It’s inevitable that not everyone can be liked. While some characters are created intentionally to be loathed, as villains or troublesome stumbling blocks for the heroes to bump into, other creations are disliked simply for being themselves. It’s not that the filmmakers have gone out of their way to create someone so utterly horrible, but that these creations have practically become sentient and taken control of the ship, developing a life of their own simply by being hated by so many people.
Updated May 27, 2023: This article has been updated to include new additions to the list as well as additional context around the previous entries.
Some characters generate hatred for a variety of reasons, some warranted and some not. In some ways, fans might take their hatred too far and need to be called out for their bad behavior. Yet some characters have generated a great deal of discussion. These are the most despised movie characters of all time.
Captain Marvel (MCU)
Captain Marvel lands on this list with a big caveat, in that much of the hate for her is from a nongenuine place and is part of an online-generated harassment campaign. The hatred for Captain Marvel did not kick off until star Brie Larson rightfully spoke out about representation in film criticism, with some online spaces spinning this into an attack on them instead of a wider system. Much of the criticism for Captain Marvel as a character stems from a place of gender bias that is not present in other MCU characters.
The idea that she is unlikable or too snappy is not a criticism leveled at Iron Man, Star-Lord, or Doctor Strange. She is so powerful but so are the Hulk and Thor, and yet that is never used as a knock against them. While there is some warranted criticism of Captain Marvel as a movie, much of it does come from a place of severe bias against the star Brie Larson, but it is worth remembering it is a vocal minority. This is proven by Captain Marvel‘s success at the box office, grossing $1 billion worldwide. A movie doesn’t generate $1 billion if audiences hate the movie or the character, and there is a great deal of anticipation for The Marvels, which will unite Carol Danvers with Monica Rambeau and Ms. Marvel.
Grandpa Joe (Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory)
The hatred for one Grandpa Joe is undoubtedly an interesting one. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a magical movie and a childhood classic. Still, as audiences have grown up, they have taken issue with Granda Joe, specifically the version in the 1971 film and not the 2005 Tim Burton-directed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Grandpa Joe lying in bed for most of his life while his child and grandson take of him before jumping around and dancing before going on a trip to the titular factory has angered many people.
It is worth noting the hatred for his character has roots in the belief of “the lazy poor,” which sees him, and by extension, many lower-income individuals, as mooching off the system. This isn’t an entirely fair read on either lower-income individuals or even Grandpa Joe, as it is clear that he is not well and is an elderly person, and the sheer magic of the chocolate factory is supposed to inspire him and give him the boost of youth. Yet that sheer sight of an elderly man lying in bed and going to the chocolate factory has generated a great deal of hate. It certainly isn’t helped by the fact Grandpa Joe is also the architect of Charlie’s own lapse in judgment and the theft of a fizzy lifting drink and the character’s overall curmudgeonly attitude, but it does feel like a lot of hatred for a character whose is likely in retirement age.
The Predalien (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem)
Following the final reveal of Alien vs. Predator, a mash-up of both species, known as the Predalien, was a source of excitement for many. Sadly the film Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem was a poorly lit drudge that no one liked and was a major disappointment. The Predalien itself may not be universally despised, but the film surrounding it and the poor execution of the concept have likely ruined this character forever. The concept never truly lives up to its hype, as it is not truly made clear what exactly makes the Prealien unique as opposed to every other Xenomorph.
Mutt Williams (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)
As is normal for fading series, Mutt was added to the Indiana Jones franchise as a “fun, new, young character” to the belated fourth movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. As the film is set in the late ’50s, Mutt, played by Shia LaBeouf, is a black-leather-wearing greaser with a motorbike and a tough persona, and the flesh and blood offspring of Doctor Jones and Marion Ravenwood. In a universe of gods, magic, and aliens, what’s most baffling is how either of these combined DNAs could ever result in such a limp try-hard of a fail-son.
Like the majority of the additions on this list, Mutt is irritating. While this is partially intentional to draw a contrast between Indiana Jones and his son, the same way Indy was different from his father, the execution is a character that is hard to enjoy. It seems highly unlikely he will return for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, with everyone now wondering how the movie will explain his absence.
Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace)
Only technically impressive, as the first fully formed CGI character that would utilize the now industry-standard mocap technique, Jar Jar Binks is a long-lasting road sign for the beginning of the end of Star Wars. Obnoxious and generally moronic, the Gungan was also arguably a racist caricature, what with his faux-rasta accent and long dread-like ears. This was all made worse by the fact that he was so pivotal to the actual story of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and that awesome Jedi like Qui Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan are essentially put on babysitting duty for this idiot.
Jar Jar Bink’s role was heavily reduced in the sequels and has largely been absent from the Star Wars franchise. It should be noted that Star Wars fans took their hatred of Jar Jar Binks too far, to where actor Ahmed Best contemplated suicide due to the harassment he received. Thankfully Best is still here and was recently given the pivotal role of Jedi Master Kelleran-Beq in Jedi Temple Challenge and The Mandalorian. Let it serve as a reminder that just because a character is bad, it is not the actor’s fault, and there is no excuse to harass the performer.
Sam Witwicky (Transformers)
Another hated character played by Shia LaBeouf. Sam Witwicky is the human protagonist of the first three Transformers films. While the first film makes him a semi-likable, if a little obnoxious teenager, the sequels almost make an active effort to make him unlikable. In the second film, he wants to have a normal life without Bumblebee, but then in the third movie, he is upset that he isn’t just handed jobs and has to struggle to find work. He wants a normal life when it is convenient for him but then wants everything handed to him. The Transformers are only worth his attention when they can do something for him.
Sam is also controlling with his two girlfriends, Mikela Barnes (Megan Fox) and Carly Spencer (Rosie Hungtinton-Whiteley), despite both being way out of his league. Sam did not return for the fourth film and seemingly was killed off-screen in the fifth film, and nobody really seemed to care.
Scrappy Doo (Scooby-Doo)
Scrappy Doo, the nephew of the beloved Scooby, was a minute version of the Great Dane. Equipped with overzealous energy, Scrappy dove headfirst into situations where his miniature stature would have only seen him thankfully crushed or killed if they had properly played out to their conclusion. He was added to the Scooby-Doo franchise to generate interest in younger fans which resulted in him being one of the most hated television characters of all time.
In a clever twist, for the live-action feature film titled Scooby Doo, writer James Gunn used the audiences’ hatred of Scrappy Doo and made him the film’s main villain. Now audiences could root against Scrappy and not feel bad about it. So while Scrappy might be hated on television, his inclusion on this list is due to the fact that he did appear in a live-action movie, even if it did tap into his lack of likability.
Joker (DCEU)
Heath Ledger’s Joker is one of the most beloved movie characters of all time, so anyone following up on that performance was going to have a rough go at it, but there might not be a bigger misfire than the DCEU‘s Joker in Suicide Squad, played by Jared Leto. Even setting aside the troubling allegations of on-set behavior by Leto in the name of method acting, this version of the Joker is the worst incarnation of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Leto’s Joker is terribly acted, with one of the worst Joker laughs ever. The design, while interesting in theory, was a major misfire, so much so that when Leto reprised his role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, he was completely redesigned. While his performance in that movie is slightly better, it is only a minor improvement and still not very good. While fans may miss a lot of elements of the DCEU and want certain parts carried over into the DCU, it is safe to say nobody wants Leto’s Joker to return.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
