voorhees is not present for much of the movie as she makes her kills offscreen, she still leaves an unforgettable mark on this legendary franchise. She deserves credit for getting the series started on its bloodthirsty ways, and carving the way for her son Jason to take the mantle of one of the best horror villains ever.
20 Erin Harson – ‘You’re Next’ (2013)
Meeting your partner’s family for the first time is a daunting experience, but it’s even scarier when masked intruders arrive to ruin the evening. As the helpless family are massacred one by one, Erin (Sharni Vinson) kicks into action and turns the tables on her attackers in this horror take on Home Alone.
Raised in a survivalist camp until she was 15, Erin is a “final girl” who is more dangerous than her attackers. You’re Nextdraws humor from the fact that the killers are panicking once they realize Erin is the one hunting them down, and the axe-wielding badass is one of the most unforgettable heroines in horror history.
19 Victor Crowley – ‘Hatchet’ (2006)
Hatchet is an attempt to revive the blood-drenched slashers of the 1980s, and is a success thanks to its gruesome kills and its unveiling of Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder) as a new slasher icon. Born deformed due to a curse, the young Victor was eventually killed in a tragic accident before coming back as a vengeful spirit that mutilates anyone who enters his swamp.
Crowley stands as one of the most brutal killers in the slasher genre, as he does not settle for simply murdering his victims. Across four movies he destroys anyone he comes across, often ripping and tearing his victims until they are nothing but blood and guts on the ground, making him a great new addition to the horror canon.
18 Tree Gelbman – ‘Happy Death Day (2017)
Every time loop story needs a main character that audiences can invest in, and Happy Death Day works as well as it does thanks to Tree (Jessica Rothe). A college student seemingly doomed to relive the same day over and over again while constantly being murdered by a masked killer, Tree decides to take fate in her own hands.
While Tree begins Happy Death Day rather selfish and unlikable, her situation forces her to re-evalute her choices and grow as a person. Thanks to Rothe’s performance and some clever writing, Tree grows into a person that you can’t help but root for, and one who becomes quite capable due to her prolonged ordeal.
17 Tommy Jarvis – ‘Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter’ (1984)
First introduced in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman) was a young boy who crossed paths with Jason alongside his older sister. Despite defeating Jason, he would continue to battle the unstoppable killing machine in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning and Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives.
Unlike its fellow classic slasher franchises, Friday the 13th does not possess one final girl who comes back for each entry. Instead, Tommy is the closest thing the series has to a recurring hero, and as he constantly foils Jason’s killing sprees throughout his childhood and teenage years, Tommy earns a place as Jason’s rival.
16 Dewey Riley – ‘Scream’ (1996)
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Woodsboro’s finest, Deputy Dewey Riley (David Arquette) finds himself in way over his head once a serial killer begins terrorising his peaceful town. Assigned to protect Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Dewey acts like a surrogate big brother to the heroine as he fights to survive alongside her across the Scream films.
Despite being eternally clumsy and a bit slow to realise important details, Dewey is a loveable character and the beating heart of the franchise alongside Sidney and Gale (Courtney Cox). Even though he has a tendency to get stabbed and left for dead, audiences always felt safe when Dewey was on-screen, and his abscene was felt in Scream VI.
15 Tiffany Valentine — ‘Bride of Chucky’ (1998)
It took four movies for the Child’s Play franchise to decide that Chucky needed a love interest, so Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) was introduced in Bride of Chucky. The former girlfriend of Charles Lee Ray (Brad Douriff) before he was turned into a doll, Tiffany is just as violent as he is and takes delight in slaughtering anyone who crosses her path.
After being transformed into a doll alongside her lover, Tiffany continues killing, and the diminutive duo makes for a formidable pair. Tiffany and Chucky make for one of the best couples in horror, as the pair regularly exchange barbs between their murders. Tiffany eventually grows past just being “Chucky’s girlfriend” and into a classic slasher villain in her own right.
14 Pearl — ‘Pearl’ (2022)
First introduced in X, its prequel Pearl is where the character’s identity is truly explored. Pearl (Mia Goth) is a young woman living with her parents on a farm in 1918. She spends her days dreaming of living the high life of a movie star, and when an opportunity seems to present itself, Pearl will kill anyone that gets in her way.
More a character study than a slasher movie, Pearl rests on the capable shoulders of Goth, who delivers an Oscar-worthy performance. Pearl is a troubled and complex individual who draws sympathy in one scene as she desires to leave her simple life behind before eliciting terror in the next as she savagely murders someone with a pitchfork.
13 Randy Meeks — ‘Scream’ (1996)
Every horror fan fantasizes about how they would handle being in a horror movie, and for Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), that dream becomes a reality. As Ghostface begins stalking and slaying his classmates, Randy offers up his expert knowledge of horror movies to try and survive.
Randy was the early breakout character of the Scream franchise, thanks to plenty of horror fans seeing themselves within him. It’s rare for slasher characters to be self-aware. Randy remains the best use of the trope, with each entry released after his demise trying to emulate his impact by introducing similar characters. However, none are as effective or memorable as the original.
12 Daniel Robitaille — ‘Candyman’ (1992)
The son of a slave, Daniel Robitaille (Tony Todd), was a talented artist who fell in love with a white woman in the 1920s. After her wealthy father discovered their romance, he organized for Daniel to be tortured and killed. Rather than staying dead, Daniel becomes the Candyman and kills anyone who chants his name five times in the mirror.
Despite only appearing in four movies, Candyman has earned a place in the horror hall of fame. This is in large part thanks to Todd’s performance, with the imposing actor perfectly cast in the role. With his large frame and velvety voice, Todd creates a slasher villain that has kept people away from mirrors for decades.
11 Gale Weathers — ‘Scream’ (1996)
Everyone’s favorite news reporter, Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), leaped at the opportunity to cover the Ghostface killings in the original Scream. What she did not count on, however, was becoming part of the story, and Gale joined forces with Sidney to survive the Woodsboro massacre.
While her stubborn personality and need to always chase a story often puts her at odds with the characters, Gale became an important ally to Sidney and the secondary protagonist of the franchise. Gale stands out from the crowd of final girls due to her tough attitude and abrasive nature, and it is these same qualities that have earned the talented journalist an adoring fan base.
10 Dr. Samuel Loomis — ‘Halloween’ (1978)
When young Michael Myers kills his own sister and is institutionalized, Dr. Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is assigned as his psychiatrist. After spending eight years with Myers, Loomis decides the killer is pure evil, but before he can do anything about it, Myers breaks free and returns to Haddonfield to conduct a new killing spree.
While most people consider Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to be Michael Myers’ nemesis, Loomis is equally deserving to be considered the hero of the Halloweenfranchise. He makes it his singular mission to stop Myers at every opportunity and frequently risks his life to end his former patient’s evil ways.
9 Nancy Thompson — ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)
Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) is the quintessential final girl: she’s nice, smart, and ready to throw down with any dream demon that comes after her and her friends. After Nancy and her pals discover that a burnt man is killing them in their sleep, she strives to discover the cause of their misery and end it.
Stopping Freddy (Robert Englund) once wasn’t enough, as Nancy returns in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors to help a new group of teens fight her nemesis. Nancy’s bravery in the face of a seemingly unstoppable killer earns her a place in the horror hall of fame, and for many, she is one of the best heroes in the genre.
8 Sidney Prescott — ‘Scream’ (1996)
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It’s a tough life when all your friends either want to kill you or die because they know you, but Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) handles it with style. Forced to be the heroine in her own slasher movie in the original Scream, Sidney finds her life becoming a horror franchise as more and more killers come for her.
Refusing to be a victim, Sidney is more than capable of protecting herself and puts numerous attackers on the ground. The trait that Sidney yearns for the most, however, is the ability to have a normal life, as she is constantly surrounded by death, making her a sympathetic figure and one of the greatest final girls of all time.
7 Leatherface — ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)
Heard from afar, courtesy of his trademark chainsaw, Leatherface wields the most gruesome weapon in the slasher villain catalog. Known for taking the faces of his victims and wearing them over his own, Leatherface catches and kills strangers to feed his family in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.
Leatherface is typically portrayed as having a learning disability, often referred to as having the mind of a child. This questions whether the chainsaw-wielding giant is truly evil or merely being manipulated by his twisted family. No matter his morality, the sight of Leatherface spinning his chainsaw around has frightened audiences for almost fifty years.
6 Charles Lee Ray/Chucky — ‘Child’s Play’ (1988)
Charles Lee Ray was a deadly mass murderer before he became Chucky, but once his soul was transferred into the body of the Good Guy doll, he became even worse. Left bleeding to death after a shootout with police, Ray performs a ritual to live on in the form of a children’s toy and sets out to find a brand-new body.
Beginning with Child’s Play, Chucky has carved his way through a franchise that features nine movies and a TV show. He has never lost his sense of humor along the way, as he regularly wisecracks in between his killings, creating a fan-favorite series that is often as funny as brutal.
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