The 7 Funniest Movie Villains We Can’t Get Enough Of

Every decent movie relies on one thing above all else: conflict. Pitting a film’s sympathetic protagonist against their rival antagonist, most movies thrive off of the friction expressed between heroes and villains, whether discussing Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter or Luke Skywalker and his malevolent father, Darth Vader.

In hindsight, the world of pop culture is riddled with memorable baddies with purely loathsome personalities. Yet for every Voldemort, Sauron, and Wicked Witch of the West, viewers behold a far more comedic antagonist who elicit just as many laughs as their heroic counterparts. From authoritarian university deans to cartoonish supervillains bent on world domination, here are some of the funniest movie villains we’ve seen in the entertainment industry yet.

Dean Wormer (Animal House)

Deep down, everyone probably dreads the idea of having someone like Dean Wormer ruling their university campus. The humorously strict head of Faber College, Wormer’s constant attempts to eliminate any semblance of fun at his school makes him a natural enemy to Animal House’s rowdy Delta Tau Chi fraternity. Announcing his schemes with a deadpan delivery, Wormer’s explosive fits of rage never fails to catch us off guard, tickling viewers’ funny bone when they least expect it.

Yzma (The Emperor’s New Groove)

Disney has no shortage of marvelous comedic villains, from mustache-twirling buccaneers like Captain Hook to opportunistic lords of the underworld like Hades. However, one shouldn’t overlook the sheer hilarity that comes with The Emperor’s New Groove’s Yzma. Plotting out ways to usurp the throne of her emperor Kuzco, Yzma’s flamboyantly evil persona makes her a villain we can’t help but love, especially whenever she’s paired with her absentminded henchman, Kronk.

White Goodman (Dodgeball)

Sure, you may be trim and healthy, but there’s no way you take your physical fitness as seriously as White Goodman. Seizing upon Ben Stiller’s energetic comedic style, Dodgeball’s lead antagonist hurls himself through each of his scenes in Dodgeball like a wild-eyed Looney Tunes character. Whether conditioning himself to avoid eating donuts or leading his Purple Cobras to victory on the dodgeball court, Globo Gym’s founder takes health and wellness to an ironically unhealthy new level.

Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

In many ways, it’s impossible to imagine anyone but Rick Moranis portraying the diminutive Darth Vader parody, Dark Helmet, in Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs. Infusing a distinctly fiery ferocity into Planet Spaceballs’ dependable second-in-command, Moranis presents Helmet not as some hulking personification of evil, but as a petulant, whiny manchild trapped in a ridiculous oversized helmet. The resulting character provided Spaceballs with one of its strongest features, with Helmet serving as the ideal polar opposite to Bill Pullman’s effortlessly suave mercenary, Lone Starr.

Regina George (Mean Girls)

The reigning queen of North Shore High School, few fictional personalities have as sharp a tongue as Rachel McAdams’ Regina George. Terrorizing her school’s student body through manipulative mind games and biting insults, Regina’s ruthless quest to maintain her status as North Shore’s most popular student makes her a force to be reckoned with in 2004’s Mean Girls. Yet even then, it’s impossible not to be won over by her charm and hilariously droll wit, especially whenever she hurls jabs at her long-suffering best friends, Gretchen and Karen.

Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice)

He’s the ghost with the most for a reason, people! The unkempt freelance bio-exorcist at the heart of Beetlejuice and its immediate sequel, Betelgeuse makes other demonic creatures like The Exorcist’s Pazuzu seem normal and well-mannered by comparison. As equally lecherous as he is inherently mischievous, this meddlesome ghoul is little more than a sleazy afterlife conman (and for that, we love him dearly).

Dr. Evil (Austin Powers)

At first, Dr. Evil appears as little more than a direct parody of James Bond’s sworn nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. But in Mike Myers’ incredibly capable hands, this 007 knockoff becomes a living, breathing character unlike any other. Donning the most outrageous plans for world conquest imaginable, Austin Powers’ recurring archenemy is every bit as humorous as the series’ title character, if not more so. From his awkward body language to his nasally-speaking voice, virtually everything about Dr. Evil is capable of triggering viewers’ incessant laughter.