From Ms. Trunchball to Scar, kids movies have provided us with many memorable movie villains. But just what is it that makes these baddies so iconic? Is there a secret evil formula for creating a successful villain in a kids movie? And how do these villains differ from the bad guys found in movies for adults? This post takes a look at some of the key characteristics.

They hate kids

A simple way to make kid audiences dislike or fear a character in a movie is to make that character hate kids. This is a trait that many iconic kids’s movie villains share including Ms. Trunchball from Matilda, Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix and the child-catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (The Baron and Baroness in this film are also notoriously scared of children).

Sometimes a villain doesn’t hate all kids, but does hate the protagonist of the movie - who is a child. Examples include Captain Hook’s loathing of Peter Pan, Lord Voldemort’s hatred for Harry Potter and Scar’s contempt for his nephew Simba. 

Evil – but not too evil

Villains in kids movies often cheat and steal. They may even murder people. But there are limits to their cruelty. Certain crimes that are used to identify villains in movies for adults like rape and racism are deemed inappropriate in kids’ movies. And although many kids' villains are violent, this violence is not graphic - with many villains preferring to use poisons or throwing people from heights.

Many of the best kids movie villains may even have a sensitive or empathetic side made visible in the form of an animal sidekick. Examples include Jafar’s parrot sidekick Lago in Aladdin, Governor Ratcliffe’s dog Wiggins in Pocahontas, and the Grinch’s dog Max in The Grinch.

A scary signature look

Whereas villains in movies aimed at adults can sometimes seem normal or even be physically attractive, villains in kids movies are often designed to look scary. They have glaring eyes and sharp features.

Of course, the most iconic villains are scary in a unique way. Consider Cruella De Vil with her half white and half black crazy hair or Maleficent with her two black horns. In fact, crazy hats and hairstyles are often a big part of a villain’s look.

Some kids movies have added more normal-looking or attractive villains to subvert this trope. Sometimes this is deliberately done because the character starts off good and you’re not supposed to suspect they’re bad (examples include Hans from Frozen and Evelyn Deavor from The Incredibles 2). In other cases, a villain may be made physically attractive in order to contrast a less attractive good character who we are meant to sympathise with. In these cases, they often pose as a rival love interest (such as Gaston in Beauty and The Beast and Prince Charming in Shrek) and are designed to show children that it’s what’s inside and not outside that counts. 

Comic relief

Villains are more likely to serve as a source of comic relief in a kid’s movie. This can soften villains who may otherwise appear too evil or scary for a kid’s film.

Successful examples of kids’ movie villains who also serve as a comic relief character include Pain and Panic in Hercules who seem to constantly enrage Hades (also partially a comic relief character), The Grinch in How The Grinch Stole Christmas with his constant jokes and Jasper and Horace in 101 Dalmatians with their bumbling antics. 

A sympathetic backstory

Villains in kids’ movies may be more likely to have a sympathetic backstory so that we can understand why they have such evil motives. This is particularly the case where a villain has a character arc in which they become a ‘goodie’ by the end of the movie.

The Grinch is a prime example of this. In How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Grinch is a victim of bullying and is unable to win over his love interest. Childhood memories or pain and shame surrounding Christmas cause him to hate the holiday, which is why he then chooses to steal Christmas from the rest of the Whos.

Many villains have had backstories created for them over the years such as Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians and even Lord Farquaad from Shrek. This helps to add new dimensions to these villains that keeps them likeable and engaging to new audiences. 

The maniacal laugh

Who could forget one of the most classic tropes? The maniacal laugh! This can help to add a cartoonish side to villains in kids movies - especially if it is the traditional ‘muhahaha’ laugh. 

A few controversial tropes…

Kids’ movie villains have been accused of adopting a few controversial tropes. These typically involve negative stereotypes of certain groups. Examples include:

• Queer-coding: Disney has been accused of repeatedly giving its villains queer characteristics. A few examples include Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Scar from The Lion King and Jafar in Aladdin. Could this queer-coding of villains be reinforcing negative associations surrounding homosexuality? There has been mixed reactions from the LGBT community with some claiming that most of Disney’s villains during the Disney renaissance were designed by animator Andreas Deja - who is gay - and that it could be a way of making villains more charming and unique. Regardless of thi, modern Disney movies seem to have done away with queer-coded villains. 

• Disfigurement/disability: This is a problem not just with kids’ movie villains but villains in general - many of the most iconic villains have a disability or are disfigured in some way. Examples include Captain Hook, Darth Vader, Scar, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Lord Voldemort, Lord Farquaad and the Oompa-loompas. Does giving villains these characteristics only serve to reinforce a phobia of disfigurement/disability? Some have argued so.

• British accent: Many of the most iconic villains in kids movies have a British accent, even when the rest of the cast have an American accent. Specifically, it is a ‘posh’ Queen’s English accent. Some believe that this is done to make a character seem more educated but also less trusting to American audiences. Is it okay to vilify the British accent? Most British audiences don’t seem to have an issue with it, but it’s still a topic of contention.

All in all, future kids’ movies may be wise to avoid some of these tropes, or to at least add more heroes with these characteristics.