How can you create a memorable villain for a live action film?

The greatest villains are charismatic and lovable / likable / charming. There is nothing more boring than a predictable and ugly personification of evil. True temptation comes in a clever, gorgeous package - seduction happens when the smartest hero has to pay a high price to overcome the desire to bite in that apple. The greatest villains walk the line between madness and genius and teach us a lesson of purpose.

A villain should always be smarter than the hero, and a real threat to them, both physically and strategically. Without these two things, you have no stakes, and the film will be extremely dull, as so many films have been in the last couple of decades. A lack of real stakes will lead to a lack of interest in the viewer.

Understand something… The villain, some times, is an idea, an abstract thing as opposed to a physical entity. Draw from your own experiences of the times you’ve contented with a disembodied character. Perhaps you could build a relatable villain using this perspective.

A villain is only memorable his/her character is fleshed out and fully developed. These questions must be answered : 1. What kind of villain is he/she? 2. What has driven this character to be the villain? Why did he/she become the antagonist in the story? 3. Who is his/her nemesis and how does he/she respond to him/her? 4. What kind of world does this villain thrive? 5. Is the actor chosen right for the part? Does the villain effectively portray his/her part? 6. What is the end goal? Does he/she achieve it in a way that the story is complete? These are the most important questions that need to be answered when writing in a villain in the story.

a Villain is the hero of film first you create then only we prepare to heroism to overcome the talented villain there comes struggle of a writer to talent and creativity to overcome a beautifully created villain

Villain! What color toilet paper does he use , his Mum's name, what is his favorite flower, does he own a gun? Is he loaded? Is his partner male or female, or indeed does he have one? Anything other than the crime he is finally going to action.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most villains believe they are the hero. It’s usually through a series of moral concessions. For a villain, all actions are justifiable. That’s the major difference between a hero and a villain. no matter what action a villain does they’re able to justify it based on the outcome. It could be argued antiheroes fall under this, and I would agree with that. The biggest difference between a villain, and an antihero is who benefits from their actions. If the person doing the action is the beneficiary, they’re a villain. For example, the film and comic book characters, The Punisher kills so that other people don’t have to lose their families to them. While The kingpin kills to advance his power and agendas.

To a degree this is ok but do you not run the risk that the audience might sympathize with the villain and maybe to some extent justify their actions thereby decreasing the disdain which should be felt by all?

When I am playing the villian which is 90% of my acting career... I delve deep into his back story which most screen writers only skim over... Creating your own back story and maybe only sharing it with the director will give the character depth and purpose... Again it doesn't have to be complicated... Maybe it was a tragic experience they have had that propels them to do which defines them as the villian of the story... A villian is much like a hero who has been dealt a different hand of cards that ultimately creates their intention... A villian knows what they want and how to get it whereas the hero discovers his identity throughout the story... "Am I really the one..." He asks himself... A villian doesn't... They already know...

The antagonist has to be scarier and more powerful than your protagonist, period. Let the antagonist win all the little battles, it is only the big final battle that your protagonist needs to win!

An antagonist's strength lies not just in their actions, but in the unwavering passion and conviction they bring to their ideology. While the protagonist may fight for tangible goals, it's the antagonist who taps into the raw power of shaping minds and emotions. Take Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight, for example—his chaotic dance wasn't just about physical disruption; it was a visceral assault on the very fabric of societal norms. When the antagonist's cause resonates on a deeper, emotional level, it leaves an indelible mark, making them a force that transcends the boundaries of the screen.

The best advice I've ever heard about writing a great villain is to remember that they believe they are justified in their actions. Humans have an incredible way of justifying the things they do- good or bad. Villains are no different. Thanos was a great example- he believed he was helping the universe by decreasing the population. Find out the reasoning behind their actions.

Listen to Angie Atkinson describe a narcissist. They love bomb others (at least in the beginning) they create a persona that they believe. They think they are the kindest living being on earth. They really believe that about themselves. In reality they are self centered and da da da will do anything to get their ego stoked and to have power. It’s always about power whether rich or poor They’re never embarrassed because they know they are right. They are truly void of sentiment but yet are the best at portraying such. I watch part of series titled You which characterizes the narcissist

While it is easy to give a character many flavors and layers, it is also important that they do not become a characterization of themselves in the process. Even an over the top character needs to be nuanced and have range or the audience will get tired of watching them. And rarely is a character perfect, meaning even a villain can have a soft spot or a positive flaw in a sense, as minor as that may be.

I think when you're writing action films, the more empathetic the villian, the better they are. One that the audience can identify with or admire, even if they are the antagonist. An evil person doesn't make a formidable enemy but a smart one doing bad deeds does. Darth Vader is a great example: Why does everyone love Darth Vader even though he is the villain (long before he turns to light side of the force)? He has qualities that we admire. He is ambitious. And contrary to what the article states, he is not ruthless, he is methodical and planned; strategic. He has self-restraint. And it is those positive qualities that make him a formidable enemy. And makes us like him as an antagonist.

There is nothing worse that seeing a two dimensional villian on screen... By giving the antagonist a strong character they become much more real and three dimensional... They have a strong purpose in a story and if you can achieve this most of the time it makes the audience understand the what and the the why of this character... Even cheering him on moreso than the hero of the story... Again the hero/protagonist is only as good as the villian/antagonist... The higher the stakes the better the resolution...

The bigger, badder, stronger, or more magical (etc.) that you make a villain means that you have the fantastic narrative (and visual) opportunity to make their fall a very hard, memorable event for the viewer, even if it is a battle to get them there.

Setting up weaknesses in your villain helps the viewer know the rules of your story. For instance, Dracula must have a wooden stake driven through his heart. If this isn't done correctly, Dracula will come back and cause more carnage.

All dynamic characters grow, even antagonists. Adding character development for your villain will create a standout character for the audience. Someone they can empathize with. Even Agent Smith in the Matrix wants to ultimately be free like Neo.

When a villian has an intriguing origin story it lures the audience into their world. Then, when the narrative allows for personal growth, self-evolution and new transformations with the villian, it creates a robust character arc that is timeless. It is always powerful for viewers to experience the trials and tribulations of a villian.

Villains need contradictory factors and oppositional energies working against them (or inside of them) or the story will fall flat. And to drive the story forward, the villain need to experience what all humans do in life (and respond immensely to on screen) is the Forces of Antagonism: positive, contradictory, contrary, and the negation of the negation. An advanced principle that may take some practice to learn how to properly apply, the negation of the negation is often unnoticeable to the audience, but still the main reason for a satisfying story.

This is generally true, but sometimes a villain is so well established that they may not need as much, and instead we just need them to "be", and how the protagonist sometimes has to develop around them - I think of Heath Ledgers' Joker: we are all familiar with who The Joker is, and it was really a memorable performance not so much through development of their backstory/character, but really die to how we get to see their personality cause the protagonist grow in ways they weren't expecting, and in ways that probably made the viewer uncomfortable.

Please note that all references written above involve the “hero” that is used to construct the villain. Start with a strong lead character with a deep backstory. Develop that character in as much depth you can in a pre-writing mode. At write the character strengths and weaknesses. These elements will contribute to the development of your villain’s character traits with strengths and weaknesses based on your hero’s traits. The stronger your hero, the stronger your villain will be. Your two main characters are your most important characters you will develop. Take your time—be patient and allow your creative juices flow. Good luck.

Let the actor own the role. They should be allowd make their mark and be natural, get a knee jerk reaction from the audience.

Great points. I’d add: Don’t base performance on previous performances. Base on life if you have experience. Otherwise create from imagination. We’ve had billions of “bad guy” performances regurgitated ad nauseum. We don’t need another.

I would like to add that letting the actor also have the freedom to improv, also perhaps try playing the villain in an opposite way. For example if you are conveying anger, what if the character were to laugh? If you are going to shout to get your objective. What if the villain were to put his hand on the victims shoulder. The weight of just a hand alone without saying anything for a moment can be just as menacing.

Listen to the actor who is playing the villian... Allow the actor to create a fully fledged character... Elaborate on an endless back story even if it is never mentioned within the story... One glance... One look... One word from your villian/antagonist/anti-hero will speak leaps and bounds to the audience if the research is done properly... When I'm playing the villian I never see him as a villian... I see a character who had grown up in different circumstances that simply collide with the hero...