Red-eyed characters are a popular trope in many movies, especially those related to vampires, science fiction, or other supernatural genres.
In some cases, the red eyes are due to the character’s powers; in others, they indicate their villainism (or both).
Below is a look at some of the top red-eyed characters in movies, the reason for their eyes’ color, and other exciting facts about them.
1. Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch in Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Played by: Elizabeth Chase Olsen
- First appearance: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Most Recent Appearance: WandaVision (TV Show)
Wanda Maximoff is one of the most iconic red-eyed characters in movies, who appears in several films and TV shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While her eyes are not always red, they glow bright red when she uses her power, such as when mind-controlling Tony Stark or fighting Ultron and Thanos.
Wanda Maximoff’s red eyes do not necessarily indicate evil, although she makes questionable choices like working for Ultron and mind-controlling and enslaving an entire town. Instead, they are due to her powers being linked to the Mind Stone.
It could also be argued that Maximoff’s red eyes indicate her immense power, which she displays when facing off, ripping out Ultron’s heart (Avengers: Age of Ultron), nearly killing Thanos (Avengers: Endgame), and defeating Agatha (WandaVision).
2. Ultron in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Played by: James Spader (Voice role and motion capture)
- First appearance: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Most Recent Appearance: Scheduled to appear in upcoming 2026 TV show, Vision Quest
Ultron is another iconic red-eyed character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is an artificial intelligence developed by Tony Stark who goes rogue after developing a god complex.
Like Maximoff, Ultron’s red eyes are due to his powers being linked to the Mind Stone. However, he also fits the trope of villainous red-eyed characters; Ultron is one of Marvel’s worst supervillains, whose goal is to eradicate humanity.
In the film Avengers: Age of Ultron, the character’s red eyes also help distinguish him from other Ultron sentries—artificially intelligent robots that he creates (and controls) to become his army.
3. Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman in the DC Extended Universe
- Played by: Henry Cavil
- First appearance: Man of Steel (2013)
- Most Recent Appearance: The Flash (2023) – cameo
Clark Kent/Superman in the DC Extended Universe is another one of the most iconic red-eyed characters in the movies.
He is a powerful Kryptonian with several powers, including superhuman strength, heat vision, X-ray vision, flight, super hearing, and super speed.
Superman’s eyes are not always red but turn bright red when he uses his heat vision powers to emit powerful beams that can burn through solid objects.
However, in the 2021 film Zack Snyder’s Justice League, there is a cut scene where Bruce Wayne (Batman) has a vision of evil Superman, whose eyes glow red when not using heat vision powers—thus, an indication of his villainousness.
4. Victor Stone/Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe
- Played by: Ray Fisher
- First appearance: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) – cameo
Victor Stone is another of the top red-eyed characters in movies who appears in the DC Extended Universe.
He is a former football player who gets into a car accident and suffers extensive injuries. Consequently, his estranged father rebuilds him into a cyborg, attracting the Justice League’s attention, which recruits him to its ranks.
Cyborg only has one red eye on the side of his face that was rebuilt using cybernetics. There is no explanation for the red eye color, but it is likely due to his cybernetics enhancement, which allows him to interface with technological devices.
The red eye could also indicate his identity as half-human, half-machine—the eye on the human side of his face is natural-colored, while the one on the cybernetically enhanced side is red.
5. Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in DC Extended Universe
- Played by: Sasha Calle
- First appearance: The Flash (2023)
Kara Zor-El /Supergirl is another character with red eyes from the DC Extended Universe. She has only appeared in The Flash, the 2023 film.
Supergirl is a powerful Kryptonian cousin of Kal El/Superman. Like her cousin, she possesses several superpowers, including heat vision, superhuman strength, super speed, flight, and super hearing.
In The Flash, Supergirl’s eyes turn bright red when using heat vision—similar to her cousin’s. There is no scene where her eyes turn red because she is under the influence of evil power, but given her similarities to her cousin, this could potentially happen.
6. Bella Swan in the Twilight Saga
- Played by: Kristen Stewart
- First appearance: Twilight (2008)
- Most Recent Appearance: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)
Bella Swan is another one of the top red-eyed characters in movies. In her first appearance, she is a human character with normal-looking eyes.
In the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Bella is turned into a vampire, and her eyes change to bright red.
The color change is due to her being a newborn vampire, with human blood still coursing through her body. The red eyes could also signify irrationality and hotheadedness—traits that newborn vampires possess.
Over time, Bella’s eyes start turning golden as the human blood in her body disappears, and she starts feeding on animal blood.
7. Laurent Da Revin in Twilight Saga
- Played by: Edi Gathegi
- First appearance: Twilight
- Most Recent Appearance: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1
Laurent Da Revin is another vampire in the Twilight Saga. Unlike Bella, he is a full-borne vampire when he appears in the film series.
His eyes are red, but unlike Bella’s, they are a slightly darker shade of red. This is because he feeds on human blood, unlike the Cullens (and ultimately Bella), who have golden eyes because they feed on animal blood.
8. Jane Volturi in the Twilight Saga
- Played by: Dakota Fanning
- First appearance: The Twilight Saga – New Moon
- Most Recent Appearance: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
Jane Volturi is one of the main antagonistic characters in the Twilight Saga. She has red eyes, and like Laurent, hers (as are those of all members of the Volturi clan) are because of feeding on human blood.
Jane also fits the classic stereotype of a villain with red eyes. In the Twilight films, she is portrayed as a dark, sadistic, and powerful member of the Volturi guard, who can inflict illusionary pain on a person and takes pleasure in using her powers to torture others.
9. Scott Summers /Cyclops in the X-Men film series
- Played by: James Madsen and Tye Sheridan
- First appearance: X-Men (2000)
- Most Recent Appearance: Dark Phoenix (2019)
Scott Summers/Cyclops is a red-eyed character appearing in several movies in the X-Men series. He is a powerful mutant who can shoot powerful blasts of energy from his eyes, which can cause massive destruction.
Cyclops’s eyes turn bright red when he shoots the energy blasts. These optical blasts occur any time his eyes are open, so he has to wear glasses or a visor to keep the blasts in check and allow him to see.
10. Scott McCall in Teen Wolf
- Played by: Tyler Posey
- First appearance: Teen Wolf (TV series)
- Most Recent Appearance: Teen Wolf: The Movie
Scott McCall first appears in the TV series as an average 16-year-old teenager who is then turned into a werewolf, becoming one of the most powerful characters in the show and film.
After being turned into a werewolf, McCall’s eyes turn into a golden color when glowing, but over the course of the TV show, they turn into a bright red color. The red eyes signify his power and status as an Alpha werewolf.
One of the most interesting things about McCall is that he did not kill another alpha to gain his power (which is how most werewolves become alphas). Instead, he is a True Alpha who rises to the position through their character, virtue, and sheer force of will.