10 Most Terrifying Female Horror Movie Villains

Following in Sadako’s creepy footsteps came a new J-Horror villain in the form of Kayako, the female antagonist in Ju-On: The Grudge, the spiritual successor to 1998s Ring.

There is a misconception that Kayako is merely a copy of Sadako and that Ju-On was nothing but a cash in on the success of Ring, yet Kayako is a different villainess altogether and possibly even more deadly and relentless than Sadako herself.

The victim of a jealous husband, Kayako falls foul of his murderous rage and is killed in her own house, along with her child Toshio and their equally unfortunate cat. Whereas Sadako requires her victims to have watched a cursed video tape to carry out her revenge, Kayako just needs a one point of contact; either you have been inside the haunted house in Tokyo or you’ve met someone who has. Either way, you’re doomed from the start.

Played by Takako Fuji, a trained contortionist and ballet dancer, Kayako is seemingly unstoppable as she is able to track you down no matter how far you run, appearing from nowhere with a blood curdling vocal fry that lingers in the imagination long after the film has ended. In one terrifying sequence she even appears under the covers - it seems that being in bed is no longer the safest place in the world…