

Later, Meg sold her soul to Hades to save her boyfriend's life (and he left her for someone else). However, he didn't drink the last drop, thus retaining his super strength.

Hades asked the Fates if Hercules, with his super-strength, could prevent him from taking over Mount Olympus, and they told him that he would if he were to fight, so Hades ordered Pain and Panic to kidnap him and give him a potion to make him mortal. Hades almost succeeds in putting the pacifier in the baby's mouth but the baby squeezes his finger, causing him to drop the pacifier.

He does this by pinching Hercules's nose, causing the baby to open his mouth. While on Olympus, Hades tried his very first attempt to harm Hercules: By attempting to stick a spiked skull-shaped pacifier into the baby's mouth. Hades is first seen appearing on Olympus to see the celebration. Cerberus, a three-headed dog, guards his palace. Pain and Panic are puny, cowardly minions that serve Hades, and they play a very little role in his quest for power. Hades controls fire and can shoot it in any direction, which destroys any object in its path. He has pale blue skin, and flaming hair, as well as the ability to create objects out of black mist and control monsters. Hades is the Lord of the Dead who rules the Underworld and the main villain in both the 1997 Disney film Hercules and its spin-off television series. Hi, how are ya doin'?" - Hades " Feel the heat!" - Hades Nonetheless, the long-lasting affection for the film and Woods’ performance proved that he was the right man for the job." The name's Hades, Lord of the Dead. Perhaps, the star power that Jack Nicholson would have brought to Hercules could have bolstered those numbers. It became the first Disney project since 1990’s The Rescuers Down Under to fail to make $100 million at the American box office. Despite this, the film slightly underperformed at the box office. Hades’ enduring popularity was evidenced when he became a member of the Disney villains – a sub-franchise that spanned television specials and video games.Īfter years of production troubles, Hercules was finally released to positive reviews in June 1997 and James Woods garnered universal acclaim for his performance as Hades. Both injected their respected characters and films with a pervasive charm that has endeared audiences even twenty years later. The connection to Robin Williams' Genie was an apt one.
#Hades disney movie
Ultimately, Woods' involvement not only changed Hades' characterization, but also the direction of the movie as a whole.Įven the legendary Roger Ebert sang Woods' praises in his review of Hercules, claiming Woods voiced Hades with “ with diabolical glee and something of the same verbal inventiveness that Robin Williams brought to Aladdin”. Lines of Hades’ dialogue were rewritten and improvisation was welcomed, which caused Hercules to take on a more comic tone. His approach was a breath of fresh air and convinced the directors that the original Hades plan should change. Finally, Woods came into the fold and gifted Hades with a wheeler-dealer whirlwind energy. Clement and Musker continued to portray Hades seriously during auditions that saw actors such as Phil Hartman and John Lithgow read for the part. Regardless, he was still not the first choice for the role after Nicholson. Woods was best known for 1984’s Once Upon A Time In America. Related: Casting Disney's Live-Action Hercules Movie: Who Should StarĪfter a long auditioning process, in which David Bowie and Kevin Spacey were considered, the role eventually went to James Woods, who took Hades’ character in a more comedic direction, akin to a fast-talking car salesman.
