Professional wrestling and the horror genre are two mediums that share a slew of similarities. They are niche markets that maintain a passionate fanbase that is always more than vocal about their passion. Much like WWE, and the sport in general, they are great forms of entertainment that sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve.
The characterization of their characters is another similarity that the two forms of entertainment share. In wrestling, certain men/women would be a perfect fit for a horror movie.
Some wrestlers would flourish in such an environment and could even become more memorable than some of the greatest villains in movie history. Below are some of these wrestlers.
The Miz
We are going to start with an out-there choice but one that makes sense. Movie villains don’t always need to be masked slashers that pursue their victims relentlessly. Sometimes the most effective are ones that are more charismatic and evoke a sense of unease from the audience.
The Miz would be perfect in this type of role. He had already demonstrated his ability to play the bad guy. He could lean more into the creepy part of his character and become a truly detestable villain. Someone in the model of a Partick Bateman or Norman Bates would be the ideal fit.
Jake Roberts
The Snake played a horror movie villain for the majority of his career. He would tiptoe the line between normal and insanity so well that it was impossible to take your eyes off him. Jake’s promos were some of the most chilling in company history.
The piercing eyes and forked tongue words always had the fans on edge when he would come into the building.
Roberts stalking his victims while simultaneously mocking them would be a great characterization for the man from Stone Mountain Georgia. He could work off of great examples such as Freddy Krueger and Hannibal Lecter.
Roberts would be your thinking man’s villain.
Doink
The fear of clowns is a fear that permeates society. It is a fear that is shared by just about everyone and it is a fear that is exploited by many a horror film. There is something about the painted-faced people that seems so sinister.
No one can trust what kind of person lay behind the colorful façade.
Doink would slip easily into the role of an evil clown. Heck, his gimmick started as one, and frankly, it was the only successful time in that character. The crowd didn’t know what to make of the clown and as a horror villain, this would be splendid.
He would lurk in the background and any appearance would elicit a reaction from the audience.
Bray Wyatt
Colorful characters are mainstays of the horror genre. They make for compelling villains and become more popular than the heroes of the story. One of the more colorful horror villains is the charismatic cult leader.
The character pulls you in with their charm and soon you realize that you’ve been pulled into their web, as they terrorize you.
This type is the exact type of character that Bray Wyatt’s early persona entailed. He would be perfect as a cult leader, bringing those into the fold to help him reach his nefarious goals. Wyatt could be the man that a franchise is built around.
Kane
One of the Brothers of Destruction was going to make this list, and we are going to go with the one that already has some experience in the area.
Kane has had moderate success as Jacob Goodnight, but he would be even better as his WWE persona. The silent stalking villain had always been successful in horror.
The emotionless killer with no motive other than carnage is a proven winner. Kane had this quality in spades in his early run.
Coming to the ring donned in red and black and accompanied by some eerie organ playing, Kane was a monster. He struck fear into the hearts of everyone with his relentless pursuit of all who stood across from him.
In a horror setting, this would be a fantastic character, and one that would be easy for Kane to pull off.
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