Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman's "Season of the Witch" arrives in theaters today, offering moviegoers the chance to travel to a faraway land filled with knights, crazed wolves and, as you may have surmised from the title, witches. But if the witches you'll see in this latest fantastic flick rub you the wrong way, don't worry: There are plenty of other witches out in the brew.
From goodhearted spellcasters with the best of intentions to nefarious necromancers with the darkest of designs, we've picked out the best movie witches of all time. Click here or on the pic below for a photo countdown of the top 10, or hit the jump for the plain old text version!
10. Glinda the Good Witch ("The Wizard of Oz")
Billie Burke's motherly portrayal of Glinda in the classic family film is a consistent source of wonder and a constant reminder that not all witches are bad witches.
9. The Sanderson Sisters ("Hocus Pocus")
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy's twisted spell-casting sisters are just as fun to watch in "Hocus Pocus" as they are terrifying.
8. The Owens Sisters ("Practical Magic")
Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock's movie about the reunion of two estranged siblings remains one of the most heartwarming movies about witches we've ever seen.
7. Nancy Downs ("The Craft")
Fairuza Balk's haunting turn as troubled Nancy Downs in "The Craft" continues to keep us sleeping lightly as a feather and stiff as a board over a decade later.
6. Bellatrix Lestrange ("Harry Potter" series)
Responsible for murdering countless wizards, witches and muggles alike, Bellatrix Lestrange is easily one of the scariest magic-users we've ever come across in fiction.
5. Alexandra, Jane and Sukie ("The Witches of Eastwick")
Perhaps there are better spellcasters out there, but nobody has had more fun practicing magic than Cher, Susan Saranadon and Michelle Pfeiffer in "The Witches of Eastwick."
4. The Grand High Witch ("The Witches")
Angelica Huston will always be a continuing source of nightmare fuel thanks to her unforgettably ruthless decision to turn children into mice in "The Witches."
3. The Blair Witch ("The Blair Witch Project")
Sometimes, it's not what's in front of you that you should fear the most; it's what you can't see that's the most terrifying threat of all. For proof, look no further than "The Blair Witch Project."
2. The Wicked Witch of the West ("The Wizard of Oz")
Just as Glinda showed us that witches aren't always evil, the Wicked Witch of the West did her very best to prove that sometimes it's good to be bad.
1. Hermione Granger ("Harry Potter" series)
Because of her endless tenacity, her astounding resourcefulness and the courageous role she played in destroying Lord Voldemort, Hermione Granger tops our list as the best witch of all time.
Who are your favorite movie witches of all time? Tell us in the comments or on Twitter!
