Disney has the best villains! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 30 most memorable Disney villains. Villains who are revealed in a twist are included so watch out for spoilers!
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00:00After 20 years of searching, the Court of Miracles is mine at last."
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 30 most memorable
00:12Disney villains.
00:13Villains who are revealed in a twist are included, so watch out for spoilers.
00:1730.
00:29The Queen of Hearts, Alice in Wonderland
00:32Wonderland's Mad Queen made her first appearance in the classic children's novel Alice's Adventures
00:41in Wonderland.
00:42Disney was the first to immortalize the character on screen, and she definitely makes an impression.
00:47Her kingdom is a dark and surrealist place where all ways are the Queen's way.
00:59An egotistical tyrant with an army of playing cards watching her back, this villain is known
01:03for her fiery temper, and like the rest of Wonderland's colorful characters, she's eccentric
01:08and unpredictable.
01:10She may smile and welcome you to her domains, but cross her and it's off with your head.
01:16But consider, my dear, couldn't she have a trial?
01:2029.
01:21Madame Medusa, The Rescuers
01:23That little brat has escaped again.
01:26Neera, Brutus, bring her back, boys.
01:31With her striking red hair, eccentric persona, and her two pet crocodiles, Medusa really
01:36stands out from the crowd.
01:38The New Yorker is a pawn shop owner, consumed by greed after discovering the whereabouts
01:42of the world's largest diamond.
01:44She plans to use Penny, an orphan she kidnapped, to retrieve it for her.
01:48Daddy doesn't like it down there.
01:50He's afraid, weren't you, Daddy?
01:53Aw, poor Daddy.
01:56I'll just keep him up here with me, where he'll be safe.
02:01Medusa is a Disney antagonist who operates on real-life terms.
02:05The only powers in her arsenal are cruelty, ambition, and wicked henchmen willing to do
02:09her bidding.
02:10She shares these attributes with MacLeach, the evil poacher from The Rescuers Down Under.
02:14Both Rescuers villains, oddly enough, also enjoy threatening small children with death
02:19by crocodile.
02:20You lie, I'll get cold, we'll go fishing in crocodile hole, buddy.
02:25Hello, bye.
02:2828.
02:29Robert Callahan, Big Hero 6
02:32Callahan?
02:33He was there?
02:34He was such a good man.
02:36What happened?
02:37Not all Disney villains are born bad.
02:40Yo-Kai, the masked supervillain from Big Hero 6, was once a kind-hearted robotics professor.
02:45Until tragedy turned him to the dark side.
02:47Please, just let me go.
02:49I'll give you anything you want.
02:51I want my daughter back.
02:55After losing his daughter in a science accident, Robert Callahan became hell-bent on revenge.
03:00He created his alter ego, and with the help of an army of microbots, began using his considerable
03:05talents for destruction and selfish gain.
03:09You took everything from me when you sent Abigail into that machine.
03:13Now I'm taking everything from you.
03:16The Disney movies of the 2010s really embraced the surprise villain trope, but Callahan is
03:21afforded more sympathy than most.
03:23A quick scan from Baymax reveals him to be deeply hurt as a result of his past trauma.
03:28And towards the end of the movie, he even shows some remorse for his actions.
03:3227.
03:33Prince John, Robin Hood
03:35Yes, no one sits higher than the king.
03:38Must I remind you, yes?
03:42While historians have nicknamed him Bad King John, fans of the Disney movie know him better
03:47as the Phony King of England.
03:49Too late to be known as John I, he's sure to be known as John the Worst.
03:53You know how it goes.
03:54Get out!
03:57But, but, sir, it's a big hit.
04:00The whole village is singing it.
04:03Oh, they are, are they?
04:06Well, they'll be singing a different tune.
04:10Transformed into a cowardly lion by the House of Mouse, Prince John is a surprisingly likable
04:15villain with a lot of charm, despite his evil deeds.
04:18Robin Hood has its share of entertaining antagonists, from Sir Hiss to the Sheriff of Nottingham.
04:23However, it's Prince John who really wears the crown.
04:26This crown gives me a feeling of power!
04:30Power!
04:31Forgive me a cruel chuckle.
04:35Power!
04:39I'm collecting stupid little boys.
04:42Stupid little boys?
04:44You know, the disobedient ones, what play hooky from school.
04:49Is there anything more frightening for a small child than the thought of being turned into
04:53a donkey, thrown into a cage, and told you'll never see your parents again?
04:58Of all Pinocchio's despicable antagonists, the unnamed coachman is the one who lingers
05:02longest in the mind.
05:03How would you blokes like to make some real money?
05:08A big, red-faced man with a booming voice, he's designed as a cautionary tale for naughty
05:13children.
05:14His cartloads of donkeys are bound for the circus or the salt mines, and as far as we
05:18know, the children they once were never get their happy endings.
05:22There's no risk.
05:25They never come back as boys.
05:34Are you just trying to get me to talk about myself?
05:39Because if you are, I will gladly do so.
05:43He doesn't play a major role in Moana's story, but despite his limited screen time,
05:47Tamatoa is an icon.
05:49He may have been a drab little crab once, but when we meet him, he's nothing short
05:53of spectacular.
05:54I'll never hide.
05:55I can't.
05:56I'm too shiny.
05:57Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the rough.
06:00Strut my stuff.
06:01My stuff is so shiny.
06:04Like a dragon in a fairy tale, this gigantic crustacean guards his hoard of sparkling gems,
06:09and woe betide you if you try to steal from him.
06:11His shell is encrusted with precious stones, and he loves the way they sparkle.
06:15He has no big plans for world domination, just bucketloads of charisma, a love of shiny
06:20things, and a very catchy villain song.
06:23You'll never be quite as shiny.
06:26You wish you were nice and shiny.
06:33Number 24.
06:34William Clayton.
06:35Tarzan.
06:36Hiding, are we?
06:38Clayton, you bastard!
06:40I can use a challenge, because after I get rid of you, rounding up your little ape family
06:46will be all too easy!
06:50Many of the best Disney antagonists are larger-than-life characters with a flair for the theatrical.
06:55Clayton is a villain of a different stamp.
06:57He's just a man with a gun, a disregard for the natural world, and a love of money.
07:03He's scary because he's believable.
07:05I said something about the rude welcome, old boy, but I couldn't have you making a scene
07:09when we put your furry friends in their cages.
07:14Why?
07:16For 300 pounds sterling a head?
07:19With his slick persona and his eyes on the prize, this two-faced hunter sees Tarzan and
07:24the gorillas as nothing more than a giant paycheck.
07:27The movie's secondary villain is Sabor, the leopard.
07:30Although his kill count is at least three, we can't blame him too much.
07:34It's in his nature, after all.
07:36Clayton, on the other hand, has no excuse.
07:38He's just a nasty piece of work.
07:40Go ahead, shoot me.
07:43Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
07:45Be a man.
07:47Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
07:50Number 23.
07:52Chernobog, Fantasia.
07:54Back in 1940, Fantasia went back to the classics with the villain Chernobog,
07:58a demon from the depths of hell.
08:00The character features in the Night on Bald Mountain segment of the movie,
08:03which is based on a Slavic myth.
08:05Chernobog is the god of night who gathers his minions together on Valpurgis Night
08:09to dance until dawn.
08:12The gigantic and imposing figure emerges from the mountain,
08:15accompanied by a thrilling piece of music by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky.
08:32At the end of the segment, he throws his followers back into the fiery pit they emerged from.
08:36Sometimes, you don't even need dialogue to create a truly terrifying villain.
08:42Number 22.
08:48Shere Khan, The Jungle Book.
08:50Run, friend, run!
08:52Run? Why should I run?
08:55Why should you run?
08:57Could it be possible that you don't know who I am?
09:00The jungle is a dangerous place for a man-cub,
09:03and there's no greater threat than the tiger, Shere Khan.
09:06He despises humans and is determined to see Mowgli dead before he becomes a full-grown man.
09:11Khan is relentless when stalking his prey,
09:13but he also likes to play games, which makes him so much more terrifying.
09:17I'm going to close my eyes and count to ten.
09:20It makes the chase more interesting for me.
09:25With his deep, drawling voice and feline charm,
09:28the tiger is an unnerving presence even to fellow predators.
09:32The wolves, as well as Kaa, Baloo, and Bagheera all fear him and acknowledge his superior power.
09:37He also happens to have a fabulous singing voice.
09:40That's what friends are for.
09:56At the time of its release, critics considered the Black Cauldron too scary for kids.
10:00That's partly down to the terrifying Horned King.
10:03I'm not afraid of the Horned King.
10:05Then you are a very foolish lad.
10:07Untried courage is no match for his evil.
10:12We hear of his fearsome reputation before he first appears on screen.
10:16And when he finally makes his entrance, it does not disappoint.
10:20Like Maleficent, the sinister monarch resides in a creepy castle
10:23staffed by an army of his grotesque minions.
10:26Arise, my messengers of death.
10:30Our time has arrived.
10:35He speaks very little, but when he does, it strikes fear into the heart.
10:39An all-powerful enemy who's prepared to behead an adorable pet pig
10:42in order to take over the world?
10:44That's scary stuff.
10:46Oh, my soldiers.
10:49How long I have thirsted to be a god among mortal men.
10:5920. Queen Grimhilda
11:01Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
11:03Lathe in the magic mirror.
11:06Come from the farthest space.
11:10Through wind and darkness, I summon thee.
11:13You may not have known that she has an actual name,
11:15but the evil queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
11:18is one of the OG Disney villains.
11:21Sure, the movie came out in the 1930s,
11:23but that doesn't stop this baddie from being absolutely terrifying and totally iconic.
11:28But to make doubly sure you do not fail,
11:34bring back her heart in this.
11:39She's technically the first Disney villain ever,
11:41as far as their full-length animated movies go,
11:44and her bit with the poisoned apple will go down in history
11:47as one of the most memorable moves in any Disney film.
11:50In her witch form, she's about as scary as they come,
11:53and you'd better believe we spent our whole lives
11:57over the story of every apple we saw after viewing this movie.
12:00He's gone all hollow! He perished in the land.
12:0719. Professor Ratigan, The Great Mouse Detective
12:11We are about to embark on the most odious, the most evil,
12:15the most diabolical scheme of my illustrious career.
12:20While some Disney villains aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed,
12:23said, Professor Rattigan from the criminally underrated The Great Mouse Detective is actually
12:28pretty great at coming up with dastardly plans.
12:31Like so many of his peers, however, he does seem to choose sidekicks who are more hindrance
12:36than help.
12:37Voiced by the storied actor Vincent Price, who was known for his work in the noir genre,
12:42this performance is creepy and gave us all nightmares as kids.
12:45The fact that he stayed calm, cool, and collected until absolutely losing it was what made him
12:56so unpredictable.
13:0618.
13:07King Candy, also known as Turbo, Wreck-It-Ralph
13:17Disney entered into uncharted territory with 2012's Wreck-It-Ralph, exploring a setting
13:22that felt fresh and unlike your classic house-of-mouse fantasy.
13:26Taking place in the world of video games, the film features a surprise antagonist in
13:30King Candy.
13:41While at first he seems to be the benevolent ruler of the game Sugar Rush, he is eventually
13:46unmasked as Turbo, the much-feared villain who wreaked havoc on other games.
13:51Unlike some of the villains from older films, Turbo actually has understandable motivations
13:56and isn't just being evil for its own sake.
14:1017.
14:12Shan Yu, Mulan
14:14If you're asking which Disney villain freaked us out the most when we were younger, Mulan's
14:19Shan Yu would definitely feature high on the list.
14:22The leader of the Huns wants to take over China and does not care how many people are
14:27killed along the way.
14:39Considering this is actually a war movie, this genocidal villain has a tone of seriousness
14:44that many others in the Disney canon lack.
14:47Is there any Disney moment more terrifying than when Shan Yu's hand bursts out of the
14:51snow after he's supposedly been buried in an avalanche?
14:54We think not.
15:0016.
15:04John Ratcliffe, Pocahontas
15:07Much has been said about potentially problematic tropes used in Disney's retelling of the story
15:11of Pocahontas, and there's no denying that the movie's villain, Governor Ratcliffe, is
15:15a blatant racist.
15:24He dehumanizes the native population of the New World and attempts to claim their land
15:29for his own, portraying the very true history of the colonization of America.
15:46He's clearly a despicable character who doesn't put any value on the human lives of the members
15:51of the Powhatan tribe, asking his men to kill them on sight.
16:0215.
16:03Mother Gothel, Tangled
16:05It's good to know that even in their more recent movies, Disney can create frightful
16:09and memorable villains.
16:17In Tangled, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower by a woman pretending to be her mother, known
16:22as Mother Gothel.
16:23You are not leaving this tower, ever!
16:28In actuality, she kidnapped Rapunzel when she was a young child and is stealing her
16:32magic in order to remain young.
16:34The way Mother Gothel manipulates and essentially gaslights our young heroine is abusive and
16:39difficult to watch, acting as though she's actually protecting her faux-daughter from
16:43the dangerous outside world.
16:4514.
16:54Captain Hook, Peter Pan
16:56Plenty of Disney villains are pure evil, but there's something about Captain Hook that
17:00makes us sympathetic towards him.
17:02Sure, he's out for revenge against a literal child, but that child did cut his hand off
17:07and feed it to a crocodile.
17:09So you can't say his actions are totally unjustified.
17:23On top of having an understandable motivation for his dastardly deeds, there's also a strong
17:27element of humor to Captain Hook, which makes us love him even more.
17:43We can't get enough of a villain with a good weakness, and Hook's fear of the sound of
17:47the ticking clock gets us every time.
17:5813.
18:01Prince Hans, Frozen
18:02Disney sure knows how to write a plot twist, and one of the best ones they ever created
18:07was making Hans the villain of Frozen.
18:18When he's first introduced, he seems like a handsome prince who will be a love interest
18:21for Anna, but as the story unfolds, his real motivations become clear.
18:35He wants to take the throne of Arendelle for himself, and is willing to kill in order
18:39to do it.
18:40This movie teaches the young girls watching it to beware of blindly falling for a guy,
18:44especially if he seems like he might be too good to be true.
18:5312.
18:54Dr. Facilier, The Princess and the Frog
18:57Known as both the Shadow Man and Dr. Facilier, this witch doctor scared a whole new generation
19:02of kids in The Princess and the Frog.
19:13His goal is to take over New Orleans, and is willing to accept help from his friends
19:17on the other side in order to achieve it.
19:20Like many of the other more modern Disney villains, Dr. Facilier has relatable motivations,
19:25having grown up in poverty and learning to loathe the rich.
19:37Bruce W. Smith, who was in charge of the animation for Dr. Facilier, said that he was inspired
19:42by two other popular Disney villains, Captain Hook and Cruella de Vil, when creating him.
19:5811.
19:59Don Bellwether, Zootopia
20:01Even after all these years, Disney can still surprise us.
20:052016's Zootopia is a modern fable that puts a mirror up to our current society through
20:10a world populated by animals.
20:20Though at first, Assistant Mayor Bellwether seems like a meek and timid sheep, it turns
20:24out she's essentially the definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
20:29Because she's felt intimidated by predatory animals her whole life, she dreams of creating
20:34a world where prey reigns supreme and predators are treated like the savages they really are.
20:39We'll let you figure out the real-world implications here.
20:4810.
20:49Lady Tremayne, Cinderella
20:51Lady Tremayne, aka Cinderella's wicked stepmother, is one of the most loathed villains in the
20:56Disney canon for a reason.
21:02The cruelty she shows to her stepdaughter is shocking and shameful, showing a clear
21:06example of psychological abuse.
21:09As if this isn't already bad enough, she locks Cinderella up to prevent her from meeting
21:13her prince because of her jealousy concerning her own daughters.
21:21Drizella and Anastasia make for great secondary antagonists, but Lady Tremayne still strikes
21:26fear in our hearts even 70 years after this film was released.
21:339.
21:37Hades, Hercules
21:39Disney took the classic character of Hades from Greek mythology and turned him into one
21:43of the most memorable bad guys in their canon.
21:54He stands out from the pack because of his sardonic sense of humor, which makes every
21:58scene involving him comical even if he's being incredibly threatening.
22:07Actor James Woods absolutely made this character what he is, with his quick and witty delivery
22:12adding so much to the role.
22:14When the character was originally conceived, they imagined a more traditionally serious
22:18figure, but we're so glad they took this unique direction.
22:308.
22:33Gaston, Beauty and the Beast
22:35No one's slick as Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston, no one's neck's as incredibly thick
22:40as Gaston's.
22:46Despite the fact that Gaston is one of the most loathsome Disney villains, we can't help
22:50but have a certain affection for him because of how hilariously self-involved he is.
22:58We were always perplexed by his ability to somehow eat five dozen eggs every morning,
23:03but it sure does explain his physique.
23:11Over the years and as we've grown up, we've come to appreciate the character even more
23:15because his textbook toxic masculinity seems all the more relevant in our modern times.
23:287.
23:29Yzma, The Emperor's New Groove
23:38Not all Disney villains are beloved, but this one captured the hearts of fans despite her
23:42dastardly plans.
23:44Yzma was once the advisor to Emperor Cusco, but after being fired, she comes up with a
23:48plan to take the throne for herself by killing her former leader.
23:59Her relationship with her henchman Kronk provides a lot of hilarious moments, making it hard
24:04for us to fully take her seriously, despite the fact that she's an attempted murderer.
24:14Her style and flair for the dramatic certainly don't hurt her appeal either.
24:256.
24:29Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty
24:31This villain was so compelling she actually got her own live-action movie.
24:35If you asked Disney fans which bad guy scared them the most as kids, we wouldn't be surprised
24:40if lots of them answered with this evil fairy.
24:52After she didn't get an invite to the christening of the kingdom's new princess, she decided
24:56to bring the royal family down by cursing the young Aurora.
25:09While the 2014 film gives her a backstory that makes viewers able to sympathize with
25:13her more, it still doesn't take away from how absolutely terrifying she is in the original
25:18animated story.
25:255.
25:28Jafar, Aladdin
25:30As Disney entered into its renaissance period, they leaned more and more on the trope of
25:35having their villains be snappy and sarcastic.
25:38And it totally worked.
25:40Aladdin's nemesis, Jafar, is a prime example of this.
25:53As the Sultan's advisor, he wields power over the kingdom.
25:56And when his sights are set on Aladdin, he will do anything to get what he wants.
26:02The thought of poor Genie being controlled by Jafar struck fear into our hearts when
26:06we were younger, but as the years have gone by, we've come to appreciate the character
26:10more for his nuance and his dryly comedic delivery.
26:164.
26:19Ursula, The Little Mermaid
26:21Hans Christian Andersen's version of The Little Mermaid, which the Disney movie is based on,
26:26featured a sea witch in a relatively minor role.
26:29And we could not be happier that the House of Mouse decided to give the character more
26:32importance.
26:45This villainess is sultry and sassy, using her feminine wiles to get what she's after,
26:50rule over Atlantica.
26:52She manages to strike the perfect balance for a Disney villain, being simultaneously
26:56fearsome and entertaining.
27:05The moment where she grows into a terrifying monster in the climax is one of the most memorable
27:09villain moments in the Disney pantheon.
27:183.
27:23Claude Frollo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
27:26The Hunchback of Notre Dame is totally underrated, likely because it's not exactly a fun-filled
27:32romp for kids to enjoy.
27:44The themes are darker and more sinister than the ones presented in most of Disney's other
27:48popular films, and Hunchback has a villain to match.
27:52Frollo is creepy in a totally different way than your average Disney baddie, with his
27:56behavior taking on an unsettling, lustful nature with Esmeralda.
28:09Unlike so many of our other favorite villains, there isn't any lightness to this character,
28:13and he's just about the last one that we'd ever want to encounter in real life.
28:232.
28:27Cruella De Vil, 101 Dalmatians
28:30If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will.
28:41There are some villains we seriously loathe, and some we love to hate, with Cruella fitting
28:45squarely into the latter category.
28:48The character of Cruella De Vil puts together all of the best things that Disney villains
28:52have to offer.
28:59She's glamorous, she's despicable, and she can make you laugh almost as much as she can
29:03scare you.
29:04Her motivation is a confusing one.
29:07Who wants furs that much?
29:11It's hard to relate to someone who puts so little value on the lives of adorable puppies,
29:15which makes her so easy to despise.
29:21Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
29:25Sai and Am, Lady and the Tramp, possibly Disney's all-time most problematic villains.
29:41Doris, Meet the Robinsons, an evil bowler hat with her sights set on world domination.
29:54Madame Mim, The Sword in the Stone, who could forget Merlin's formidable rival, the Mad
29:58Madame Mim?
30:09Heffalumps and Woozles, the many adventures of Winnie the Pooh, creatures of nightmare,
30:13for us as well as for Pooh.
30:27Edgar Balthazar, The Aristocats, he's prepared to kill for his inheritance, even though he
30:32could have just waited a few years.
30:59Scar, The Lion King, as far as truly awful actions go, it doesn't get much worse than
31:05murdering your own brother and blaming his young son for his death, then banishing him
31:10from the kingdom.
31:18Scar fits into the mold of all the best Disney villains.
31:21He's pure evil, but he simultaneously doesn't take things too seriously, not being above
31:25cracking a joke every now and then.
31:35The Nazi imagery used in his song Be Prepared makes for an apt comparison, because Scar's
31:40motivations are frighteningly close to one of history's greatest villains.
31:52Despite his evil deeds, there's something that makes this lion supremely watchable.
32:00Which Disney villain frightened you the most as a kid?
32:03Let us know in the comments.