MAPPING the DNA of villainy
The Villain Census puts 1,000 of the greatest baddies from the last 3,000 years under the microscope to understand the character, rules and outcomes that govern the world of villains. How has villainy evolved? What determines success? How do male and female villains compare? How does villainy vary across cultures? The Census will answer all these questions, and more.
The Census is not a Greatest Villain poll - there's plenty of those already. Instead, it is about understanding villainy itself.
Reviewing 1,000 villains is a colossal task, particularly given the breadth of our selection - from Ancient China to 21st century computer games. We invite people who know these villains best - writers, fans and experts - to contribute to the Census by completing a short survey to help classify and categorise our chosen villains. Take part below, or find out more in the FAQs at the bottom of this page.
We are also collecting quotations for the Evil Genius book and would welcome your contributions. If a quote is added thanks to your suggestion, you will be credited in the book, although you can choose not to be. Send quotations using the form here.
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With great care! The list needed historical and geographic breadth; it also needed to include villains whose stature, reputation and cultural significance merited inclusion. Although fantastic villains are being created every year, we had to ensure the list remained balanced.
Certainly. You can download the full list here.
The process of selecting 1,000 of the world's most revered villains has been painstaking, but with the list capped at 1,000, omissions are inevitable. But remember: the Census is not about crowning the Greatest Villain of All Time - it's about having a representative cross-section to draw balanced findings from. This means that even if, say, Count Guido Franceschini didn't make the grade, their type is represented.
The process of selecting 1,000 of the world's most revered villains has been painstaking, but with the list capped, omissions are inevitable. But remember: the Census is *not* about crowning the Greatest Villain of All Time - it's about having a representative cross-section to draw findings from.
The process of selecting 1,000 of the world's most revered villains has been painstaking, but with the list capped, omissions are inevitable. But remember: the Census is *not* about crowning the Greatest Villain of All Time - it's about having a representative cross-section to draw findings from.
You can skip any villain you don't feel qualified to score. Just hit the Skip button and you'll move onto the next villain.
The results of the Villain Census will be published in Evil Genius, due to be released in 2027. We will also produce a summary of findings that will be shared with all contributors. We will update contributors by email when this is available.
Good question - and it's not always black and white. Villains are best defined by their morality (or lack thereof) and their role within a creative work. They are the antagonists, the obstacles and the troublemakers whose moral compass leads them towards criminality, psychopathy, cruelty and mischief. For the purposes of the Census, morality is a defining feature, which is why we have included some noteworthy antiheroes and villain-protagonists on the list. For more information, see the criteria in the Villain List.
The process of selecting 1,000 of the world's most revered villains has been painstaking, but with the list capped, omissions are inevitable. But remember: the Census is *not* about crowning the Greatest Villain of All Time - it's about having a representative cross-section to draw findings from.
