Top 30 Greatest Disney Villains of All Time

“Alice in Wonderland” (1951)

Wonderland’s mad queen made her first appearance in the classic children’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Disney was the first to immortalize the character on screen and she definitely makes an impression. Her kingdom is a dark and surrealist place where all ways are the queen’s way. An egotistical tyrant with an army of playing cards watching her back, this villain is known for her fiery temper. And, like the rest of Wonderland’s colorful characters she’s eccentric and unpredictable. She may smile and welcome you to her domains, but cross her and it’s off with your head!

“The Rescuers” (1977)

With her striking red hair, eccentric persona and her two pet crocodiles, Medusa really stands out from the crowd. The New Yorker is a pawn-shop owner, consumed by greed after discovering the whereabouts of the world’s largest diamond. She plans to use Penny, an orphan she kidnapped, to retrieve it for her. Medusa is a Disney antagonist who operates on real-life terms - the only powers in her arsenal are cruelty, ambition and wicked henchmen willing to do her bidding. She shares these attributes with McLeach, the evil poacher from “The Rescuers Down Under.” Both “Rescuers” villains, oddly enough, also enjoy threatening small children with death by crocodile.

“Big Hero 6” (2014)

Not all Disney villains are born bad. Yokai, the masked supervillain from “Big Hero 6” was once a kind-hearted robotics professor, until tragedy turned him to the dark side. (Xref) After losing his daughter in a science accident, Robert Callaghan became hell-bent on revenge. He created his alter-ego and with the help of an army of microbots, began using his considerable talents for destruction and selfish gain. The Disney movies of the 2010s really embraced the surprise villain trope, but Callaghan is afforded more sympathy than most. A quick scan from Baymax reveals him to be deeply hurt as a result of his past trauma and, towards the end of the movie, he even shows some remorse for his actions.

“Robin Hood” (1973)

While historians have nicknamed him “Bad King John”, fans of the Disney movie know him better as The Phoney King of England. “Too late to be known as John the First, he’s sure to be known as John the Worst” - you know how it goes. Transformed into a cowardly lion by the House of Mouse, Prince John is a surprisingly likable villain with a lot of charm, despite his evil deeds. “Robin Hood” has its share of entertaining antagonists, from Sir Hiss to the Sheriff of Nottingham; however, it’s Prince John who really wears the crown.

“Pinocchio” (1940)

Is there anything more frightening for a small child, than the thought of being turned into a donkey, thrown into a cage, and told you’ll never see your parents again? Of all Pinocchio’s despicable antagonists, the unnamed coachman is the one who lingers longest in the mind. A big, red-faced man with a booming voice, he’s designed as a cautionary tale for naughty children. His cartloads of donkeys are bound for the circus or the salt mines and as far as we know, the children they once were never get their happy endings.

“Moana” (2016)

He doesn’t play a major role in Moana’s story, but despite his limited screen-time, Tamatoa is an icon. He may have been a drab little crab once, but when we meet him he’s nothing short of spectacular. Like a dragon in a fairy-tale, this gigantic crustacean guards his hoard of sparkling gems and woe betide you if you try to steal from him. His shell is encrusted with precious stones and he loves the way they sparkle. He has no big plans for world domination, just bucketloads of charisma, a love of shiny things and a very catchy villain song.

“Tarzan” (1999)

Many of the best Disney antagonists are larger-than-life characters with a flair for the theatrical. Clayton is a villain of a different stamp. He’s just a man with a gun, a disregard for the natural world and a love of money. He’s scary because he’s believable. With his slick persona and his eyes on the prize, this two-faced hunter sees Tarzan and the Gorillas as nothing more than a giant paycheck. The movie’s secondary villain is Sabor, the leopard. Although his kill-count is at least three, we can’t blame him too much - it’s in his nature after all. Clayton on the other hand, has no excuse. He’s just a nasty piece of work.

“Fantasia” (1940)

Back in 1940, “Fantasia” went back to the classics with the villain Chernabog - a demon from the depths of hell. The character features in the “Night on Bald Mountain” segment of the movie, which is based on a Slavic myth. Chernabog is the God of the Night, who gathers his minions together on Walpurgis Night to dance until dawn. The gigantic and imposing figure emerges from the mountain, accompanied by a thrilling piece of music by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. At the end of the segment, he throws his followers back into the fiery pit they emerged from. Sometimes, you don’t even need dialogue to create a truly terrifying villain.

“The Jungle Book” (1967)

The jungle is a dangerous place for a man cub, and there’s no greater threat than the tiger, Shere Khan. He despises humans and is determined to see Mowgli dead before he becomes a full grown man. Khan is relentless when stalking his prey, but he also likes to play games which makes him so much more terrifying. With his deep drawling voice and feline charm, the tiger is an unnerving presence, even to fellow predators. The wolves, as well as Kaa, Baloo and Bagheera, all fear him and acknowledge his superior power. He also happens to have a fabulous singing voice.

“The Black Cauldron” (1985)

At the time of its release, critics considered “The Black Cauldron” too scary for kids. That’s partly down to the terrifying Horned King. We hear of his fearsome reputation before he first appears on screen and when he finally makes his entrance, he doesn’t disappoint. Like Maleficent, the sinister monarch resides in a creepy castle staffed by an army of his grotesque minions. He speaks very little, but when he does it strikes fear into the heart. An all powerful enemy who’s prepared to behead an adorable pet pig in order to take over the world? That’s scary stuff.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)

You may not have known that she has an actual name, but the Evil Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is one of the OG Disney villains. Sure, the movie came out in the 1930s, but that doesn’t stop this baddie from being absolutely terrifying and totally iconic. She’s technically the first Disney villain ever (as far as their full-length animated movies go) and her bit with the poisoned apple will go down in history as one of the most memorable moves in any Disney film. In her witch form, she’s about as scary as they come, and you’d better believe we spent our whole lives being wary of every apple we saw after viewing this movie.

“The Great Mouse Detective” (1986)

While some Disney villains aren’t exactly the smartest tools in the shed, Professor Ratigan from the criminally underrated “The Great Mouse Detective” is actually pretty great at coming up with dastardly plans. Like so many of his peers, however, he does seem to choose sidekicks who are more hindrance than help. Voiced by the storied actor Vincent Price, who was known for his work in the noir genre, this performance is creepy and gave us all nightmares as kids. The fact that he stayed calm, cool, and collected until absolutely losing it was what made him so unpredictable.

“Wreck-It Ralph” (2012)

Disney entered into uncharted territory with 2012’s “Wreck-It Ralph,” exploring a setting that felt fresh and unlike your classic House of Mouse fantasy. Taking place in the world of video games, the film features a surprise antagonist in King Candy. While at first he seems to be the benevolent ruler of the game Sugar Rush, he is eventually unmasked at Turbo, the much-feared villain who wreaked havoc on other games. Unlike some of the villains from older films, Turbo actually has understandable motivations and isn’t just being evil for its own sake.

“Mulan” (1998)

If you’re asking which Disney villain freaked us out the most when we were younger, “Mulan’s” Shan Yu would definitely feature high on the list. The leader of the Huns wants to take over China and does not care how many people are killed along the way. Considering this is actually a war movie, this genocidal villain has a tone of seriousness that many others in the Disney canon lack. Is there any Disney moment more terrifying than when Shan Yu’s hand bursts out of the snow after he has supposedly been buried in an avalanche? We think not.

“Pocahontas” (1995)

Much has been said about potentially problematic tropes used in Disney’s retelling of the story of “Pocahontas,” and there’s no denying that the movie’s villain, Governor Ratcliffe, is a blatant racist. He dehumanizes the native population of the “New World” and attempts to claim their land for his own, portraying the very true history of the colonization of America. He’s clearly a despicable character who doesn’t put any value on the human lives of the members of the Powhatan tribe, asking his men to kill them on sight.

“Tangled” (2010)

It’s good to know that even in their more recent movies, Disney can create frightful and memorable villains. In “Tangled,” Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower by a woman pretending to be her mother, known as “Mother Gothel.” In actuality, she kidnapped Rapunzel when she was a young child and is stealing her magic in order to remain young. The way Mother Gothel manipulates and essentially gaslights our young heroine is abusive and difficult to watch, acting as though she’s actually protecting her faux daughter from the dangerous outside world.

“Peter Pan” (1953)

Plenty of Disney villains are pure evil, but there’s something about Captain Hook that makes us sympathetic towards him. Sure, he’s out for revenge against a literal child but that child did cut his hand off and feed it to a crocodile. So, you can’t say his actions are totally unjustified. On top of having an understandable motivation for his dastardly deeds, there’s also a strong element of humor to Captain Hook, which makes us love him even more. We can’t get enough of a villain with a good weakness, and Hook’s fear of the sound of the ticking clock gets us every time.

“Frozen” (2013)

Disney sure knows how to write a plot twist, and one of the best ones they ever created was making Hans the villain of “Frozen.” When he’s first introduced, he seems like a handsome prince who will be a love interest for Anna, but as the story unfolds his real motivations become clear. He wants to take the throne of Arendelle for himself and is willing to kill in order to do it. This movie teaches the young girls watching it to beware of blindly falling for a guy, especially if he seems like he might be too good to be true.

“The Princess and the Frog” (2009)

Known as both the Shadow Man and Dr. Facilier, this witch doctor scared a whole new generation of kids in “The Princess and the Frog.” His goal is to take over New Orleans and is willing to accept help from his “friends from the other side” in order to achieve it. Like many of the other more modern Disney villains, Dr. Facilier has relatable motivations, having grown up in poverty and learning to loathe the rich. Bruce W. Smith, who was in charge of the animation for Dr. Facilier, said that he was inspired by two other popular Disney villains, Captain Hook and Cruella de Vil, when creating him.

“Zootopia” (2016)

Even after all these years, Disney can still surprise us. 2016’s “Zootopia” is a modern fable that puts a mirror up to our current society through a world populated by animals. Though at first Assistant Mayor Bellwether seems like a meek and timid sheep, it turns out she’s essentially the definition of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Because she has felt intimidated by predatory animals her whole life, she dreams of creating a world where prey reign supreme and predators are treated like the “savages” they really are. We’ll let you figure out the real-world implications here.

“Cinderella” (1950)

Lady Tremaine, aka Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, is one of the most loathed villains in the Disney canon for a reason. The cruelty she shows to her stepdaughter is shocking and shameful, showing a clear example of psychological abuse. As if this isn’t already bad enough, she locks Cinderella up to prevent her from meeting her Prince, because of her jealousy concerning her own daughters. Drizella and Anastasia make for great secondary antagonists, but Lady Tremaine still strikes fear in our hearts even 70 years after this film was released.

“Hercules” (1997)

Disney took the classic character of Hades from Greek mythology and turned him into one of the most memorable bad guys in their canon. He stands out from the pack because of his sardonic sense of humor, which makes every scene involving him comical even if he’s being incredibly threatening. Actor James Woods absolutely made this character what he is, with his quick and witty delivery adding so much to the role. When the character was originally conceived, they imagined a more traditionally serious figure, but we’re so glad they took this unique direction.

“Beauty and the Beast” (1991)

No one's slick as Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston, no one's neck’s as incredibly thick as Gaston's! Despite the fact that Gaston is one of the most loathsome Disney villains, we can’t help but have a certain affection for him because of how hilariously self-involved he is. We were always perplexed by his ability to somehow eat five dozen eggs every morning, but it sure does explain his physique! Over the years and as we’ve grown up, we’ve come to appreciate the character even more because his textbook toxic masculinity seems all the more relevant in our modern times.

“The Emperor's New Groove” (2000)

Not all Disney villains are beloved, but this one captured the hearts of fans despite her dastardly plans. Yzma was once the advisor to Emperor Kuzco, but after being fired, she comes up with a plan to take the throne for herself by killing her former leader. Her relationship with her henchman Kronk provides a lot of hilarious moments, making it hard for us to fully take her seriously, despite the fact that she’s an attempted murderer. Her style and flair for the dramatic certainly don’t hurt her appeal either!

“Sleeping Beauty” (1959)

This villain was so compelling she actually got her own live-action movie! If you ask Disney fans which bad guy scared them the most as kids, we wouldn’t be surprised if lots of them answered with this evil fairy. After she didn’t get an invite to the christening of the kingdom’s new princess, she decided to bring the royal family down by cursing the young Aurora. While the 2014 film gives her a backstory that makes viewers able to sympathize with her more, it still doesn’t take away from how absolutely terrifying she is in the original animated story.

“Aladdin” (1992)

As Disney entered into its Renaissance period, they leaned more and more on the trope of having their villains be snappy and sarcastic - and it totally worked. “Aladdin’s” nemesis, Jafar, is a prime example of this. As the Sultan’s advisor, he wields power over the kingdom, and when his sights are set on Aladdin he will do anything to get what he wants. The thought of poor Genie being controlled by Jafar struck fear in our hearts when we were younger, but as the years have gone by, we’ve come to appreciate the character more for his nuance and his dryly comedic delivery.

“The Little Mermaid” (1989)

Hans Christian Andersen’s version of “The Little Mermaid,” which the Disney movie is based on, featured a sea witch in a relatively minor role, and we couldn’t be happier that the House of Mouse decided to give the character more importance. This villainess is sultry and sassy, using her feminine wiles to get what she’s after - rule over Atlantica. She manages to strike the perfect balance for a Disney villain, being simultaneously fearsome and entertaining. The moment where she grows into a terrifying monster in the climax is one of the most memorable villain moments in the Disney pantheon.

“The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” (1996)

“The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” is totally underrated, likely because it’s not exactly a fun-filled romp for kids to enjoy. The themes are darker and more sinister than the ones presented in most of Disney’s other popular films, and “Hunchback” has a villain to match. Frollo is creepy in a totally different way than your average Disney baddie, with his behavior taking on an unsettling lustful nature with Esmeralda. Unlike so many of our other favorite villains, there isn’t any lightness to this character and he’s just about the last one that we’d ever want to encounter in real life.

“One Hundred and One Dalmatians” (1961)

If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will! There are some villains we seriously loathe, and some we love to hate, with Cruella fitting squarely into the latter category. The character of Cruella de Vil puts together all of the best things that Disney villains have to offer. She’s glamorous, she’s despicable, and she can make you laugh almost as much as she can scare you. Her motivation is a confusing one - who wants furs that much?? It’s hard to relate to someone who puts so little value on the lives of adorable puppies, which makes her so easy to despise.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Possibly Disney’s All Time Most Problematic Villains

An Evil Bowler Hat With Her Sights Set on World Domination

Who Could Forget Merlin’s Formidable Rival, the Mad Madam Mim?

Creatures of Nightmare - For Us as Well as for Pooh

He’s Prepared to Kill for His Inheritance… Even Though He Could Have Just Waited a Few Years

“The Lion King” (1994)

As far as truly awful actions go, it doesn’t get much worse than murdering your own brother and blaming his young son for his death, banishing him from the kingdom. Scar fits into the mold of all the best Disney villains - he’s pure evil but he simultaneously doesn’t take things too seriously, not being above cracking a joke every now and then. The Nazi imagery used in his song “Be Prepared” makes for an apt comparison, because Scar’s motivations are frighteningly close to one of history’s greatest villains. Despite his evil deeds, there’s something that makes this lion supremely watchable.