You can't have Christmas without Santa Claus. Often depicted with a big belly and warm, rosy cheeks, Kris Kringle symbolizes all the hope, joy, and kindness associated with the holiday. Leave it to the horror genre to take one look at that and say, "Hold my beer." The Santa Clauses of horror movies subvert all these adjectives, delivering a figure that looks a whole lot like Santa, just without the heart.
Deranged, disturbed, and psychopathically cold, the Santas of horror are just downright scary. Some are more terrifying than others, though. So, here are the scariest movie Santas, ranked by how likely they'll make you lose sleep. Head to streamers like Kanopy, Shudder, and more to watch them enforce holiday chaos now.
6. Joulupukki - Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
Also included on my list of best movie Santas of all time, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale features one of the coolest interpretations of Santa in cinema history. Here, Santa isn't a jolly-looking man with a white beard and red suit. Instead, he, or rather it, is a gigantic, horned creature that has more in common with Krampus than the traditional depictions of Kris Kringle. In Finnish, he is called Joulupukki, which translates to "Christmas goat."
Terrifying? Absolutely. However, Rare Exports protagonists manage to (spoiler!) destroy Joulupukki before he can do any damage, which earns him the last spot on this list despite a truly formidable form. Still, anyone looking for a unique horror and dark fantasy mash-up will love Rare Exports. I promise you've seen nothing like it before.
5. Norman - A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
If you ask me, A Christmas Horror Story is underrated, and that's a darn shame. Using William Shatner's radio DJ as loose connective tissue between four holiday-theme stories, the anthology movie delivers the type of gore, scares, and dark comedy found in Trick' r Treat (2007), just with elves, Christmas tree backdrops, and Krampus instead.
However, the Big Man in Red also makes an appearance in the movie's fourth short. George Buza plays a badass, zombie-slaying Santa who even has a big stand-off with Krampus. There is a pretty big twist that follows, though, so go in without spoilers. That said, the twist only adds to the horror, making Buza's Santa a memorable one for a couple of reasons.
4. Harry Stadling - Christmas Evil (1980)
Christmas Evil sounds like a radically violent slasher with campy sensibilities, but it takes itself much more seriously than that. In some ways, it's more of a character study, as it follows Harry Stadling's psychological spiral from disgruntled toy factory employee to a murderous Santa. Like Black Christmas (1974), Christmas Evil tackles bigger themes about consumerism and mental health.
It's not a perfect film by any means, but Christmas Evil has a dedicated cult following for a reason. Moments of bleak, dark comedy offer a good balance to the violence. Nowhere near as disturbing or brutal as Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), which I mention later on this list, Christmas Evil has a similar compelling, slow-burn pace to John Carpenter's Halloween, even if it's not quite as suspenseful.
3. Santa Claus/Mr. Shatan - Santa's Slay (2005)
Calling all fans of campy, turn-your-brain-off movies. If you haven't seen Santa's Slay yet, get on it. Pro-wrestler Bill Goldberg plays the titular Santa, who, in this universe, is actually a demonic entity once under contract to deliver presents and be "good." However, with that contract officially up, Santa is ready to break bad.
With a half a dozen kills right in the movie's first few minutes, Santa's Slay lets you know precisely the type of movie it is up front. If you like other fun holiday horror movies like Krampus (2015) or Christmas Bloody Christmas (2005), you'll love this one. And considering Goldberg's Santa is literally a demon, he deserves a decently high ranking on this list. Yes, it's cheesy, but it's also pretty scary if you think about it.
2. Billy Chapman - Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
While Billy Chapman doesn't quite have the stuff to make first place on this list, he is still one of the most infamous Santas in horror. After a particularly nasty event involving a deranged hitchhiker in a Santa Claus outfit during childhood (and more abuse at an orphanage), Billy grows to resent Christmas. But his hatred doesn't just involve bah humbug Scrooge antics. Instead, he brutally murders anyone he perceives as "naughty." Emphasis on brutal.
Silent Night, Deadly Night was (and is) a controversial movie. The combination of brutality, violence (including sexual violence), and campiness won't be for every viewer. Still, those who want something dark (like truly dark) will find a gritty, grindhouse subversion of the typical Christmas movie here. You definitely wouldn't want to run into Billy on Christmas.
1. Art the Clown - Terrifier 3 (2024)
Like Silent Night, Deadly Night, Terrifier 3 is brutal. However, Art the Clown's turn as Santa edges Bill out with fear factor. Extreme, shocking, and absolutely soaked in blood, Terrifier 3 requires a cast-iron stomach and splatter horror sensibilities to truly enjoy. For everyone else, the movie is just pure nightmare fuel, especially if clowns give you the willies.
Art's goofy, exaggerated expressions offer a wonderfully demented contrast to his horrendous acts of violence. Put him in a Santa suit, eating cookies and drinking milk, and you've got yourself a bizarre holiday horror romp loaded with dark humor and some genuinely unsettling moments. Art is undeniably the scariest Santa to date, but special mention to his accomplice, Victoria Heyes. She might not be quite as festive, but she is more than adequately terrifying.
