There are many different types of witches. Some use their powers for good, while others use them for evil. There are also those who are neutral and only use their powers when necessary. The most common type of evil witch is the one who uses her powers for selfish reasons. She may be angry at someone and use her powers to hurt them. Or, she may want something that someone else has and use her powers to take it from them. Another type of evil witch is the one who is controlled by a dark force. This could be a demon, an evil spirit, or even another witch.
This list takes a look at the most powerful evil witches who have ever lived. Whether they’re fulfilling ancient curses on the innocent or getting revenge on those who’ve crossed them in the past, these women mean business and their wrath is deadly. From one to ten, here are our favorite films featuring evil witches.
1 Evangeline Ernst / The Grand High Witch (The Witches)
The Grand High Witch is said to be the most evil woman in the world. In reality, her villainous reputation is not an exaggeration when she makes her physical appearance. As the head of all witches worldwide, she would only have learned the identities of other witches outside of her native country (implied to be Norway). Her headquarters is a ginormous castle in Norway and from here she spreads out her witchy schemes. It houses a machine that can print any kind of requested currency, which funds her witchy plans, and is also inhabited by some attendant witches. One of them acts as her deputy and should the Grand High Witch undergo an unfortunate or unexpected death, steps in to take over as the next Grand High Witch. The public knows nothing about her identity as a wealthy baroness who donates generously to charity. She’s often targeted by witchophiles- those who learn about witches- but no one has ever come close to finding out who she really is.
2 Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)
Though Maleficent may be the Evil Queen in Sleeping Beauty, she was portrayed more sympathetically as a femme fatale Wicked-Witch type in the Mistress of Evil serial. This reformation culminated with her role as protagonist in the film Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie. Despite her misdeeds in Sleeping Beauty, her popularity post-movie and comeback in the 2019 remake is testament to her tenacity and complexity.
Maleficent, Disney’s most memorable and revered villain, was created because of Marc Davis’ design. While many Disney villains similarly wear stylized witch costumes, Maleficent is set apart by her femme fatale appearance. These unique qualities are brought to life brilliantly by Eleanor Audley as an outrageously campy and powerful voice performance that only enhances her persona. Living within a crumbling castle in the Forbidden Mountains and cursing infants with just a thought because they weren’t invited suggests that she lives with an intensity that distinguishes her – both in terms of power and gravitas – from previous Disney villains. Completely transforming into a dragon, Maleficent has endured for sixty years after Sleeping Beauty – and her popularity rivaled the 1959 film itself on release.
3 The Wicked Witch Of The West (The wizard Of Oz)
Lyman Frank Baum, the author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” first published this book in 1900, informing readers about Dorothy and her dog Toto. They have been caught up in a twister, which has transported them to a magical realm. It’s up to them to return home, but before they know it, they’re tasked with retrieving a broomstick by the strange yet mysterious wizard of Oz. That means they have to go ‘toe-to-toe’ contrary to a green faced shrew who’s having a disagreement with Dorothy after she killed her sister and ran off with her magical slippers. This evil enchantress was characterized by her pointy witch’s hat and even more pointy facial characteristic. She set the standard for all of the evil witches that came after her.
4 Haggis (Pumpkinhead)
A grief stricken father who is unfamiliar with witchcraft approaches a witch to discuss the relatively common phenomenon of retribution. His son was killed by teenagers, demon who accidentally struck him. He wishes to gain retribution, but knows nothing about how witches can help him find this form of justice. Hiding in the darkness and constantly seen in the eerie shadow of a fire, the witch is as frightening as the demon they summoned for this merciless killing. Her thinning hair and crepe paper skin show that she’s well past the benefits of a well deep circumstance or facial healing.
5 Elly Kedward (The Blair Witch Project)
Elly Kedward, also known as the Blair Witch. You might not be looking when something happens, but that doesn’t make it less scary. That’s the case with this found footage pioneer which shows three film students as they travel through Maryland to document the popular Blair Witch. What they find is that a series of unexplained historical events in the area have led back to a witch who was hanged decades ago (18th century). Apparently, these historical atrocities are unfinished business for the witch. A captivating tale of hauntings, kidnappings, and ceremonial murders falls into place as the young students experience strange occurrences. Whether she is a real witch or simply the product of years’ worth of combined legends, no one can say for sure.
6 Bathsheba (The Conjuring)
The Conjuring tells the story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren and the hauntings of the Perron family in 1971. Supposedly when they moved into an old farmhouse, they came in contact with the spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, an evil witch who cursed their land. But it turns out that this woman’s real-life history paints a very different picture than the one we see on screen. According to Andrea Perron’s novel The House of Darkness House of Light trilogy, Bathsheba was a witch and devil worshiper who cruelly killed an infant before announcing her love for Satan – but there is no evidence that she ever engaged in devil worship or killed any children.
7 Muriel (Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters)
This anachronistic fable-turned-caper follows the story of Hansel and Gretel, who have grown up into professional witch hunters after their childhood trauma in a gingerbread house. Now they’ve been hired to thwart a plan by a local coven of witches that involves kidnapping children and blood sacrifices and moons similar to those from “American Horror Story.” They find themselves face-to-face with the Grand Witch, Muriel. At first sight, Muriel seems quite pleasant; but that changes quickly when she reverts to witch mode.
8 The Open Hearth witch (The Wicked)
A group of mischievous teens narrowly avoids death when they choose to tamper with supernatural forces by throwing rocks at an old house. The film follows the story of a group of reckless teenagers who decide to throw stones against the famous Open Hearth witch in order to test their mettle and we’ll be avenged, but they should have listened to all those warning signs instead and they were not just in store for some enchanted times.
9 Mother Suspiriorum / Mother Helena Markos (Suspiria)
“Suspiria” tells the story of an American ballerina who travels to Germany for ballet school. The film also shows that life as a ballerina can be rough. Life as a ballerina isn’t always what it seems on the surface, and this movie displays it perfectly. Elaine finds herself under attack from a series of mysterious deaths. They culminate in her meeting Helena, the head witch behind it all. After being attacked by multiple witches, Elaine is determined to take down Helena before she’s killed along with her followers. Helena needs to be eliminated or all of humanity will be wiped off the planet.
10 Sylvia Ganush (Drag Me To Hell)
This movie was released in 2009 and is about a young woman who falls victim to an evil curse. In the movie, the main character, Christine, is a loans officer for a bank in Los Angeles. She wants to move up the corporate ladder and set her sights on the position of Assistant Manager.
In order to get there, she decides not to grant Mrs. Ganush’s request for an extension on her mortgage payments. This causes the elderly customer great distress, which makes Christine feel bad. Humiliated after this encounter, Mrs. Ganush places a powerful curse on her that will result in eternal damnation unless she can lift it in three days. She was cursed to spend eternity in hell.