Top 10 Funniest Animated Disney Villains
They're Disney villains but we still love them anyways because they're such great characters! Hades from Hercules, Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove, Jafar from Aladdin, Lord Farquaad from the “Shrek” franchise, Victor 'Vector' Perkins from Despicable Me, Scar from “The Lion King” and Madam Mim from “The Sword in the Stone", are just some of the funniest animated Disney villains!
#10: Gaston
“Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
There’s nothing this guy can’t do – just ask Le Fou! This positively primeval baddie has everything going for him in the looks department. To boot, the entire town literally sings his praises! Even though he doesn’t have to compensate for anything – well, according to him – he also manages to leave us in fits of giggles for much of the film. Constantly injuring his sidekick in hilarious and outrageous ways, Gaston’s hilarity is otherwise pretty unintentional. His overconfidence and small-mindedness serve as the perfect foil for our beautiful leading lady. But beneath all those muscles and that hair, he’s got quite the funny bone.
#9: Professor Ratigan
“The Great Mouse Detective” (1986)
In Disney’s interpretation of the Sherlock Holmes/Professor Moriarty rivalry, the legendary Vincent Price voices the underrated Professor Ratigan. Ratigan has a taste for the finer things in life, and with his doting – albeit incompetent – lackeys, there’s very little stopping this rat from executing his ambitious plan. Okay, okay, he’s not a rat! But what really makes Ratigan a hilarious joy to watch are his comical proportions. With hulking, broad shoulders accentuated by a long sweeping cape, Ratigan confidently walks and twirls on amusingly tiny feet. With each stride and maniacal cackle, we’re reminded that he may just be “the world’s greatest criminal mind.”
#8: King Candy [aka Turbo]
“Wreck-It Ralph” (2012)
In a truly inspired nod to Ed Wynn as Mad Hatter, Alan Tudyk pulls off his first Disney voice performance flawlessly. Be it the bounce in his step or the yodel-y quality of his voice, King Candy’s endless supply of energy leaves us laughing. That is, until he reveals his unexpected – and evil – filling. For all his positive and bubbly demeanor, he shows his desperation at keeping his kingdom pristine and pink at any cost. In any case, we really wouldn’t like to spend any time in his “fungeon.”
#7: Captain Hook
“Peter Pan” (1953)
“Peter Pan” makes spectacular use of slapstick for its pirate villain. His all-consuming fear of the crocodile is a bit too easy for the eponymous hero to take advantage of, but we don’t mind one bit. Each close scrape with the croc brings with it tattered clothes, rattled nerves, and barrels of laughs from the audience. Hans Conried made hilarious use of his entire vocal range by going from a low threatening whisper to a raucous and rip-roaring shriek at the drop of a hat. We could listen to this codfish’s screams for Smee any day.
#6: Madam Mim
“The Sword in the Stone” (1963)
Okay, we’ll just come out and say it: this lady is straight-up cuh-razy – but like in an amusing, addled cat-lady kinda way. Taking sheer joy in all things grim, this feisty witch is deceitful, arrogant and heartless, but also seriously powerful. Her magic skills may be equal to legendary sorcerer Merlin, which is not great for him since the two have a rivalry going on. Hey, a little competition never hurt anyone, right? WRONG, if your nemesis has the temper of a thousand hornets and breaks her own rules. Despite all that, Madam Mim’s exuberant love for dark magic and competition with Merlin makes us smile every time.
#5: Scar
“The Lion King” (1994)
A Disney version of Claudius from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Scar plots to kill his older brother, Mufasa, and take his place as king of the pride lands. Helped in his scheme by the hyenas, Scar is a master manipulator pure and simple – something that comes to him easily thanks to his natural charm. Voiced by the smooth Jeremy Irons, Scar brings the lion’s share of deadpan humor to the film – something we couldn’t help but giggle at even as kids. Evil in a sly sorta way, Scar’s more subtly funny than some of the other villains on this list, but he takes great pains to retain his stature in the lion kingdom. After all, it’s a matter of pride.
#4: Prince John
“Robin Hood” (1973)
This prince gives a whole new meaning to the term “cowardly lion.” Prince John rules Nottingham while his older brother, King Richard, is out crusading, and demonstrates time and time again that he will do anything to kill Robin Hood and keep his wealth intact. While this might make him sound like a hard-ass villain instead of a funny one, that couldn’t be further from the truth; whenever things don’t go his way, this comical young prince immediately resorts to sucking his thumb and calling for his mommy. Even though he doesn’t possess the qualities of a natural born leader, his immaturity and lack of common sense make him one hilarious villain we just can’t take seriously.
#3: Jafar
“Aladdin” (1992)
This diamond in the rough villain dishes out the laughs in the 1992 Disney version of this legendary tale. Jafar’s insatiable hunger for power drives his every move. Assisted by his loyal parrot Iago, this snakelike scoundrel tricks Aladdin into retrieving a mystical lamp that will make him all-powerful. And of course, like most villains, Jafar gets his kicks by tormenting the heroes. But he makes us laugh with his voice, mannerisms and dry sense of humor. Playing straight man to the sillier Iago, Jafar and his sidekick bring out the best and worst in each other.
#2: Yzma
“The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000)
Who doesn’t love Yzma? Not only is she deliciously evil, she’s also so lovably hilarious it’s hard not to pick her as an instant favorite. Angry after being fired by Emperor Kuzco, Yzma plots to poison him with help from her dummy-of-a-sidekick Kronk, but it all goes wrong when Kronk accidentally switches the bottles and turns Kuzco into a llama. Now, Yzma and Kronk must embark on a comical journey through an active jungle to stop Kuzco from drinking the antidote. Yzma’s blend of slapstick comedy and sarcasm make her one of the funniest Disney villains of all time. And, let’s be honest, who didn’t laugh at her sadistic kitty voice?
Before we get to our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:
- Johnny J. Worthington III
“Monsters University” (2013)
- Bowler Hat Guy
“Meet the Robinsons” (2007)
#1: Hades
“Hercules” (1997)
Although Pain and Panic make decent bad-guy sidekicks, it’s Hades who brings the most fear, the most sarcasm and the most laughs. Voiced by the great James Woods, this fiery villain is the epitome of calm and collected. Okay, maybe not, but it’s his explosive temper that has us in stitches every time. For a guy who so easily blows his top, he can be just as charismatic and hella cool – kinda like a used-car salesman. Hades resents his brother, Zeus, for sticking him with the “god of the underworld” job, so he’ll do anything to rule Mount Olympus. Plotting to kill your own family is pretty dark, right? But what makes Hades our top pick is how much fun he has doing it.