Few series, animated or otherwise, have had as significant of an impact as Scooby-Doo. The series made its debut in 1969 with the original show, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! It followed a group of four mystery-solving friends — Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma — as they traveled around in their signature Mystery Machine van with Shaggy’s talking Great Dane, Scooby-Doo.
Since its original debut, Scooby-Doo has seen massive success over the years, continuing to this day. The Mystery Inc. gang was the subject of more than 15 TV series and more than 40 animated movies. The gang was also adapted into several live-action movies, most notably those from the early 2000s starring Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Freddie Prinze Jr.
Scooby-Doo and the gang are ubiquitous in pop culture and have been appealing to audiences of all ages for more than 50 years. The series, movies and countless spin-offs have featured well-known celebrities, iconic soundtracks and lines, and, of course, signature villains.
While most of the bad guys Mystery Inc. encounters are typically discovered to be just another “man in a mask,” some of these villains have become just as recognizable as the gang themselves. The bad guys are essentially the epicenter of each episode and have delivered lasting spooks and scares throughout the series.
Updated November 13th, 2022: If you're a fan of Mystery Inc. and Scooby-Doo, you'll be happy to know this article has been updated with additional villains and content.
New Scooby-Doo media is always on the horizon, like Mindy Kaling's new adult animated series Velma, for HBO Max. While we wait, let’s recap some of the best Scooby-Doo villains so far.
11 Headless Specter
The Headless Specter made his appearance in the episode "Haunted House Hang Up" in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! During the episode, the gang is on their way to a music festival, and Fred is driving along some back roads to get there, when they come across a farmer who warns them about a haunted mansion on the road ahead. So, being Mystery Inc., they head up to the mansion to investigate. Here, they encounter the Headless Specter, a Victorian-era dressed figure that tries to chase the gang out of the mansion.
The Headless Specter is a classic villain, found in a classic Scooby-Doo environment — a haunted mansion. The Headless Specter also made an appearance in the early 2000s Scooby-Doo video game Night of 100 Frights.
10 Ghost Clown
"Bedlam in the Big Top" is a signature episode from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, and was actually the tenth episode in the series. The Ghost Clown is your typical spooky clown, complete with a bright red wig and full face of make-up. The Ghost Clown is the villain terrorizing a circus that the gang visits, and his shtick is that he hypnotizes people with a gold coin to do bizarre things.
The Ghost Clown made his appearance 20 years before Stephen King's Pennywise from It. But, as far as scary clowns in pop culture go, the Ghost Clown is up on the list.
9 Green Ghosts
Another Scooby-Doo classic is the Green Ghosts, or Phantom Shadows from the episode "A Night of Fright is No Delight" from the original series. The Green Ghosts were floating apparitions with clanking chains on their wrists. In another classic Sccoby-Doo plot, they were created as disguises for two lawyers looking to secure a fortune hidden somewhere in an old mansion.
The Green Ghosts are one of those Scooby-Doo villains that are immediately recognizable. They also made an appearance in the live-action movie, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, where they were called the Giggling Green Ghosts.
8 Phantom Virus
The Phantom Virus was the main villain in the direct-to-video movie Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase in 2001. The Phantom Virus is an evil computer virus with a weakness to magnets. Using a laser that transfers physical objects into the virtual world, the Mystery Inc. gang enters a video game where they have to compete with the Phantom Virus over a series of levels and boss fights in order to defeat him once and for all, to prevent him from causing any more harm to both the virtual and real worlds.
The Phantom Virus was one of the more powerful villains that the gang encountered throughout their adventures. Because he was created from a computer and had the ability to download data and continuously evolve his powers, he was a force to be reckoned with, and ultimately a great villain. However, the Phantom Virus' only appearance was in Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase.
7 Revolta & The Grim Creeper
When Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy are hired as gym teachers at an all-girls finishing school, they are shocked to discover the students are in fact paranormal beings in 1988's made-for-television film Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School. The trio face off against the terrifying Revolta, a four-armed, red-eyed devilish witch with rotting skin who will stop at nothing to make the girls her slaves. Aiding the diabolical Revolta is her minion the Grim Creeper, a one-eyed green creature who gleefully does his master's bidding and brings terror to whoever crosses his path.
Revolta was a powerful witch who used any means necessary to get what she wanted, using hypnotism, quicksand and spider bats to kidnap the girls and attempt to eliminate Scooby and the gang. Few fans can forget the terrifying Mirror Monster that takes the form of Shaggy, trapping the character inside the mirror while his evil counterpart runs amuck for Revolta.
6 Gramps the Vamp
Gramps the Vamp, or the Skull Island Vampire, appeared in the episode "Vampire Bats and Scaredy Cats" from The Scooby-Doo Show series. In this episode, the gang travels to visit Daphne's friend Lisa and stay in a hotel she's set to inherit, when Velma says the island is said to be infested with vampires.
Turns out, Velma was right. The Skull Island Vampire is really creepy looking. Mystery Inc. has encountered vamps before, but not like this one. His sharp features, yellow fangs, eerie snarls, and the way he sneaks around at night make him far scarier than the similar creatures the gang has unmasked in the past.
5 Charlie the Funland Robot
Charlie the Funland Robot first appeared in the episode "Foul Play in Funland" from the original series. Charlie was designed to take care of the amusement park whenever the owner, Mr. Jenkins, was busy. However, when Jenkins' sister sabotaged the robot, he became corrupt and mischievous, and started wreaking havoc throughout the park.
Something about Charlie is unsettling and a little scary. Maybe it's his glowing eyes, or the way he walks. Even though it's later discovered that he's actually not evil and just needs a repair, he's one of the creepier "villains" the gang meets.
Scenes from this episode were also used in the opening credit sequence during the first season, including a cameo from Charlie himself.
4 The Witch's Ghost / Sarah Ravencroft
Mystery Inc. has battled their fair share of frightening foes, but few were as powerful as the malevolent Sarah Ravencroft in the 1999 direct-to-video movie Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost. After the gang heads to the fictional Massachusetts town of Oakhaven to meet Velma's favorite horror writer, they realize the citizens are seemingly being terrorized by the ghost of a legendary witch who was executed by the townsfolk in 1657. Though the initial culprit ended up being the local pharmacist, the sleuths quickly realize the vengeful witch Sarah Ravencroft has been resurrected and wants to destroy the world.
The translucent, levitating witch is still angry over her death more than 300 years later and wants to get revenge on anyone who dares stand in her way. She is extremely powerful and dangerous with her spell book, turning pumpkins and trees into monsters that chase after the determined heroes. Sarah even enlarged a turkey to attack Scooby, Shaggy and the rest of the gang, proving herself to be a memorable villain.
3 The Creeper
The Creeper is another iconic Scooby-Doo villain that is instantly recognizable. He made his first appearance in the classic episode, "Jeepers, it's the Creeper," from the original series. He was a hunched-over monster with a bad temper, who resembled a zombie, or even Frankenstein's monster. The Creeper is characterized by his deep growls, and large, grasping hands.
The Creeper is a classic villain and has made appearances in other Scooby-Doo media including Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, as well as the Night of 100 Frights video game.
2 Scrappy-Doo / Emile Mondavarious
The live-action Scooby-Doo movies from the early 2000s are pop culture masterpieces. From their great writing, to the incredible casting, they're perfect live interpretations of the classic cartoon. In the 2002 Scooby-Doo movie, the gang travels to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal complaints at the request of the Island's owner, Emile Mondavarious.
However, the ultimate twist comes at the end of the movie when it's revealed that the Mondavarious they'd been interacting with was actually a robot being operated by none other than Scrappy-Doo, Scooby's nephew. Scrappy makes for a hilarious, mildly annoying villain, but that's what makes it all the more enjoyable to watch, turning one of the franchise's most-hated characters into the villain for the live-action Scooby movie.
2002's Scooby-Doo was followed by Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed in 2004. A third installment was also planned at one point, but has since been scrapped.
1 Zombies / Werecats from Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
One of the best animated Scooby-Doo movies is undoubtedly 1998's Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. The movie follows the gang to a remote island in the bayou, where they're setting out to investigate some ghostly activity, only to find out the island is crawling with zombies and werecats.
Unlike previous Scooby-Doo villains, the zombies and werecats on Zombie Island are real and not just a "man in a mask." This completely turns the tables on the Mystery Inc. gang because now they're not looking to set a trap and catch the bad guy; they're fighting for survival as they're in real danger this time. That's what makes these creatures such good villains, because they bring a real scare factor to the screen — especially for younger viewers.