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.
60. Demona (Marina Sirtis) | Gargoyles (1996–97)
When Disney announced a reboot of Gargoyles, the Internet didn’t bitch as much as it did for all the other live-action remakes due simply to the fact that it was a foregone conclusion. Gargoyles coming back wasn’t a case of if but when and I gotta give ’em props, they waited a helluva lot longer to milk that nostalgia cow than I thought they would. In fact, if they somehow pull it off, it’ll be the most excited I am for a Disney project in some time. I am a huge Gargoyles fan. I put it alongside X-Men, Spider-Man, and Batman as the best superhero cartoons of the ’90s. The writing was solid, the characters were all memorable and distinct and the villains were deliciously diabolical. While not the main baddie, Demona was nevertheless the fan favorite. Without looking, I just know there’s a ton of Rule 34 art for her. She was a sexual awakening for many a young boy and girl and it’s not hard to see why. She’s hot, she takes no shit, and is sympathetic. Originally named Demona by her enemies, she was a close ally and potential love interest of the clan leader Goliath. After a series of betrayals and misunderstandings, Demona grows increasingly bitter towards humans. Her complex motivations and tragic backstory make her a multifaceted villain, driven by a desire for revenge and a misguided belief that she is protecting her kind. Plus she’s hot, so there’s that.
–Sailor Monsoon
59. Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer) | Mulan (1998)
It’s not clear exactly why animators chose the design of Shan Yu’s eyes, setting yellow irises against a black field where the eyes would usually be white. Regardless, the effect has always been intimidating and haunting to me, and works to make this Disney villain scarier than most. Shan Yu is also terrifying in part because of his realism—unlike other Disney villains like Hades, Jafar, or Ursula, Shan You has no charisma to offset his brutality. He is nothing more than a bloodthirsty warlord. Perhaps his most haunting scene doesn’t even include him; as Mulan’s troops discover a doll outside a burned village, you can’t help but shudder at what Shan You and his Huns have done to innocent people.
–Jacob Holmes
58. Prince Hans (Santino Fontana) | Frozen (2013)
While I have never been a huge fan of Frozen as a whole, one thing I appreciated about the film was how it subverted the Prince Charming archetype that Disney has been so well known for. Prince Hans shows up in Arendelle for Elsa’s coronation and sets his sights on Anna. And, of course, Anna is ready to marry him as soon as they meet and share a lovely song together. But beneath Hans’s chivalrous, respectable exterior is a manipulative, ambitious man willing to kill to take Elsa’s throne. His ability to lie and manipulate sets the story in motion, and by the time his true nature is revealed, it’s nearly too late. Olaf may be the fan favorite of the Frozen movies, but personally, I think Prince Hans was by far the most interesting character and one of Disney’s best antagonists.
–Romona Comet
57. King Candy (Alan Tudyk) | Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Not only is King Candy wonderfully flamboyant, but there’s a chunk of this movie where you get where he’s coming from. After all, Vanellope is a glitch that threatens to destroy all of Candy Rush if she races. Only to realize that Candy is actually Turbo from the Turbotastic game that has served as a template for what happens to broken games. The big showdown comes in the best way possible, with a race and Candy turning into a creepy computer-bug version of himself and vanishing into an explosion of coke and mentos.
–Jacob Holmes
56. Negaduck (Jim Cummings) | Darkwing Duck (1991–92)
Every great hero needs their mirror opposite. The ying to their yang. Batman is Gotham’s dark knight protector who uses fear to intimidate his foes, so obviously his main villain is chaos incarnate who isn’t afraid of anything and lives to destroy everything. Superman is an alien from Krypton who has pretty much every power imaginable who clashes with a human who has no powers but is hyper-intelligent. Negaduck is the evil counterpart of the show’s protagonist, Darkwing Duck. He is essentially a dark and twisted version of Darkwing, embodying everything that is the opposite of the heroic duck. He wears a red and yellow costume as opposed to Darkwing’s purple and black outfit. Negaduck is characterized by his ruthless and sadistic personality, often seeking to cause chaos and destruction purely for his own amusement. His goal is to thwart Darkwing Duck and take control of St. Canard. Negaduck’s character adds a layer of complexity and dark humor to the show, making him a memorable and formidable adversary.
–Sailor Monsoon
55. Sid Phillips (Erik von Detten) | Toy Story (1995)
Is Sid a little twerp? Yes. Did he not know any better? Also yes. But from the toys’ perspective, Sid isn’t a monster, he’s Dr. Frankenstein. He’s ripping them apart and putting them back together. He’s the type of kid that parents hope their children don’t become friends. With his love of explosions and turning toys into hidden sexual innuendos, Sid was the catalyst needed to unite Buzz and Woody. Together, they make sure Sid is scared straight by coming alive and traumatizing the poor boy for undoubtedly years to come. You can’t help but briefly feel sorry for the kid, but then it passes and you laugh at how Sid finally got his comeuppance.
–Marmaduke Karlston
54. Hatbox Ghost | The Haunted Mansion (Ride)
While he is arguably the most iconic ghost in the Haunted Mansion ride, the Hatbox Ghost is a reversal of the phrase “seen but not heard.” He was part of the original Disneyland attraction but was removed shortly after its debut and wasn’t added back until 2015. Yet, the character became beloved by the Disney fandom, leading to, not only his return to the ride but, a starring role in the 2023 Haunted Mansion movie as the main antagonist. Portrayed by Jared Leto (which depending on who you ask would be scary enough), the Hatbox Ghost seeks to collect 1000 souls so that he can escape from the mansion and begin dishing out revenge to the living. With a killer design, the Hatbox Ghost is a Disney villain who is hard to forget once you’ve met his acquaintance.
–Marmaduke Karlston
53. Pain (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer) | Hercules (1997)
Pain and Panic are the henchmen of Hades. The weird-ass-looking creatures (demons? transformed humans? I don’t honestly know) definitely hate their job. Hades is constantly causing them pain, which makes them panic when they fail to please him. (See what I did there?) However, as far as lovable sidekicks go, they’re pretty high up on the list. At the very least, they’re a whole lot less annoying than Olaf the Snowman from Frozen.
–Marmaduke Karlston
52. Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) | Tangled (2010)
Like Prince Hans above, Mother Gothel’s villainous traits come from her ability to manipulate. She has no special powers and instead depends on the magical attributes of a flower to retain her youthfulness. When those powers are unwittingly transferred to Princess Rapunzel’s hair, Mother Gothel abducts the baby. She locks Rapunzel away in a tower for eighteen years in order to continue harvesting eternal life. It’s a sinister act, but Mother Gothel is a shrewd woman who lies and emotionally manipulates Rapunzel to keep her in the tower. She disguises her cruelty as a desire to protect the young princess and expresses her “love” with backhanded compliments. She’s a narcissistic woman who has perfected the art of gaslighting. To me, Mother Gothel is one of the most realistic villains in Disney lore simply because mothers like her actually exist.
–Romona Comet
51. Captain Gantu (Kevin Michael Richardson) and Reuben (Rob Paulsen) | Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003–06)
Gantu and Reuben are the primary antagonists of Lilo & Stitch: The Series. Introduced in the 2002 movie, Gantu was part of the respected Galactic Federation. After being tasked with retrieving Stitch, who was viewed as a threat to the universe, Gantu comes into contact with Lilo, who had by then adopted the creature. Well, Gantu doesn’t really care how the job gets done as long as it gets done, so he captures Stitch and Lilo, which doesn’t sit well with the Grand Councilwoman (a.k.a. the head of the Galactic Federation). Gantu is fired and subsequently hired by Dr. Hämsterviel to retrieve Jumba’s first 625 experiments.
As for Reuben, he’s Experiment 625. He has every power Stitch has, but he’s addicted to making sandwiches. Yeah, that’s sort of his whole thing. He’s Gantu’s lazy, sandwich-making sidekick. Together, they’re stoppable. Seriously, they never win. Maybe once, but only for five minutes. A lot of Disney villains that originate from television are usually terrible at being villains. But they’re memorable (and/or rocking a cool design) so that’s how they end up here on this list.
–Marmaduke Karlston
70-61 | 50-41
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!