Summary
- Villains sometimes reveal their entire plan in a monologue, giving heroes a final chance to thwart them.
- Heroic movie characters survive dangerous situations, outsmart villains, and capitalize on distractions.
- Most villains could have succeeded if they remained silent and didn’t underestimate the hero’s cunning.
Villains in some well-known, even praised movies, have been known to give away their entire plan in a villainous monologue, allowing the hero one last chance to save the day. Most often, the villain reveals everything because they believe that they have won; the damage cannot be undone, or they are about to kill the hero, and it won’t make any difference. They are just gloating about their victory to make it even worse for the hero. However, they might have been one of the movie villains who got away with their plan if they had remained silent.
The villain tends to underestimate the hero and what tricks they will have up their sleeve at the last moment. Yet movie characters will survive certain death situations time and time again, allowing them one last chance to thwart the evil plan. They also frequently use the villain being distracted by the act of monologuing to sneak their way out of danger. As much as moviegoers like the best movie villain speeches ever, some examples favor drama over the villain being an intelligent character.
Related 10 Great Movie Villains Wasted In Terrible Movies
A villain can be the defining quality of a fantastic movie. Unfortunately, even these villain performances couldn’t save their bad movies.
10 Dawn Bellwether (Jenny Slate)
Zootopia (2016)
Close
Recently promoted to mayor, Dawn Bellwether is very confident that she has won in the final act of Zootopia and underestimates Judy and Nick until the end. Given that Judy is smart enough to instantly put together that Dawn is not to be trusted when she shows up at the museum with perfect timing, Dawn should give her some more credit. Dawn seems like she respects Judy for most of the movie and even relates to her in the final speech; she has no real reason to gloat at Judy and should just kill her.
Dawn gives the buddy cop duo all the confirmation they need of her schemes when they can still find a way out.
Even if she is so assured that Nick will end Judy’s life swiftly, Dawn actually starts monologuing her whole plan before the heroes are trapped. Dawn gives the buddy cop duo all the confirmation they need of her schemes when they can still find a way out; she may not even know that Judy is injured. However, even when she does have them trapped, Dawn does not think Judy is smart enough to thwart her.
Zootopia PGAnimationAdventureActionFamily Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Disney’s Zootopia takes place in the titular city, a place where anthropomorphic animals peacefully coexist. Following Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit, as she strikes up an unlikely partnership with a con artist fox (Jason Bateman). Working together, the pair discover a criminal conspiracy that involves the disappearance of predators, and follow it all the way to the heart of the city.
Director Jared Bush , Rich Moore , Byron Howard Release Date March 4, 2016 Writers Phil Johnston , Jared Bush Cast Octavia Spencer , Bonnie Hunt , Maurice LaMarche , Idris Elba , John DiMaggio , Jason Bateman , Alan Tudyk , Nate Torrence , Katie Lowes , Ginnifer Goodwin , Tommy Chong , Shakira , J. K. Simmons , Jenny Slate , Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister Runtime 108 Minutes Expand
9 Clove (Isabelle Fuhrman)
The Hunger Games (2012)
Close
Clove has Katniss at her mercy during the Feast scene in The Hunger Games. She could have killed her instantly and maybe even won the Hunger Games. However, the books make a point about the career tributes being trained particularly to cater to the Capitol’s taste for violent spectacle. Yet even if Clove is going to make Katniss’ death long and painful, she spends a long time talking before she even gets started. All she does during this monologue is summarize things Katniss already knows.
Clove is way too confident that she is not in any danger in the arena when at least one other tribute could attack her while she is distracted (Thresh, who does just this). She and Cato would have discussed a strategy beforehand, so she theoretically knows that Cato is not close enough to save her. Clove makes a fatal mistake by turning her back to any other threats and taunting Katniss, only to restate her plan to kill Katniss and Peeta and confirm that the careers killed Rue.
The Hunger Games PG-13ThrillerActionAdventure Sci-Fi Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
The Hunger Games is the first of four in the action-drama movie series based on the novels by Suzanne Collins. Set in a dystopian world where people are separated into twelve districts to maintain order, this first film in the franchise focuses on Katniss Everdeen as she is forced to participate in The Hunger Games: a draconian gladiatorial survival event where there can be only one winner.
Director Gary Ross Release Date March 12, 2012 Writers Gary Ross , Suzanne Collins , Billy Ray Cast Liam Hemsworth , Jeffrey Wright , Natalie Dormer , Josh Hutcherson , Julianne Moore , Elizabeth Banks , Robert Knepper , Donald Sutherland , Woody Harrelson , Jennifer Lawrence , Jena Malone , Philip Seymour Hoffman Runtime 142 minutes Expand
8 The Fantom/M (Richard Roxburgh)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
Close
The villain known as the Fantom or simply M, later revealed to be James Moriarty of the Sherlock Holmes novels, goes through a lot of trouble to make sure the League knows of his plan. M records his villainous monologue and leaves it behind for the movie’s heroes to find, through which he reveals his plan to use their DNA and inventions to manufacture weapons and start a world war. Supposedly, his plan was also for them all to die from the bombs planted on board the Nautilus.
First, betting that they will all die is a leap of faith when one of the members of the League is a vampire and another has a monstrous alter ego. Second, it’s not as though M is even there to see them react to his plan, making it even more ridiculous that he prioritized this over secrecy. Of course, all the main characters survive, and they now have extra information about the plan they are trying to stop.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) PG-13FantasyActionThrillerSci-Fi
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a 2003 action-adventure film directed by Stephen Norrington. Based on the comic series by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill, the movie features a team of legendary figures, including Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery), Captain Nemo, and Dr. Jekyll. These characters join forces to thwart a plot that threatens world stability. The ensemble cast also includes Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, and Tony Curran.
Director Stephen Norrington Release Date July 11, 2003 Writers james robinson Cast Sean Connery , Naseeruddin Shah , Shane West , Peta Wilson , Stuart Townsend , Jason Flemyng , Tony Curran , Richard Roxburgh Runtime 110 Minutes
7 The Bowler Hat Guy (Stephen J. Anderson)
Meet The Robinsons (2007)
Close
Goob a.k.a. the Bowler Hat Guy is a goofy enough villain that it’s believable he is the type who would want to lay out his whole plan to Lewis. The scene gets the satisfaction of tying together all the loose threads in the movie, revealing that the Bowler Hat Guy is Lewis’ old roommate and that Wilbur is Lewis’ son. However, Goob’s monologue makes things so easy for Lewis to fix.
In this scene, it is revealed that the evil helping hat “Doris” is an abandoned invention of Lewis’ seeking revenge. She found Goob, who blamed Lewis for his life falling apart, and the two of them conspired against the Robinson family. The resolution of this movie’s conflict is Lewis asserting that he will never create Doris, prompting her to fall to pieces on the spot and reversing everything she did. Even if Goob hadn’t considered this, Doris might have been smart enough to and would have advised against revealing anything to Lewis.
Meet the Robinsons GAnimationAdventureComedyFamilySci-Fi Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Meet The Robinsons follows Lewis, a young inventor determined to find his birth mother. His journey takes a turn when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks him away to the future. Together, they face adventures and challenges that ultimately lead Lewis to uncover the significance of family and his place in the world. This animated film explores themes of innovation, belonging, and the importance of moving forward.
Director Stephen J. Anderson Release Date March 30, 2007 Cast Angela Bassett , Daniel Hansen , Jordan Fry , Matthew Josten , John H. H. Ford , Dara McGarry Runtime 95 Minutes
6 Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener)
Incredibles 2 (2018)
Close
Helen is closing in on the truth about the Screenslaver and Evelyn even tries to direct her away from it. However, she concludes that there is no salvaging the situation and brings Helen under her control as well. Evelyn then temporarily releases Helen from her mind control to lay out her entire villainous backstory and plans to ruin her brother’s superhero summit. For all Evelyn knows, someone could come and rescue Helen and expose her.
Helen has a lot more context because of Evelyn’s speech and knows she needs to capture her as well as save the day.
Evelyn still might have been able to fly under the radar as Helen pursued her theory, as all she knew for sure was that the man she had just helped arrest wasn’t the Screenslaver. When Helen and the rest of the mind-controlled superheroes are awakened, they don’t need all this information to realize that they are on a yacht speeding towards land that they need to stop. However, Helen has a lot more context because of Evelyn’s speech and knows she needs to capture her as well as save the day.
The Incredibles 2 PGAdventureActionAnimation
The sequel to Pixar’s The Incredibles, Incredibles 2 follows the Parr family as they continue to fight crime as Supers. In a world that has only recently rediscovered its need for superpowered heroes, building trust is key. However, when Elastigirl uncovers a villainous plot to discredit the Super community, the family investigates, putting the Parrs in more danger than ever before.
Director Brad Bird Release Date June 15, 2018 Writers Brad Bird Cast Sarah Vowell , Samuel L. Jackson , Holly Hunter , Craig T. Nelson , John Ratzenberger , Catherine Keener , Huck Milner , Bob Odenkirk Runtime 126 Minutes
Related 10 Predictable Villain Reveals In Horror Movies
Not every horror movie has successfully paid off the mystery of their villain’s identities and intentions, and some were actually quite predictable.
5 Titus (Douglas Booth)
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Close
Jupiter finds herself in the middle of an intergalactic power struggle upon the discovery that she is genetically identical to the deceased matriarch of the setting’s most powerful alien dynasty. One of the royal siblings, Titus, plans to marry Jupiter to gain control of Earth and then kill her. He tells all of this to Caine, the soldier he sent to retrieve Jupiter who failed to deliver her, before ejecting him into space to die.
Caine survives this experience and rescues Jupiter from her wedding with knowledge of Titus’ full plans. This is a classic scenario, but Titus’ sister Kalique is also the one to reveal to Jupiter why she is so important. Kalique might have had more to gain from Jupiter and Caine being kept in the dark, as Caine wouldn’t have realized how vital it was to keep Jupiter safe.
Jupiter Ascending PG-13 Sci-FiAction Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
From visionary directors the Wachowskis, Jupiter Ascending follows Mila Kunis’ Jupiter Jones, a cleaning woman from Chicago who discovers that she is actually the heir to a vast intergalactic noble house. With the help of genetically modified soldier Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), Jupiter must fight to protect Earth from the greedy clutches of Balem Abrasax (Eddie Redmayne) who is intent on taking over the planet for his own means.
Director Lana Wachowski , andy wachowski Release Date February 6, 2015 Writers andy wachowski , Lana Wachowski Cast Eddie Redmayne , Sean Bean , Mila Kunis , Channing Tatum Runtime 127 Minutes
4 Arnim Zola (Toby Jones)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Close
HYDRA scientist Dr. Zola managed to transfer his consciousness to a computer before his death and played a role in HYDRA’s infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. for several more decades before it was discovered. Zola does technically reveal his evil plan to Steve and Natasha to distract them until the base they are at is bombed. However, given that Steve Rogers survived being frozen for decades, betting HYDRA’s entire mission on him not escaping was a massive risk.
Steve and Nat manage to take cover and Zola is completely destroyed. They then make their way through the movie’s conflict with the knowledge that HYDRA exists within S.H.I.E.L.D. and work to find out more about the organization’s plan. Additionally, Zola strongly implies that HYDRA had orchestrated Howard and Maria Stark’s deaths. He has no way of knowing what Steve will do with this information, but again reveals a lot based on the assumption that they will finally be able to kill Captain America.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier PG-13SuperheroAction Sci-FiThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the ninth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After being awoken from cryosleep in the previous film, Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world. As he adjusts, he must battle a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.
Director Joe Russo , Anthony Russo Release Date April 4, 2014 Writers Stephen McFeely , Christopher Markus Cast Chris Evans , Hayley Atwell , Scarlett Johansson , Samuel L. Jackson , Robert Redford , Anthony Mackie , Cobie Smulders , Frank Grillo , Sebastian Stan Runtime 136 minutes
3 Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban)
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)
Close
Khan bears such a personal grudge against Kirk that it is characteristic for him to want Kirk to know that he will be responsible for the destruction of the Enterprise. However, Khan goes too far with revealing his plan and maybe changing it part way through, allowing Kirk time to figure out an alternative. Khan famously declares: “First I deprived your ship of power, and when I swing around I mean to deprive you of your life! But I wanted you to know first who it was who had beaten you.” However, he also wants to get information on Genesis.
Khan supposedly wants to destroy Kirk but risks achieving this by saying that he will spare the Enterprise in exchange for all information on Genesis. He may have intended to kill them all anyway, but allows Kirk the time to escape by trying to have it all in this moment and gets nothing. Kirk manages to lower the Reliant’s shields, leaving it open to be attacked. In the meantime, Kirk now knows that Khan is after him and Genesis.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) PGActionAdventureScience FictionThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a science fiction film that continues the adventures of the USS Enterprise crew, led by Captain James T. Kirk, as they confront the vengeful Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically engineered superhuman from the 20th century, who seeks revenge against Kirk for stranding him on a deserted planet.
Director Nicholas Meyer Release Date June 4, 1982 Writers Jack B. Sowards Cast William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy , Deforest Kelley , Walter Koenig , Nichelle Nichols , George Takei , James Doohan , Ricardo Montalban , Kirstie Alley Runtime 112 Minutes
2 Skynet (Helena Bonham Carter)
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Close
Skynet, in the form of Dr. Serena Kogan, lays out its entire plan for Marcus when he reaches Skynet headquarters. Given that Skynet is an unfeeling computer system, it makes the least sense of almost any example for it to want to gloat to one of its creations. However, Skynet proceeds to tell Marcus that he was programmed to lure John Connor to headquarters and that the signal the Resistance believes can shut down Skynet is fabricated.
Marcus has a typical protagonist moment of rallying, asserting his own humanity, and then launching himself back into the action for the final act. Knowing that John is in immediate danger, Marcus takes off to find him and Kyle and save their lives. Skynet was admittedly right that there wasn’t much Marcus could do to prevent it from decimating Resistance command, but many soldiers had come to help John and lived to fight another day.
Terminator Salvation PG-13 Sci-FiAction Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
In post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor is one of the leaders of the human resistance fighting against the ever-growing army of machines intent on wiping out mankind. After young Kyle Reese befriends Marcus Wright, a former death row inmate, John Connor discovers Skynet’s plan to terminate Reese before he can travel back in time. The military leader is forced to scour the war-torn wasteland to find his teenage father to ensure his own survival.
Director McG Release Date May 21, 2009 Writers Michael Ferris , John Brancato Cast Sam Worthington , Moon Bloodgood , Christian Bale , Bryce Dallas Howard , Anton Yelchin Runtime 115 minutes
Related 8 Movie Franchises That Deserved A Better Legacy
Often the legacy of a great movie franchise can be tarnished over the years, with substandard sequels diminishing the overall impact of the series.
1 Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid)
Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith (2005)
Close
Throughout the prequel trilogy, Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious is none too subtle about his plans to take over the galaxy. Count Dooku reveals to Obi-Wan in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones that the Sith have infiltrated the Republic, which works out in their favor when it sows tension between the Jedi and the politicians. Sidious telling Anakin the tale of Darth Plagueis is also a risk, as it might have clued Anakin in too early.
Sidious then decides it is time to recruit Anakin properly and reveals his whole plan. He is right that Anakin is on the brink of turning to the Dark Side — but not before he goes directly to Mace Windu and tells him that Palpatine is the Sith Lord they have been looking for. Windu then almost kills Sidious in their duel. Sidious staked a lot on revealing his plan to Anakin at the right time, and if one thing had gone differently, this would have been the downfall of another evil plan due to monologuing.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith PG-13ActionAdventure Sci-FiFantasy Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the sixth film in the Star Wars franchise and chronologically the third in the Skywalker Saga. Set three years after the events of Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker is tasked with keeping an eye on Chancellor Palpatine while other Jedi battle across the galaxy. In the background, however, a mysterious Sith lord begins to make their move to destroy the Jedi once and for all.
Director George Lucas Release Date May 19, 2005 Writers George Lucas , John Ostrander , Jan Duursema Cast Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Ian McDiarmid , Samuel L. Jackson , Christopher Lee , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Frank Oz , Ahmed Best , Temuera Morrison Runtime 140 Minutes