Hollywood's most spellbinding witches and enchantresses across cinema history

Double, double toil and trouble! Guess w-HICH silver screen enchantresses bewitched audiences with their spellbinding performances?

With the long-awaited sequel Practical Magic 2 out now in cinemas, we are celebrating Hollywood's ultimate screen sorceresses.

From benevolent protectors conjuring charms to deliciously evil villainesses brewing up pure, unadulterated chaos, these characters completely transformed supernatural cinema.

Whether they are using their magic to save the day or terrorise the box office, click through to see our definitive countdown of legendary witches from movies and TV shows.

Helena Bonham Carter: Bellatrix Lestrange (Harry Potter Franchise, 2007–2011)

Helena Bonham Carter chewed the scenery with a manic, terrifying brilliance as the fanatical Bellatrix Lestrange. As Lord Voldemort's most loyal and sadistic Death Eater, Carter brought an unpredictable, wild-haired intensity to the wizarding world.

Her cackling delight in dark magic, cruel hexes, and unapologetic malice permanently secured her crown as one of modern cinema's most wonderfully twisted and wicked villains.

Charlize Theron: Queen Ravenna (Snow White and the Huntsman, 2012)

Charlize Theron was terrifyingly regal as Queen Ravenna, a dark, soul-sucking sorceress obsessed with achieving eternal youth and beauty. Theron brought an operatic, high-stress fury to the screen, radiating a cold-blooded, menacing malice.

She completely devoured the spotlight whenever she cruelly drained the life from her victims or dramatically transformed into a swarm of razor-sharp, jet-black ravens.

Angelina Jolie: Maleficent (Maleficent, 2014)

Angelina Jolie brought a magnificent, bone-chilling majesty to the screen as Disney’s most notorious dark sorceress in this retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

Clad in imposing horns and razor-sharp cheekbones, Jolie exuded a fiercely menacing aura wrapped in a complex layer of betrayal and dark power.

Her commanding presence and wicked, green-flamed magic proved that a feared, curse-casting villainess can completely dominate the box office.

She would later reprise the role in the 2019 sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.

Elizabeth Olsen: Wanda Maximoff / The Scarlet Witch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022)

Elizabeth Olsen completely reimagined the comic book witch, delivering a devastating, horror-fueled descent into dark magic as Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch.

Corrupted by a forbidden spellbook, Olsen brought an absolute, reality-warping terror to the screen in various Marvel projects, hunting down her enemies with a chilling, unstoppable fury.

Her raw power and menacing grief redefined the modern blockbuster villain.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo: Glinda and Elphaba (Wicked + Wicked: For Good, 2024–2025)

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo completely update a classic musical legend for a new generation by stepping into Oz for the epic Wicked films.

Grande captures the bubbly, hyper-ambitious, yet deeply empathetic nature of Glinda the Good Witch, while Erivo brings a powerful, soul-stirring depth to Elphaba, the misunderstood green-skinned sorceress.

Together, their unparalleled vocal talents and on-screen chemistry explore a spellbinding, emotional bond that redefines magical sisterhood with pure, sparkling charm.