Fresh: 10 Most Famous Movie Cannibals, According To Reddit

Fresh, starring Sebastian Stan as an ever-charming cannibal surgeon, was one of the most anticipated indie horror movies of 2022. It’s not every day that a cannibalism-themed film gets this much positive attention, but viewers have been absolutely enamored with the meat-eating Steve.

With all of the hype for his character, fans may be wondering about other films that have well-known – and sometimes even well-liked – cannibal main characters. Reddit, a reliable source of public opinion on pop culture and media, has weighed in on which other movie cannibals have had a similar effect on the masses.

Hannibal Lecter – The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

Hannibal Lecter is perhaps one of the most well-known cannibalistic main characters in the film world. His dialogue is quoted nonstop in film and television – even if the lines are frequently misremembered. He’s also a very popular costume for horror fans at Halloween time.

His consumption of human flesh isn’t the only thing that makes him so memorable, however. Like Steve, fans find that there’s something alluring and interesting about Dr. Lecter. A Redditor that’s since been deleted asked a thread, “Does anyone else admire Dr. Lecter? Despite his cannibalistic habits, he’s a very magnetic individual.” Many Redditors agreed with them, with KicksButtson writing, “Intelligence is attractive, so we like a smart character, even if he eats faces.”

Justine – Raw (2016)

The cannibal protagonist role seems to be dominated by men in the film world, but not in the case of Raw. Raw’s main character battling with their taste for flesh is Justine, a young girl going through a brutal sexual awakening while also trying to escape from her sheltered upbringing and forced vegetarianism.

DEEEPFREEZE on Reddit had quite a bit of praise for Raw, and specifically for Justine, as well. They wrote, “It’s incredibly significant that the protagonist is female. This movie is all about female empowerment, and even as a male, I’m all f***ing for it. We need more of it in media, more praise for bad a** women.”

F.W. Colqhoun – Ravenous (1999)

Viewers may recognize F.W. Colqhoun – he’s played by Robert Carlyle, best known for his portrayal of Rumplestilskin on Once Upon A Time. He may be battling for best villain with Cora Mills on OUAT, but he wins by a landslide for villainy as Colqhoun in Ravenous.

Not only is he a gruesome violent murderer in the film, but he’s also deceptive and clever. Redditor unholymanserpent described his reaction to Colqhoun, saying, “The villain is someone I would truly be terrified of. He’s like a wild animal but extremely intelligent and cunning. Dude was a total savage.”

Alferd Packer – Cannibal! The Musical (1993)

From the creators of South Park and The Book Of Mormon is another musical loosely based on real-life concepts and people. Following the trial and execution of Alferd Packer who is being accused of cannibalism after he and his travel companions became lost in a snowstorm.

Packer tells his story to a reporter through flashbacks and songs, charming her over time. The character was equally charming to audiences, as the film is well-loved in the horror and comedy community. Redditor FranklinandbashEd said, “One of my most favorite films.  Seriously funny and completely overrated.”

Leatherface – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Leatherface has equal notoriety to Dr. Lecter, with both being huge names in the horror movie world. Even more controversially, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre marketed itself as being based on true events, much like other well-known horror franchises that have convinced audiences that they were real. Leatherface may not be a real person, but he definitely left his mark on horror history.

2022 brought a highly anticipated new film to the franchise and fans have been talking nonstop about Leatherface’s capabilities in his old age and with all of the injuries he’s accumulated over the years. Redditor orangewrld wrote, “Leatherface would have been an All Pro left tackle for the Dallas Cowboys. Dude is pushing 70 and still outrunning everyone.”

The Parkers – We Are What We Are (2013)

What’s better than a single cannibal protagonist? An entire family of cannibals. The Parker family, like some other movie cannibals, is based on the historically controversial Donner Party. When their ancestors were snowed into a cave, they resorted to eating human flesh for survival and the habit stuck, mixing with their religious rituals.

The Parker family got positive reviews from fans, with Redditor AnglerfishM commenting, “I liked the dynamic they had with their father. It was clearly strained and there was a lot of animosity, but you could also tell they cared for each other.” GAAR2 agreed, writing, “I thought it was really cool. It was literally the trauma of NOT wanting to become a cannibal that drove the original father and daughter to seek a deeper meaning, that God MEANT for them to become cannibals.”

The Fans – Mother! (2017)

Mother! was a wild ride of an allegorical horror movie that kept fans on the edge of their seats, never knowing what was coming next. At times, the imagery was so visceral and disturbing, that it stayed with viewers long after the credits had rolled. One particular scene featuring Him’s cannibalistic fans was especially memorable.

ScratchAndDent on Reddit described their feelings on it, saying, “While I’ve seen more f***ed up movies, the cannibal scene will stay with me for a long time.” Rachelface927 agreed with them, writing, “the neck snap–my jaw dropped open, there was a collective gasp from the audience. I looked around and everyone’s mouths were open.”

Sweeney Todd – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007)

He may or may not have partaken in the human meat pies that Mrs. Lovett was selling to their London customers, but he certainly played the part of slaughterhouse, complete with an entire corpse chute and meat grinder. Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the Demon Barber got many compliments and the film was nominated for numerous awards.

When talking about his and Helena Bonham Carter’s performances and voices, Redditor I-didnt-vote-for-you wrote, “Their voices were just so perfect. Hers is sickly sweet, sometimes twisted and delicate, other times cynical and hilarious. His is dark, gritty, oftentimes splintering and breaking. It adds so much to Depp’s performance.”

Dr. Frank N Furter – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

People may have been too dazzled by the incredible costuming in The Rocky Horror Picture Show or too busy singing along to the catchy show tunes to notice, but Dr. Frank N Furter tricks his entire house of guests into eating the remains of his previous experiment, Eddie.

Redditors have a love-hate-lust relationship with the famous transvestite from Transylvania. Tungstencoil commented, “Frank is pretty despicable; unauthorized medical experiments, murder, cannibalism. We can’t help rooting for him in spite of this, but, honestly, he’s a villain.”

Steve – Fresh (2022)

Fresh has quickly taken the internet by storm, with countless tweets, memes, and TikTok videos being made about the film. It’s always interesting to see how audiences react when a very likable actor plays an inherently villainous character. They are either cringing in discomfort or find themselves falling head-over-heels for a cannibal kidnapper.

When discussing how easy it was for Steve to seduce Noa and lure women to his home for meat, Redditors had a lot to say about Steve’s charm. An_Ant2710 asked the thread, “Is it really that easy to get someone’s number?” The unanimous answer was yes. Brownnn_ wrote, “Yes, when it’s a charming Sebastian Stan. They made it realistic.”

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