The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16, 1923 in Los Angeles California. Today, Disney has grown to become one of the biggest media company’s in existence and distributed over 100 films. Even though Disney seems to have a near monopoly on the entertainment industry, there is no denying they have distributed some incredible movies over the years.
Thanks to Disney’s amazing use of storytelling and talented staff, most films they distribute tend to be well received and are adored by fans years after their release. Even though Disney has expanded to include live-action franchises like Star Wars and Marvel, their animated features tend to have a special place in people’s hearts.
Disney movies have the magic to not only appeal to children, but to all ages of movie-goers. That being said, these films would be nothing without the memorable characters depicted within them . Everyone from Mickey Mouse to Buzz Lightyear has a unique place in Disney’s history and they are still beloved by fans to this day. Disney has also just as successfully crafted several villains for the heroes to battle on screen.
Even though the heroes are typically the ones to have control of the moral compass in the movies, fans have often wondered what would have happened if the heroes were actually the villains. Thankfully, some digital artists are just as curious, which have led to some incredible fan art of Disney characters in a darker light.
Here are the 25 Disney Heroes Reimagined As Villains.
Aladdin
Aladdin was first released in 1992, with Scott Weinger voicing the street urchin known as Aladdin, who falls in love with a Princess named Jasmine (voiced by Linda Larkin). The movie has lived on since its initial release and, now over 25 years later, Aladdin is getting the live-action treatment in 2019.
In the original movie, Jafar was the evil villain, but many have wondered what Aladdin himself would have looked like as a villain. Artist AgiVega created this reimagining of Aladdin as a villain featuring a black and red color scheme.
Merida
One character that didn’t fit into the mold of the usual Disney princess was Merida from Brave. Voiced by Kelly Macdonald, Merida was a free-spirited youngster who was forced to correct her mistake after accidentally unleashing a perilous curse. Brave may have not been as well received as other Disney Pixar movies, but it none the less turned a profit and successfully introduced a fresh Disney princess.
In this reimagining by Travis Falligant, Merida is depicted as one of horror’s most iconic redheads: Chucky. Needless to say, children definitely wouldn’t have been as accepting as Merida if she acted and looked like the possessed doll.
Elsa
One of Disney’s most recent "princesses" is actually a Queen. Queen Elsa, voiced by Idina Menzel, has the ability to create ice and snow at will. While she does trigger an eternal winter in the movie, Elsa is by no means the villain since she is just struggling to control her powers.
In early versions of the film, Elsa was actually the big baddie, which has inspired many people to reimagine Elsa as a full-fledged villain. In this piece by artist pushfighter, Elsa can be seen wielding a red lightsaber and seems to have the force lighting ability.
Winnie The Pooh
Many children grew up coddling teddy bears and other stuffed animals, which is part of the reason why Winnie the Pooh was so well received. Author A.A. Milne created the character for his children’s book Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926, but Disney would later turn the character into one of their most successful franchises. The cute and cuddly bear has been featured in several animated movies and was most recently included for the live-action movie Christopher Robin.
Pooh might be one of Disney’s most iconic characters, but some have imagined what he would be like as a villain. Thanks to this artist CameronHarperArt, fans can get a glimpse of a horrifying version of Pooh that is very reminiscent of an evolution for a Pokémon.
Rapunzel
The story of Rapunzel may date back to the 1800s, but Disney first adapted the story in 2010 in the form of Tangled. Mandy Moore voiced the Disney princess, while her companion Flynn Rider was voiced by Zachary Levi. Rapunzel is rather innocent in the movie, since she spent most of her life in a tower, but some artists, like jeftoon01, have given her character a villainous twist.
Not only does the artist put a new spin on the character, but he gives her a whole new story, which sees her become vengeful when she takes the lives of Mother Gothel and the Stabbington Brothers.
Kim And Ron
It is hard to believe that the TV show Kim Possible debuted on Disney Channel over 15 years ago. The show saw crime fighter Kim Possible (voiced by Christy Carlson Romano) go up against many villains alongside her sidekick Ron Stoppable (voiced by Will Friedle).
The show featured a number of memorable villains, such as Shego, Dr. Drakken, and Monkey Fist. However, some fans have wondered what Kim and Ron would like like if they were the villains. The artist Shadowgirl416 did just that by reimagining Kim and Ron as supervillains, giving them all new costumes and an overall sinister look.
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is by far the most iconic character from Disney’s history. The character was created in 1928, debuting in the cartoon Steamboat Willie. Mickey has been included in a number of marketing materials for Disney over the years and has been a part of a countless number of cartoons. While the character is seemingly innocent, some have imagined a darker, more crazed version of Mickey Mouse.
This artwork created by Ry-Spirit imagines Mickey as a crazed creature inspired by the Disney short Runaway Brain. While Mickey is actually crazed in the short, this version of the character is much more demented and would have terrified children.
Phineas
In the Disney Channel show Phineas and Ferb, the two main characters are a couple of kids trying to enjoy summer vacation. They also create incredibly elaborate inventions. Their pet platypus goes up against the villain Dr. Doofenshmirtz in several of the episodes, but the children usually aren’t depicted as the bad guys.
That being said, some fans, like kiki-kit, have created artworks where Phineas is indeed evil. This artwork is even paired with a Phineas and Ferb fan fiction called The Sheer, which tells a whole new story about the characters.
Snow White
The story of Snow White has been adapted a number of times, but among the most popular has to be the 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Disney. The Evil Queen is obviously the villain of the movie, especially after she becomes the crazy witch. That being said, some have imagined what it would be like if Snow White was actually the villain.
This fan art by phoenixnightmare does just that, and even includes evil versions of the seven dwarfs, which are no doubt loyal servants to this evil version of Snow White.
Mulan
Another famous Disney princess made her way to the big screen in 1998 - Mulan. The character was voiced by Ming-Na Wen, who is returning to voice the character in Ralph Breaks the Internet this month. The villain in the movie was named Shan Yu, who was the leader of the Huns.
Needless to say, if Mulan would have been the villain instead of Shan Yu, the film could have been very different. This fan art by jeftoon01 features a version of Mulan who was ended by the Huns, but later comes back to life to avenge her fallen family members.
Baymax and Hiro
While there are a lot of animated superhero flicks out there, none are quite like Disney’s Big Hero 6. The movie was Disney’s first feature-length animated superhero adventure and was loosely based on a series of comic books. The Oscar-winning film focused on a group of friends who form a superhero group with the addition of an inflatable robot named Baymax.
Baymax and the character Hiro form a close friendship, but the movie would have been a lot different if they had been supervillains. This fan art by tttttengo depicts a darker version of Baymax and Hiro.
Sully
Sometimes when children are young, they think that monsters may be lurking under their beds or in their closets. Disney took advantage of this idea and made Monsters Inc., a movie about monsters who use children’s screams to power their city.
The movie made the idea of having a monster come into your room at night less horrifying. However, artist TheRisingSoul made the idea scary again. The artist depicts a realistic version of Sully, who is about to terrify a sleeping child. The art may not specifically call Sully a villain, but anybody this scary and willing to attack a child no doubt has horrible morals.
Alice
The story Alice in Wonderland wasn’t first told by Disney, but it is another example of a story that Disney left a lasting impression on through filmmaking. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was first written by Lewis Carroll in 1865, which Disney would later adapt for an animated feature in 1951.
The movie centers on Alice, who follows a rabbit down a rabbit hole and meets a number of whimsical characters. This reimagining of Alice by jeftoon01 shows an Alice who was decapitated by the Red Queen and was later possessed by the Cheshire Cat.
Hercules
The story of Hercules dates back to Greek mythology, but Disney made their own movie about the muscular hero in 1997. What’s eerie about Hercules is that not a lot has to be changed in this fan piece to make him look truly evil.
The artist simply gave the character wider eyes, angry looking eyebrows, and showed off the character's pearly whites. Hercules may have been the hero in the 1997 movie, but this version of the character by digital artist Sebastian Cavazzoli shows us Hercules in a truly horrific form.
Dumbo
It’s hard to believe that Dumbo is now nearly 80 years old. However, what’s even harder to believe is that Dumbo could ever be a villain. Dumbo was always depicted as an adorable and innocent elephant who was ridiculed for his giant ears.
The original movie came out in 1941, and a live-action remake it on its way next year. The animals won’t talk in the remake, but Dumbo will certainly still be the hero of the movie. This illustration by Fat Heat depicts an evil version of Dumbo that would definitely scare away circus guests rather than attract them.
Donald Duck
Donald Duck is one of the most recognizable characters in Disney’s history, dating all the way back to 1934 in the movie The Wise Little Hen. Likewise, Freddy Krueger is one of the most iconic maniacs in horror history starting in 1984, when Wes Craven released A Nightmare on Elm Street.
This fan art by an unknown artist mashes up these two popular characters and turns Donald into something that nightmares are made of. That being said, fans would probably much rather have Donald haunt their dreams than Freddy Krueger.
Vanellope Von Schweetz
Wreck-It Ralph is one of Disney’s most unique movies that they have made in recent years. It revolves around Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly), who is tired of being the bad guy in his video game.
He then goes on a quest with a young girl named Vanellope to become a hero, but brings chaos to the other arcade games along the way. This fan art by jeftoon01 reimagines Vanellope as a villainous road warrior, with a decked out car, a candy cane shank, and a gun made out of PEZ.
Pinocchio
People tend to have a fear of talking dolls and puppets, but there really isn’t anything scary about Pinocchio. The 1940 movie Pinocchio focuses on a living puppet who desperately wants to become a real boy. By changing certain elements of the plot or the character design, Pinocchio could have easily become a horrifying character, much like this artwork by artmanphil.
This version of Pinocchio doesn’t come with any clothes, is bald, and has a horrifying smile. It also doesn’t help that he has red eyes and a kitchen knife in his left hand.
Ariel
When it comes to Disney princesses, Ariel is one of the most popular ones around. In her 1989 movie, she makes a deal with Ursula in order to go visit her lover on the land. Things of course don’t go according to plan, but they still work out well in the end for her.
This fan artwork by Travis Falligant mashes up one of Ariel’s famous scenes while replacing her skin with that of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It may go unappreciated by people who aren't familiar with Universal's classic monster movies, but the effect is quite humorous since this shot of Ariel is so iconic.
Mike Wazowski
Mike Wazowski is another character in Monster’s Inc. who was the best friend of James P. Sullivan. While Sully is blue and known for his daunting height, Mike is known for his short appearance as well as his one giant eye.
While Mike Wazowski may not seem all that scary, minor adjustments thanks to Edward Pun now make the character horrifying. This character is much more lanky and now has a giant mouth and jagged teeth. It’s fair to say that this reimagining of Mike could power the entire city after just one scare.