8. Heath Ledger as The Joker in 'The Dark Knight'
Ledger's Joker isn't exactly a serial killer in the sense I pointed out at the start as he's got his gang and a much bigger plan than just killing people and that's why he's not higher on this list. But there's diabolical method to the joker's killings and, as we've all read time and time again, it was a very odd casting choice. There's little to be said here that already hasn't been remarked upon over and over again already but Ledger showed such an extraordinary commitment to the role that, when he died, the media whipped itself into a frenzy with the idea that his role as the Joker was somehow responsible. In reality it's very unlikely that it played any part, as the toxic combination of sleeping pills Ledger took were due to an insomnia problem that Ledger had been suffering from long before playing the Joker. When you look at Ledger's previous work there is a commitment to the role apparent but his healthy good looks and generally likeable demeanour don't make him a safe choice to play someone twisted or damaged but, as has been said, he set a bench mark with his performance creating a scary, violent and surprising version of a character that has been around for decades. Cinema's quintessential scary clown. Yes, even scarier than Pennywise.