10 Horror Movie Villains Secretly Introduced Way Earlier Than You Realise
2. Mr. Bye Bye - The Bye Bye Man
2017's The Bye Bye Man is essentially the story of a mysterious entity known as Mr. Bye Bye, a sinister demon that makes people commit horrifying acts, and whose legend is passed on by muttering or thinking of his name. It's a fairly cliche-riddled and otherwise unremarkable flick, but the ways in which The Bye Bye Man is teased to audiences before his eventual reveal really is where things can veer into the unsettling.
One of the standout examples of these comes when Alice is shown walking through her uncle's house. A tracking shot follows her as she enters a bedroom, where the camera passes a mirror on the left hand side of the wall, revealing the figure of Mr. Bye Bye himself hiding in the reflection.
There's no jump scare as Alice continues on with her exploration into a small hole in the wall revealing a wolf's head, though the subtle tactic from director Stacy Title does a stellar job in showcasing how far the film's baddie has stretched.