What is the name of the villain in Hercules?

The villain in Disney’s Hercules is Hades.

In the 1997 animated film, Hades rules the Underworld and plots to overthrow his brother Zeus, ruler of Mount Olympus. He learns that Hercules could interfere with his plan and tries to eliminate the hero before Hercules can regain his godly powers.

Disney’s Hades is based on the ancient Greek god of the dead, but the film gives him a much more theatrical, fast-talking personality. His blue-gray appearance, flaming hair, and sarcastic humor are inventions of the movie rather than features drawn directly from classical art. James Woods provided his voice, using an energetic performance that became one of the film’s most recognizable elements.

A common mix-up is confusing Hades with villains such as Ares or Poseidon. In Greek mythology, Poseidon is Zeus’s brother and god of the sea, while Ares is associated with war; neither is the principal villain of Disney’s Hercules. The film also presents Hades as a schemer rather than a straightforward monster.