Who is the Smartest Horror Movie Killer?

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Featured Scary Movies and Series

HORROR MOVIE KILLER WITH THE HIGHEST IQ


When it comes to horror movie killers, some are simply smarter than others! As a horror fan, one realizes quickly that the variations between franchises and their villains can be widely diverse. Some horror movies feature hyper-intelligent killers who are able to outwit nearly any protagonist…keeping the audience’s jaw fixed to the floor. Other horror movies invite super dumb killers to the screen who chase their victims best, but with little to no cunning or wit at all! Ultimately, all horror movie killers can be ranked by IQ and their intelligence in kills. So who is the smartest horror movie killer?

Horror Movie Killers, Ranked by Intelligence (IQ)

Puzzle Box Horror has included the most notable killers along with their IQs per our expert opinion. Here is a complete list of our favorite horror movie slashers and killers ranked by intelligence!

Jigsaw [IQ: 158]

jigsaw with one of his genius traps
jigsaw in real life

Saw’s Jigsaw Killer, John Kramer is so smart that he continues to kill movie after movie, long after his autopsy where we see messages being extracted from his very corpse! One of the most influential factors which make Jigsaw the #1 Smartest Horror Movie Killer, is that he planned all of these additional killings (in one fashion or another) in advance of his own predicted death. If planning weren’t enough, Jigsaw’s traps absolutely reek of genius. He always manages to add a personal flair and the chance of painful retribution for his victims, ultimately making them the bringers of their own demise through choice.

Pinhead [IQ: 154]

what is pinhead's iq
how smart is pinhead

Clive Barker’s ingeniously sadistic Hellraiser series brought us one of the more recognizably stylish and unmistakably brutal of horror movie killers, Pinhead. Pinhead is an interesting entity; ominous and authoritative in speech and with a wide variety of demonic torture methods at his fingertips. Summoned with the Lemarchand Configuration, Pinhead draws from another realm entirely, making him far less restricted as a killer than someone of earthbound flesh. In all, Pinhead is one of the most powerful and intelligent killers on this list, with prospects of taking over the entire world!

The Zodiac Killer [IQ: 145]

Based on a real-life killer and told in meticulous detail (The producers even hired a private investigator to track down the real-life Zodiac survivor, Mike Mageau!) David Fincher’s Zodiac gives us a glimpse into a devious and cunning killer with an obsession with ciphers and cryptograms that he would send to the police, claiming that if they were not printed publicly then further killings would occur. The self-named Zodiac was never caught to this day, and some of his codes have yet to even be cracked!

Hannibal Lecter [IQ: 140]

Hannibal Lector's iq
how smart is Hannibal

Silence of the Lambs spawned Hannibal Lecter, a devious killer who is able to literally cut open someone’s skull, remove, cook and eat the victim’s brains, all right in front of their eyes! Hannibal is educated, assumes the identity of a doctor, and convinces others to kill and mutilate, making him a super manipulative killer, and the third most intelligent horror movie killer.

John Doe [IQ: 132]

David Fincher’s Se7en gave us one of the sharpest, and easily one of the downright creepiest killers to ever grace the screen with John Doe. As he plays out his master plan of sin-related carnage he stays two steps ahead of the pursuing detectives at all times, only appearing to them, and the audience, when he so chooses. Patient and methodical to a terrifying extent, John Doe is responsible for one of the most chilling endings to a horror film ever, and Kevin Spacey’s skin-crawling performance ensures he stays in your mind long after the credits roll.

Patrick Bateman [IQ: 125]

Mary Harron’s American Psycho is more a pitch-black deconstructive jab at yuppie culture than a straight-up slasher, though the gleefully psychotic centerpiece of this story, the sadistic Patrick Bateman, helps it tread confidently between the two. Patrick is cool, suave and sophisticated, wealthy enough to maintain an illusion of pure class while he satiates his bloodlust in the shadows. He seems to use serial killing as a form of self-improvement and while he is one of the more unstable entries on this list (see his reaction to a colleague’s superior business card for example) he is also one of the more successful and intelligent.

Freddy Krueger [IQ: 121]

Freddy Krueger with knife glove

Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger is a little predictable, but still puts on a really good show. Freddy pulls off a number of creative deaths and outsmarts a lot of really resourceful protagonists. One of the most important factors to consider, is that Freddy often comes back for victims that have survived the past movies, finding new ways to overcome and slay them. Freddy Krueger maintains a respectable 5th place when it comes to horror movie killer IQs!

Chucky [IQ: 111]

characters' myers briggs
Chucky

Child’s Play’s Chucky is a doll inhabited by a desperate fugitive serial killer, Charles Lee Ray. Charles is not too bright himself, often being outwitted or otherwise outdone by a child or other dimwit character. However, given the nature of most other horror movie killers, Chucky still rakes in a strong 6th place!

Ghostface [IQ: 102]

Ghost Face Horro rMovie Killer in his costume

Scream’s Ghostface killer ends up being two of the high school students involved in the plot from the start. Protagonist Sidney Prescott’s boyfriend (Billy) and her friend (Stu) are the killers, sharing the same outfit in order to manipulate the characters throughout the scenes faster and with less suspicion. Still, a team of high school killers hatch a plan smart enough to outscore a lot of the more traditional hack and slash jobs!

Michael Myers [IQ: 78]

what is michael myers iq
how smart is michael myers

Halloween’s Michael Myers has a variety of movies to showcase his intelligence, but he just doesn’t meet the bar! He is constantly outsmarted by characters that get away time and time again…most notably being Dr Loomis, who can be found in a number of Halloween movies constantly trying to reacquire and actually track Michael Myers.

Jason Voorhees [IQ: 69]

what is jason voorhees's iq
how smart is jason voorhees

Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees is portrayed as a disabled child in Freddy Vs Jason (2008) and has had several other references made throughout his films insinuating he is mentally challenged. He still manages to kill an astronomical amount of people rather quickly…probably because he is too stupid to play with his food!

Leatherface [IQ: 67]

Leatherface with his saw acting crazy and not so smart


Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface wins the award for the most deranged killer, being that the character is literally mentally challenged. Leatherface is supposed to be the result of a redneck, Texas inbred family (referenced in some of the flicks themselves), who lives life by following family orders. Still, as low of an IQ as Leatherface might have, he is no less entertaining, finding ways to make the same types of kills interesting every time!

Final Word on Who is the Smartest Killer


Not all of the killers we see in horror flicks are slashers, making the running a lot harder for first place! There are many creative ways a smarter killer is able to showcase a death and a lot of these movies feature proof of exactly that!

Have a killer you’d like to see ranked? Leave your comment below and we’ll assess the monster/slasher and add them to the list!

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Winter Horror Giveaway

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Puzzle Box Horror and Horror Hub Marketplace bring you another giveaway. Books, gift cards, free subscriptions, and a unique Halloween Voodoo decoration from Horror Hub’s exclusive vault.

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Witch Novels that Taught Us Not to F#$k With Witches

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Best Horror Books Best Of Featured Horror Books

Stories of witchcraft are as old as time, and the concept of “witches” is one that spans many countries and cultures. Throughout the centuries witches, or simply those suspected of witchcraft, have been hunted and persecuted by mainstream society. There are many different types of witches, including kitchen witches, hedge witches, bruja, and daayan – all with their own beliefs, practices, and conflicted history. However, across categories one fact remains the same: witches are powerful.

Given the diversity in witches and witch folklore, it’s no surprise that stories involving witches are just as varied. We at Puzzle Box Horror want to acknowledge that the term “witch” should not be an inherently negative one, and there are many practicing witches and pagan communities that are a boon to society. Our goal with this article is not to disparage witchcraft in general, but rather to explore the darker side of the coin. With that in mind, we’d like to present some of the scariest witches in literature.

Maggie’s Grave by David Sodergren (2020)

Maggie's Grave book cover with spooky skeleton

MAGGIE WALL BURIED HERE AS A WITCH. So reads the faded inscription on the solitary grave at the top of a mountain. In the shadow of this mountain is Auchenmullan, a small Scottish town that has been left forgotten and lost to the world. Only forty-seven residents remain, plus the grave on the mountain. In a dead town with nothing to do, the residents suddenly find themselves confronted by the chilling fact that sometimes the dead don’t stay buried. Especially when they have unfinished business.

Maggie’s Grave is a shocking, disturbing, and fast-paced thrill ride of witchy horror. The buckets of blood, the flawed characters, the gross-out moments, and the folk horror elements will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished reading.

The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman (2020)

The Remaking book cover with snake eating it's own tail

In the 1970s, Amber Pendleton was cast in a horror film titled Witch Girl of Pilot’s Creek, based on a true story of a mother and her daughter who were burned at the stake for witchcraft. Then, in the 1990s, Amber was cast in a remake of the cult classic movie. Now Amber herself has become the target of a witch hunt. In an attempt to free herself from this cycle of horror, she decides to tell her story one last time to a true crime investigator for his popular podcast. But will this retelling bring the closure she needs, or will it unlock a dark and vengeful force from the past?

The book brilliantly engages with four different versions of the same urban legend, while also populating each version with interesting characters and shocking incidents. This unsettling read will be sure to please fans of both horror and true crime!

Devil’s Call by J Danielle Dorn (2017)

Devil's Call book cover with hat and shadow

A western horror with witches? Say no more! Devil’s Call is written in the form of a diary from a pregnant mother to her unborn child. One wintry night in 1859, Li Lian’s husband was shot dead right in front of her. Unfortunately for the men who did this dirty deed, Li is part of the  McPherson clan, a long line of women gifted in the dark arts of witchcraft. In the diary Li recounts how she crosses miles of harsh land and numerous odds to hunt down the monsters who killed her husband.

With her rifle, her wits, and her powers of witchcraft, Li is truly a terrifying force to be reckoned with. It’s a supernatural tale of vengeance and motherhood set in the wild west, and it’s a must-read for lovers of witchy horror.

The Witching House by Brian Moreland (2017)

The Witching House book cover with old stone house

Sarah Donovan is scared of just about everything, from heights, to tight places, to the dark. But when her boyfriend wants to go explore a supposedly haunted house in the woods, she must swallow her insecurities and face her fears. The house in question was the scene of a brutal massacre in the 70s, where twenty-five people were killed and whose perpetrator remains a mystery. But the hauntings in the house are more than just urban legends, and Sarah is about to find out that the evil residing in the basement has simply been waiting for fresh prey.

The Witching House veers away from copious blood and gore, instead delivering a fast-paced tale of suspense and pulse-pounding terror. It’s a lean horror novella, one you can fly through while also reveling in all the twists and turns of the unique storyline. 

Wytches by Scott Snyder (2015)

Wytches book cover with creepy dark forest

The Rooks family, hoping to escape from a haunting trauma, has recently moved to the remote town of Litchfield, New Hampshire. They’re hopeful for a new life and a fresh start, but the ancient evil watching them from the woods has other plans…and it’s hungry.

Wytches posits a world where witches are darker and more terrifying than previously imagined, throwing out cliched tropes in favor of creepier creatures. The story is surprisingly emotional while also unsurprisingly bone-chilling, and is one of the absolute scariest graphic novels about witches we’ve ever seen (thanks in part to the nightmarish imagery from artist Jock). This volume collects issues 1-6 of the miniseries from Image Comics.

The Good House by Tananarive Due (2006)

The Good House book cover with house on a hill

Looking for a sweeping and spooky saga of family, loss, grief, and witches? Then look no further! Angela Toussaint has spent the last few years burying herself in her work, trying to rebuild her law practice after her son Corey committed suicide at a Fourth of July party. Unable to keep her questions at bay any longer, she eventually returns to the house where it all happened and looks for answers. However, the dark forces she discovers are more sinister than she could have imagined.

This epic 500 page book takes its time, allowing you to learn more about the Toussaint family, the surrounding town of Sacajawea, and the Good House itself. But there is a constant building dread, and when the horrors hit, they hit hard. Even seasoned horror readers will find themselves spooked by this tale of ancestral evil and voodoo witchcraft. 

Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon (1973)

Harvest Home book cover with house in a storm

Time has not touched the village of Cornwall Coombe, a small town in New England. The quant colonial homes and white-steepled church seem to exist outside of modern life, and life in the village seems peaceful and easygoing. Newcomers Ned and Beth Constantine fall in love with this remote hamlet, assuming they’ve found the safe haven they’ve always dreamed of. Unfortunately, what they find instead is a disturbing and wicked force that turns Cornwall Coombe into a place of ultimate horror.

This book plays well to its folk horror roots, with its emphasis on rural life, dark pagan secrets, and evil in a small town. It’s definitely a slow-burn horror, but it maintains a high level of tension throughout while also delivering complex characters and a fascinating, if unnerving, storyline. Mysterious omens, brutal violence, and terrifying witchcraft – Harvest Home is one not to be missed!

Other Recommendations

The Devil’s Mistress by David Barclay (2021)

The Year of Witching by Alexis Henderson (2020)

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (2016)

The Lords of Salem by Rob Zombie and BK Evenson (2013)

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi (2009)

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (2004)

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Would You Survive Michael Myers If You Were In a Movie?

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How to Escape and Survive a Real Life Michael Myers

Michael Myers is one of the scariest figures in the horror slasher genre…and has claimed one of the highest horror movie killer body counts of them all! He is ominous, seemingly immortal and possesses terrifying presence! What if Michael Myers were chasing you throughout his childhood home?  What if you found yourself at a hospital late at night alongside Laurie Strode? What if you found yourself in Haddonfield on Halloween?

Would You Survive Michael Myers In Real Life?

Horror Enthusiast has created the Michael Myers Survival Points system in order to track your progress during a real life Michael Myers escape.  Making favorable decisions earns you positive points, while making mistakes may cost you your points (or much worse!).

You start out with Zero (0) points, unless your last name is “Myers” or “Strode,” in which case you start out with negative five (-5) points!

After you complete the quiz and tally up your score, you will be able to determine whether you would be likely to survive a real life Michael Myers chase or be the next resident of the Haddonfield cemetery!

Weapon to Use Against Michael Myers

Most survivors are not strong enough by themselves, thus a weapon in a horror movie is an invaluable asset. Michael Myers almost always has a large kitchen knife which can be seen gleaming in the background as he stalks his a victim. Having a weapon has sometimes helped a Michael Myers survivor find their way to safety. You may choose one (1) weapon to use against Michael Myers to aid your survival!

  • If you would attempt to inject Michael with a powerful sedative that would knock him out instantly, add 8 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to use a knife or piece of broken glass against Michael, add 10 points to your score.
  • If you would attempt to hit Michael with a car or other vehicle, add 12 points to your score.
  • If you would attempt to knock Michael out with a piece of furniture or other heavy object, add 15 points to your score.
  • If you would attempt to shoot Michael with a pistol or a shotgun, add 8 points to your score.
  • If you would attempt to wrestle Michael’s knife out of his hands to use against him, add 6 point to your score.
  • If you choose to avoid an encounter, do not modify your score.

Hiding Place When Running From Michael Myers

michael myers Halloween movie seen of girl being grabbed by a man in a ghost costume

It is impossible for nearly all survivors to run indefinitely…although the slashers seem to have endless streams of energy.  Hiding is therefore essential to a good survival plan, and where you hide against Michael Myers matters.  Michael is an expert at hide and go seek, so choose carefully! You may choose one (1) hiding place to help you survive a real life Michael Myers chase!

  • If you would choose to hide in an inoperable vehicle, add 9 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to hide in a barn, add 12 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to hide under a desk or table, add 15 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to hide in a dumbwaiter, add 5 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to hide in a closet, add 9 points to your score.
  • If you would never choose to hide, do not modify your score.

Escape Routes to Escape Michael Myers

Although Michael’s total body count is rather high, some survivors still slip through to the end and go on to live for a sequel! Most of the victims have tried to escape, but their escape route turns out to be a poor choice against “The Shape.” Those who get away typically have to run for a while and require a collaboration of creative escape routes to survive. You may choose two (2) escape routes in order to create your preferred combination for survival!

  • If you would attempt to get into a car, knowing the keys are inside, and drive away from Michael, add 10 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to call 911 and wait it out in hiding within a building (hospital, school, etc), add 7 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to jump from a two story window, without knowing what was below, add 10 points to your score.
  • If you would attempt to seriously incapacitate or kill Michael Myers in order to escape, add 15 points to your score.
  • If you would choose to trap Michel Myers in any way (with a car, with a heavy object, with a noose trap, etc), add 15 points to your score.

Ways to Die Against Michael Myers

michael myers attacking a man with a garden tool from Halloween horror movie.

There are a lot of mistakes to be made when a horror movie slasher is chasing you. Michael Myers is a lot less tolerant of mistakes and will typically seize these opportunities to slay his victims. Unfortunately, these common mistakes will diminish the chance of survival!

Assuming He Is Dead

Many characters make the mistake of assuming Michael Myers is dead at one point or another.  This is a recurring theme, and one that winds up being fatal for many characters.  Whether it is hell reincarnated in human form, simple supernatural powers, Michael Myers does not seem to die.

If you would approach Michael Myers while he lay still in front of you, seemingly dead, with any reason other than to do him immediate harm, subtract 25 points from your score!

Celebrating Halloween

Almost all of Michael’s victims celebrated to some extent. Some victims even went trick or treating! Michael only seems to be interested in killing on Samhain (Halloween day itself), and thus, those out and about celebrating Halloween are at greater risk!

If you are a Halloween lover, subtract 25 points from your score!

Having Intercourse

Like many other horror slashers of his generation, Michael loves to kill those who are in a …compromising position!  People who become intimate in the Halloween movies are at an increased risk for becoming part of Michael’s never ending body count.

If you would find yourself in an intimate, ‘compromising position’ on Halloween day, subtract 20 points from your score!

Protecting a Potential Victim

There are a lot of kills that did not have to happen! Michael Myers oftentimes has to tear through a few unnecessary deaths in order to reach his true intended victim.  Because Michael is seeking out his family, those who stand in the way to protect or defend the targets, usually die themselves.

If you feel you would stand up for one of Michael’s families, a Strode or a Myers, subtract 15 points from your score!

Curse of the Working Man

Michael Myers is a very mobile slasher, and finds his way around in order to reach his targets.  Unfortunately, this means killing a lot of innocent people along the way who are key in him working his way to his victims.  He will kill doctors, nurses, paramedics, police, attendants, mechanics, and more.

If you have a job that involves helping others in any way (in person), you might come into contact with Michael Myers by sheer chance (bad luck), so subtract 10 points from your score!

Did You Survive Michael Myers?

michael myers in chains from Halloween horror movie

Tallying up your Michael Myers Survival Points will indicate your likelihood of surviving a real life encounter with Michael Myers. 

+10 points…………… HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVAL

4 to 9 points………… POSSIBLE CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

0 to 3 points………… SLIM CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

-9 to -1 points……… PROBABLY DEAD ON ARRIVAL

-19 to -10 points……DEFINITE DEATH

Below -20 points…. DIED BEFORE EVEN SEEING HIM

Remember, Michael has killed a lot of people and not all of them have realized what was happening until it was too late.  Many people mistake him for a peer, and many people believe he can be tamed. Michael’s kill count continues to go up, although nearly every kill has been spectacular.

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Wyrd and Other Derelictions by Adam Nevill

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Best Horror Books Best Of Featured Reviews

Wyrd and Other Derelictions by Adam Nevill is available now from Ritual Limited.

Puzzle Box Horror may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

What’s it like to be the first on the “scene of the crime”? What’s it like to visit the living vacuum of traumatic events; places empty of humanity yet brimming with the electrified air of horrifying aftershock. Or maybe they’re not so empty. Was that a thump upstairs? Did that shadow just move? Why is there a foot laying here, and where is the rest of the body? Is something out there?

This collection of derelictions (i.e. stories of abandonment) is experimental writing in its truest form. With each tale author Adam Nevill places us in a story post-climax, or a sort of unresolved or unfinished epilogue. Something truly devastating has happened in this setting, but all we’re given are grim clues. There are no characters and no dialogue. Only descriptions of scenes and a narrative style that feels like someone is leading you through the chaos. You are intrigued, you are disturbed, and you’re not quite sure what is going on.

Wyrd and Other Derelictions horror book cover

The thing about such an approach to “storytelling” that Wyrd and Other Derelictions (2020) takes is that it’s incredibly risky. It’s automatically going to put most readers into a love-it-or-hate-it camp from the very first couple of stories. But the author is discerning enough to know that, and in fact he is intentionally playing with form and expression. There is an author’s note at the back of the book where he explains the germ for the collection, and what other avenues of thought and experimentation came out of that. It’s all very compelling, but does it work?

For me, at least, the answer is a strong yes! Both the wordsmith and the horror lover in me absolutely enjoyed what Nevill is trying to accomplish here, and I think he manages to knock it out of the park. The collection is a mashup of cult/alien/creature stories, all very strange and eerie in their telling. Though they follow a similar narrative style, they are all different enough to stand on their own. Each has at least one scene (usually the ending) that will haunt me for a long time. The writing is wonderfully descriptive and engaging; a vivid prose style that carries the brunt of the ploy and does it well, even without characters and even without dialogue.

All the stories were gems in my opinion, and I loved them all for different reasons. To rank them would be to degrade them, but there are some that stand out particularly to me are. “Hippocampus” is the story of cargo freight adrift in the stormy sea; the crew are in various states of dismemberment and something squirmy is lurking below deck. In “Monument” an ancient burial chamber is unearthed and something is building pyres in the backyards of a suburban neighborhood. And finally, “Enlivened” depicts a ghastly scene of ritual mutilation followed by the exploration of a house, where something skitters and thumps amongst the dead.

My only complaint, though not a complaint really, is that the nature of the stories and the description-heavy writing style are such that each takes time to get through. They require slower reading and more processing. That’s not a bad thing, but it does make reading them all back to back less of a satisfying endeavor. My recommendation would be to space them out over a period of weeks, or even one a month. They all deserve to ruminate in your mind, so give them the space to breath

Again, this is very much a love it or leave it collection. Many readers I trust absolutely hated it, while others were enamored by it. Clearly I’m in the second camp, but I’m curious to hear what others think. Either way I think it’s safe to say that Adam Nevill has created something fairly unique and enticing in a genre that unfortunately abounds with cliché. And for that, at the very least, I’m grateful.

Wyrd and Other Derelictions by Adam Nevill is available now from Ritual Limited. Adam Nevill is an English writer of supernatural horror, most known for his book The Ritual.

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