Witches are no longer scary: Why children’s films don’t want villains
Films like ‘Wicked,’ ‘Mufasa,’ and ‘Inside Out 2′ replace traditional villains with abstract concepts such as anxiety or social influences, or explore the reasons behind their evil actions
Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Jafar, Hook, Scar… The classic villains of fairy tales — particularly those born from Disney’s animation studio — are nearly as iconic as the heroes and princesses who inhabit their lavish palaces. But it’s now rare to hear a villain’s evil laughter, or to see a scheme stepmother delighting in tormenting a cure animal or a little girl.
