Inspired by PopHorrors list of the Top 50 Women in Horror Movies and Thrillers (which you can read here and here), we have compiled a list of The Top 50 Men In Horror Movies and Thrillers. This is part one of two. The list will include men who are actors, writers, directors, and musicians. Sit back, relax and be inspired by some of The Top 50 Men In Horror Movies and Thrillers.
Top 50 Men In Horror and Thrillers, Part One
50) David Bowie
Projects: The Hunger, The Prestige, Cat People (1982), the song Putting Out The Fire
Fun Fact: He changed his name from David Robert Jones to David Bowie so he wouldn’t be confused with singer Davy Jones of The Monkees.
49) Anthony Perkins
Projects: Psycho franchise, Demon In My View, Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Fun Fact: His performance as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960) is ranked #4 on Premiere magazine’s 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
48) Justin Long
Projects: Jeepers Creepers, Tusks, Yoga Hosers, Drag Me To Hell
Fun Fact: Has stated that he has never seen his film, Accepted (2006).
47) Jack Nicholson
Projects: The Shining, Wolf, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Raven (1963), Little Shop of Horrors (1960), The Terror (1963), The Witches of Eastwick, Mars Attacks!
Fun Fact: Has been nominated for an Oscar in five different decades (1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s).
46) Robert De Niro
Projects: Cape Fear, The Fan, Hide and Seek, Taxi Driver, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994), The Fan
Fun Fact: Before Tim Burton was commissioned as director, he was considered for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (2005). The role then went to Johnny Depp.
45) Christopher Walken
Projects: Sleepy Hollow, The Dead Zone (1983), Nick Of Time, The Sentinel, Brainstorm, Communion, The Prophecy franchise
Fun Fact: Worked briefly as a lion tamer in a circus at age 15.
44) Tobe Hooper
Projects: Poltergeist, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, The Funhouse (1981), Spontaneous Combustion (1990), Masters of Horror series, The Toolbox Murders, Night Visions series, The Mangler (1995), Body Bags (1993), Night Terrors (1993), Tales From the Crypt TV series, Freddy’s Nightmares TV series, Invaders From Mars (1986), Lifeforce (1985), Salem’s Lot, Eaten Alive (1976)
Fun Fact: Directed the music video “Dancing With Myself” by Billy Idol.
43) David Cronenberg
Projects: The Fly (1986), Dead Ringers, The Dead Zone, Scanners, Shivers (1975), Rabid (1977), The Brood (1979), Videodrome (1983)
Fun Fact: Costumes in his films are usually designed by his sister, Denise Cronenberg.
42) Eli Roth
Projects: Hostel franchise, Cabin Fever (2002), The Green Inferno, Grindhouse (2007)
Fun Fact: He got his idea for Cabin Fever (2002) when he was in Iceland and contracted a case of a flesh-eating disease. The now infamous shaving legs scene in the bathtub is based on when Roth shaved his face and layers of skin came off.
41) Gunnar Hansen
Projects: Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), Freakshow, Hellblock 13, Death House, Murder-Set-Pieces (2004), The Demon Lover (1974), Mosquito (1994), Repligator (1996), Chainsaw Sally (2004)
Fun Fact: Shaved his beard off for the role of Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. He never shaved it off again.
40) Jeff Goldblum
Projects: The Fly (1986), Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978), Hideaway, Jurassic Park franchise, Independence Day franchise, The Sentinel, Transylvania 6-5000, The Stand, Mister Frost (1990), Ray Bradbury Theatre, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1980),
Fun Fact: Is a skilled piano player who plays most Wednesday nights with his band, The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, at the Rockwell Club in Los Angeles.
39) Leigh Whannell
Projects: Saw franchise, Insidious franchise, Cooties, The Bye Bye Man, Lavalantula
Fun Fact: To help sell his concept for the jigsaw killer thriller Saw (2004), he shot a scene in which he appears to be ensnared in a bear trap. There were no special effects involved; he actually had to place the teeth of the rusty bear trap in his mouth to make it seem real.
38) Kris Lemche
Projects: Ginger Snaps, Final Destination 3, They’re Watching
Fun Fact: Before acting, he planned to be a doctor.
37) Dylan Minnette
Projects: The Open House, Don’t Breath, Goosebumps
Fun Fact: Dylan Minnette is not only an actor, but also a talented musician.
36) M. Night Shyamalan
Projects: Sings, The Sixth Sense, The Visit, The Village, Unbreakable, Devil, Split, Wayward Pines TV series, Lady in the Water (2006), The Happening
Fun Fact: His three supernatural thrillers, The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable (2000), and Sings (2002), grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide.
35) Gary Oldman
Projects: Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Unborn, Hannibal
Fun Facts: Has used a different speaking voice or accent in practically every movie he has ever been in.
34) Edgar Allan Poe
Projects: The Raven, The Tell Tale Heart, The Cask Of Amontillado, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Black Cat, The Masque of the Red Death, The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Fun Fact: Obsessed with cats, Edgar often wrote with a cat on his shoulder.
33) Sid Haig
Projects: House Of A 1,000 Corpses, Devil’s Rejects, Death House, Spider Baby: The Maddest Story Ever Told, Rob Zombie’s Halloween, The Lords of Salem, House of the Dead 2 (2005), Galaxy of Terror (1981), Bone Tomahawk, Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975), Monster Squad TV series, Dark Moon Rising
Fun Fact: Certified hypnotherapist
32) Rob Zombie
Projects: House Of A 1,000 Corpses, Devils Rejects, 31, The Lords of Salem, Rob Zombie’s Halloween, Halloween 2, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Grindhouse, The Zombie Horror Picture Show,
Fun Fact: Has many tattoos and designed most of them.
31) Bill Paxton
Projects: Aliens, Club Dread, Brain Dead, Near Dark, Frailty (2001), The Colony (2013), Tales From the Crypt TV series, Predator 2, Mortuary (1983)
Fun Fact: Had earned the nickname “Wild Bill” among friends and co-stars for his apparently crazed sense of humor and his love for elaborate pranks.
30) Miko Hughes
Projects: Pet Sematary, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Remains
Fun Fact: Keeps 30,000 bees in his backyard beehive.
29) Jamie Kennedy
Projects: Scream franchise, The Sand, Tremors 5: Bloodlines, Bermuda Tentacles (2014), Ghost Whisperer TV series, Bug (2002),
Fun Fact: Was considered for the role of Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.
28) Matthew Lillard
Projects: Scream, Thir13en Ghosts, The Devil’s Child (1997), Scooby Doo franchise, Ghoulies Go to,College (1991), Serial Mom (1994)
Fun Fact: Essentially started his career playing the son of a sadistic killer (Kathleen Turner) in Serial Mom, and then played a sadistic killer himself in Scream.
27) James Stewart
Projects: Rear Window, Vertigo, Rope
Fun Fact: When he left to serve in World War II, his father gave him a letter that he kept in his pocket every day until the war ended.
26) Tony Todd
Projects: Candyman franchise, Final Destination franchise, Night of the Living Dead (1990), Wishmaster, Masters of Horror TV series, The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde (2006), The Crow, Death House, Hatchet, Victor Crowley, Holliston TV series, Platoon, Voodoo Down (1990), Splatter TV series, Them (1996), Murder-Set-Pieces, The Prophecy: Forsaken (2005), Vampire in Vegas (2009), The Thirst: Blood War (2008), Nite Tales: The Movie (2008), The Family (2011), Dead of the Nite (2013), Army of the Damned (2013), Frankenstein (2015), Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn (2015), Agoraphobia (2015), Live Evil (2015), Scream At the Devil (2015), Dead of Summer TV series, From Jennifer (2015)
Fun Fact: He is a serious supporter of American Military Veterans.
25) Nicolas Cage
Projects: The Wicker Man (2006), Vampire’s Kiss, Grindhouse, The Frozen Ground (2013), Mom and Dad, 8MM, Bringing Out the Dead, Ghost Rider series, Season of the Witch (2011), Pay the Ghost (2015)
Fun Fact: Ate a real cockroach in the film Vampires Kiss. It reportedly took three takes. He once said about the experience, “Every muscle in my body didn’t want to do it, but I did it anyway.”
There you have it, PopHorror fans! This concludes the first part of our list for the Top 50 Men In Horror Movies and Thrillers. Keep an eye out for part two. Do you agree with our list so far? Lets us know in the comments!