The 10 Worst Disney Animated Villains, Ranked

Bless the poor, unfortunate soul who has to deal with a Disney villain. The studio’s catalog is filled with conniving characters that are so sneaky and cruel that they could easily find their way into the nightmares of children and adults alike. Many of them make up /Film’s list of top 20 Disney animated villains. However, not all villainous characters are the same. While some may make us squirm, there is a whole other class of Disney villain that offers more laughs than screams, and that’s the characters that make up our list of the 10 worst animated Disney villains.

The laughs that these awful villains create often stem from big oversights that create loopholes for heroes and plots that never had the potential to succeed in the first place. The missteps and misguidance should really lead them to consider a new career path. Nonetheless, many of them are still entertaining. However, some are just downright annoying, and that is something we took into consideration when making this list. The ranking of the 10 worst animated Disney villains is based on how much of the plan is actually executed and their motivation, as well as how lame they are. 

Now it’s time to pop the popcorn and dig into the 10 worst Disney villains.

Plenty of potential but plenty room for improvement. It’s the best way to sum up Yzma’s (Eartha Kitt) scheme to kill Kuzco (David Spade) in “The Emperor’s New Groove.” The film is one of the most underrated Disney movies, and it begins when the disgruntled advisor to the emperor is suddenly fired, and she uses that as her motivation to kill him so she can become emperor. The evil sorceress and her bumbling sidekick Kronk (Patrick Warburton) plan to poison Kuzco’s dinner, but the fool-proof scheme takes a turn when they accidentally give him a potion that turns him into a llama. It’s a big mistake caused by a lack of attention to detail, which is something that plagues most of their plans.

Yzma’s other big mistake is how she reacts to mishaps while she and Kronk are on a journey to find Kuzco and his new pal Pacha (John Goodman). They run into a talking squirrel, participate in an impromptu birthday party, and even fall victim to a slew of traps set by Pacha’s family. Yzma reacts to each setback with slight tantrums and panic instead of focusing on her nearest exit. This gives Pacha and Kuzco an advantage while offering plenty of laughs for the audience as they work their way toward the palace and Yzma’s layer, which contains the potion that will turn Kuzco back into a human. Yzma increases the laughs when she turns into a cat during her final battle with Kuzco. It ends with Kronk slamming her into the palace wall, suddenly giving the rightful emperor the win.

Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) and Bernard (Bob Newhart) are on a mission to save a girl named Penny (Michelle Stacy) in “The Rescuers.” The film begins after she is kidnapped by pawnshop owner Madame Medusa (Geraldine Page), who forces her to search for a giant diamond known as the Devil’s Eye. Toward the end of the film, she exclaims that the jewel will give her power, but she never goes into specific detail about what she will do with that power. Her journey toward that diamond is chaotic at best. Upon realizing that her employee, Mr. Snoops (Joe Flynn), is not doing a good job at supervising Penny, she heads to the Devil’s Bayou, driving toward her destination with a severe case of tunnel vision that allows Miss Bianca and Bernard to go unnoticed as they follow her to her swampy layer.

That tunnel vision continues to make matters worse for the villain, as she manages to let the bayou animals overrun her operation while she places all of her attention on threatening Penny and Mr. Snoops. Her attempts at fighting back lead to her screaming and eventually grasping at rope tied to the back of her swamp-mobile, which Penny is using to escape. She does find her footing for a moment, thanks to her crocodiles, but this win is a short one as she heads straight into a pipe, which she clings onto for dear life as her crocodiles turn on her. It’s a moment that proves just how fleeting her power really is, making her one of the worst Disney animated villains.

Commanding respect through fear and getting others to do her dirty work. That sums up the villainous schemes of the Queen of Hearts (Verna Felton) in 1951’s “Alice in Wonderland.” She bursts onto the scene with a full card guard procession about one hour into the film, and she quickly calls for the execution of employees who are painting white roses red, an act that they thought would save them from doom. It is clear that no matter what someone does for her, she is never happy, and the moment she smells disrespect, it’s time to take off someone’s head. Her demand for complete respect and control is actually the foundation for tyrannical rule rather than an evil plan that offers a clear end goal.

While she loves being feared, she proves that fear can strike her heart as well. After Alice (Kathryn Beaumont) is put on trial for allegedly embarrassing the queen, the little girl grows to the size of a giant, causing the queen to hide, which is a striking moment for someone who thrives on people’s fear. This moment proves that the queen could possibly be scared of everything, including losing her crown. Her insecurity regarding her throne could be why she is so quick to throws tantrums and cause harm to others. It’s a poor attitude that gets in the way of her capturing Alice, and it makes up most of her screen time, leave no room to fully flesh out an evil plan. 

Most of the villains on this list have made the choice to conduct evil deeds, but Captain Hook (Hans Conreid) has no choice, which puts his villainous ways into question. Yes, he is always ready to wreak havoc on Peter Pan (Bobby Driscoll), the Lost Boys, and other Neverland residents, but he causes trouble because that is what is expected of him in this pretend universe. Neverland is meant to be an oasis that is far from reality so that Peter doesn’t have to grow up. It’s all about the idea of playing pretend and having fun in a world that is straight out of a child’s imagination. Captain Hook plays a vital role in Peter’s permanent childhood, because he gives him a person to battle out of pure enjoyment on a regular basis.

Yes, the movie does have a clear, multi-dimensional plot that does include a large story arch involving Captain Hook and his fear of Tick-Tock the crocodile, but the game of cat and mouse between him and Peter is one that cycles on a never-ending loop in this eternal land. It’s a prime example of just how limited this world is, despite an appearance that suggests that anything can happen there. That never-ending loop means that there will never be a clear resolution or goal in their feud, and that makes Captain Hook’s antics more run-of-the-mill than significant.

The whole point of “Wreck-It Ralph” is to follow the journey of a video game villain who is actually not a villain at all. Ralph (John C. Reilly) is the nicest guy, which is why Evil Ralph in “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is not the most believable villain in this sequel that is charming yet too familiar. The creation of Evil Ralph stems from Ralph’s misguided plan to bring Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) home to Sugar Rush. He’s upset that she wants to stay in Slaughter Race, so he gets an insecurity virus to enter the game and spread Vanellope’s glitch across that entire world. She’s very disappointed in Ralph’s actions, and he feels insecure to the point where the virus starts creating insecure clones of Ralph that gather to form this evil manifestation. It’s now up to him to stop the monster he created before it wrecks the internet.

This villain helps the real Ralph come to terms with the fact that he should support Vanellope as she pursues her dreams. He realizes that it is okay to let go and trust that his best friend who will always have his back. It’s a moment that resolves his insecurities and makes Evil Ralph disappear, and it shows the audience the real point of this story. However, Evil Ralph is just too close to the real Ralph to make him a believable villain that should be feared rather than hugged, and the way that he is defeated definitely sends that message home.

The mad Madam Mim (Martha Wentworth) is more annoying than she is evil in “The Sword in the Stone.” The witch’s chaos takes up most of the last 20 minutes of the 1963 film that follows a boy named Wart (Rickie Sorensen) as Merlin (Karl Swenson) teaches him about the world. Wart accidentally stumbles upon Madam Mim’s home while taking on the form of a bird. Their initial interaction is super unsettling as she fixates on him while playing a game that ends with her capturing him for her own entertainment. When he mentions his friendship with Merlin, she sees it as an opportunity for a game where she can show off her power and kill the wizard.

A shapeshifting wizard duel with Merlin is just the challenge she’s been looking for. She sets the rules and breaks them, like any villain would, and she turns herself into creatures that are high on the food chain. She eventually turns into a dragon that is more funny than fierce, due to her incessant taunting and an animation style that is not well-polished. Merlin then turns into a disease that she contracts, causing her to have a full meltdown as she is sent to bed. While her appearance is meant to create a striking moment between good and evil, it instead leads to a lackluster sequence that ends with her incessantly wailing over light exposure. It makes the audience glad that her time on screen is finally over.

These “Lady and the Tramp” villains are problematic for a few reasons. First, Si and Am (both played by Peggy Lee) are Siamese cats whose sharply slanted eyes and exaggerated Asian accents create blatant Asian stereotypes in the 1955 film. It’s an uncomfortable portrayal that is heightened by the “Siamese Cat Song,” which offers a tune that adds to the stereotypical overtones due to the heavy use of broken English and gongs, among other instruments. It is important to note that the 2019 live action remake of this film renamed the cats Devon (Nate “Rocket” Wonder) and Rex (Roman GainArthur Irvin), and they are not Siamese. The pair also sing an entirely different song titled “What a Shame,” which adds some blues-style music in the film. 

The second reason why their appearance is problematic is because much of their villainous stint is not evil at all. The cats meet Lady (Barbara Luddy) while their person, Aunt Sarah (Verna Felton), tends to Lady and the Darling’s newborn child. With no humans in sight, they emerge from a picnic basket and start taunting Lady, who is super confused as the cats start playing with a fish, scratching curtains, and causing other mayhem. They even threaten to take some of the baby’s milk, which sends Lady into a protective rage. In the end, the cats pin all of their mischief on Lady, who is punished with a muzzle. Yes, the outcome is cruel toward Lady, but many of their antics, like scratching home furnishings, are usual behavior for many cats. Because of that, their mischief is not all that significant in the Disney catalog. 

Amos Slade’s (Jack Albertson) role as the antagonist in “The Fox and the Hound” is really a mischaracterization of the hunter. Yes, his hunting activity does put Tod (Mickey Rooney) in danger, especially as his grudge against the fox grows after blaming him for hurting his chickens, amongst other things. This is Amos’ motivation for giving Tod the cold shoulder and making him the target of his quick temper. He even charges into Widow Tweed’s (Jeanette Nolan) home to kill Tod after Chief is injured while chasing him. It’s his worst moment that leads to Widow Tweed sending him into the wild. However, Amos eventually learns to look beyond who Tod is, especially after he protects Amos and Copper from a bear. 

It’s his rough exterior that gives him a villain-like appearance, but deep down, he is a softy who cherishes his dogs, Chief (Pat Buttram) and Copper (Kurt Russell). That is evident by the way he treats them, taking care of Chief after he hurts his leg and giving Copper plenty of attention from a young age. It’s moments like these that make this film one of the best dog movies of all time, according to /Film. His relationship with Tod evolves throughout the film, and this leads to shedding little bits and pieces of Amos’ tough exterior. By the end of the film, Widow Tweed helps him take care of his own injured leg, much to his chagrin. 

Sid (Erik von Detten) is the child who is portrayed as an evil genius in the groundbreaking “Toy Story,” and it’s all thanks to the way that he tears apart toys. He gives life to creations that could easily rival Frankenstein’s monster. His toys are showcased in what he makes, but he also dips into his sister’s toy stash. Many ’90s kids will recall the moment when he shows her that her Janie doll now includes a pterodactyl’s head, causing her to scream. While it’s not okay to mess with other people’s stuff, Sid’s antics are more about curiosity than pure villainy.

That curiosity is seen throughout the course of his time on screen as viewers watch him work on toys in his bedroom lab. He even ties Buzz (Tim Allen) to a firework just to see what will happen. It’s the only time that Sid shows any type of true villainous nature. That evil streak quickly goes away when he starts screaming after Woody (Tom Hanks) uses his voice box to scare him. This all proves that Sid is a child who is merely experimenting with his imagination and building skills. These experiments, while unorthodox, could honestly lead him to a career in engineering. He could also be conducting these experiments as a way to get the attention that he so badly needs.

Who is the most annoying of them all? That’s Prince John (Peter Ustinov) from 1973’s “Robin Hood.” The tantrum throwing lion is the worst Disney villain there is, and it’s all due to his annoying nature and lack of initiative while trying to trap Robin Hood (Brian Bedford). They meet after Robin and his pal Little John (Phil Harris) rob his coach. Prince John sets a trap for Robin in the form of an archery tournament, hoping that he will participate. While he does appear, he quickly gets away. Prince John tries to fight during the chaos, but he soon realizes that he is afraid of hand-to-hand combat. 

Toward the tail end of the sequence, he starts whining and sucking his thumb. That infant-like behavior does add to the film’s light undertones, which is starkly different from the darker version that was originally planned. However, his tantrums take up a good portion of the film and stop the prince from effectively taking control of his dastardly deeds.

Amid every plot that Prince John attempts, Robin and Little John prove that they are much better at inventing schemes and constructively reacting to every obstacle that gets in their way. Robin even manages to evade jail after the prince sends people, including children, to jail if they do not pay their taxes, which he has increased. Robin’s quick thinking and popularity give him power that the prince envies. He knows that he is the laughing stock of the kingdom thanks to a song that calls him John the Worst instead of John I. While he tries to take full control, he is never able to get out of his way and eventually ends up in jail.