Top 10 Smartest Villain Plans in Movies
#10: Voldemort Splits His Soul Into Horcruxes
“Harry Potter” franchise (2001-11) Lord Voldemort is the most feared villain in the “Harry Potter” universe - even his name is forbidden. He achieved immortality via Horcruxes, objects that store pieces of his soul. The evil wizard uses these to cheat death during his attempt to rid the world of Muggles. It takes a substantial amount of work to even track down and destroy the Horcruxes, let alone confront Voldemort himself. The sorcerer only falls after the combined efforts of Hogwarts students and teachers and of course and the courageous efforts of Harry Potter himself.
#9: Simon Gruber Tunnels Into the Federal Reserve Bank
“Die Hard with a Vengeance” (1995) The third film in the series takes the franchise to the streets of New York. John McClane must foil the plans of villain Simon Gruber, but is unable to catch him before he robs the Federal Reserve Bank. The thief uses bombs as diversions while he accesses the vault from underground, tunneling through from a subway spur, and escaping with the loot via aqueduct. Alarmed by the realism and cleverness of the plot, the FBI questioned screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh before the movie’s release. The scheme might have a few Hollywood flourishes, but it has enough legitimacy to have interested the authorities.
#8: The Armitages Lure in Victims
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“Get Out” (2017) Jordan Peele’s horror masterpiece follows Chris, a Black photographer, as he meets the family of his white girlfriend, Rose. It’s finally revealed that the Armitages lead a cult that harvests Black bodies, using them to achieve a measure of immortality. Rose acts as a honeytrap, lulling victims into a false sense of security, and luring them to a relatively remote location in Upstate New York. Rose’s mother Missy uses hypnosis to prepare them for the process, and her father Dean performs the brain transplants. It’s a dark and cunning scheme where everyone in the family plays a role.
#7: Keyser Söze’s Hides Plots Within Plots
“The Usual Suspects” (1995) Christopher McQuarrie won an Oscar for his screenplay, which features a meticulous plot within a plot from its main villain, criminal mastermind Keyser Söze. After criminals raid a drug smuggling ship, only Verbal Kint is left alive to tell the tale. According to Verbal, Söze blackmailed Verbal and others into the raid, which turns out to have been an elaborate ploy to kill off a smuggler who could identify Söze. Verbal confesses that one of his now dead accomplices was Söze. Only when it’s too late does Kujan realize that Verbal made up the whole story, drawing on objects in the room. The improvisation pays off as the real Söze disappears before anyone can catch him.
#6: HYDRA Infiltrates S.H.I.E.L.D.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) This Marvel movie can also be seen as a political thriller, buying into the genre with tricky schemes from its villains. It turns out that the HYDRA group isn’t just a big bad organization where everyone wears matching uniforms. Covering all of their bases, the evil group has decided to plant spies in S.H.I.E.L.D - and work their way all the way up to the top. This gives them eyes and ears in places where their rivals would least expect. As the titular hero and his friends track down their enemies, they realize that the vast conspiracy has compromised the people they trust the most.
#5: Amy Dunne Frames Her Husband & Ex
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“Gone Girl” (2014) Amy Dunne doesn’t let her husband Nick off easy for his infidelity. Rather than divorcing him, she plans her own disappearance in a chilling fashion. This involves leaving a trail of evidence to implicate her partner. All signs point to Nick being responsible, but the villain is smart enough to improvise when things don’t go her way. She eventually uses an ex-boyfriend as another scapegoat in the film’s darkest scene. Once she reappears, she convinces Nick to keep quiet and even raise a child with her. It’s a sociopathic scheme that leaves Amy in full control of their relationship.
#4: Joker Gets Arrested
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“The Dark Knight” (2008) The Clown Prince of Crime spends most of this sequel sowing chaos. This doesn’t mean that he isn’t prepared though. Joker is seemingly outdone by Batman and sent to jail, but Joker simply planned it that way. His followers kidnap Rachel and Harvey and put them in different locations, sending the caped crusader across Gotham. In the meantime, the antagonist escapes confinement with an explosive device implanted in an unlucky inmate. The resulting car ride through the city is the villain’s victory lap. Staying one step ahead of the cops, Joker prepares to cause even more mayhem with his freedom.
#3: Ozymandias Frames Doctor Manhattan
“Watchmen” (2009) Known as the smartest man in the world, Ozymandias showcases his formidable intellect with this plot. He orchestrates the exile of the godlike Doctor Manhattan, making it seem like the latter causes cancer in people close to him. Then he blows up Doctor Manhattan’s energy reactors around the world. Nations respond by uniting against Doctor Manhattan as a common enemy, bringing the world together. It’s a devilish plan that achieves world peace, but at the cost of 15 million lives. The Watchmen are convinced, except for Rorschach, whom Doctor Manhattan himself murders in the final stroke of violence.
#2: Goldfinger Tries to Irradiate the Gold in Fort Knox
“Goldfinger” (1964) Any James Bond movie worth its salt needs a memorable villain - ideally, a villain with an outlandish scheme that requires a long explanation. For the classic “Goldfinger,” the title character plans to break into the gold reserve at Fort Knox. He doesn’t want to steal the contents, but rather irradiate them with a dirty bomb. This idea will taint the expensive bars within the vault and increase the stock of Goldfinger’s personal supply. It’s a novel and ingenious plot, inspiring every subsequent evil-doer in the Bond series to dream bigger. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Russell’s Ruse, “Inside Man” (2006) Dalton Russell Breaks Into a Bank & Waits for Days Behind a Fake Wall Valentine’s Violence-Inducing Signal, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014) Samuel L. Jackson’s Villain Uses Deadly SIM Cards to Brainwash People Skynet Targets Sarah Connor, “The Terminator” (1984) The Artificial Intelligence Uses Time Travel to Prevent Resistance Leader John Connor From Being Born Lex Luthor’s Real Estate Bid, “Superman” (1978) Luthor Buys Land, Redirects Missiles, & Uses Kryptonite Against the Man of Steel Mysterio’s Fake Hero, “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019) Gyllenhaal’s Character Uses Stark Tech to Make Him Look Like a Mighty Savior
#1: Order 66
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“Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” (2005) After orchestrating the Clone Wars to rise to power, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine pulls out the ultimate betrayal. He seduces promising Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side, frames the Jedi for a coup attempt, and issues Order 66 to the Republic’s clone troopers. Thanks to chips installed inside the clones, the order compels them to turn against their own Jedi commanders. Anakin leads the soldiers in decimating the rest of the Jedi on Coruscant. With a new Sith Lord at his side, the Emperor is able to force his will on the galaxy - and build an Empire.
