20 Greatest Movie Villains Of The 2000s

20. Hannibal Lecter - Hannibal

Though the character was first brought to life by Brian Cox in Michael Mann's 1986 Manhunter, it was with minimal screen time in The Silence of the Lambs that Anthony Hopkins turned Hannibal Lecter into one of the most famous movie villains of all time.

He wasn't even the main antagonist in 1992, with such a role being taken by Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). No, instead Hannibal had to wait until 2000, eight real-life years after escaping incarceration, to become the sole focus of Clarice Starling's (Julianne Moore) efforts.

Hannibal may not have been as well received as The Silence of the Lambs, but it did allow for more from the titular character. That same intensity and soft-spoken fear-mongering were brought to the table by Hopkins once more, as were clearer indicators of his violent and man-eating nature.

What was offered up in Hopkins' first performance was more a reputation for the character, whereas his villainous muscles were flexed far more in the sequel. He tested Clarice, he killed, tortured, and consumed flesh like it was nothing, and on top of all that, after feeding an innocent child human brains, no less, he got away scot-free.