Starting with 2014's Maleficent, Disney began updating their classic villains and giving them a new spin. Painting them as misunderstood and sympathetic anti-heroes, these formerly irredeemable villains became sympathetic and even endearing, making audiences see them in an entirely new light.
Cruella was the latest movie to join this trend, and judging by the positive reception of the movie, audiences might be enjoying these updated versions of the classic villains. And with so much money on the table, it's only a matter of time before the next villain receives this treatment. Multiple contenders would make inspired choices, but some are just too evil to ever deserve redemption.
Can Be Redeemed: Captain Hook (Peter Pan)
Hook is Peter Pan's archenemy and the main antagonist in most Pan stories. He's a posh and handsome man, despite his cadaveric appearance. He supposedly attended Eton, but the true nature of his identity remains a secret in most of his appearances.
The Disney version paints him in a more buffoon-ish light than in the original J.M. Barrie play. Indeed, the Hook in Peter Pan is more clown than a villain, so why not show another side to him? The 2015 movie Pan sort of does this, and Garrett Hedlund almost gets away with it. Unfortunately, the movie around him ultimately lets him down.
Too Evil: The Man (Bambi)
Despite speaking no lines in the movie or having an extended role in the plot, the man in 1942's Bambi holds a unique place in cinematic hell. He shoots Bambi's mother in a scene so chilling and traumatizing that it's hard to believe it's part of a Disney children's movie.
The man doesn't even receive a name, but his presence looms large over the film long after he disappears. Trying to redeem him in any way would be a mistake and a futile attempt to exploit a character that works best when surrounded by a cloud of mystery and anonymity.
Can Be Redeemed: Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)
As one of Disney's most valuable properties, Cinderella has received many adaptations over the years. Most recently, the classic 1950 animated film received a live-action adaptation in 2015. Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett brought Lady Tremaine to life and managed to make her an intriguing and complex figure, despite the lack of development the screenplay provided.
Tremaine is an alluring character that remains a mystery. Most adaptations of the tale focus on the innocent protagonist, but few take the time to develop Tremaine and explain the root of her hatred towards her stepdaughter.
Too Evil: Gaston (Beauty And The Beast)
Gaston already received a live-action treatment with 2017's Beauty and the Beast. The vain and sadistic hunter retained his antagonistic personality, although Luke Evans did imbue his performance with a lot of the charm missing from the animated incarnation.
In the original 1991 movie, Gaston's obsession with Belle leads him to commit atrocities that firmly place him in the villain camp. His love for killing and torturing animals is also terrible and shouldn't be justified in any way. Cruella de Vil may be a dog lover now, but it's best to keep Gaston as a villain and in the past where he belongs.
Can Be Redeemed: The Queen Of Hearts (Alice In Wonderland)
In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carrol describes the Queen of Hearts as "a blind fury." She's the childish and foul-mouthed ruler of the lands in the story, famous for being prone to order decapitations. Few of her whims actually come to pass, though, because her compassionate husband quietly pardons many of the would-be victims.
In 1951's Alice in Wonderland, the Queen of Hearts also incorporates elements from the Red Queen from Through the Looking Glass. Tim Burton's live-action adaptation does a lot to humanize the character, so the character is halfway there. Bringing back Helena Bonham Carter would also be a wise choice.
Too Evil: The Queen (Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs)
Disney's first-ever villain lives up to her reputation as one of the most sinister characters in movie history. She hates Snow White because she envies her beauty and is willing to go to absurd lengths to get rid of her. The Queen is vain, selfish, cruel, and outright macabre, a shadowy figure of pure hatred.
Throughout her many adaptations, whether played by Charlize Theron or Julia Roberts, The Queen remained evil and unrepentant. It would be unwise for Disney to break the mold by explaining her motives or redeeming her. The Queen is best left alone with her demons and magic.
Can Be Redeemed: Hades (Hercules)
Hades is a character that Western adaptations adopted as a villain because of his role in Greek mythology. He rules over the Underworld, a place associated with darkness and despair. In reality, Hades wasn't any more or less cruel or dangerous than any of the other Olympians, including Zeus.
The Disney version of the character became the antagonist in Hercules' story. A more appropriate villain would be Hera, who forced the hero into performing his famous twelve labors, but that's another story. The point remains, Hades shouldn't be a villain, and it's time Hollywood stops portraying him as one.
Too Evil: Scar (The Lion King)
Scar holds a privileged place in the pantheon of Disney villains. Seldomly has an animal character been so hated by audiences. However, Scar also has a legion of fans that love him because he's a villain, and altering his duplicitous nature would be a huge disservice to the character.
Scar's role in The Lion King works because of his pettiness and power-thirst. Attempting to explain his relationship with Mufasa would take away the emotional weight of the latter's death and harm the original story. Scar works best as a jealous and scheming antagonist; there's no need to turn him into a protagonist.
Can Be Redeemed: Ursula (The Little Mermaid)
Emma Stone went on record about how she would like to see Ursula get an origin story. The purple villainess from the first Disney Renaissance film is one of the most entertaining and memorable villains in the Disney canon, so a film centering around her wouldn't be the worst idea.
The Little Mermaid also hints that Ursula shares history with Triton. Her unique combination of humor and cruelty makes her stand out above all other Disney villains, and her larger-than-life personality would make for a very entertaining movie.
Too Evil: Frollo (The Hunckback Of Notre Damme)
Frollo is arguably Disney's most sinister villain. Based on the character of the same name from Victor Hugo's seminal work, Notre-Dame de Paris, Frollo is Quasimodo's adoptive father and a corrupt judge obsessed with Esmeralda.
Frollo is a morbid representation of toxic masculinity and religious bigotry. He also gets the absolute best villain song, "Hellfire," and performs it in a sequence so creepy and macabre that it's surprising it made it past sensors in 1996. He's also a genocidal and racist maniac who killed Quasimodo's mother and tried to burn Esmeralda alive because she refused to give in to his advances. Frollo has no redeemable qualities, and Disney should never, under any circumstance, try to turn him into an anti-hero.