A survey conducted by SFX magazine shows that Freddy Kreuger tops the list of ultimate horror villains. (Handout)

Wes Craven's disfigured child killer Freddy Krueger has been named the ultimate horror villain in a new poll.

The A Nightmare On Elm Street bad guy, who terrorized Johnny Depp in the original 1984 picture, has topped a survey by SFX magazine, ahead of Pinhead from the Hellraiser movie series and murderous Michael Myers in Halloween.

Robert Englund portrayed Krueger in the original film and the character went on to appear in seven sequels. Craven is currently working on a new movie starring Watchmen's Jackie Earle Haley as the blade-fingered maniac.

Other movie villains to appear in the top 10 include Dracula, the Candyman and Hannibal Lecter from The Silence Of The Lambs.