No great hero would reach acclaim without the challenges set by a menacing, fear-inducing villain. Whether it’s Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men or Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, the great antagonists of the movies create the arc in the story, obstruct our protagonists at every turn, and stop at nothing to leave a trail of havoc in their wake.

In fact, many of the greatest characters in cinematic history are villains: complex, twisted, and utterly captivating. A convincing antagonist must be a multi-faceted character that challenges the audience to question what can drive one to such dark places.

The release of Sicario 2: Soldado on digital download 22nd October and on 4k UHD, Steelbook, Blu-Ray™ & DVD from 29th October 2018, allows us to witness the intriguing complexity of a great antagonist at work. CIA agent Matt Graver, played by Josh Brolin, is authorised by the US government to apply extreme measures – including deception, kidnapping, and murder– to combat a Mexican drug cartel that is suspected of smuggling terrorists across the US border. As Graver and his team push the limits of morality and go so far as to kidnap the young daughter of the cartel’s kingpin, audiences are left asking: who is really the villain?

To celebrate this film’s release, we are rounding up the top movies with the most memorable antagonists that have us squirming in our seats.

Bellatrix Lestrange

Arguably one of the most calculating and evil villains in the Harry Potter franchise is Bellatrix Lestrange, sister of Narcissa Malfoy and cousin of Sirius Black. Bellatrix can make the hairs stand on the back of necks with just a laugh. Bellatrix is infamous for her intensely sadistic approach to killing and torture.

She takes huge pleasure in taunting and antagonising her victims, such as Neville Longbottom when she reminds him how she murdered his parents, and her callous killing of her very own cousin, Sirius Black. Actress Helena Bonham Carter delivers a harrowing performance with her gaunt and wild appearance and the crazed look in her eyes.