8 Horror Movie Characters Who Don't Say Anything

The horror genre is full of iconic characters bursting with as much personality as they do violence

However, not every horror character talks. And it's not just the villains who have remained silent either

There's also a handful of protagonists who never utter a word during their horrifying ordeals

Whether they choose not to talk or simply cannot speak, these horror movie characters didn't need to say a word to leave a huge impression on audiences

So with that in mind, I'm Ellie with WhatCulture here with horror movie characters

who don't say anything. Krampus in Krampus. When the Engel family come together to celebrate

Christmas one year in horror-comedy Krampus, their constant squabbling results in bright-eyed

youngster Max losing their festive spirit. He tears up his letter to Santa and tosses it out

of the window, a move which soon spells disaster. Instead of the perpetually jolly Santa dropping

off presents for them that night, Max's actions lead to something far more terrifying visiting

the family when a mysterious storm sweeps in. That visitor is Krampus, a demonic creature from

German folklore who punishes misbehaving children each Christmas. The evening descends into a fight

for survival when Krampus sends his horde of malicious minions to torment and capture each

of the family. While it takes some time for this villain to get their grand reveal, the horned

demon remains deathly quiet throughout the remainder of this holiday horror. The only time

he makes a sound, when he's not grunting commands at his helpers, is when he cruelly laughs in the

face of Max as he desperately pleads for his family to be spared. One look at this abominable

being is all it takes to know that they're pure evil. Words are not needed for that. The entity

in It Follows. From writer-director David Robert Mitchell, Critical Gem It Follows is a phantasmagoric

slice of indie cinema which blends its pulpy 80s-inspired synth score with a dreamlike world

to create an endlessly enthralling atmosphere that hooks viewers from its intense opening scene

The plot sees teenager Jay become storked by a supernatural entity after she has sex while on a

date. This entity, she's told, will continue to hunt her unless she's able to pass the curse onto

someone else by sleeping with them. Although the creature is only ever able to move at a slow pace

always heading towards its target, it can shapeshift into anyone. When anyone in the

background walking towards the protagonist could be the monster, viewers will be on a constant

lookout for the creature The entity remains an unknowable and unstoppable force throughout the film whose presence is felt lurking within the shadows of every frame Adding to the sense of unease is the creature almost utter silence Aside from letting out a shrill cry in one scene the monster pursuit is done in silent determination There no

understanding what this entity is. It's a walking nightmare, and that's what makes it so terrifying

Reuben in Midsommar After Dani is left traumatised after losing her family in a tragic event, she's given the

opportunity to travel to the Swedish countryside with her emotionally distant boyfriend Christian

and his friends to attend a cult's rare midsummer festivities. Despite the idyllic summer setting

in Ariasta's phenomenal midsummer, things take a dark turn when the group discover the violent

nature of the cult's traditions, with hallucinogenic drugs, bizarre mating rituals, and human sacrifice becoming part of their terrifying experience. During their stay

the visitors likewise encounter Reuben, the cult's silent oracle, a severely disabled child

who was the product of inbreeding. It's Reuben's task to add to the cult's sacred texts through

drawings which the cult's elders then interpret. While the film has been criticised for its

depictions of disability, Reuben nevertheless holds a key role within Midsommar thematically

despite never speaking. Alongside representing the manipulative and cruel practices of the cult

The character likewise lives up to his status as an oracle as his handful of appearances throughout the film foreshadow violence

Even without dialogue or much screen time, Ruben is a striking presence within this critical gem

Troglodytes in Bone Tomahawk Whether it's The Hills Have Eyes, Wrong Turn or Cannibal Holocaust

cannibal movies offer some of the grisliest and most depraved gore that's ever been put to screen

One of the newest films to join this list is Western horror Bone Tomahawk

Written and directed by cinematographer-turned-filmmaker S. Craig Zala in his feature debut

the picture follows the sheriff of a small town lead a band of men on a rescue mission

to save the local doctor when she's kidnapped by a tribe of vicious cannibals known as troglodytes

With wild animals, bandits, and one of the men suffering from a nasty injury

the journey to the tribe's cave is already a perilous endeavour. But nothing can prepare them for what happens when they encounter the kidnappers face to face

Unflinchingly ruthless in their cruelty, with one graphic kill being seriously stomach-churning

the troglodytes are an unforgettably terrifying presence. What makes them more imposing than their violence though is how they communicate Instead of speech they unleash guttural howls made possible by having bone fragments sewn into their throats

By having these villains sound as inhuman as possible, their lack of dialogue only underscores the threat they pose to anyone who crosses them

Maddie in Hush Released on Netflix without much fanfare, home invasion horror Hush

seemed to be like any other generic genre outing on first appearance

Directed and co-written by horror icon Mike Flanagan, though, this underrated flick is a taut, edge-of-your-seat thriller

which subverted genre conventions in unexpected ways. Set within an isolated house in the woods

the plot sees deaf-mute author Maddie settle in for the night to finish her latest novel

However, it's not long before things take a sinister turn when the writer becomes terrorised by a masked man trying to break into her home

A tense game of cat and mouse ensues as Maddie attempts to stay one step ahead of the intruder

Although her disability means she's unable to hear the stranger, Maddie is smart and resourceful enough to fight back, if only just

It's this clever writing which keeps viewers invested in her plight while continuing to wind the suspense

While Maddie's internal thoughts are expressed audibly at certain points, the character herself never speaks a word throughout the film

instead communicating through sign language and writing. A sharp twist on a familiar formula, Hush never fails to thrill and surprise

The Janitor in Willy's Wonderland Starring in Vampire's Kiss, Mandy, Color Out of Space, and Mum and Dad

Nicolas Cage is no stranger to the wackier side of horror. Known for his endearingly over-the-top performances

there's no greater joy than watching the actor unleash a tirade of expletives at high volume

In low-budget horror at Willy's Wonderland, however, Cage switched things up by playing a character who never says a single word

That character is known simply as the Janitor. He's a lone drifter who, after running into some car trouble in a small town

is given the job of cleaning up the titular-themed restaurant to work off the repair bill

What he doesn't know, though, is that the restaurant's animatronics spring to life each night

and kill whoever wanders into their lair. When he's not fighting for his life against the murderous machines

this silent protagonist spends his time cleaning, playing pinball and drinking beer

If anything, the killer animatronics are more of an inconvenience he must contend with

Originally, the janitor was supposed to have some dialogue until Cage insisted he remain completely silent

This proved to be the right call. Willy Wonderland is a fantastically fun time that become a cult sensation Art the Clown in Terrifier From House of a Thousand Corpses murderous Captain Spaulding to the wisecracking Pennywise from It

clowns have been terrifying audiences for decades, ensuring that horror fans stay as far away from circuses as possible

However, none of these sadistic clowns are as diabolically depraved as Art the Clown

from Damien Leone's Terrifier films. Throughout the course of each of these grimy grindhouse excursions, viewers watch on helplessly as Art enacts increasingly gnarly acts of cruelty upon his victims

There's no limit to his repulsive actions, with each kill depicted in excessively graphic detail

Regardless of what he does, though, this clown remains completely silent. Played with a feverish glee by David Howard Thornton, Art's movements and expressions are carried with all the comedic exaggeration of a pantomime artist

Whether he's staring menacingly across a deserted restaurant at his next victims

or slowly sneaking up behind someone like a cartoon character, Thornton's skill in physical

comedy will have audiences laughing whenever they're not covering their eyes in disgust

Putting his years as a children's theatre performer to effective use, Thornton combines

the silent comedy of Charlie Chaplin with the debauchery of Freddy Krueger to create the most

hilariously evil horror villain of all time mahogany in the midnight meat train whether it's

jason voorhees or michael myers the silent killer is an effective trope within the slasher genre

one such villain who doesn't get enough attention though is mahogany from splatter flick the midnight

meat train based on the short story by clive barker the film sees a street photographer named

leon a then unknown bradley cooper become obsessed with capturing the macabre side of life when he's

encouraged to challenge his sense of morality by a gallery owner. This newfound obsession centres

itself around Mahogany, a towering behemoth of a butcher who boards the same subway train every

night and proceeds to mercilessly slaughter each passenger. The kills are visceral and excessive

with the killer expertly utilising a meat hammer to get the job done. While his talent for murder

rivals that of the most iconic slasher villains, it's Vinnie Jones' steely silence which gives the

character an unwaveringly menacing presence. The actor's sheer physicality reinforces that this character is someone who's not to be messed with. However, as the film goes on

his nuanced performance conveys that there's something more emotionally complexing going on

under the surface. Carried by an entirely physical performance, Mahogany is the most frightening killer you've never seen