Writing Great Villains - 3 Archetypes of Villainy from Nolan, Fincher, and PT Anderson 

Chapters: 00:00 Intro - What Makes a Great Villain? 00:54 The Mirror Villain 04:05 The Looming Threat 08:50 The Villain Protagonist 15:46 Iconic Villains

It be cool to see some videos on bad writing to avoid, to example “how NOT to write a villain” would be pretty stellar.

I think What makes a great hero villain dynamic Is the conflict between their respective ideologies which gives the audience a sense of interest and want to see more.

I love the 2nd type of villain, the looming threat. Our imaginations create something so so so much more terrifying that seeing it on screen.

The first time I watched There Will Be Blood, I realized that it was Daniel's line at 13:19 that was the first major red flag for his personality. "Nobody can get at it except for ME." He's standing right there next to the guy who had been his loyal assistant for pretty much his whole oil career up to that point, but he doesn't say "us", he says "me." A seemingly minor detail but it reveals his self-centeredness.

three incredible directors, three incredible performances

Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler was an amazing villain-protagonist, I expected it to be mentioned. Anyways I saw that Studiobinder reached 1 million subscribers and had a smile on my face.

"The More Successful The Villain , The More Successful The Picture." : Alferd Hitchcock 🙌♥

The late 2000’s were so good for villains we had ones like Hans landa, joker, anton chigurh and Daniel plain view

The Looming Villian was my most favourite out of these 3. I dont think anything can be more haunting than a villian who we dont see for the most part but get to know what he's capable of.

I think what makes a great villain is the way the villain reacts, basically their traits not necessarily their motives a villain can have no motivation and still be scary, for example Anton chigurh, Annie Wilkes, Joffrey Baratheon

9:00 It is interesting that a “villainous hero" has become a paradox in modern speech. In the Iliad, where the word first appears, a hero is simply a major combatant in the war, the majority of whom commit villainous deeds. The reader's intelligence is trusted to discern right from wrong by seeing consequences, learning lessons from both the good and the bad. The notion that a hero must be a virtuous model in everything, or almost everything, he does, is a later evolution of the word. Although even in the Iliad, there is a sense that certain heroes (like Achilles) are fundamentally admirable, while others (like Paris) are fundamentally contemptible. And in all literature since, there is a spectrum of characters ranging from “mostly virtuous, with villainous qualities,” to “mostly villainous, with virtuous qualities”-any one of whom might technically be called a “villainous” hero, despite the great differences among them. Which is an example of how language can mislead us.

3:55 - Mirror Villain Summary 8:37 - Looming Villain Summary 15:32 - Villain Protagonist Summary

Let’s not forget.. Silco in Arcane. Brilliant writing.

Johan Liebert from Monster is probably the best example of a looming villain. He rarely appears, but when he does or when he is just mentioned it's clear that something bad will happen. Abd he is a good mirror to dr. Tenma.

just a few archetypes off the top of my head that may be interesting to tackle: 1) Force of nature/unstoppable force: A villain whose presence is felt by other characters and the audience to be almost omnipresent and nigh on unstoppable. A good example of this is, of course, Sauron. The villain isn't ACTUALLY unstoppable, but it takes something extraordinary to defeat them. In this case, it's the fellowship going through absolutely horrible trials in which the chance of success is unfathomably small. What's important about this type of villain is that they are somewhat removed from everyday human emotions, and are more of an abstract threat. We don't need to know Sauron's inner justifications for his actions, so long as we know that he's the big unstoppable bad guy. It avoids being stereotypical and cliché due to the sheer awe the villain inspires in us. 2) Love to hate them/hate to love them.: A villain that isn't so much sympathetic in terms of motives or goals as they are fun to watch or entertaining to listen to. Campy, overly arrogant, maniacal laughter type villains fall under this category. Best example I can think of is Jafar from the original Aladin. Other examples are Ramsay Bolton and Geoffrey Baratheon from game of thrones. Generally, these villains aren't overly complex, they're just somewhat goofy and self-absorbed. However, a villain like this can still surprise the audience in a rare moment of deep introspection or vulnerability. They usually fall due to their own vanity or vice (though that's not exclusive to this archetype, obviously) 3) The misguided villain: Somebody who is a villain due to some bad choices or bad lessons they received, but believe themselves to be righteous. The big question throughout the story, or perhaps in choice moments, is whether they will keep straying from the path, redeem themselves somehow, or fall ever further into darkness. Obviously you already tackled a part of this archetype in the "mirror villain", but not every mirror villain is misguided (maybe they're just straight up evil or mad) and not every misguided villain is a mirror villain. Often times this archetype isn't the only villain in the story, and they're perhaps being misguided by a bigger, more classic villain, for instance, Saruman being misguided by Sauron, or Riku by Maleficent and Ansem (in the first kingdom hearts videogame.) Thanos might fall under this category, as the audience does not need to agree with him, so long as we understand that the villain believes in his own sense of righteousness and his motives are relatively believable by the audience. The Incredibles' "Syndrome" also falls under this category. (though it's arguable that syndrome falls more under the category that I will mention next.) 4) The " tragically hopeless" villain: This is the villain that was once, perhaps in a lifetime ago, a good person, but essentially ended up as what the "misguided villain" threatens to become. They are the result of giving in to the darkness, and perhaps form a warning to the protagonist (this is similar to the mirror villain.) A good example of this is Darth Vader, obviously. Whether these characters can be "redeemed" through a single act of heroism in the finale of an epic trilogy in which they are presented as definitely, 100% evil remains up to debate. The Villain is often "saved" by a realization at the bitter end, a small moment of empathy that is foreshadowed earlier in the story but kept for the climactic finale, or some other miniscule thing that shifts their worldview in the end. Obviously, this villain and the misguided villain have a lot in common in terms of themes and audience expectations or hopes. However, it's just as likely that the hopeless villain never redeems themselves and forever remains shrouded in darkness. 5) The magnificent bastard: "Overly sarcastic productions" has an interesting video on this archetype explaining it much better than I could; but essentially, the magnificent bastard is dastardly, evil, arrogant, self-serving and almost never redeemable, but they enjoy their villainy and do their villainy in style and magnificent extravaganza. Obviously there is some correlation with "love to hate them/hate to love them". However, the magnificent bastard has a more profound impact on the characters of the story, rather than the audience. Whereas "love to hate them/hate to love them" villains are mostly just fabulous to the audience, they are still considered vile by the characters. Magnificent bastards may, however, get some semblance of respect from the characters themselves, who recognize that they are a villain, but they're damn good at what they do. Perhaps this villain is an extravagant billionaire who enjoys torturing the poor protagonist with clever traps and overly impractical and ambitious plans and puzzles, and the protagonist and antagonist have some sort of mutual respect for one another, if only for their skill and not their goals. Magneto and Xavier come to mind, or Death Note's Light Yagami and L.

The key underlying component for me is that the villain has to be smart. They need to drive the conflict and they need to surprise us too. There has to be a REAL threat. In so many movies the villain creates a sky beam that is going to kill the world or end humanity. We know the threat is minimal at best. That's why Thanos was so unique. He was like the Dark Knight's Joker in that he literally could kill everyone. Not giving too much backstory also helps too. Then the audience comes up with their own theories and ideas in their minds.

The more the villain is built up through the narrative as a looming threat the better the payoff at the end when the hero defeats them.

I always enjoy the interrogation scene in The Dark Knight for this very reason. The Joker makes it clear just how alike they both are. And even in the cowl you can tell he’s getting under Bruce’s skin because he knows he’s on to something.

I believe that mixing types keeps the reader/viewer on its toes.

I personally like the villain protagonist, because paradoxically, while they are the least villainous, they hit close to home. So many of us knows a Daniel Plainview, but few of us will ever meet a looming threat. It is in this personal experience that curiosity grows. So much of theatrics is made of the novel and rare, but it's actually the reflection of our lived experience that maintains our interest. It's why star trek was the show that lasted throughout the years. It wasn't the cool tech, the new locales, or even "exotic" actors that made star trek have such an initial grab, it was dealing with taboo, figuring out principles, learning about different ways of thinking, and developing compassion for others that made star trek what it was. Even as the times changed, effects became stale, styles changed and the culture moved on, there's still many people who watch star trek now, and it holds a certain charm that many new shows lack, simply because they don't have that same depth. They can't, for risk of showing a black mirror to the faces of those who are hegemonic.

This was really a kick-ass video!! But I feel the 3 archetypes portrayed here are not enough to cover the large variety of villains that could be developed in writing. I mean, so many psychological, visceral, internal characteristics one could draw upon, that only "3 types" seems a bit limiting.

Congratulations for reaching one million sub...And we all are greatful as always. Thank you Studiobinders ❤️

The end of There Will be Blood is perfect. Slow turn, "I'm finished!" The best.

"In the Line of Fire". Booth/Leary versus Horrigan. The taunting phone calls are simply great. As is the performance by Malkovich. Add in Rene Russo, and you've got a terrific movie.

High-quality content for free. Long live, Studio Binder. Happy New Year!

“Let’s move on to our final villain archetype…” AD. Well played

Thank you StudioBinder for this Inspiring video. It's a True Audiovisual Encyclopedia about what defines A Great Villain in Movies. Very Inspiring.

This is the best filmmaking channel on RU-vid by a HUGE margin. Thank you so much for this content. Also, the narrator is absolutely ACE, love him.

Kate in Sicario is an excellent villain protagonist because you don't even realize her villainy until you've seen the movie a couple of times. She's supposed to be a protagonist yet every decision she makes is meant to hinder Josh Brolin's character who is the actual protagonist.

Clarence Boddicker stands as a testament to the captivating allure of cinematic villains. Kurtwood Smith's portrayal was nothing short of brilliance, seamlessly blending sly arrogance with unapologetic malevolence and unwavering confidence. With no redeeming qualities to his name, he emerged as the quintessential antagonist we all secretly almost rooted for. Set against the backdrop of the 1980s, his somewhat geeky and nerdy appearance at the time lent an unsettling and eerie quality to his sinister actions-an uncanny valley of villainy, if you will. And then, there's Hans Gruber from Die Hard, a character who exuded sophistication and professionalism. His articulate demeanor almost compelled admiration, despite his nefarious intentions. These two characters, Boddicker and Gruber, etch themselves into the pantheon of the finest cinematic villains in my memory. Of course, there are countless others who have left their indelible mark as well.

Thank you studiobinder for these great videos

It's comforting to see 1M subscribers Studiobinder deserves it ❤

That was an amazing analysis of those three films. I’ve never been the biggest there will be blood fan- but I really want to rewatch it now.

I should be asleep but I can't stop binging your channel's videos! I just discovered it and I can't help myself haha. It's so good.

Really good essay. This is why this channel is one of my favorites.

A million well deserved subs...literally my favourite channel on the platform.

All I want to you guys at Studiobinder… A happy new year!!!

number 2 is my favorite type of villain… I LITERALLY ADDED 3 of them in my story (most of the time there even more dangerous dead than alive, and at some times they nearly become mirror villains for a short amount of time) my best example is : around the middle of the story i introduce a charismatic and mysterious villain who has a strong link with the main character struggles and is completely overpowered. he does something incredible and memorable that impact the whole scenario… and then leave. to return like 4 chapters later with way more tension, there we learn more about the character, his threat take a lot of place like he’s going to be the next greatest villain, we find out his goal is quite similar to the main character’s one but with different morals… and then he just dies in the same chapter, but him dying leads to even worse, and at a time, it even starts to impact the main character’s sanity. or even lead to a complete destruction of the universe.

So many good villains. This one needs a part 2.

took me hard with the Daniel Plainview stuff then directly after that I get some of my fav films edited in the outro. i love you guys

Do a video on writing a villain who is LESS the bad guy, & MORE the embodiment of evil. Examples being Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, or even Frankenstein. Characters who are seemingly non-human & unrelatable.

💗🏆 *BIG CONGRATULATIONS on passing a MILLION SUBSCRIBERS, and thanks again for all the amazing content, StudioBinder crew!! Happy New Year, everyone!!*

What else can I say about you guys that's not already being said. You guys up your game after every passing video. All I can say is THANKYOU StudioBinder!

Hi StudioBinder, I recently discovered your channel and have been loving it since, been a movie buff all my life and am now thinking of starting to write my own stories and screenplays, been watching so many of your videos and jotting down notes that has helped tremendously. Really loved this video as well especially the Looming Threat, first villain that came to mind was actually a video game one, Thor and Odin in God Of War(2018). They will written very well and will deffinately show up in the sequel. would love to see you guys cover some of these villain archetypes. The hero turned villain. ex. Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader ,Robin to Redhood , The Set Up Villain .ex. Thanos, James Morriaty The Ancient Evil The Beast(Creature) .ex. the Xenomorph etc.... can't wait to see more videos from you guys, keep up the great work

When Joker speaks to Batman in the cells, giving him what some 'brotherly advice' and also when Joker speaks to Harvey in the hospital ... I just love that little piece of music

Superb content as always!

16:43 LORD VADER & DOC OCK are clear stand-outs of their respective genres.

Another fine lesson learned. THANK YOU!!!

Cannot watch any of this channel video without my notebook😍

The Joker (Heath Ledger), Davy Jones, Thanos, Ebony Maw, Ultron, Hans Landa (Inglourious Basterds), are all absolutely phenomenal. The best of the best for me. The way the actors manipulated their voice/delivered their lines for the characters was especially superb to. Annie Wilkes was great too.

I love the British narrator's deep voice. He should be a voice actor for authoritative characters in any kind of media.

Congrats studiobinder for 1M subs, you have awesome content.

This will really help me, thanks!

I have so little respect for this channel's perception of movies and so much respect for the way this channel breaks down the technicals. I don't know how to reconcile those two things.

This channel is a treasure!

thanks for including the music credits!

congrats on the 1 mill.i realy enjoy ur channel

This was a wonderful video, well done!

Man the sound edit on this video!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Great channel, amazing video as always.

I absolutely love “There Will Be Blood”. Great video as usual!

Amazing vid as always

Congrats on 1 mil!

Wow, waited for this..... Great !

This video is a masterpiece

The villain always has the most fun.

Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin (Netflix's version only) is my favourite villain of all time.

Congratulations on 1 mil Subs

Great examples of villains here. Daniel Plainview is mesmerizing. I hope one day, somehow, we get to see the judge from Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. A villain for the ages. Maybe the most terrifying man in fiction.

I have just noticed you hit one million subscribers well done and congratulations you should be very proud of your selfs

This is one villain you should cover next: Frank in Sergio Leone's 1968 classic, _Once Upon a Time in the West,_ portrayed by Henry Fonda. It was one of his most shocking performances as he usually played heroes, but when he portrayed Frank, a remorseless murderer... it unveiled a dark side that nobody expected. Oh, and if you can, please don't forget to put context on the film, such as the writers of the film's story, Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci being film critics and their legacy, Sergio Leone himself, his _Dollars Trilogy,_ the films he made after that, and the time when _Once Upon a Time in the West_ was made, in 1967-68, even how he got to get produced, not to mention the films he never made.

Best channel I discovered in 2021

your channel is precious

I think you should make a video on the amazing writing in the to show peaky blinders. The characters are amazingly written, the acting is incredible, the cinematography is outstanding and the show is very original. Also less than 10 or 5 channels have made any videos on the show so it would give studiobinder a market of people that are hungry for an analysis of the show.

Congratulations for 1 million. The video is great. Please post directing style of Christopher Nolan and P.T Anderson

Heath Ledger as the Joker. What a performance that was and what a loss for us as spectators as he died wayyyy too soon.

Moriarty and Magnussen in the Sherlock Holmes Series were outstanding villains. They were unpredictable, outsmarting Sherlock and ready to even sacrifice their lives for winning, that made them horrifiying.

at 16:07 if I was sitting there with Hannibal I definitely would've laughed in his face at that "spspsspsps"

thanks for this video 👏❤️

"I heard what you said. Why are you acting insane and threatening to slit my throat?" felt the the actor broke character LOL

I actually learned a lot from this.

Great video.

Could you cover Best villain reveals, including monsters or aliens? Greatly appreciated!

The content of the channel is very good, I am Vietnamese and I hope to have Vietnamese subtitles so I can watch and understand more about your channel.😍😍

What a brilliant video ..thank you so much @studiobinder ...learnt something 😊😀

Wonderful video

Congratulations on 1M subscribers👏🍰

Please do a video about dual dialogue.... scenes....in which way we can use it and in which emotions it will convey

The Creeper from Jeepers Creepers would be the best looming threat I can imagine.

If You Were To Make A Part 2, I Think Villains From Horror Movies Would Be An Interesting Take 1. The Boogeyman (This Villain Is A Relentless Killer. They Instill Fear By They're Body Count) 2. The Beast/Monster (This Villain Isn't Human, And Sometimes Isn't Natural. Most Of The Time, It's Just Hungry And Has Human Flesh On It's Mind) 3. The Mastermind (This Villain Is Present Throughout, However The Threat Is Not From The Body's They Kill Or Who They Harm. It's Figuring Out What They're Overall Plan Is. Sometimes, When Things Go A Certain Way For The Protagonists Favor, It Was All A Part Of The Villains Plan Overall)

Could you please do a 7 areas of directing video on Gore Verbinski? Or at least an analysis on Rango, one of my favorite Verbinski films.

Awesome & Thanks :)

If you look at classic comic book villains and other such bad guys, the number one thing that their creators said over and over again is that they designed each villain to be a foil for the hero. This includes heroes who have multiple villains- The Joker, for instance, is a foil for Batman, but Penguin, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Riddler etc are each foils in their own way as well, each representing a challenge to one or more defining traits of Batman.

Superb video

Frank Booth from Blue Velvet is probably my most memorable villain

Wow. You've actually helped me realise one of the main reasons I didn't think Se7en was as good as people say. He needed to have unclear motives, but the whole way through the movie we know exactly what his motives are. To punish 7 sinners.

Be interesting to go one further with this and analyze when the villain changes characters or the villain becomes the hero e.g. Return of Jedi, as the Emperor becomes the greatest threat and Darth becomes the hero.

A great villain has to have these 3 trades (in order): 1. Menacing 2. Smart 3. Charismatic

This just helped me get past a sticking point I had with a character.