Top 30 Cartoon Characters That Were Villains
Our list rounds up the top 30 cartoon characters that were villains, each one more wonderfully wicked than the last.
There’s something for everyone from every genre you love.
2026 is officially the year of cinema. We’ve had more good releases in the past 5 months than in all of 2025. I can count on one hand the few good movies released in 2025.
I’m starting a new segment where I bring you the most anticipated releases each month, ranked from must-watch to “maybe if I’m bored enough.”
There’s something for everyone from every genre you love, from superhero movies, comedy, horror, action, fantasy, to sci-fi.
Let’s kick off with the movies first.
Kara Zor-El is not the wide-eyed superhero you remember (she’s completely different from CW’s goody-two-shoes Kara). Having spent her formative years watching Krypton crumble around her, this version of Supergirl is harder, rawer, and carrying a lot of damage.
On her 21st birthday, she crosses the galaxy with Krypto the Superdog and gets pulled into helping a young alien girl named Ruthye avenge her father’s murder. This single act sets her on an unexpected path of self-discovery.
I’ve loved Milly Alcock since her role as young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and I’ve been quietly excited about this one. I know superhero fatigue is real, believe me, I feel it too, but I still have an appetite for a few good ones. And, this looks like one of them.
Spielberg is back in his element. A Kansas City news anchor (Emily Blunt) mysteriously loses her ability to speak live on air. A cybersecurity expert (Josh O’Connor) steals classified proof that humanity is not alone in the universe. The world is about to find out the truth, whether governments want them to or not.
I love alien and UFO-type movies, and adding Steven Spielberg to the mix is just the cherry on top.
The Wayans are back at it, and honestly, this will be a lot of fun.
Set 26 years after the original, the gang is back — Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon, and Shawn, and they’ve got a whole new generation of horror movies to tear apart. On the chopping block: Sinners, M3GAN, Smile, Get Out, and the endless cycle of sequels/prequels nobody asked for.
I’m curious to see if they can still land the jokes in an era where anything can get you canceled. The bar for parody comedy has changed a lot since 2000. But if anyone can walk that line, it’s the Wayans.
I got introduced to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise when I first watched She-Ra and Princesses of Power. I loved that show and Adora and Catra’s dynamics, so I have a soft spot for the franchise.
Prince Adam has been living an ordinary life on Earth for 15 years, completely unaware he’s the heir to Eternia. When the magical Sword of Power finds him, he returns home to discover his world in ruins under the iron grip of Skeletor. His destiny as He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe, is no longer optional. It’s time to embrace his destiny.
The toys are back, and this time their enemy isn’t another toy—it’s technology itself. When a sleek, frog-shaped smart tablet named Lilypad arrives and starts winning over the kids, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang must figure out if there’s still a place for them in a world that would rather swipe than play.
Personally, I think Toy Story should have ended at part 3, but I’m curious to see how they’d tackle the tech-replacing-toys storyline.
This one is for my fellow horror fans.
Layla is a talented violinist barely surviving the cost of living in Los Angeles. She takes a high-paying gig as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of a wealthy, enigmatic family, and what starts as a prestigious opportunity quickly spirals into something deeply unsettling as dark family secrets begin to surface around her.
Tyler Perry and Blumhouse producing together is a combination I didn’t see coming, but I’m not complaining.
Rudd is a successful real estate agent with a perfectly curated life. Then he gets a call that his “little brother” Marcus — a man he mentored through a Big Brother program 20 years ago and promptly forgot about — has been in an accident and needs him. Marcus (Eric André) promptly moves in. Chaos, as they say, ensues.
If you’re in the mood for John Cena’s brand of comedy and just need to turn your brain off for a bit, this is your pick. Eric André being completely unhinged while Cena tries to hold it together sounds like exactly the kind of movie I want to watch after a stressful day.
This isn’t the Robin Hood you grew up with. Aging, gravely wounded after what he thought would be his final battle, and haunted by a lifetime of crime and bloodshed, Robin Hood finds himself in the hands of a mysterious woman. She offers him something he didn’t expect—a chance at salvation.
Hugh Jackman. Jodie Comer. Bill Skarsgard. A24. Full Logan energy.
That’s all you need to know.
Joe and Angela’s marriage is hanging by a thread. In a last-ditch attempt to inject some life into it, they invite their glamorous, charming upstairs neighbors — played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton — over for dinner. The night doesn’t go as planned. At all.
Seth Rogen sweating nervously through a very specific conversation is apparently a highlight.
In true A24 fashion, you never know what the movie is truly about from the trailer. You just have to watch it.
Jill copes with the death of her little sister by continuing to leave her voicemails; funny, messy, brutally honest ones about her chaotic life as an aspiring pastry chef in San Francisco.
What she doesn’t know (or probably ignores) is that her sister’s number has been reassigned to a stranger in Austin named Wes. He starts quietly falling for her, from listening to her messages.
If you’re in the mood for a Netflix romcom, this one looks sweet. Fair warning, though, the premise is almost identical to Priyanka Chopra’s Love Again, where she kept texting her dead fiancé’s number, and someone else kept receiving them.
Different packaging, familiar feeling.
Next, we have new seasons of shows I’m watching that are pretty good.
Out of almost every entry on this list, this is the one I’m looking forward to the most. I’m so ready for rockstar Lestat to wreak more havoc on Louis and co.
Aptly retitled The Vampire Lestat after Anne Rice’s second book, season three shifts the lens away from Louis and gives us Lestat’s side of the story.
Furious at how he was portrayed in the previous two seasons, he does what only Lestat would do—forms a band and goes on tour. What ensues is a season of Rockstar vampire chaos, ancient powers, past muses, and a growing influence over vampires and humans alike.
This show has been must-watch television from day one, and I have no reason to think that’s changing.
The Dance of the Dragons is no longer a threat; it’s finally happening. Season 3 opens with the Battle of the Gullet, which showrunner Ryan Condal has called “arguably the craziest episode of television ever made.” I guess we’ll just have to see if that’s true.
Rhaenyra moves to consolidate her forces, the Greens scramble to hold their ground, and Westeros burns.
We’ve been waiting for the full-scale war since season one. June 21 is the day. I just hope HBO doesn’t disappoint again.
One last ride for Carmy and co.
The fifth and final season of The Bear drops all eight episodes at once, with Carmy, Sydney, Richie, and the crew making one last push for something that feels like perfection.
The show also dropped a surprise flashback episode that followed Richie and Mikey on a road trip to Indiana, as a parting gift ahead of the finale.
The Bear is a chaotic and sometimes unhinged show, but it’s really heartwarming.
A year after the Chroma Conclave, Vox Machina has scattered, each member finding themselves in their own corner of Exandria. And in true Vox Machina fashion, this doesn’t last.
A long-dormant evil wakes up, the realm is in danger, and the gang has to get back together to face something darker than anything they’ve seen before.
After saving the Northern Water Tribe, Aang, Katara, and Sokka set their sights on the Earth Kingdom. They hope to convince the Earth King to join the fight against Fire Lord Ozai. Along the way, they find Toph, the blind earthbending master fans have been waiting to see in live action since the show was announced.
And we also get to see one of my favorite villains, Azula, make her debut. I hope they don’t ruin her character.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t particularly care for this live-action adaptation, especially since it wasn’t necessary. But since I don’t like leaving things unfinished, I might just watch it and see if it’s good.
Also, live-action Aang no longer sounds like a child, and I cannot stop thinking about it. Puberty struck mid-production. I guess that’s the risk you take with live action adaptations, I suppose.
Chioma is a content marketer and film buff. When she isn't creating stuff for brands, you can find her watching movies and reading. Favorite genres include; Fantasy, Action, YA, Thriller, and Chick-Lit.
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Peace Owen says:
Looking forward to every one of the TV series. Looking to be a fun month!