In horror movies and TV series, witches come in all shapes and sizes and a with a whole host of motivations.  From powerful evil witches to serene and beautiful healers they have popped up in droves over the years in genre films and television.  I want to preface this list of my favorite wicked witches by saying this is meant as no disrespect to the pagan community as I am a member myself.  I hope you find your favorite spellcasters here!

10. Winifred Sanderson

From her fabulous singing to her spell book that could actually see you coming, the leader of the Sanderson witches was played to the hilt by Bette Midler!  Her motivation?  Youth and beauty!  How was she going to get it?  By sucking the life force out of children!  Winifred is one of my favorites for a lot of reasons, but her amazing performance of “I Put a Spell on You” is at the top.  Using a song to cast a spell that will make your victims dance until they die earned Winnie her place on this list.

9.  Nancy Downs

If we’re talking crazy witch bitches, it doesn’t get much better than Fairuza Balk’s turn as Nancy Downs in 1996’s The Craft.  Nancy had been so beaten down by life that one taste of real power pushed her over the edge, and it wasn’t long before she had committed her first murder and began threatening anyone who disagreed with her.  The more the power grew, the more she went over the edge leading to one of the best witch battles ever filmed.

8.  Fiona Goode and Marie Laveau

This pair, a witch and a voodoo queen, have more power and style in one finger than most of the rest on this list.  Watching them square off in American Horror Story: Coven was some of the most entertaining television I’ve seen in years.  Fiona’s quest to remain the powerful Supreme played well against Marie’s eternal life with the horrific price of offering a child up to the Papa Legba once a year beginning with her very own daughter.  If you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for?

7.  Mother Malkin

Queen of the witches in Seventh Son, Mother Malkin was doubly dangerous as a powerful witch who could transform into an equally powerful dragon. Though the film was much maligned in certain circles, Malkin was a great character whose tenacity earned her place on this list.

6.  Mombi

The woman literally cut off young girl’s heads and kept them in a parlor where she would switch one out for the next depending on her mood.  Brought to life by the talented Jean Marsh, who also brought Bavmorda to terrifying life in Willow, this vain and villainous witch from Return to Oz was one crazy lady.  Terrifying and cruel, she wanted Dorothy’s head for her collection.

5.  Muriel

The leader of the dark witches in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Muriel is intent on abducting children to enact a spell that will give the witches protection against fire.  Muriel is cruel and not above using whatever method necessary to rid herself of the witch hunters and bring her followers into a new era of protection from their most lethal enemy.

4.  Bellatrix Lestrange

An adamant follower of Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise, Bellatrix’s devotion crossed into obsession long ago, and there was nothing she would not do to prove herself to him time and again.  She didn’t just enjoy torturing people, she savored each moment.

3.  Lamia

Lamia, the oldest of the three sister witches in Stardust (each named for different types of vampiric entities from folklore), sets out on a quest to collect the heart of a fallen star.  Michelle Pfeiffer was amazing in the role of this life sucking witch.  Powerful and relentless in her search.

2.  The Grand High Witch

If you’ve seen this movie, then you know.  Anjelica Huston plays the Grand High Witch who creates a potion that will turn their hated enemy, namely children, into mice.  One of the scariest witches on film, Huston was  on point from start to finish in The Witches earning her the number 2 spot on the list.

1.  Haggis

When Ed Harley’s son is accidentally killed by a group of twenty somethings from the city, he turns to the witch Haggis for revenge.  She warns them there will be a price, but he insists, and she conjures up the demon, Pumpkinhead, to hunt down and kill those responsible.  It doesn’t take Ed long to realize the price is experiencing every moment of pain each of the youngsters feel as Pumpkinhead exacts his revenge.

There you have it!  My favorite wicked witches to grace the screen!