10 Best Monsters in Fantasy Movies, Ranked

Fantasy cinema has seen a lot of monsters come and go, which have only gotten better and better with the advancement of film technology. These aren't exclusive to high fantasy either--some of them are equally present in low fantasy and dark fantasy. Whatever the subgenre, whatever the target audience, these are the greatest monsters in fantasy movies, which have earned their titles due to their creativity and memorability.

10 Winged Monkeys

'The Wizard of Oz' (1939)

The Winged Monkeys are the minions of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) in The Wizard of Oz. These bluish-grey-skinned primates come with a pair of bird-like wings, as the name implies, and are often sent to do the Witch's dirty work for her. Namely, they are instructed to kidnap Dorothy (Judy Garland) and bring her to the Witch's castle, to be kept as a prisoner.

In the original book by L. Frank Baum, the Winged Monkeys actually become Dorothy's trusted allies, carrying over dangerous situations and impassable obstacles as a reward for freeing them from the Witch's grasp. Sure, they're not the most unique monsters ever, but come on--everyone who's seen The Wizard of Oz remembers these flying freaks of nature. They're pretty iconic, and definitely deserve a spot on this list.

9 The Basilisk

'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' (2002)

The Basilisk is a gigantic snake living in the bowels of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This monster was bred by Salazar Slytherin as a weapon against any Muggle-born students at the school. Using the pipes to navigate, the Basilisk has one key factor that makes it much more interesting: it can kill with just a look. If anyone looks it in the eye, they'll drop dead instantly, but this is survivable if the basilisk's eyes are seen in a reflection or a translucent object. In this case though, a person will become as stiff as a board, entering a state known as petrification.

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) faces off against the Basilisk at the end of the film, and is the first person to become aware of the beast since he can speak to snakes. He hears the Basilisk whispering in the walls, which is a key part of the mystery he and his friends must unravel. The Basilisk is so unique not just because its visuals still hold up today, but because of its origins in folklore and its terrifying screen presence.

8 Charybdis

'Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters' (2013)

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters really isn't a very good movie, and disappointed a lot of the fans, who adored the original novels by RIck Riordan. Obviously, this was prior to the Disney+ original show coming out about a decade later. Despite this disappointment, the moment Charybdis shows herself is a rare moment of quality in the film. Appearing in the eponymous Sea of Monsters, the protagonists at first mistake Charybdis' sharp teeth as shark fins circling the water below their boat.

Gradually, Charybdis is revealed, with her enormous maw forming a massive whirlpool in the middle of the ocean. She's big enough to swallow a small fishing vessel with multiple people aboard. Even though she isn't an original creation by Rick Riordan, seeing as she has her origins in Greek mythology, seeing Charybdis on screen, and on this scale, is really memorable. She's definitely one of the best sea monsters in any movie, ever.

7 The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog

'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' (1975)

In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Killer Rabbit guards the ancient Cave of Caerbannog, the first of many trials for seeker of the Holy Grail. This rabbit is mostly used as a punchline, as Tim the Enchater (John Cleese) warns King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table about the bunny, causing them to ridicule him. As they approach, however, the rabbit decapitates one of the knights, and begins slaughtering many others.

In fairness, it should have been clear that the bunny was dangerous from the amount of human bones littered around the cave entrance. In any event, watching this adorable rabbit fly back and forth across the screen with blood spraying from its jaws is a chaotic and comedic marvel. This makes it the most memorable creature to appear in the film, due to its hilarious and unassuming nature. And yes, it is technically a monster because let's face it, no normal rabbit would be capable of killing so many people in rapid succession.

6 Landstriders

'The Dark Crystal' (1982)

The Dark Crystal takes place on the planet Thra, which is host to a ton of weird and wonderful creatures. While many prefer the villainous and vulture-like Skeksis, there's just something about the Landstriders that makes them extra special. For one, these are the only things in the movie that aren't puppets, but are played by actual, live humans on stilts. Another thing about them is that, unlike most of Thra's fauna, these creatures are moderately friendly and docile, provided one doesn't provoke them.

These beings have four stilt-like legs, whiskers, and a strange body shape unlike any animal seen on Earth, But they are noted for their impeccable and speedy ability to cross terrain, overcoming any obstacle with ease. They are primarily used by the heroes as a means of travel, with the creatures providing safe passage through Skeksis territory. While they don't speak, one can tell from their expression and body language that they are wise and emotional creatures, which makes them so much deeper and more memorable.

5 The Head

'The Head Hunter' (2018)

The Head Hunter is largely about an unnamed Viking who spends his days accepting local monster hunting contracts, as revenge for a monster killing his daughter. He often displays the heads of the monsters he kills in his home, however there is one head he is missing: that of the one actually responsible for his daughter's death. This monster is simply know as "The Head," which is a pretty apt name.

The monster itself is only a disfigured head and a spinal cord, but where it really shines is in its nature. See, this beast has the ability to decapitate anyone and take over their body, inserting itself into a corpse's torso to impersonate them, adding a whole bunch of new powers, as well. Those possessed by the Head can crawl on walls and are much stronger and more aggressive than any human would be. Though The Head Hunter isn't a movie for everyone, one cannot deny the ingenuity of this creature.

4 Sandworms

'Beetlejuice' (1988)

In Beetlejuice, Sandworms are sort of the guardians of the afterlife, which roam the vast deserts in between realms, to prevent ghosts from wandering too far outside of their predetermined boundaries. Usually, the ghosts are confined to their homes, forced to haunt them for eternity. The sandworms look kind of cheesy and old-fashioned due to the dated film techniques, but conceptually, they're still pretty awesome.

Maybe it's their pinstriped skin, or maybe it's the fact that they have an entire secondary head inside of their mouth. For whatever reason, these creatures have become pretty popular, almost as popular as the main character of the film himself. Lots of sandworms have been featured in works of fiction, but this one is unlike any of the others, remaining pretty singular from any other movie monster, too.

3 The Plague Doctor

'Mad God' (2021)

Mad God is a movie without a single spoken line of dialogue, so it's pretty up for interpretation as to what it's about. What is known about this decade-long project is that it's primarily a story about an unnamed Assassin descending into the Underworld to plant some sort of bomb. The fantasy/horror stop-motion animation film features a lot of grisly and uncomfortable visuals, and some very strange creatures to match.

One of the final monsters to rear its ugly head is the plague doctor, a looming figure that is about twice the size of the average human. It wears a freaky-deaky plague doctor mask from the Middle Ages, along with a witch's hat adorned with dangling chains. This thing seems to be one of the creatures in charge of the Underworld. Though it is only seen for a few brief minutes, many netizens have commended the creature for its unnerving and unique design.

2 The Pale Man

'Pan's Labyrinth' (2006)

Pan's Labyrinth is a movie from director Guillermo del Toro, who is sort of known for his dark fantasy films. This one can easily be considered a masterpiece, as it received rave reviews and universal acclaim. The infamous Pale Man, played by Doug Jones, appears in one of the trials that Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) must overcome in order to become a princess. She enters a sort of otherworldly dimension and is presented with a sumptuous feast, but is instructed to not eat or touch anything on the table in front of her, especially not the Pale Man, who sits unnaturally still at the head of the table.

Naturally, being a child, Ofelia doesn't listen, and helps herself to a few grapes. Once she does, the Pale Man springs into life, inserting its eyes into its palms and giving chase with a terrifyingly inhuman gait. Pan's Labyrinth is often debated as being a horror movie, and this scene is exactly the why, because it's easily the scariest moment of the film. Beyond that, the Pale Man's image is one that sticks with the viewers forever, and which is practically synonymous with the dark fantasy genre.

1 Balrogs

'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001)

In J. R. R. Tolkien's original legendarium, Balrogs were actually far more common throughout history than they are in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. However, by the time of the films, these footsoldiers of Morgoth were gradually replaced by the orcs, despite the Balrogs being far more powerful. The particular Balrog featured in the film is named Durin's Bane, and like the others, is a demon of fire and shadow, carrying a flaming whip and a fiery sword.

Many of the creatures found in Tolkien's work resemble other creatures from folklore. There's elves, dwarves, werewolves, and giant spiders, but the Balrogs stand out. Even though the name is from folklore, their overall concept is much more of Tolkien's own imagination, which is why they stand as being one of the greatest creatures in his vast universe. The epic showdown with Durin's Bane is incredible and heart-wrenching, which is just one of many reasons why it's the best fantasy movie monster.