There are two kinds of fictional villains in this world: those too evil to be hot, and those too hot to be evil. Some villains are just so vile and treacherous to even consider their hotness, whether or not they’re described or shown as a gorgeous fiend. Some, though, are just too beautiful; we can look past their evil-doings because it would be a shame to let their looks go to waste. We can fix them! Together we will navigate the treacherous landscape of villainy together and come out on the other side with a verdict; which ones are hot, and which ones are not?
Spoiler warning! Some of the descriptions of these villains might contain spoilers for their books/movies. Read with caution!
The Darkling — Shadow and Bone
The Darkling is a cruel and manipulative character who does pretty much everything for his own personal gain. Betrayal after betrayal had proven that the Darkling can never be good and never be trusted. But if he’s so evil, why does he have so much rizz? Why would the adaptation cast Ben Barnes to play him? Makes you wonder…
VERDICT: Too hot to be evil.
Luc — The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Luc and Addie have an enormously toxic relationship; Luc ruined Addie’s life, and Addie only seeks him out because he remembers her when no one else does. He took advantage of her pain and suffering and cursed her for all eternity. This decision is tougher because Luc is an immortal being that is genuinely not a good person, but he also has his moments. He’s got that dark and brooding charm that is pretty popular on TikTok right now, protective of Addie in a way that’s one part romantic and one part possessive.
VERDICT: Too hot to be evil.
Sir Thomas Sharpe — Crimson Peak
From the beginning, it’s clear that Thomas is keeping something important — perhaps even deadly — from Edith. Even so, their chemistry is off the charts, and you spend the whole movie wishing he had just been a normal guy instead of hinting at him being evil.
VERDICT: Too hot to be evil.
Dane — Fourth Wing and Iron Flame
Being Violet’s hot and protective best friend, Dane was set up for a really great romance with her. They had great chemistry and worked really well together! Unfortunately, after a while, that protectiveness turns to an ugly kind of possessiveness, and his jealousy over Xaden and Vi manifests in his behavior. Eventually, he betrays Vi and reveals he had been reading her mind the entire time without her permission, which is NOT hot.
VERDICT: Too evil to be hot.
George Wickham — Pride and Prejudice (2005 specifically)
I’m sure you can all guess where this one is going. Rupert Friend is genuinely a really attractive guy, but his portrayal of Wickham is so good that he instantly becomes unattractive. Wickham may not be the plotting and murdering type of evil, but he sure has an ugly personality, manipulating and lying his way out of scandals and into money.
VERDICT: Too evil to be hot.
Ramsay Bolton — Game of Thrones
Those of you who have seen Game of Thrones will likely 100% agree with my verdict here. In fact, I’m confident enough to only say this: Ramsay Bolton is one of the vilest, most evil characters in any literature, and while Iwan Rheon is a cutie, I can hardly look at him now.
VERDICT: Too evil to be hot.
Coriolanus Snow — The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
This is one of the more controversial topics within the film and book communities. Coriolanus Snow is truly a horrible, terrible person, and that is quite obvious in the original trilogy. His specific brand of evil has him murdering hundreds of people in total and exhibiting a complete lack of empathy and humanity all around. In the prequel, however, Snow has yet to grow into the tyrannical president of the originals, making him… kind of okay. He treats Lucy Gray kindly in the beginning, and readers/audiences are very sympathetic to his struggles and tragic backstory. Being played by Tom Blyth certainly helps his case, too.
VERDICT: Too hot to be evil.
Hans — Frozen
If you were like me, you initially adored Hans. He was cute, romantic, and had great chemistry with Anna. So when you found out he was evil, you were probably crushed! He’s so cute! But life is cruel, and eventually, he becomes repulsive and hateful. Others may disagree, but I don’t think his initial level of hotness was enough to propel him through his evil actions.
VERDICT: Too evil to be hot.
Bonus: Killmonger — Black Panther
This is a bonus because, truthfully… I don’t feel like I have to explain this one.
VERDICT: Too hot to be evil.
What do you think? Do you agree, or do you feel like some of these assessments are too generous? I will admit I love a good villain, so that may have shifted my biases a tad. Either way, let us know on Instagram, Facebook, or X if you think we missed someone (or if you have very strong opinions about Dane from Fourth Wing and need to share).
Did this article make you want to read some books where the villain is the love interest? Well, you’re in luck; check out our article!
You can also peruse our bookshelf for some gripping dark romances.
