10 Horror Movie Backstories That Get Worse The More You Think About It

Everybody loves a good horror villain. Out of every other genre, these characters have the freest reign when it comes to being fiendishly creative. Only in horror can there exist demonic dolls, man-eating monsters, and unstoppable serial killers. There’s no limit to how imaginative they can be, with the most unique often becoming the most enthralling.

Just as fascinating as the character themselves is their backstory. This is where writers can flesh out their creations by telling audiences more about who they are and, more importantly, the events which led them to their current situations. Not only can an origin story make a character vastly more interesting, but when done right their stories can tie directly into the film’s themes which make for an immensely more satisfying experience.

Horror backstories come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from tragic pasts to lives that have been shaped by violence. There’s an endless list of intriguing horror backstories out there, but there are some that are profoundly more captivating and compelling than others.

These are the sort of origins that have the power to shape characters in different lights and give us as viewers something extra to think about.

Vivarium director Lorcan Finnegan puts a vengeful spin on folk-horror with Nocebo when a smiley Diana (Chai Fonacier) arrives on the doorstep of successful fashion designer Christine (Eva Green).

Christine, who’s been suffering from an undetermined illness, doesn’t remember hiring her. But since Diana seems to know about the designer's situation, she blames her recent memory loss for the confusion. Diana's traditional remedies have a remarkable effect on Christine's symptoms over the following days; however, the new carer's strange behaviour raises suspicions that she's up to no good.

We gradually learn more about Diana's past through a series of flashbacks which reveal the reason for her sinister motivation.

Diana received her miraculous powers as a child when she witnessed a witch’s death which caused her powers to be transferred to the youngster. She’d fall in love years later and start a family before fleeing her home when fighting broke out.

She then got a job at a sweatshop run by Christine's company but would tragically lose her daughter in a fire thanks to the designer’s ruthless rules that demanded a door should be kept locked.

Not only does this give Diana a captivating backstory, but it also gives Nocebo a biting humanitarian message.