The power of movies is incredible. They can sweep us off onto a grand adventure, make us cry or fall in love, escort us to breathtaking places that don’t exist — or scare the living hell out of us. And nothing is quite as frightening as a movie monster. Whether they’re using make-up, visual effects, or animatronics, films have brought the most terrifying creatures to life: Pennywise from It, Freddy Kruger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. The list is endless.
However, not all great monsters come from horror movies. They can be found in a fantasy or sci-fi epic, or in something as innocuous as a child’s animated film. We in the audience know these creatures are fake. And yet, their realness makes us scream and jump in our seats and can sometimes haunt us in the real world, forcing us to keep our lights on at night. Here are the most terrifying monsters outside the horror genre that continue to stalk our nightmares.
10 Oogie Boogie – The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
On paper, The Nightmare Before Christmas shouldn’t have worked. A stop-motion animated children’s movie, full of scary monsters that kidnap Santa Claus? And is it a Halloween movie or Christmas movie? Yet, the Tim Burton production did work. Since its release in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a holiday classic and is regarded as one of Disney’s best animated films.
The movie features dozens of imaginative characters, like its iconic hero Jack Skellington. But in a town packed with monsters, no one’s as scary as the film’s villain, Oogie Boogie. He’s a walking, talking sack filled with crawling insects. He’s so frightening that the character is kept locked up in an underground lair. Even Jack, the Pumpkin King, warns Boogie’s three worshipers to, “Leave that no good Oogie Boogie out of this!” And let’s not forget: Oogie Boogie spends the entire movie trying to torture and murder Santa Claus.
9 Sandworm – Dune (2021)
Worms aren’t exactly frightening. But what about an enormous, predator worm that roams the desert? That’s the terrifying monster of the sci-fi film Dune. When you hear the rumblings in the distance, announcing the sandworm’s arrival, you know immediately that danger is on its way. Watching the characters run for their lives as the sandworm pursues them, seeing only bursts of sand rather than the actual creature, builds up the chase’s suspense. It’s a jaw dropping moment when the sandworm finally reveals itself, showing just how monstrous it really is. The scene where it dwarfs the characters’ ship and swallows the vehicle whole is another memorable appearance. The sandworm will likely return in the sequel Dune: Part II, which is set to release November 2023.
8 King Ghidorah – Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters pit Godzilla against one of his fiercest and most legendary foes, King Ghidorah. An alien from another world, King Ghidorah is an apex predator that rivals Godzilla. It’s a massive dragon-like creature with three heads, each with its own personality. It can also shoot electrical currents and beams of energy. King Ghidorah’s only goal is to become Earth’s most dominant monster and has no regard for the destruction that’s left in its wake, making it one of the most terrifying monsters in film.
7 Dementors – Harry Potter Franchise
Dementors are the most frightening creatures in the Harry Potter franchise. Based on J.K. Rowling’s experience with depression, dementors are hooded, floating Dark creatures that suck the happiness, and eventually the soul, from your body. They’re also the infamous guards of the wizard prison Azkaban. Every time they come on screen, the atmosphere grows cold and tense, and the characters’ faces fill with fear. The scene where the dementor first appears and attacks Harry and his cousin Dudley makes for one of the scariest moments in the series.
6 Terror Dogs – Ghostbusters Franchise
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Ghostbusters is a classic 80s movie, whose success has spawned a franchise that includes an upcoming sequel. The original film is a comedic joyride, and most of its ghosts are quirky and harmless, such as the lovable Slimer. That is, until the terror dogs show up. They’re demons from hell, horned beasts with sharp teeth and red, glowing eyes.
Their appearance is frightening, but it’s their focused targeting that make these hellhounds so scary. Once the terror dogs target you, it’s over. They keep coming after you, and only you, until they possess your mind and body. Watching a terror dog chase the helpless Rick Moranis through Manhattan’s streets, or appear in Sigourney Weaver’s fridge roaring viciously, is something out of a horror film. The beasts returned in the latest sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife, proving that they’re just as frightening now as they were in the 80s.
5 Rancor – Star Wars Franchise
The Star Wars franchise is packed with alien species. However, none of them are as scary as the dreaded Rancor. It made its debut in The Return of the Jedi as the monster in Jabba the Hutt’s fortress. The film’s hero, Luke Skywalker, is sent plummeting to an underground chamber, where a massive door opens to reveal Jabba’s pet. At the time, the audience didn’t know what danger lurked behind this door — and when it was revealed, it didn’t disappoint.
The Rancor is a huge monster with long arms and a vicious disposition. Even Luke, a powerful Jedi who had been nothing but calm so far in the movie, was rattled by its presence. Every time its name was mentioned in Disney+’s The Book of Boba Fett, characters reacted to it with fear. The Rancor did eventually make an appearance in the show, terrifying audiences all over again from their couches.
4 Chernabog – Fantasia (1940)
When people think of Walt Disney’s animated classic Fantasia, they usually recall one of two scenes. The first is The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which shows Disney’s flagship character Mickey Mouse donning the iconic sorcerer’s hat. The other scene is Night on Bald Mountain, which features the demonic, Satan-like character Chernabog. Disney has created many great villains over the years, but Chernabog might just be their best. Unlike other Disney villains, he has no motive or origin story. He is simply evil incarnate. Chernabog’s introduction — opening his great wings to reveal himself, while Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain booms sinisterly in the background — is both masterful and terrifying.
The demon spends most of his time in the shadows. But the audience does catch a glimpse of his malevolent smile, as he carelessly throws souls into the flames below. Although Chernabog’s appearance is brief, he’s become legendary in Disney lore and has been haunting audiences since 1940. A live adaptation of Night on Bald Mountain was reportedly in the works, though it’s unclear if the project is still in development. Related: Disney: The Most Evil Villains of the Animated Films, Ranked
3 The Balrog – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring features lots of iconic moments. But its most famous scene has to be the appearance of the Balrog, a massive, fiery beast that prowls the Mines of Moria. Gandalf the Grey, the film’s wizard and most powerful character, tries desperately to avoid the mines, choosing instead to scale a mountain during a blizzard, because he’s terrified of the Balrog. And once we see it, we immediately understand why. Its insidious presence makes for one of the most epic and frightening moments of the entire series.
2 Tyrannosaurus Rex – Jurassic Park Franchise
Few things are as scary as the Tyrannosaurus Rex from the Jurassic Park franchise. From the moment the audience sets foot in Jurassic Park, we’re eager to see the genetically altered reincarnation of the extinct creature. The film’s director, Steven Spielberg, teases us with its appearance, showing us the dinosaur’s meal, a living goat, but not the T-rex itself. Then suddenly, the goat is gone, the power in the park is out, and all hell breaks loose, along with the famous dinosaur.
The T-rex stepping out of its confines and unleashing a spine-tingling roar, unveiling itself for the first time, is as terrifying as it is iconic. It wreaks havoc for most of the movie, chasing and killing the people it encounters. The T-rex’s thundering footsteps, coupled with those famous shots of rippling water, builds up the movie’s suspense and horror, making our hearts race before the dinosaur even comes on screen. The T-rex isn’t just one one of the most dangerous dinosaurs in the series; it’s one of the most frightening monsters outside the horror genre.
1 The Pale Man – Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Pan’s Labyrinth is Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece and one of the best fantasy films ever made. Del Toro is known for creating memorable monsters, but his most terrifying effort is the Pale Man from this movie. When the film’s protagonist Ofelia initially encounters the Pale Man, he’s sitting motionless in front of a great feast. But the audience just knows this won’t be the case for long, and already, we’re afraid to see what happens next. The moment that the Pale Man springs to life and chases Ofelia belongs in a horror film. The way the monster sees through the eyeballs in his hands, the way he viciously bites off a fairy’s head, the stiff and unnatural way that he moves about — all of it comes together to create one of the most terrifying cinematic monsters of all time. Related: All Guillermo Del Toro Movies, Ranked
