20 Greatest Movie Villains Of The 2000s

It's often the case that the build-up to a villain is as important as the character themselves. If they are overestimated, the reveal is going to fall flat, while the other side of the coin is that not enough anticipation could lead an audience not to care about them at all.

The Harry Potter series got Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) right. After a very brief appearance on the back of Professor Quirrell's (Ian Hart) head, and as young Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) flashbacks, the Dark Lord stayed absent until 2005's The Goblet of Fire, making his triumphant return at the conclusion of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

He had been built as this terrifying figure, evil incarnate whose resurrection was the worst thing that could have happened to the world, and with the ever-excellent Ralph Fiennes at the wheel, he lived up to his reputation.

Aside from his very singular goal of ending the life of the boy who lived, Voldemort was the personification of prejudice and bigotry in the wizarding world, with the power and lack of any conscience to back it up. Some villains are given a backstory with at least a little reason or redemption, but there was nothing even close to redeeming Lord Voldemort.