With the release of the new Snow White live-action remake, we decided it was time to settle the matter once and for all by naming the 10 best Disney villains, and we’ll also tell you where to watch them in action, too.
Audiences have been blessed with Disney’s animated classics for almost 90 years now, and in recent years, the House of Mouse has taken to reimagining those films for the modern era. The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and more have all been given the live-action treatment, but whether animated or not, these movies all share one common theme.
That’s right, every Disney movie needs a Disney villain, and we’ve gathered the best of the best to find the most wicked of them all. And, here’s how to watch the dastardly characters causing chaos, too.
10. Maleficent - from ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘Maleficent’
While we obviously have to give credit to the original animated version of the character from 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, this is one Disney villain where the live-action option might actually be better. Much of that is down to Angelina Jolie throwing herself head and horns first into the role.
Maleficent offers us a fresh perspective on this classic character, revealing the true motivations behind her cursed ways. The character, in both films (and also in the 2019 sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), is the perfect balance of cold and cruel while still carrying enough gravitas and disquieting charm to make us enjoy every second she is on screen.
9. Jafar - from Aladdin
We love nothing more than seeing a villain fail in their selfish pursuits, and Jafar is a man whose shortcomings are so satisfying to watch. Jafar messes with powers he cannot control, and he gets rightly punished for this by the end of Aladdin, with a healthy dose of poetic justice.
It may be a little unfair–which is very much in-keeping with the spirit of villainy–but we also have to give Jafar a spot of extra credit for recruiting such an entertaining sidekick. His feathered friend Iago might just steal the show in Aladdin, and the dynamic the bird shares with Jafar is a lot of fun.
8. The Shadow Man - from The Princess and the Frog
If we’re talking about flair, there is no Disney villain that possesses even an ounce of the energy Dr. Facilier, also known as the Shadow Man, brings to The Princess and the Frog. His command of the dark arts make him a truly terrifying bad guy, but it’s so hard not to relish his presence thanks to the imaginative way he is brought to life through creative animation techniques and colourful visuals that pop on screen.
While The Princess and the Frog may not be considered a Disney great, its antagonist more than holds his own among the horrible hall of fame we’re assembling here.
7. Captain Hook - from Peter Pan
Like Jafar, Captain Hook is destined to fail. But, what’s really interesting about the Peter Pan villain is that he almost seems to know this himself. The pirate’s calamitous ways offer up plenty of slapstick comedy, especially when his faithful, bumbling sidekick, Mr. Smee, gets involved.
Make no mistake, Captain Hook is relentless in his petty pursuit of Peter and the Lost Boys, and if things went to plan, he’d no doubt be far more dangerous. But, as it happens, he ends up being a villain we can laugh at, rather than cower in fear from.
6. Ursula - from The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid kicked off Disney’s Renaissance era, and a massive part of the success of that film is down to the delightfully dark villain, Ursula. Her character design is fantastic and unforgettable, but it is her menacing machinations that have allowed this sea beast to stand the test of time.
Using Ariel’s own naivety, innocence, and trusting nature against her to take away her voice and driving a wedge between the princess and her family and friends, all in the name of bitter jealousy and self-loathing is inspired stuff from the writers. Plus, Ursula quite possibly has the coolest lair of all the villains in this list.
5. The Evil Queen - from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
We’ll not pass judgement on Gal Gadot’s rendition of the Evil Queen in the new Snow White flick, and instead we’ll take this chance to pay respects to the ultimate, and the very first, Disney villain. Simply put, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs only works because Grimhilde is such a fascinating and superbly spiteful nemesis.
The (literally) transformative nature of the character in the 1938 classic is not only riveting to watch, but it’s a character arc imbued with great visual flair and iconic voice work from Lucille La Verne. Many since have tried to take her crown, but they all fail.
4. Judge Claude Frollo - from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
We’ve already discussed some nasty pieces of work in this list–with a few more to come–but it’s quite possible that the most downright despicable of them all is Frollo, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. While the other villains here all have some semblance of a logical and perhaps even relatable motivation, Frollo is simply cruel for cruelty’s sake.
His ruthless manipulation techniques in deceiving Esmeralda are reprehensible, as is his vicious treatment of poor Quasimodo. To put it simply, Frollo is a man with absolutely no redeeming features at all, but that’s what makes him such a remarkable villain.
3. Scar - from The Lion King
He may have been trumped by the end, but Scar is perhaps one of the most successful Disney villains when it comes to fulfilling his evil plans. The callous brother of the majestic Mufasa not only succeeds in killing the king, but he also forces his nephew and heir to the throne, Simba, into a years-long exile.
The voice work of Jeremy Irons in this role is up there with some of the finest you’re ever likely to hear in the animated world, and he alone is enough to establish The Lion King as a bona fide modern classic in the Disney catalogue.
2. Cruella de Vil - from One Hundred and One Dalmatians
We find it hard to think of an animated villain quite as distinctive or iconic as Cruella de Vil. From her striking two-tone hair, to that sallow, sunken frame, and of course, her love of fur, Cruella is truly unmistakable. She even has her own theme song; now how many baddies can say that?
Again, it’s the original animated version of this character in 1961’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians that takes the crown for us, but we have to admit Meryl Streep is just as fierce in the live-action 101 Dalmatians, and Emma Stone is great in Cruella, too. It’s testament to this verifiably vile character that she is able to flourish regardless of medium or actor.
1. Hades - from Hercules
The ultimate winner in this tournament of terrors is the god of the dead, keeper of the underworld, and certified hot head, Hades. He’s another villain who keeps up his malevolent vendetta across many years, and again, it’s all in the name of spite, but you can’t fault his commitment to the cause.
In Hercules, James Woods lends his chaotic energy to the voice cast, helping to inject real humour into an otherwise malignant character. He quite literally wants his minions to kill a poor, innocent baby, sends monsters to bring destruction to the land of the living, and steals the soul of Hercules’ true love; if that isn’t pure evil, we don’t know what is.
Where to watch the movies featuring the best Disney villains
Check out the list below for where to watch all these incredible movies and see the Disney villains in action on streaming services like Disney Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and more!
