Disney has brought countless stories to life, captivating audiences with timeless heroes and memorable adventures. However, behind every great story is a compelling villain, whose schemes and misdeeds create the tension that drives the narrative forward. They’re one of the four pillars of a successful Disney film. Every Disney fan will agree that the most important elements of a Disney film are the quality of the songs, the believability of the romance, the cuteness of the obligatory character designed to sell toys, and the effectiveness of their villain. From wicked queens and scheming sorcerers to cunning animals and ruthless conquerors, Disney villains are as varied as they are iconic. Their unforgettable personalities, unique motivations, and sinister actions have cemented their places in our hearts and minds. Here’s a look at some of the greatest Disney villains, whose dark deeds and unforgettable personas have left an indelible mark on the world of animation and live-action.
These are the 100 Greatest Disney Villains of All Time.
100. Doctor Frankenollie (Kelsey Grammer) and Julius (Jim Cummings) | Runaway Brain (1995)
For its 60th anniversary, Disney created a brand new Mickey Mouse short called The Prince and the Pauper that was attached to The Rescuers Down Under but since that film failed at the box office, the powers that be decided to give their beloved icon a proper birthday present; one that would appeal to a new generation of animation lovers. Since it was the ’90s, the decade of x-treme ‘tude, the decision was made to update the character to fit the times but it proved so disastrous, Disney hasn’t touched the character since. The plot of Runaway Brain involves Mickey, having forgotten their anniversary, replying to an ad for “a mindless day’s work” from Doctor Frankenollie to pay for a vacation to Hawaii for Minnie. Upon arriving at Frankenollie’s residence, Mickey is dropped down a trapdoor into the scientist’s laboratory, where he reveals his plan to switch his donor’s brain with that of his enormous Pete-resembling monster, Julius.
After the experiment, the short turns into a reverse King Kong story where Mickey (in the body of the hulking Julius) has to protect Minnie from a snarling, ravenous body swapped Julius in the body of Mickey. It’s a fun if a tad too dark and macabre tale that suffers the second Doctor Frankenollie leaves the story. Bearing more than a resemblance to the Mad Doctor, and Professors Ecks, Doublex, and Triplex and voiced by the always great Kelsey Grammer, the character is a sorely underrated villain within his rogues gallery. Imagine Sideshow Bob but more frantic and unhinged and you’re in the ballpark. Although he’s made cameos in the background of cartoons and in other media, he’s been all but abandoned by the studio, which is a shame because he’s got a great design and an even better voice. He could’ve been a great recurring foil for Mickey if they ever wanted to bring him back. Especially considering he has Julius as a sidekick.
–Sailor Monsoon
99. Mortimer Mouse (Various) | Mickey Mouse (Shorts)
Pete may be Mickey’s most recognizable archnemesis, but he’s not exactly winning any beauty contests if you know what I mean. So, Disney created a character who could actually rival Mickey for the affections of Minnie Mouse: Mortimer Mouse. With his tall and slim physique, he could very well win the hearts of many a mouse. However, everyone knows that a short king (read: Mickey) is nothing without his loyal queen (read: Minnie). Unlike Daisy Duck, who seemingly has no issue dumping Donald for a better date, Minnie remains loyal to Mickey despite Mortimer’s repeated attempts at impressing her with fast cars and luxuries that Mickey can simply not afford to give her. Sorry, Mortimer, but your slickness will never be able to defeat Mickey’s charm.
–Marmaduke Karlston
98. Boogeyman (Steve Valentine) | Don’t Look Under the Bed (1999)
Disney and horror have a long and complicated history. The amount of flirting they do with one another without either taking the next step is as infuriating as the worst “will they, won’t they” storyline of any bad sitcom. Their first attempt was Watcher in the Woods, which, and I’m not joking, was their attempt to make their version of The Exorcist. It was a disaster. Then they adapted Something Wicked This Way Comes, which has its moments but was also a box office failure. They then tried their hand at the Nightmare on Elm Street-inspired Mr. Boogedy who is often forgotten but did well enough to garner a sequel. After that, they wisely decided that theatrical horror wasn’t their forte and stuck to television, which proved to be a wise decision because Don’t Look Under the Bed was their best attempt at horror up to that point because it’s a legit gateway horror.
The dark alter ego of the main character’s former imaginary friend who turned sinister after years of neglect, The Boogeyman is a terrifying creature with long fingers, sharp nails, and a grotesque face. This appearance is designed to embody the typical childhood fear of the unknown lurking in the dark while also scaring the bejesus out of every child looking at him. His appearance proved to be so effective, it traumatized an entire generation of children making this a cult classic for many. His look, as well as the theme of the loss of innocence and the power of imagination as children grow up and the emotional pain and loneliness that can come from feeling forgotten make this the most successful attempt Disney has made at horror yet.
–Sailor Monsoon
97. Toffee (Michael C. Hall) | Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2015–19)
While not as good as Adventure Time or Steven Universe, the two obvious inspirations of this show, Star vs. the Forces of Evil is nevertheless a solid alternative for those itching for a show with a similar vibe. The lead and their quest are a bit more skewed towards children but the humor and the strength of the writing and the characters are so strong, it’s easy to overlook. One of the standouts is the main villain Toffee played by Dexter‘s own Michael C. Hall. Like his character in that, he’s cold-blooded but in this, he at least has the excuse that he’s a lizard. Unlike many villains who rely on brute force, Toffee uses cunning and manipulation to achieve his goals. His ability to outthink his opponents, plan several steps ahead, and exploit their weaknesses makes him a formidable adversary. This strategic approach adds depth to his character and makes his actions more impactful. He’s only in a handful of episodes but the character always leaves an impression every time he pops up.
–Sailor Monsoon
96. Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer) | Up (2009)
When someone raves about Pixar’s Up, it’s probably regarding the tear-jerking opening scene that recounts Carl and Ellie’s courtship from children to marriage to miscarriage to the latter’s death. It’s so iconic that it has its own Wikipedia page. Not a dedicated section on the Up page, but a whole page devoted solely to the scene and how it has become a cultural milestone. So, you’d be forgiven if you forgot that Up is a whole lot more than just those first ten minutes.
If you looked up the proverb, “Never meet your heroes,” in a book, a picture of Charles Muntz would probably be included as an example. A famed explorer who both Carl and Ellie idolized (and what their love was first built around), Muntz disappeared to Paradise Falls vowing to never return until he brought back a still-living “Monster of Paradise Falls.” Unfortunately, this pursuit drove him to murder and mental instability. As Carl learns by the end of Up, sometimes you need to let go of the past and make some new adventures. If only Muntz had been told that advice.
–Marmaduke Karlston
95. Lord Dragaunus (Tim Curry) | Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series (1996–97)
The only reason Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series doesn’t win the title of the most insane TV show based on a movie is the fact that Friday the 13th exists, and say what you will about the ridiculousness of this cartoon’s premise, it at least has hockey-playing ducks in it. Hockey-playing alien ducks who act as a defacto Guardians of the Galaxy-esque team of space adventurers who fight robots and aliens and other sci-fi things but still, it delivers on the title of the show. Friday the 13th: The Series had zero connection to the film franchise. No Jason. No Camp Crystal Lake. No machete murders. There’s not even a copycat killer that looks like Jason. It’s a show about a trio who collects haunted artifacts and locks them away for safekeeping. It’s closer to The Conjuring than anything. It’s an adaptation in name only. Mighty Ducks is almost on that level of disconnect from its source material but it goes in the opposite direction.
Friday the 13th was an in-name-only cash grab, whereas Mighty Ducks took the name and built an insane concept around it and it worked. Watching humanoid ducks fight space monsters is a billion times more fun than watching kids play hockey. And that’s due mostly to the strength of its main villain. The titular Mighty Ducks are all enjoyable in their own right but when you have a villain voiced by Tim Curry, there’s nothing you can do to compete. Lord Dragaunus is a well-written villain whose strategic brilliance, formidable powers, charismatic leadership, complex motivations, relentless determination, moral ambiguity, intimidating presence, central role in the series, and ability to challenge the protagonists make him an outstanding antagonist and one of the best of that era. Add Curry in the mix and you have one of the most underrated villains stuck in a show you’ve forgotten existed.
–Sailor Monsoon
94. Clu (Jeff Bridges) | Tron: Legacy (2010)
Never program for perfection. Clu is the second generation of Codified Likeness Utility, programmed by Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) to perfect the Grid, the virtual reality where most of Tron: Legacy is set. While Clu, in a digitized likeness of a younger version of Flynn, has control of most of the Grid, he also desires to escape to the “real world,” where he wants to bring his version of perfection. Yeah, he’s the villain, but the thing is, he’s just what Flynn made him to be, and his feelings of abandonment and the lack of understanding from his creator are part of the reason for his anger. Yeah, he makes bad choices, but he’s the eldest son, rejected for the younger. I’d be pissed too.
–Bob Cram
93. Amos Slade (Jack Albertson) | The Fox and the Hound (1981)
Amos is a crabby, bad-tempered man with a knack for hunting. While he is considered the antagonist of The Fox and the Hound, old Amos is nowhere as evil as some of the other villains you’ll come across on this list. His biggest error comes near the end of the film when he breaks into an anti-hunting preserve to find and kill Tod (the titular fox). However, after being indirectly saved by the very thing he was hunting, Amos shows remorse for his actions and sets Tod free, becoming one of the few Disney villains to actually learn from his mistakes and grow as a character.
–Marmaduke Karlston
92. Gabby Gabby (Christine Hendricks) | Toy Story 4 (2019)
The Toy Story franchise has had some great villains/antagonists during its run—Sid, Stinky Pete, Lotso-Hugging Bear—so when Toy Story 4 came around after a perfect trilogy, it was imperative that the villain come through. Gabby Gabby is immediately menacing, conjuring comparisons to the infamous haunted Annabelle and countless other haunted dolls. Plus she is accompanied by “Benson” the creepy ventriloquist dummy, a straight-up ripoff of Slappy the Dummy of the Goosebumps series. So unlike previous villains, Gabby comes with a sinister horror-style flair.
Her plot is no less sinister, planning to not only capture Woody and friends, but to cut out Woody’s voice box—pretty dark territory for a kid-friendly movie. That makes her redemption arc a bit uncomfortable, as we realize Gabby’s actions are rooted in her having a broken voice box, causing her to lose all desirability as a toy. The movie manages to makes us empathetic for Gabby despite her spending much of the movie as a particularly sadistic villain to one of the most beloved characters of all time.
–Jacob Holmes
91. Namaari (Gemma Chan) | Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Raised by a ruthless warlord mom, Namaari’s a product of her environment — a cutthroat warrior honed to save Fang, even if it means sacrificing the rest of Kumandra. It’s not exactly a groundbreaking villain origin story, but Namaari isn’t exactly “evil” either. She is merely a very sharp tool wielded by a crappy leader.
The theme of the movie is trust; the 5 tribes don’t trust each other to begin with. Then that trust is shattered even further when young Namaari betrays young Raya to steal the Dragon Gem, which results in the evil Druun being unleashed upon the world again. As the viewer, we get glimpses of a good heart under Namaari’s frosty exterior and see that her mother is the driving force behind Namaari’s actions. That doesn’t make her less culpable, but it does make her slightly more likable(ish).
–R.J. Mathews
100 Disney Characters | 90-81
What do you think of the selection so far? Who are some of your favorite Disney villains from over the years? Maybe they will show up further on the list!