Big slay! Horror movie legends, ranked purely by how queer they are

To mark the release of Scream VI, and the PinkNews exclusive interview with stars Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, here are our top 15 horror legends – based only on how queer their vibes are.

Hardly scientific, we know, but none of us was brave enough to sit alone in a room with Ghostface and ask him questions. In fact, we haven’t even dared watch all the films from start to finish…

15. Michael Myers (Halloween)

Not gay at all. Hair more frazzled than Gemma Collins’ in Big Brother, wears a boiler suit that’s been out of style since 2018 and has zero imagination when it comes to his kills. It’s all kitchen knife and patriarchy. Also, apparently, he killed a gay couple in one film, so not only straight but also homophobic.

Favourite drink is definitely moonshine and was probably involved in the riots when England reached the final of the Euros in 2021. Positively heterosexual. Leave Jamie Lee Curtis alone!

14. Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

From Texas, so probably a Republican and would have voted to ban drag queens or something. A chainsaw is more extravagant than a basic knife, but literally wearing another man’s face isn’t so much “queer” as it is unsanitary.

Often seen in a baggy suit and tie – if he was gay it would at least be fitted and dry-cleaned.

13. Frankenstein’s Monster (Frankenstein)

Largely the same as above, no vibes or pizzazz and even his grand reawakening via lightning is somehow boring. Should have been a musical number.

The only reason Frankenstein’s monster is above Mr Myers and Mr Face is because he’s presumably had another man’s junk bestowed on to him. Sorry, we couldn’t not mention it.

12. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

Jason is basically similar to our other, lower-ranked “man with weapon” entries, but his mask is fruitier and has some mild graphic design, and his machete is bigger than Mr Myers’. Who knew the Summer Camp Slasher was a size queen!

He is, however, in love with Freddy Krueger but we feel he’d be the less accepting of the couple and has some things to work out. Wouldn’t go to a Beyoncé concert of his own volition, but would enjoy it once he was there.

11. M3GAN (M3GAN)

Now we accept that this is a lower ranking than might be expected, but hear us out. M3GAN is a gay legend in the same way that P!nk is: a certain subsection of gays love her, but beyond that she’s not explicitly queer. Maybe queer adjacent.

Yes, the murderous android did a spot of contemporary dance before murdering someone, and yes, several “dolls” did various Taylor Swift routines at the film’s premiere but that gives us horse-girl energy, not queer vibes.

10. Bruce (Jaws)

He’s a shark, but he’s a shark with a sense of drama. Funky soundtrack, great teeth, fantastic dramatic timing, loves the beach in summer. Isn’t ranked any higher because, well… as we said, he’s a shark.

9. The Jigsaw Killer (Saw)

Everybody loves puppets! And intricately constructed death traps! Well, maybe not everyone loves the second part but the Jigsaw Killer does.

You can’t deny the pure sense of theatre at someone getting their arms ripped off because they couldn’t retrieve a codex from a vat of acid or something. Also, consistently uses a puppet which is camp, but he ranks lower on this list because of his horrible red-and-black colour scheme.

8. The Babadook (Babadook)

Weird vibes here but we concede that the general aura of uneasiness the Babadook instils is akin to what a lot of right-wing voters probably feel when they see two men holding hands or a trans person existing peacefully.

7. Pennywise (It)

Pennywise is literally a clown, which has some serious queer vibes in and of itself, but is obsessed with children, which despite Republican/Conservative mantras is not actually a common theme among the LGBTQ+ community.

Still pretty queer because that get-up is drag, and Pennywise can shape shift, which is basically any gay before and after Harley Street. Extra points because “It” is technically a gender-neutral term – but please do not call a non-binary person that.

6. Carrie (Carrie)

Our bloody prom queen! Enacts every queer person’s dream of a) being the centre of attention and b) brutally murdering their high-school tormentors.

In the original film, when she loses it and goes ballistic at the prom, there’s a dedicated frame to her flicking all the lights to red, and nothing says “queer” quite like: “Let me just make sure the lighting’s right.”

5. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street)

This horror legend kills people via their dreams! That is the signature dramatic flair that only a queer person would think of. Big queer vibes from Mr. Krueger, who as mentioned is in love with Jason.

Some points deducted for the fedora, but, honestly, the knife hand is a gag and so is his ability to stay awake for several days at a time, much like any circuit-party gay in Clapham.

For some reason, Kelly Rowland called him the f-slur in Freddy vs Jason.

4. Pinhead (Hellraiser)

Pinhead was played by trans icon Jamie Clayton in the recent remake and that’s all we need to know. Described as an androgynous figure, obsessed with traps and vengeance, and big into leather.. how much more evidence do you want?

The Pinhead look was also recreated by season 13 finalist Gottmik in RuPaul’s Drag Race‘s, so yes, Pinhead is a certified queer legend. Their drink is definitely vodka and cranberry juice and they love SZA.

3. Maleficent (Maleficent)

Not specifically horror per se, but so queer we couldn’t not put her on the list. Maleficent’s cheekbones alone are gayer than Old Compton Street and Elephant & Castle combined.

She arrives uninvited at a party as an estranged family member, essentially tells everyone to get f**ked, curses a baby and then disappears into flames. It’s camp! Bonus points for the horns, wings and entire lewk as an ensemble.

2. The Mother (Barbarian)

No, not Jamie Lee Curtis! Not Jennifer Coolidge! Not even Sarah Michelle Gellar!

Second place on the list, by sheer virtue of her name alone, the antagonist of Barbarian never leaves her house, hates people intruding on her personal space and has the same name as pretty much the most common word in every queer’s 2023 lexicon.

She is also ferociously protective of her chosen family (apparently) and we think she’s mother for that.

1. Ghostface (Scream)

The gayest of gay, this horror staple is camper than a row of tents.

The flair for dramatics? Gay. The giant flowing cape and commitment to character? Gay. An inability to let anyone else be the centre of attention for more than 10 minutes before they commit a murder to pull focus? What else, if not gay?

Also possesses an inherently queer ability to get out of locked rooms, a trick only perfected by a man/woman we want to see again but who leaves before we’ve woken up the morning after the night before.

There’s also the franchise’s long queer legacy and the fact that Ghostface has been people of all genders underneath the mask. A confirmed gender-fluid slay!