By Vampires have been terrifying movie audiences for more than a century, from the silent horror of Nosferatu to the supernatural action of Blade and the seductive immortality of Interview with the Vampire. The vampire has evolved, but the best movie vampires remain unforgettable. For this list, we’re ranking the 10 best movie vampires of all time, based on their performances, lasting impact, scares, style, and influence on vampire movies and pop culture. From legendary versions of Dracula to scene-stealing bloodsuckers like Severen and Lestat, these are the vampires who have left the biggest mark on the big screen.
Do you agree with our picks? Let us know which movie vampire deserves a spot in the comments.
The Top 10 Movie Vampires
Dracula — Dracula and countless adaptations
Blade — Blade (1998)
Severen — Near Dark (1987)
Selene — Underworld (2003)
Jerry Dandridge — Fright Night (1985)
Count Orlok — Nosferatu (1922)
David — The Lost Boys (1987)
Lestat — Interview with the Vampire (1994)
John Blaylock — The Hunger (1983)
Lothos — Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
#1 – Dracula
Movie: Dracula and countless adaptations
Character: Count Dracula
Notable Actors: Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman
Based On: Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula
Why He Ranks #1: The definitive movie vampire and one of the most influential characters in horror history.
Is there any doubt that Bram Stoker’s original creation earns the top spot? Dracula is the definitive movie vampire, and filmmakers have been returning to the character for more than a century. From Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee to Frank Langella and the many interpretations that followed, the Count has been reinvented countless times while remaining one of the most recognizable characters in horror. There may not be many ways to reinvent the Dracula story going forward, but a great take on the character will always be welcome on the big screen. When it comes to movie vampires, nobody has had a bigger impact than Dracula.
#2 – Blade
Movie: Blade (1998)
Character: Blade
Played By: Wesley Snipes
Director: Stephen Norrington
Vampire Type: Human-vampire hybrid and vampire hunter
Why He Ranks #2: A stylish, sword-wielding vampire hunter who helped redefine vampires as action-movie characters.
With hopes still held high that Wesley Snipes may reprise the role for an “Old Man Blade” project, his sword-wielding hero remains one of the coolest vampire characters ever put on screen. Many people look down on the sequels, but Stephen Norrington’s 1998 original is still one of the best horror action movies of its era. Snipes brings an effortless cool to Blade, a half-vampire who spends his nights hunting the creatures that made him what he is. The character helped prove that vampire movies could be brutal, stylish, and badass enough to work as full-blown action movies.
#3 – Severen
Movie: Near Dark (1987)
Character: Severen
Played By: Bill Paxton
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Vampire Type: Nomadic vampire
Why He Ranks #3: A wildly unpredictable and brutally entertaining vampire whose performance became one of the film’s defining elements.
I could have gone with Lance Henriksen or even Adrian Pasdar from Kathryn Bigelow’s seminal horror western, but it is Bill Paxton as the batshit crazy Severen who remains the most memorable vampire in Near Dark. From the quotable lines he spews to his bloody, decrepit appearance, Paxton absolutely knocks the role out of the park. Severen is dangerous, unpredictable, funny, and completely unhinged, which makes him the kind of vampire who can haunt you long after the movie is over. Nobody else in Near Dark leaves quite the same impression.
#4 – Selene
Movie: Underworld (2003)
Character: Selene
Played By: Kate Beckinsale
Director: Len Wiseman
Vampire Type: Vampire warrior and werewolf hunter
Why She Ranks #4: A leather-clad, gun-wielding vampire heroine who became one of modern horror’s most recognizable female action characters.
Despite several lackluster sequels, Kate Beckinsale’s performance as Selene remains one of the coolest female vampire heroes in movie history. The leather-clad vampire huntress helped turn Underworld into a franchise and became the face of its supernatural war between vampires and werewolves. Sure, she has a thing for werewolves, but don’t hold that against her. Very few vampires can pull off leather bodysuits, dual pistols, and a giant supernatural war quite like Selene.
#5 – Jerry Dandridge
Movie: Fright Night (1985)
Character: Jerry Dandridge
Played By: Chris Sarandon
Director: Tom Holland
Vampire Type: Seductive suburban vampire
Why He Ranks #5: A charming, sinister, and sexually confident vampire who makes the seemingly perfect neighbor absolutely terrifying.
Forget the Colin Farrell take on the character. The 1985 version of Fright Night is the best, and Chris Sarandon is the only Jerry Dandridge that matters. As the older, sexier guy in town, Dandridge initially seems like the kind of neighbor you might actually want to get to know. Then you realize he’s a vampire who can dance to the hits of the era while sucking every ounce of blood from his victims. Sarandon gives the character exactly the right combination of charm, menace, and sex appeal.
#6 – Count Orlok
Movie: Nosferatu (1922)
Character: Count Orlok
Played By: Max Schreck
Director: F. W. Murnau
Based On: Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Why He Ranks #6: Schreck’s grotesque, haunting performance created one of cinema’s most enduring images of a vampire and remains supreme despite multiple Nosferatu remakes.
Nosferatu has been remade multiple times, most recently by Robert Eggers, and there is no denying that each version brings something different to Bram Stoker’s vampire mythology. But when it comes to Count Orlok, nobody has ever topped Max Schreck. The bald head, long fingers, haunting eyes, and utterly bizarre physical performance make Schreck’s Orlok one of the most disturbing vampires ever put on film. The character is less a seductive bloodsucker and more a walking nightmare, and Schreck’s performance remains supreme more than a century later.
#7 – David
Movie: The Lost Boys (1987)
Character: David
Played By: Kiefer Sutherland
Director: Joel Schumacher
Vampire Type: Leader of a teenage vampire gang
Why He Ranks #7: Leather jackets, rock music, attitude, and fangs make David the ultimate embodiment of the cool ’80s vampire.
Joel Schumacher may be forever linked to Bat nipples, but back in the 1980s he gave us one of the most memorable teen horror movies ever made. Jason Patric became a heartthrob while Kiefer Sutherland continued to play bad boys like no one else could. As the leader of the vampire gang, David has everything you could want from an ’80s bloodsucker: leather jackets, rock music, attitude, and plenty of fangs. Sutherland makes him effortlessly cool and dangerous, which makes David one of the best movie vampires ever.
#8 – Lestat
Movie: Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Character: Lestat de Lioncourt
Played By: Tom Cruise
Director: Neil Jordan
Based On: Anne Rice’s novel Interview with the Vampire
Why He Ranks #8: Cruise’s arrogant, theatrical, and seductive performance turned Lestat into one of the most memorable vampires of the 1990s.
No one thought Tom Cruise could pull off the ambisexual eternal creature known as Lestat de Lioncourt, but boy, did he knock it out of the park. Cruise embraces every bit of Lestat’s arrogance, theatricality, cruelty, and charm, creating one of the most memorable vampire performances of the 1990s. Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, and a very young Kirsten Dunst all contribute to making Interview with the Vampire one of the best vampire movies that doesn’t feature Dracula. But Cruise’s Lestat is the one who steals the show.
#9 – John Blaylock
Movie: The Hunger (1983)
Character: John Blaylock
Played By: David Bowie
Director: Tony Scott
Based On: Whitley Strieber’s novel The Hunger
Why He Ranks #9: Bowie brings an effortlessly seductive and otherworldly presence to one of cinema’s most stylish vampire movies.
To many, David Bowie is a sexy motherf*cker. The guy built a career out of knowing how to draw in the ladies and the guys, so casting him as an immortal vampire in The Hunger was pretty much inspired. Based on the Whitley Strieber novel, the film is one of the sexiest vampire movies ever made and presents Bowie as a precursor to the type of bloodsuckers later made famous by Anne Rice. John Blaylock is elegant, mysterious, and doomed, and Bowie brings exactly the kind of otherworldly presence the role needed.
#10 – Lothos
Movie: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
Character: Lothos
Played By: Rutger Hauer
Director: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Vampire Type: Ancient vampire master
Why He Ranks #10: Rutger Hauer’s commanding presence makes Lothos an especially memorable big-screen vampire, even with limited screen time.
While the TV series of the same name gave us characters like Angel, Spike, and Drusilla, Joss Whedon’s feature film gave us Rutger Hauer’s evil vampire Lothos. Hauer has the kind of presence that makes it immediately believable that this guy has been terrorizing people for centuries. Paul Reubens as his lackey is also pretty damn good, but something about Rutger Hauer with fangs is just cool. Lothos may not be as famous as some of the other vampires on this list, but he makes the most of his time on screen.
What do you think are the best movie vampires of all time?
The vampire has changed a lot over the past century. We’ve gone from silent nightmares like Max Schreck’s Count Orlok to seductive immortals, leather-clad action heroes, and completely unhinged bloodsuckers. But the best movie vampires all have one thing in common: They leave an impression long after the credits roll.
Dracula may still be the king, but there are plenty of great vampires who could make a case for taking his crown. Did we get the ranking right? Which movie vampire deserves a spot on this list? Let us know in the comments below.
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