A killer is absolutely terrifying in every form. But, if I had to face one as a regular degular human, I’d certainly want to face off against another human. I feel like my chances would be pretty solid against one of the Ghostface killers versus some creature from another dimension. I love to see them in my favorite horror movies and TV shows, but I want them to stay on screen and out of my life. There have been many aliens, demons, spirits, and otherworldly monsters in horror throughout the genre’s many decades of existence.
And that’s certainly not changing in the 2020s, which has been its own horror show in many ways. There are some truly terrifying creatures and beings from another dimension who now have a cozy spot among great horror villains. So, to celebrate their existence, let’s take a look at six horrifying (and perhaps some of the scariest) creatures from another dimension that we’ve met in the 2020s.
Vecna (Stranger Things)
Stranger Things did have its intense and chilling moments in the show’s first three seasons, but it didn’t get downright scary until season four, thanks to Henry/Vecna/One. That guy is totally something different. Sure, he started off as a not-so-normal human child who used his powers to kill family members and eventually became a lab rat with only a device to stop his reign. But, when Eleven pushed him into an alternate dimension, Vecna was truly born. Very gnarly looking with a voice that makes the hairs on your forearms stand at attention, Vecna is a creature from another dimension that none of us want to invade our dreams any time soon.
The Smile Entity (Smile and Smile 2)
An invisible entity with no name that pretty much drives you nuts until you kill yourself and then jumps to whomever witnesses your death is quite the horror antagonist. Smile is one of the great horror movies of the 2020s with an antagonist that simply cannot be beat. Turning a universally nice facial gesture into something sinister? That’s some wild stuff, man.
Jean Jacket (Nope)
An alien cosplaying as a UFO who devours anyone that dares to stare at it is a most excellent creature from another dimension. Our snacky friend Jean Jacket was just a vibe and used people’s nosiness and thirst for profit to create tasty meals. It doesn’t really have an end goal nor an origin story. Jean Jacket just exists as a predator, and we love that for this flying beast. May it RIP.
The Angel (Midnight Mass)
Ahh, who does love a vampiric angel who comes from… some unknown place? Midnight Mass is easily one of Netflix’s best shows to ever exist, and this Angel is up to some devilish deeds. The way it calls its victim and lures them in only to go for the kill? Heavenly. The chaos caused on Crockett Island? A true feast for our senses.
Shoggoths (Lovecraft Country)
So, we obviously know that shoggoths didn’t first appear in Lovecraft Country. But the short-lived show’s depiction of them really set the tone for 2020s creatures. These beastly beings appear in the show’s first episode, where they mercilessly hunt down Tic, Leti, and Uncle George after the trio nearly lost their lives in a sundown town situation. They are certainly not what you want to run into whilst lost in dark woods. But, we later see a shoggoth appear to save Tic’s life, so they are alright in my book.
Drowned Spirit Lady (Talk to Me)
Using an embalmed hand to reach out to spirits is not my idea of fun. And it shouldn’t be anyone’s pastime with friends, especially after watching Talk to Me. That drowned, bloated lady that takes over Mia is scary as hell. In fact, she’s almost as scary as having horrible friends who encourage possession so they can film it for shits and giggles. Wthelly.
“The Well” Entity (Doctor Who)
So this one is sort of a cheat because the Tenth Doctor came against this mimicking entity in “Midnight.” But the entity in the Fifteenth Doctor and Belinda’s adventure is a more evolved and more terrifying unseen beast. The entity lurks over a person’s shoulder and causes them to attack others. And when that person kills someone, the entity transfers to them to keep the vicious cycle going. The thought of something lurking behind you and turning you into a killer puppet of sorts is unsettling, to say the least.