For every Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Chucky, and Freddy Krueger we have, there are at least two dozen horror villains that either fell in to obscurity, or were never fully realized. Every horror geek has their own list of horror baddies that they felt could have and should have risen to mainstream popularity, or icon status, but alas sometimes the horror world isn’t in their favor. These are seven horror villains that deserved more films, or better films than they received, in the end.
What are some of your beloved horror baddies you think deserved a huge fan base or franchise?
Pumpkinhead – Pumpkinhead
Such a wonderfully designed and horrifying monster has never really caught on as a mainstream horror icon. Sure he has a lot of fans but he’s never really hit that peak the same way Freddy, Jason, or even Chucky ever has. The elaborate monster and his means of existence are very entertaining and Stan Winston’s monster is an utter technical accomplishment. It’s just a shame Pumpkinhead never got his due. He has one really good film, one kind of okay movie, and a few very abysmal made for TV sequels. There have been talks of a remake over the years, but who knows when that will happen, if it ever happens? Such a cool monster deserves a resurgence like “Killer Klowns from Outer Space.”
Mark Dark – 976-Evil
Mark Dark is presumed to be the Devil, or some kind of sorcerer, who is getting his kicks by using 976 numbers to steal souls from desperate people. Or so that’s the general premise for “976-Evil.” Basically Mark Dark hides in the shadows working in darkness, and operates his soul sucking system through the telephone lines, and he is able to infiltrate society through this manner. “976-Evil” alluded to so many ideas and concepts about Mark Dark that were never fully realized. He never appears in the sequel, and only serves as a plot device, where in the original Robert Englund seemed to be going for something.
Slenderman – Creepypasta, etc.
One of the very first Creepypasta monsters to ever explode in to popularity, it seemed like Slenderman was destined to become a bonafide horror icon. But aside from a few cult indie films, Slenderman has remained stagnant for a long time. He’s been subjected to a ton of bad movies, over exposure, studios that don’t quite understand him, and of course the infamous “Slenderman murders,” which pretty much destroyed any momentum for mainstream appeal that he ever had. It’s sad, since Slenderman is a creepy concept when stripped down to his bare elements.
Julia Cotton – Hellraiser Series
Claire Higgins as Julia Cotton is one of the most conniving, reptilian, deceitful villains from the “Hellraiser” series so it’s disappointing that after the second film she’s written out of the lore. Along with Pinhead basically booming in popularity, Claire Higgins opted out of the future films in the role of Claire, leaving her fate absolute. She’s never re-emerged in “Hellraiser” and Pinhead basically took center stage becoming a Goth and horror icon of the nineties. I’d love to see Cotton come back some day to worm her way in to and destroy someone else’s life while being stalked by the cenobites.
Dr. Decker – Nightbreed
Dr. Decker got a lot to do in “Nightbreed” and depending on which cut you prefer of the film, he was going to be the nemesis for the sub-species. Dr. Decker was a vicious and terrifying serial killer who would murder anyone, men, women, animals, children, he didn’t care. He used his wits and gas lighting to hurt people psychologically and then would maim them horribly. Dr. Decker was almost like a Batman villain and he was one of the more interesting monsters that warranted another go around.
Big Daddy Mars – John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars
We don’t learn a lot about Big Daddy Mars even through the very end. We know that miners unleashed a slew of body possessing demons, all of whom have a penchant for body mutilation. They come in unstoppable hordes, and they’re led by the vicious and relentless Big Daddy Mars. He leads the siege to re-claim Mars and does battle with the few remaining human survivors. He was like Dee Snider meets the Reavers from “Firefly.” Big Daddy Mars is one of the more underrated John Carpenter big bads, and it’s too bad he only garnered one film.
Matilda Dixon, The Tooth Fairy – Darkness Falls
I enjoyed “Darkness Falls.” I don’t think you should name a town “Darkness Falls,” but that’s neither here nor there. Matilda Dixon was a old widower who gave local children gold coins whenever they lost a tooth, and was rendered disfigured and sensitive to light from a horrible house fire. Wearing a porcelain mask over her face, she was blamed for two children going missing, and was lynched by the town. She emerges 150 years later to exact her revenge on the descendants of the town now as a powerful demon whose only kryptonite is pure light. “The Tooth Fairy” had a lot of fun lore behind her, and it’s such a crime we never got follow ups with her terrifying kids, again.