Hercules ( 1997 film ) - wikipedia Hercules ( 1997 film ) Hercules Theatrical release poster Directed by John Musker Ron Clements Produced by Alice Dewey John Musker Ron Clements Screenplay by Ron Clements John Musker Donald McEnery Bob Shaw Irene Mecchi Story by Kaan Kalyon Kelly Wightman Randy Cartwright John Ramirez Jeff Snow Vance Gerry Kirk Hanson Francis Glebas Mark Kennedy Bruce M. Morris Don Dougherty Thom Enriquez Based on Heracles Starring Tate Donovan Danny DeVito James Woods Susan Egan Rip Torn Music by Alan Menken Edited by Tom Finan Production companies Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Feature Animation Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution Release date June 15, 1997 ( 1997 - 06 - 15 ) ( New Amsterdam Theatre ) June 27, 1997 ( 1997 - 06 - 27 ) ( United States ) Running time 93 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $85 million Box office $252.7 million Hercules is a 1997 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. The 35th Disney animated feature film, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film is loosely based on the legendary hero Heracles ( known in the film by his Roman name, Hercules ), the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology. The film also featured the first positive portrayal of African American women in a Disney animated film. Development of Hercules began in 1992 following a pitch adaptation of the Heracles mythological stories by animator Joe Haidar. Meanwhile, Ron Clements and John Musker re-developed their idea for Treasure Planet following the critical and commercial success of Aladdin. Their project was removed from development in 1993, and Musker and Clements joined Hercules later that same year. Following an unused treatment by Haidar, Clements and Musker studied multiple interpretations of Greek mythology before abandoning Zeus 's adulterous affair with Alcmene. The project underwent multiple story treatments and a first script draft was inspired by the screwball comedy films of the classic Hollywood era and popular culture of the 1990s. Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, and Irene Mecchi were brought on board to shorten the script. British cartoonist Gerald Scarfe was recruited as production designer and produced over seven hundred visualization designs of the characters. Research trips to Greece and Turkey provided inspiration for the background designs. Animation for the film was done in California and Paris. Computer animation was utilized in several scenes, predominantly in the Hydra battle sequence. Hercules was released on June 27, 1997 to positive reviews from film reviewers who praised James Woods 's portrayal of Hades. Despite the positive critical reception, the film under - performed in its theatrical release notably in comparison to its predecessors before ultimately earning $252.7 million in box office revenue worldwide. Hercules was later followed by the direct - to - video prequel Hercules : Zero to Hero, which served as the pilot to Hercules : The Animated Series, a syndicated Disney TV series focusing on Hercules during his time at the Prometheus academy. Contents 1 Plot 2 Voice cast 3 Production 3.1 Development 3.2 Writing 3.3 Casting 3.4 Animation and design 4 Music 5 Release 5.1 Marketing 5.2 Home media 5.3 Video game 6 Reception 6.1 Box office 6.2 Critical response 6.3 Accolades 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External links Plot After imprisoning the Titans beneath the ocean, the Greek gods Zeus and his wife, Hera, have a son named Hercules. While the other gods are joyful, Zeus ' jealous brother Hades plots to overthrow Zeus and rule Mount Olympus. Turning to the Fates for help, Hades learns that in eighteen years, a planetary alignment will allow him to locate and free the Titans to conquer Olympus, but only if Hercules does not interfere. Hades sends his minions Pain and Panic to dispose of Hercules. The two succeed at kidnapping the infant and feeding him a formula that turns him mortal, but fail to remove his superhuman strength before Hercules is found and adopted by the farmers Amphitryon and Alcmene. Years later, the teenage Hercules becomes an outcast due to his strength, and wonders where he came from. After his foster parents reveal the necklace they found him with, Hercules decides to visit the temple of Zeus for answers. The temple 's statue of Zeus comes to life and reveals all to Hercules, telling him that he can regain his godhood by becoming a `` true hero ''. Zeus sends Hercules and his forgotten infanthood friend Pegasus to find the satyr Philoctetes -- `` Phil '' for short -- who is known for training heroes. The two meet Phil, who has retired from training heroes due to numerous disappointments, but Hercules inspires him to follow his dream to train a true hero that will be recognized by the gods. Phil trains Hercules into a potential hero, and when he is older, they fly for Thebes. On the way, they meet Megara -- `` Meg '' for short -- a sarcastic damsel whom Hercules saves from the centaur Nessus. However, after Hercules, Phil, and Pegasus leave, Meg is revealed to be Hades ' minion, having sold her soul to him to save an unfaithful lover. Arriving in Thebes, Hercules is turned down by the downtrodden citizens until Meg says that two boys are trapped in a gorge. Hercules saves them, unaware that they are Pain and Panic in disguise, allowing Hades to summon the Hydra to fight Hercules. Hercules continually cuts off its heads, but more heads replace them until Hercules kills the monster by causing a landslide. Hercules is seen as a hero and a celebrity, but Zeus tells Hercules he is not yet a true hero. Driven to depression, Hercules turns to Meg, who is falling in love with him. Hades learns of this and on the eve of his takeover, offers a deal that Hercules gives up his powers for twenty - four hours. Hercules accepts on the condition that Meg will be unharmed and, after losing his strength, is heartbroken when Hades reveals that Meg is working for him. Hades unleashes the Titans, who climb Olympus and capture the gods, while a Cyclops goes to Thebes to kill Hercules. Phil inspires Hercules to fight and kill the cyclops, but Meg is crushed by a falling pillar when she saves Hercules from it. This breaks Hades ' commitment that Meg would come to no harm, and allows Hercules to regain his strength. Hercules and Pegasus fly to Olympus where they free the gods, save Zeus, and vanquish the Titans, though Meg dies before he returns to her. With Meg 's soul now Hades ' property, Hercules breaks into the Underworld where he negotiates with Hades to free Meg from the Styx in exchange for his own life. His willingness to sacrifice his life restores his godhood and immortality before the life - draining river can kill him ; he rescues Meg and punches Hades into the Styx, where irate souls flush him under. After reviving Meg, she and Hercules are summoned to Olympus, where Zeus and Hera welcome their son home. However, Hercules chooses to remain on Earth with Meg, in lieu of immortality. Hercules returns to Thebes where he is hailed as a true hero as Zeus creates a picture of Hercules in the stars commemorating his heroism. Voice cast See also : List of Disney 's Hercules characters Tate Donovan as Hercules, based on the mythological deity Heracles. Supervising animator Andreas Deja described Hercules as ``... not a smart aleck, not streetwise, he 's just a naive kid trapped in a big body '', and that Donovan `` had a charming yet innocent quality in his readings ''. Donovan had not done any voice - over work prior to Hercules. Deja integrated Donovan 's `` charming yet innocent quality '' into Hercules ' expressions. Ricky Martin provided both the voice and singing voice for the Latin American Spanish - language dub edition. Josh Keaton provided the speaking voice of Hercules as a teenager, while Roger Bart provided his singing voice. Originally, Keaton provided also his singing voice, but his singing was re-recorded by Bart. Randy Haycock served as the supervising animator for Hercules as an infant and teenager. Danny DeVito as Philoctetes / Phil. Eric Goldberg, the supervising animator for Philoctetes, cited Grumpy in Snow White and Bacchus in Fantasia as the inspirations for the character 's design. Goldberg mentioned that they discovered that Danny DeVito `` has really different mouth shapes '' when they videotaped his recordings and that they used these shapes in animating Phil. James Woods as Hades. Producer Alice Dewey mentioned that Hades `` was supposed to talk in a slow and be menacing in a quiet, spooky way '', but thought that James Woods ' manner of speaking `` a mile a minute '' would be a `` great take '' for a villain. Woods did a lot of ad - libbing in his recordings, especially in Hades ' dialogues with Megara. Nik Ranieri, the supervising animator for Hades, mentioned that the character was `` based on a Hollywood agent, a car salesman type '', and that a lot came from James Woods ' ad - libbed dialogue. He went on to say that the hardest part in animating Hades was that he talks too much and too fast, so much so that `` it took ( him ) two weeks to animate a one - second scene ''. Ranieri watched James Woods ' other films and used what he saw as the basis for Hades ' sneer. Susan Egan as Megara. Supervising animator Ken Duncan stated that she was `` based on a ' 40s screwball comedienne '' and that he used Greek shapes for her hair ( `` Her head is in sort of a vase shape and she 's got a Greek curl in the back. '' ). Frank Welker as Pegasus. Ellen Woodbury served as the supervising animator for Pegasus. Rip Torn and Samantha Eggar as Zeus and Hera, Hercules ' birth - parents. Anthony DeRosa served as the supervising animator for both characters. In the Swedish dub Max von Sydow provided the voice for Zeus. Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas as the Muses ( Calliope, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia and Clio respectively ), the narrators of the film 's story. Michael Show served as the supervising animator for the Muses. Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt Frewer as Pain and Panic, Hades ' henchmen. James Lopez and Brian Ferguson respectively served as the supervising animators for Pain and Panic. Patrick Pinney as the Cyclops. Dominique Monfrey served as the supervising animator for the Cyclops. Hal Holbrook and Barbara Barrie as Amphitryon and Alcmene, Hercules ' adoptive parents. Richard Bazley served as the supervising animator for both characters. Amanda Plummer, Carole Shelley and Paddi Edwards as Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, the three Fates who predict Hades ' attempt to conquer Olympus. Nancy Beiman served as the supervising animator for the three characters. Paul Shaffer as Hermes. Michael Swofford served as the animator for Hermes. Jim Cummings as Nessus. Chris Bailey served as the animator for Nessus. Wayne Knight as Demetrius Keith David as Apollo Charlton Heston has a cameo role as the opening narrator. Production Development In early 1992, thirty artists, writers, and animators pitched their ideas for potential animated features, each given a limited time of two minutes. The first pitch was for an adaptation of The Odyssey, which entered into production in the following summer. However, production on the film was abandoned when it was deemed too long and lacked central characters, and failed to translate into animation comedy. Animator Joe Haidar also suggested pitching a story from Greek mythology, but thought his chances plummeted when work on The Odyssey was discontinued. Nervously, he produced a pitch sketch of Hercules, and delivered a brief outline set during the Trojan War where both sides seek the title character for their secret weapon. Hercules makes a choice, without considering the consequences, though in the end, he learns humility and realizes that strength is not always the answer. With the pitching session concluded, Hercules was approved for development in which Haidar presented a page - and - a-half outline, but his involvement with the project succeeded no further. In November 1992, fresh off their critical and commercial success of Aladdin, directors Ron Clements and John Musker re-developed Treasure Planet up until fall 1993, with Aladdin co-screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio taking Clements and Musker 's ideas and writing a treatment and script for Treasure Planet. Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was the chairman of Walt Disney Studios, disapproved of the project, but struck a deal with the directors to produce another commercially viable film before he would green - light Treasure Planet. Turning down adaptation proposals for Don Quixote, The Odyssey, and Around the World in Eighty Days, the directors were notified of Haidar 's pitch for a Hercules feature. `` We thought it would be our opportunity to do a `` superhero '' movie, '' Musker said, so `` Ron and I being comic book fans. The studio liked us moving onto that project and so we did ( Hercules ). '' Writing With Hercules in production, Clements and Musker conducted research and wrote extensive notes for the film. On excerpts detailed in November 1993, the similarities between their outlines included the naive title character caught between two worlds, a Danny DeVito - type sidekick, a world-wise heroine, and a powerful villain in a battle of idealism versus cynicism. The directors also sought inspiration from classic screwball comedy films directed by Preston Sturges and Frank Capra with `` Hercules as the young Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, '' Musker explained, and `` Meg is modeled on Barbara Stanwyck, especially the characters she played in The Lady Eve and Meet John Doe. '' While preparing the script, Clements and Musker consulted the works of Thomas Bullfinch, Edith Hamilton, Robert Graves, and other interpreters of Greek mythology until they reached the conclusion to not portray the traditional story of Hercules. Because Zeus sired Hercules outside of his marriage with Hera, Clements remarked `` that illegitimacy would be difficult subject matter for a Disney movie. So we thought of different ways he could be half - man and half - god. We moved more toward making Hades the villain instead of Hera. The Underworld seemed like such a fascinating, dark images ; the contrast with Olympus seemed to have all kinds of visual possibilities. '' Additionally during their research, the directors were inspired by the correlation of the popularity of Hercules in comparison to that of sport athletes and celebrities in the contemporary era with both directors stating Hercules was the Michael Jordan of his era. After multiple meetings and story conferences, Clements and Musker wrote several story treatments before proceeding to their first script draft. Comedy writers Don McEnery and Bob Shaw were recruited by creative executive Jane Healey to work on Hercules where their contribution was `` important structural things like putting capital letters at the beginnings of sentences and adding periods and commas. '' Meanwhile, their draft was concurrently rewritten by Irene Mecchi, which altogether brought additional humor and definition to the script. Casting Donny Osmond originally auditioned as the speaking voice of the title character, but he was turned down because his voice was considered too deep. Writing the role of Philoctetes, Musker and Clements envisioned Danny DeVito in the role. However, DeVito declined to audition so Ed Asner, Ernest Borgnine, Dick Latessa were brought in to read for the part. After Red Buttons had auditioned, he left stating `` I know what you 're gon na do. You 're gon na give this part to Danny Devito ! '' Shortly after, the directors and producer Alice Dewey approached DeVito at a pasta lunch during the filming of Matilda, where DeVito signed on to the role. For every Disney animated feature since Beauty and the Beast, Susan Egan auditioned for a role, and then landed the role of Belle in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast. Upon learning about Hercules, Egan actively pursued the role of Megara, though she revealed that `` Alan Menken initially blocked me from going after that part. He said that the female lead in Hercules was supposed to be this cynical smart - ass, sounding nothing at all like sweet, innocent Belle. '' Menken eventually relented and allowed Egan to audition for the role. Egan read for the part in front of a microphone while being videotaped, while Menken, Beauty and the Beast musical director Michael Kosarin, and the filmmakers sat at a table with their eyes closed. Nine months following the results of the test animation synced with Egan 's audition, Egan won the role. During production, Meg was originally given a ballad titled `` I Ca n't Believe My Heart '', but Ken Duncan, the supervising animator of Meg, pointed out the song was out of character for Meg. Menken and Zippel would later compose `` I Wo n't Say I 'm In Love '' instead. The casting of Hades proved to be very problematic for Musker and Clements. When DeVito asked the directors who had in mind to play Hades, Musker and Clements responded by saying they had n't selected an appropriate actor. In response, DeVito blurted, `` Why do n't you ask Jack ( Nicholson ) ? '' After DeVito notified Nicholson of the project, the next week, the studio was willing to pay Nicholson $500,000 for the role, but Nicholson demanded roughly a paycheck of $10 -- 15 million, plus a 50 % cut of all the proceeds from Hades merchandise. Unwilling to share merchandising proceeds with the actor, Disney came back with a counter offer that was significantly less than what Nicholson had asked for. Therefore, Nicholson decided to pass on the project. Disappointed by the lack of Nicholson, Clements and Musker eventually selected John Lithgow as Hades in fall 1994. After nine months of trying to make Lithgow 's portrayal of Hades work, Lithgow was released from the role in August 1995. According to John Musker, Ron Silver, James Coburn, Kevin Spacey, Phil Hartman, and Rod Steiger arrived to the Disney studios to read as Hades. Other actors who auditioned for the role were Michael Ironside, Terrence Mann, and Martin Landau. When they invited James Woods to read for the part, the filmmakers were surprised by Woods 's interpretation, and Woods was hired by October 1995. Hades 's co-henchman Pain was written with Bobcat Goldthwait in mind, although the actor confessed he still had to audition for the role despite playing himself. Animation and design In 1993, Ron Clements and John Musker fondly remembered a Time magazine cover of the Beatles, illustrated by English cartoonist Gerald Scarfe. While working as the production designer on a production of The Magic Flute, Gerald Scarfe was invited to tour the Disney studios where Clements and Musker noticed a direct correlation between Gerald 's style and the Greek vase painting style, and with permission from the Disney studios, Scarfe was hired as production designer to produce a dozen drawings. Scarfe conducted minimal research, not wanting to be influenced by other interpretations where he sent thirty - two sketches via fax machine or courier, and ended up producing more than 700 drawings throughout production. By July 1995, Scarfe and fifteen animators and designers began developing working prototypes for every character in the movie. That same year, the filmmakers embarked on a research trip to Greece and Turkey to research classic Greek mythology. Since Scarfe 's style proved to be too fluid and chaotic for the animators, production stylist Sue Nichols created reference charts for the animators on which elements of Scarfe 's style, as well as classical Greek illustration, to adapt into their work. Animation began in early 1995 with a team of nearly 700 artists, animators, and technicians in Burbank, California while Walt Disney Animation France contributed nearly ten minutes of animation, including the finale with the Titans and Hercules ' descent into the Underworld. Andreas Deja, the supervising animator for Hercules, commented that the animation crew he worked with to animate Hercules was the `` largest ( he ) ever worked with ''. He previously worked on other characters ( like Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Jafar in Aladdin, and Scar in The Lion King ) with about four animators on his crew, but he had a team of twelve or thirteen for Hercules. Given Deja had worked with three villains before, he was first offered Hades, but asked to animate Hercules instead -- `` I knew if would be more difficult and more challenging, but I just needed that experience to have that in your repertoire. '' Following the release of Pocahontas, Eric Goldberg was initially assigned to animate Hades when Jack Nicholson was thought to play the character, but when Nicholson decided to pass on the project, Goldberg was n't interested in animating the character anymore. At around the same time, Chris Buck was assigned to animate Philoctetes, but after he left the production of Hercules, this left the character of Philoctetes without a supervising animator. Goldberg then decided to instead animate Philoctetes when DeVito signed onto the role noting his similarities with DeVito in their short stature, baldness, and admittedly a little `` soft around the middle ''. Throughout production, there were twenty - seven designs for the character, with Goldberg doing a literal caricature of DeVito with horns before being vetoed by the directors. While maintaining DeVito 's features, Goldberg then took inspiration from Grumpy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Bacchus in Fantasia in terms of their curmudgeonly personality and facial structure. For the Hydra, Scarfe provided preliminary drawings to give the mythical beast its requisite fangs and serpentine necks before work was transferred over to the computer animation team headed by Roger Gould. The Hydra was sculpted into a clay model where the dimensions was digitized into the computers into a wire - frame model by which the monster was animated. Early into production, the filmmakers decided the Hydra would ultimately have thirty heads by which the animators created one master head, and the computer could multiply the heads to their desired scale. Overall, thirteen animators and technical directors spent nearly a year - and - a-half creating the four - minute battle sequence. Additionally, because the directors envisioned Olympus as a city composed of clouds, painted backgrounds of clouds and cloud - like imagery were blended with drawn effects animation to create a morphing technique that were used for baby Hercules 's cradle and Zeus 's reclining chair. Music Hercules : An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack Soundtrack album by Various artists Released May 27, 1997 Genre Pop, gospel, soul, R&B, musical theatre Label Walt Disney Producer Alan Menken, David Zippel Walt Disney Animation Studios chronology The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1996 ) The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996 Hercules ( 1997 ) Mulan ( 1998 ) Mulan 1998 Singles from Hercules : An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack `` Go the Distance '' Released : 1997 Hercules : An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the soundtrack for Hercules. It consists of music written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, orchestrated by Daniel Troob and Michael Starobin, with vocals performed by Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Roger Bart, Danny DeVito, and Susan Egan among others. The album also includes the single version of `` Go the Distance '' by Michael Bolton. For the Spanish version of the film, `` Go the Distance '' was redone by Ricky Martin and released as a single under the title `` No Importa La Distancia '' and was also very successful, both inside and outside the United States. In the Turkish version of the film, `` Go the Distance '' was sung by Tarkan, who also performed the vocals for the adult Hercules. In March 1994, Zippel was attached to compose the lyrics for the songs for the film, teaming up with Alan Menken. Zippel had previously collaborated with Menken on the cabaret revue titled It 's Better With a Band, and the musical Diamonds, directed by Harold Prince. Distinctively for the film, the idea to incorporate gospel music for the songs was suggested by co-screenwriter and co-director John Musker, although Menken preferred `` something very classic and Greek -- a Candide approach ''. Musker explained, `` Gospel is a storytelling kind of music. It can be exhilarating, especially when it gets everybody on their feet. We were looking for a modern equivalent for the Greek references and this style of music seemed to be entertaining and a real departure at the same time. '' The Spice Girls were originally approached to portray the Muses following an invitation to sing one of the songs, but declined the offer due to scheduling conflicts. For the pop version of `` Go the Distance '', Michael Bolton was personally chosen by Menken to record the single, in which Columbia Records paid an undisclosed figure to Walt Disney Records for the rights to the soundtrack. `` Go the Distance '' was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but ultimately lost both to Celine Dion 's hit `` My Heart Will Go On '' from Titanic. Belinda Carlisle recorded two versions of `` I Wo n't Say ( I 'm in Love ) '' as well as a music video for promotional purposes. Though the English dub eventually opted not to use it, several foreign dubs have it in place of the reprise of `` A Star Is Born '' in the ending credits. These dubs include, but are not limited to, the Swedish one, the Finnish one, the Icelandic one and the Russian one. Curiously enough, the DVD release of the Swedish dub has replaced it with the reprise of `` A Star Is Born ''. Track list : `` Long Ago... '' -- Charlton Heston The Gospel Truth / Main Title -- Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas The Gospel Truth II -- Roz Ryan The Gospel Truth III -- Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas `` Go the Distance '' -- Roger Bart Oh Mighty Zeus ( Score ) `` Go the Distance ( Reprise ) '' -- Roger Bart `` One Last Hope '' -- Danny DeVito `` Zero to Hero '' -- Tawatha Agee, Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas `` I Wo n't Say ( I 'm in Love ) '' -- Susan Egan, Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas `` A Star Is Born '' -- Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas `` Go the Distance ( Single ) '' -- Michael Bolton The Big Olive ( Score ) The Prophecy ( Score ) Destruction of the Agora ( Score ) Phil 's Island ( Score ) Rodeo ( Score ) Speak of the Devil ( Score ) The Hydra Battle ( Score ) Meg 's Garden ( Score ) Hercules ' Villa ( Score ) All Time Chump ( Score ) Cutting the Thread ( Score ) A True Hero / A Star Is Born ( End Title ) -- Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas Release Marketing On February 4, 1997, Disney began its marketing campaign by starting a five - month promotional traveling tour, called Disney 's Hercules Mega Mall Tour Sponsored by Chevy Venture, throughout 20 cities starting first in Atlanta, Georgia. Previously used for the marketing campaigns for Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the tour featured eleven attractions including a multimedia stage show, a miniature carousel themed to Baby Pegasus, a carnival with Hercules - themed game booths, and a ten - minute animation workshop hosted by animator Andreas Deja where visitors would try their hand at drawing Hercules. On June 14, the premiere of the film was accompanied with an electric light parade held in Times Square. The parade of electrified floats traveled from 42nd Street to Fifth Avenue and 66th Street with included attendees such as Lauren Hutton, Harvey Keitel, Andy Garcia, Barbara Walters, Michael Bolton, and Marilu Henner, as well as Olympic athletes who later rode on thirty floats in the parade. The media event was not without controversy as former New York mayor Ed Koch objected to surrendering the city over Disney, and critics raising questions about what politicians are willing to give a private firm in return for investment. Also, nearly 100 members of National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians used the occasion to strike for a new contract from Disney / ABC, with local union president Tony Capitano who complained that `` I think the Mayor gave away the city to Disneyland '', and 5,000 businesses and residents who felt unusually eerie upon being asked to dim their lights as the parade passed. Following the parade, a private party was held at the Chelsea Piers complex, where dinner guests was served to a performance of Susan Egan singing songs from the movie along the Hudson River, and ten minutes of fireworks display. Additionally, the film was accompanied with a marketing campaign with promotional tie - ins with 85 licensees including McDonald 's, Mattel, Nestlé, Hallmark and various merchandise. Hercules was also received the first Disney on Ice adaptation before the film was theatrically released. Home media Hercules was first released on VHS and widescreen laserdisc in the United States on February 3, 1998, included as an installment of the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection series. By the summer of 1998, sales and rentals of the VHS release had accumulated to $165 million. Released on November 9, 1999, Hercules was released in a `` Limited Issue '' DVD for a limited sixty - day time period before going into moratorium. Launching in January 2000, Walt Disney Home Video began the Gold Classic Collection, with Hercules re-issued on VHS and DVD on August 1, 2000. The DVD contained the film in its 1.66 : 1 aspect ratio and THX - certified, and was accompanied with special features including `` The Making of Hercules '' documentary video and the `` Go The Distance '' music video sung by Ricky Martin, as well as an `` Animals of the Outback '' activity booklet. The film was released on a Special Edition Blu - ray, DVD, and Digital HD on June 10, 2014. On September 1, 2017, Hercules became available on Netflix. Video game Main article : Disney 's Hercules ( video game ) A tie - in video game, titled Hercules Action Game, was developed by Eurocom and released in July 1997 for the PC and PlayStation. Another tie - in game was developed by Tiertex Design Studios and was released for the Game Boy by THQ the same month. Reception Box office Disney intended for the film to have an open - air premiere at Pnyx hill, but the Greek government declined after the Greek media and public panned the film. A Greek newspaper entitled Adsmevtos Typos called it `` another case of foreigners distorting our history and culture just to suit their commercial interests ''. Wall Street analysts estimated that Hercules could bring in between $150 million in the United States based on the extensive marketing campaign and having a lighter, humorous tone similar to Aladdin. Hercules began its limited release in North America on June 13, 1997, playing in one selected theater. The film earned $249,567 in box office receipts during the weekend of June 13 -- 15, standing at the thirteenth place in the box office ranking. On the following weekend, the film grossed $1.45 million in two weeks when it expanded into two selected theaters. The general release followed on June 27, 1997, in 2,621 screens. During the weekend of June 27 -- 29, box office analysts estimated that Hercules earned $21.5 million ranking second behind Face / Off which grossed $22.7 million. In its first two weeks of general release, Hercules amounted $58 million in box office grosses, compared to Pocahontas, which took in $80 million and The Lion King which grossed $119 million in their respective two weeks. Considered a disappointment among Disney shareholders, Disney 's stock price slipped 9.7 percent by which executives blamed the film 's box office performance on `` more competition ''. By its third weekend, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution president Dick Cook confessed that competing family films such as Men in Black and Batman and Robin played a role in the downward box office performance, but projected the film would receive a worldwide gross of $300 million. Likewise, entertainment analysts also targeted Hercules 's lack of appeal for adults and teenagers compared to Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King which served as date movies and family outings. By spring 1998, Hercules grossed $99 million, and the international totals for Hercules raised its gross to $253 million. Critical response Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported the film has an approval rating of 83 % based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 7 / 10. The site 's consensus reads, `` Fast - paced and packed with dozens of pop culture references, Hercules might not measure up with the true classics of the Disney pantheon, but it 's still plenty of fun. '' Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of `` A '' on an A+ to F scale. James Woods received universal acclaim from film reviewers for his vocal performance as Hades. Reviewing for Entertainment Weekly, Owen Gleiberman graded the film an A - acclaiming that it was Woods ' most exciting performance since Salvador publishing that `` Woods ' performance is an inspired piece of deadpan vaudeville. His dry jocularity is hilariously incongruous -- he 's like a hostile, wisecracking salesman trapped in the body of the Antichrist. '' Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun - Times wrote a positive review of the film, enjoying the story as well as the animation. Ebert also praised Woods ' portrayal of Hades, stating that Woods brings `` something of the same verbal inventiveness that Robin Williams brought to Aladdin ''. Similarly, Chicago Tribune film reviewer Gene Siskel, while awarding the film 2 out of 4 stars, complimented that `` the only memorable character in the film is the nicely drawn villain Hades ( voice by James Woods ), who seeks to turn Hercules to the dark side. Hades supplies the genie - like patter that Robin Williams provided in Aladdin. '' Janet Maslin of The New York Times also praised Woods 's performance remarking `` Woods shows off the full verve of an edgy Scarfe villain '', and added `` On any level, earthly or otherwise, the ingenious new animated Hercules is pretty divine. '' James Berardinelli, film critic for ReelViews, awarded the film 3 out of 4 stars writing, `` the real star of the show is James Woods, whose Hades is the most vibrant Disney creation since Robin Williams ' Genie. Hades is a lively villain with a great repertoire of one - liners. And, although Woods is n't as much of a vocal chameleon as Williams, he 's close enough that it hardly matters. '' The Scarfe - inspired animation style received mixed reviews with Berardinelli labeling it as the film 's most disappointing aspect noting `` this approach makes the film look rushed and, at times, incomplete. It is never a visual marvel -- even the computer - generated scenes fail to impress. The sequences intended to offer the biggest spectacle -- Olympus and the Underworld -- provoke little more than a yawn. '' Likewise, Siskel noted his surprise of `` how soft and cheap the animation looks. '' Writing for The Washington Post, Desson Howe criticized the animation as being `` some of the worst I 've ever cringed through, including the corner - cutting junk of Don Bluth movies and every trashy cartoon that passes for entertainment on Saturday morning television. In Hercules, ancient Thebes looks like a hastily sketched field - trip location from public TV 's The Magic School Bus ; and no self - respecting immortal would be seen dead in this simplistic rendition of Mount Olympus. Nevertheless, Kenneth Turan of Los Angeles Times noted the animation `` has just enough of a different look to it to make things interesting '' and praised the Hydra as a technological marvel. Likewise, the music received a mixed response with Rita Kempley of Washington Post writing `` Like the other songs by Disney veteran Alan Menken and his new lyricist, David Zippel ( City of Angels ), the number gets the job done, but it does n't topple the temple. The score is influenced by gospel, Broadway musicals, processional music and R&B, but its only spice is its variety. '' Variety film critic Leonard Klady noted the lack of distinctiveness of the music writing Menken `` is hitting too many tired notes in his sixth animated score '' and `` there 's simply not a song in the piece that has you humming as you exit the theater, and ballads such as `` Go the Distance '' will require aggressive repetition to register as playlist material. '' Accolades Ceremony Recipient Result Academy Awards `` Go the Distance '' ( Alan Menken, Composer ; David Zippel, Lyricist ) Best Original Song Nominated Golden Globes `` Go the Distance '' Best Original Song Nominated Saturn Award Best Fantasy Film Nominated Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Animated Family Movie Nominated Favorite Song from a Movie `` Go the Distance '' Nominated Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Voice Over Role Young Actor Josh Keaton for Young Hercules 's voice Nominated Annie Awards Animated Theatrical Feature Nominated Alice Dewey, John Musker, Ron Clements ( Producers ) Individual Achievement in Producing Won John Musker and Ron Clements ( Directors ) Individual Achievement in Directing Nominated Ken Duncan ( Supervising Animator for `` Meg '' ) Individual Achievement for Animation Nominated Nik Ranieri ( Supervising Animator for `` Hades '' ) Won Mauro Maressa ( Effects Supervisor ) Individual Achievement in Effects Animation Won References Jump up ^ `` Hercules ''. British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved July 21, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Hercules ( 1997 ) ''. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 3, 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` Hercules ( 1997 ) ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 25, 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` The Quick Draw Artists ''. Disney Adventures. September 1997. pp. 44 -- 49. Jump up ^ `` Some thoughts on that whole Avengers : EMH dubbing thing ''. June 3, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2015. Jump up ^ `` ` Odyssey, ` Sinbad, Pocahontas Getting Disney Treatment ''. Los Angeles Daily News. Chicago Tribune. July 2, 1992. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Thomas 1997, p. 164. Jump up ^ Stack, Peter ( June 22, 1997 ). `` Disney Muscles In on Greek Myth / ` Hercules ' a product of research as much as drawing ''. San Francisco Gate. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Hill, Jim ( April 5, 2001 ). `` Who the hell do we get to play Hades ? ''. Jim Hill Media. Retrieved March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Seigel, Robert ( July 2, 2012 ). `` The History of Disney 's Treasure Planet ''. blu-ray.com. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Gillespie, Sarah Ashman ( May 7, 2012 ). `` John Musker Question Countdown # 3 ''. howardashman.com. Retrieved March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Rebello & Healey 1997, p. 54 -- 6. Jump up ^ Hart, John ( June 22, 1997 ). `` Disney 's ` Hercules ' Plays Up The Comic Side Of An Epic Tale -- Missing From The Disney Treatment Of The Hercules Story Will Be Some Darker Details Of His Life, Including His Illegitimate Birth ''. The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Thomas 1997, p. 165 -- 6. Jump up ^ Rizzo, Frank ( June 17, 1997 ). `` Hercules Gets A Makeover ''. Hartford Courant. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Rickey, Carrie ( June 22, 1997 ). `` Hercules, The Original Superhero He 's A Myth Who 's Hard To Miss, Starring On Tv And In A New Film. The Latter, By Disney, Cleans Up His Story Considerably ''. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Rebello & Healey 1997, p. 58 -- 9. ^ Jump up to : `` Hercules : About The Production ''. Film Scouts. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Vancheri, Barbara ( June 17, 1998 ). `` Busy Donny Osmond makes a captain sing ''. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Hicks, Chris ( June 28, 1997 ). `` Voice behind ` Beauty ' takes on tough - minded Megara in ` Hercules ' ''. The Deseret News. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Hill, Jim ( October 19, 2012 ). `` Disney favorite Susan Egan to perform this Sunday afternoon at LBCC 's Music Scholarship Gala Concert ''. Jim Hill Media. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Susan Egan : Belle, Meg, Glamour and Goop -- Part 2 ''. The Mouse Castle. August 1, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Hill, Jim ( April 5, 2001 ). `` Who the hell do we get to play Hades ? ( Part 2 ) ''. The Laughing Place. Retrieved March 26, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Hill, Jim ( April 5, 2001 ). `` Who the hell do we get to play Hades ? ( Part 3 ) ''. The Laughing Place. Retrieved March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Ranieri, Nik ( May 23, 2015 ). `` IN SEARCH OF HADES ''. Facebook. Retrieved August 22, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Disney hopes ' Hercules ' will have strong appeal ''. CNN. June 27, 1997. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Preston, Peter ( November 21, 1997 ). `` Labour of Hercules ''. Mail & Guardian. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Smith, Steven ( June 26, 1997 ). `` The Soul of ' Hercules ' ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Thomas 1997, p. 137. Jump up ^ Dawes, Ann ( June 25, 1997 ). `` ` Hercules ' design muscles in on Disney : London Cartoonist Scarfe Encouraged To Apply His Sweeping, Anarchic Style ''. The Free Library. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Great Greek Hero ''. The Sunday Times. November 9, 1997. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Dreher, Ron ( June 22, 1997 ). `` ' Hercules ' Is A Bit Hipper This Time Out ''. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hercules Fact Sheet -- Waaay Long ! ! ! ! ''. Google Groups. March 12, 1997. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Andreas Deja ( March 11, 2003 ). `` Interview : Animator Andreas Deja '' ( Interview ). DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Ranieri, Nik ( May 8, 2015 ). `` WE DON 'T KNOW JACK ''. Facebook. Retrieved August 22, 2015. Jump up ^ Strickler, Jeff ( June 29, 1997 ). `` ` Hercules ' got DeVito 's goat ; ` Phil ' looks like actor and animator '' ( Fee required ). Star Tribune. Retrieved August 18, 2015 -- via HighBeam Research. Jump up ^ Thomas 1997, p. 210. Jump up ^ Saunders, Michael ( June 22, 1997 ). `` Disney flexes its muscles. The commercial clout and animated adventures of ` Hercules ' '' ( Fee required ). The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 18, 2015 -- via HighBeam Research. Jump up ^ Thomas 1997, p. 214 -- 5. Jump up ^ Hercules ( Original Score ) at AllMusic. Retrieved 4 October 2013. Jump up ^ Gray, Tim ( March 17, 1994 ). `` Disney puts on a glitzy ' Lion ' show ''. Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Longsdorf, Amy ( December 17, 1994 ). `` Lyricist David Zippel Helping To Put The Tune In Cartoons ''. The Morning Call. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Snetiker, Marc ( January 22, 2015 ). `` Alan Menken tells the stories behind songs from ' Little Mermaid, ' ' Aladdin, ' and more Disney classics ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hits from a myth ; Hercules has memorable melodies and glorious gospel... but not a bouzouki in sight ''. Sunday Mirror. October 5, 1997. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Millar, John ( June 20, 1997 ). `` No Spice for Herc ; Girl power flexes some muscle at Disney, as John Millar finds out ''. The Daily Record. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Vincent, Mal ( June 27, 1997 ). `` Herc Goes Hip Disney Offers A New Take On Greek Mythology With `` Hercules, '' The Movie '' ( Fee required ). The Virginian - Pilot. Retrieved August 18, 2015 -- via HighBeam Research. Jump up ^ Sandler, Adam ( March 4, 1997 ). `` Bolton going the ' Distance ' for ' Hercules ' soundtrack ''. Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Johnson, Ted ( February 5, 1997 ). `` ' Hercules ' hangs out at the malls ''. Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Crouch, Lori ( February 13, 1997 ). `` Disney Promotional Tour A Herculean Undertaking ''. Sun - Sentinel. Boca Raton, Florida. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Dunkley, Cathy ( February 8, 1997 ). `` Disney to launch ' Hercules ' with tour ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Duiguid, Carol ( June 16, 1997 ). `` Herculean block party ''. Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Scherer, Mark ( June 13, 1997 ). `` Disney 's Herculean Feat : Stopping New York Traffic For Movie Premiere Parade ''. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Claffey, Mike ; Williams, Laura ; Kornblut, Anne ( June 15, 1997 ). `` Dazzling ! Disney turns 42nd St. into Parade Ground ''. New York Daily News. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Martin, Douglas ( June 15, 1997 ). `` Its Greeks Bearing Glitz, Disney Parades a Hero ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Bates, James ( May 5, 1997 ). `` ' Hercules ' Is One Strong Dude, but Can He Move Merchandise ? ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Taubeneck, Anna ( May 11, 1997 ). `` The Toys Of Summer ''. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Waxman, Sharon ( July 18, 1997 ). `` Fast food film tie - ins ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Weeks, Jane ( June 25, 1997 ). `` Here Comes Hercules ; 7,000 Products to Hit Stores ''. Los Angeles Daily News. TheFreeLibrary.com. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Wasko, Janet ( 2001 ). Understanding Disney : the manufacture of fantasy. Wiley - Blackwell. ISBN 0 - 7456 - 1484 - 1. Jump up ^ Bates, James ; Eller, Claudia ( June 12, 1998 ). `` Bridled Optimism ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Disney to Debut Nine Classic Animated Titles on DVD for a Limited Time to Celebrate the Millennium '' ( Press release ). Burbank, California : TheFreeLibrary. Business Wire. August 17, 1999. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Walt Disney Home Video Debuts the `` Gold Classic Collection '' ``. The Laughing Place. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hercules -- Disney Gold Collection ''. Disney.go.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hercules Blu - Ray ''. Blu-Ray.com. March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Netflix in September : Everything coming and going ''. USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ Byrne, Ciaran ; Julia Llewelyn Smith ( October 9, 1997 ). `` Greeks put Hercules on trial ''. The Nation. pp. C6, C8. Jump up ^ Shenot, Christine ( June 26, 1997 ). `` Humorous ' Hercules ' Has Strong Potential ''. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Weekend Box Office Results from June 13 -- 15, 1997 ''. Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Brennan, Judy ( June 23, 1997 ). `` The Caped Crusader Brings In $43 Million ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Brennan, Judy ( June 30, 1997 ). `` ' Face / Off ' Has Early Edge on ' Hercules ' ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` ` Face / off ' Ekes Past ` Hercules ' For Top Spot ''. Chicago Tribune. June 30, 1997. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Fabrikant, Geraldine ( July 10, 1997 ). `` Hercules Is Too Weak to Lift Disney Stock ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Dutka, Elaine ( July 19, 1997 ). `` No Herculean Gross ; Why ? ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Hines, Andrew ( July 15, 1997 ). `` Is it high noon for toon boon ? ''. Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Eller, Claudia ( March 10, 1998 ). `` Box Office Gets Its Punch From Just a Few Hits ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` CinemaScore ''. cinemascore.com. Jump up ^ Gleiberman, Owen ( June 27, 1997 ). `` Review : ' Hercules ' ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger ( June 27, 1997 ). `` Hercules review ''. Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved January 4, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Siskel, Gene ( June 20, 1997 ). `` No. 4 ` Batman ' Strikes Out ''. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Maslin, Janet ( June 13, 1997 ). `` Oh, Heavens ! What a Hero ! ''. The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Berardinelli, James. `` Hercules review ''. ReelViews.net. Retrieved March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Howe, Desson ( June 27, 1997 ). `` Disney 's Myth Conception ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Turan, Kenneth ( June 25, 1997 ). `` ' Hercules ' is not your professor 's version of the tale, but it is another triumph from Disney animation and quip masters ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ Kempley, Rita ( June 27, 1997 ). `` Disney 's ' Hercules ' : Myth for the Masses ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2014. Jump up ^ Klady, Leonard ( June 16, 1997 ). `` Review : ' Hercules ' ''. Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 1997 ( 70th ) ''. awardsdatabase.oscars.org. Archived from the original on June 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2009. Jump up ^ `` HFPA Awards Search ''. www.goldenglobes.org. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA : 1998 ''. www.imdb.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Blockbuster Entertainment Awards : 1998 ''. www.imdb.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Nineteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards 1996 -- 1997 ''. www.youngartistawards.org. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2009. Bibliography Rebello, Stephen ; Healey, Jane ( June 28, 1997 ). The Art of Hercules : The Chaos of Creation. Hyperion Books. ISBN 978 - 0786862634. Thomas, Bob ( March 7, 1997 ). Disney 's Art of Animation : From Mickey Mouse To Hercules. Disney Editions. ISBN 978 - 0786862412. External links Disney portal Film portal Animation portal Ancient Greece portal Wikiquote has quotations related to : Hercules Official website Hercules at AllMovie Hercules on IMDb Hercules at Rotten Tomatoes Hercules at The Big Cartoon DataBase Hercules at Box Office Mojo Disney theatrical animated features Walt Disney Animation Studios films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 ) Pinocchio ( 1940 ) Fantasia ( 1940 ) Dumbo ( 1941 ) Bambi ( 1942 ) Saludos Amigos ( 1942 ) The Three Caballeros ( 1944 ) Make Mine Music ( 1946 ) Fun and Fancy Free ( 1947 ) Melody Time ( 1948 ) The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad ( 1949 ) Cinderella ( 1950 ) Alice in Wonderland ( 1951 ) Peter Pan ( 1953 ) Lady and the Tramp ( 1955 ) Sleeping Beauty ( 1959 ) One Hundred and One Dalmatians ( 1961 ) The Sword in the Stone ( 1963 ) The Jungle Book ( 1967 ) The Aristocats ( 1970 ) Robin Hood ( 1973 ) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ( 1977 ) The Rescuers ( 1977 ) The Fox and the Hound ( 1981 ) The Black Cauldron ( 1985 ) The Great Mouse Detective ( 1986 ) Oliver & Company ( 1988 ) The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) The Rescuers Down Under ( 1990 ) Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) Aladdin ( 1992 ) The Lion King ( 1994 ) Pocahontas ( 1995 ) The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1996 ) Hercules ( 1997 ) Mulan ( 1998 ) Tarzan ( 1999 ) Fantasia 2000 ( 1999 ) Dinosaur ( 2000 ) The Emperor 's New Groove ( 2000 ) Atlantis : The Lost Empire ( 2001 ) Lilo & Stitch ( 2002 ) Treasure Planet ( 2002 ) Brother Bear ( 2003 ) Home on the Range ( 2004 ) Chicken Little ( 2005 ) Meet the Robinsons ( 2007 ) Bolt ( 2008 ) The Princess and the Frog ( 2009 ) Tangled ( 2010 ) Winnie the Pooh ( 2011 ) Wreck - It Ralph ( 2012 ) Frozen ( 2013 ) Big Hero 6 ( 2014 ) Zootopia ( 2016 ) Moana ( 2016 ) Ralph Breaks the Internet : Wreck - It Ralph 2 ( 2018 ) Frozen 2 ( 2019 ) Live - action films with animation The Reluctant Dragon ( 1941 ) Victory Through Air Power ( 1943 ) Song of the South ( 1946 ) So Dear to My Heart ( 1948 ) Mary Poppins ( 1964 ) Bedknobs and Broomsticks ( 1971 ) Pete 's Dragon ( 1977 ) Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( 1988 ) Enchanted ( 2007 ) DisneyToon Studios films DuckTales the Movie : Treasure of the Lost Lamp ( 1990 ) A Goofy Movie ( 1995 ) The Tigger Movie ( 2000 ) Return to Never Land ( 2002 ) The Jungle Book 2 ( 2003 ) Piglet 's Big Movie ( 2003 ) Pooh 's Heffalump Movie ( 2005 ) Bambi II ( 2006 ) Planes ( 2013 ) Planes : Fire & Rescue ( 2014 ) Other Disney units films The Nightmare Before Christmas ( 1993 ) James and the Giant Peach ( 1996 ) Doug 's 1st Movie ( 1999 ) Recess : School 's Out ( 2001 ) Teacher 's Pet ( 2004 ) A Christmas Carol ( 2009 ) Gnomeo & Juliet ( 2011 ) Mars Needs Moms ( 2011 ) Frankenweenie ( 2012 ) Strange Magic ( 2015 ) Related lists Unproduced films Book Disney 's Hercules Characters Films Hercules ( 1997 ) Hercules : Zero to Hero ( 1998 ) TV series Disney 's Hercules : The Animated Series episodes `` Hercules and the Arabian Night '' Video games Disney 's Hercules Disney 's Animated Storybook : Hercules Disney 's Hercules Print Studio Music `` Go the Distance '' `` I Wo n't Say ( I 'm in Love ) '' Hercules Heracles Hercle Ercole Hercule Alcide Family Zeus ( father ) Alcmene ( mother ) Deianira ( wife ) Heracleidae ( children ) Films Italian series Hercules ( 1957 ) Hercules Unchained ( 1959 ) Goliath and the Dragon ( 1960 ) The Loves of Hercules ( 1960 ) Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis ( 1961 ) Hercules in the Haunted World ( 1961 ) Hercules in the Valley of Woe ( 1961 ) The Fury of Hercules ( 1962 ) Hercules, Samson and Ulysses ( 1963 ) Hercules the Invincible ( 1964 ) Hercules Against Rome ( 1964 ) Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun ( 1964 ) Samson and His Mighty Challenge ( 1964 ) Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon ( 1964 ) Hercules and the Princess of Troy ( 1965 ) Hercules the Avenger ( 1965 ) Other Live - action films The Warrior 's Husband ( 1933 ) Herakles ( 1962 ) The Three Stooges Meet Hercules ( 1962 ) Jason and the Argonauts ( 1963 ) Hercules Against the Moon Men ( 1964 ) Hercules in New York ( 1970 ) Hercules ( 1983 ) The Adventures of Hercules ( 1985 ) Jason and the Argonauts ( 2000 ) Immortals ( 2011 ) The Legend of Hercules ( 2014 ) Hercules ( 2014 ) Animated films Hercules ( 1995 ) Hercules ( 1997 ) The Amazing Feats of Young Hercules ( 1997 ) Hercules : Zero to Hero ( 1998 ) Hercules and Xena -- The Animated Movie : The Battle for Mount Olympus ( 1998 ) Television The Mighty Hercules The Sons of Hercules Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules ( 1961 ) Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules ( 1962 ) Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules ( 1962 ) Hercules : The Legendary Journeys ( 1995 ) Hercules and the Amazon Women ( 1994 ) Hercules and the Lost Kingdom ( 1994 ) Hercules and the Circle of Fire ( 1994 ) Hercules in the Underworld ( 1994 ) Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur ( 1994 ) Hercules : The Animated Series ( 1998 ) Young Hercules ( 1998 ) `` Hercules and the Arabian Night '' ( 1999 ) Hercules ( 2005 miniseries ) Atlantis ( 2013 ) Literature Poems Heracles Papyrus Shield of Heracles Catalogue of Women L'Atlàntida Plays Herakles Women of Trachis Other The Labours of Hercules Hercules and the Wagoner Comics Hercules ( Marvel Comics ) Hercules ( DC Comics ) Hercules ( Radical Comics ) Spiff and Hercules Games The Return of Heracles ( 1983 ) Hercules ( 1984 ) Disney 's Hercules ( 1997 ) Herc 's Adventures ( 1997 ) Hercules : The Legendary Journeys ( 2000 ) Glory of Heracles ( 2008 ) Opera Ercole amante ( 1662 ) Alcide ( 1693 ) Ercole su'l Termodonte ( 1723 ) Admeto ( 1727 ) Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213 ( 1733 ) Hercules ( 1744 ) Le nozze d'Ercole e d'Ebe ( 1747 ) The Choice of Hercules ( 1750 ) Hercule mourant ( 1761 ) Le Rouet d'Omphale ( 1871 ) Déjanire ( 1911 ) Hercules vs. Vampires ( 2010 ) Atlántida Art Hercules of the Forum Boarium ( 2nd century BCE ) Farnese Hercules ( 216 ) The Choice of Hercules ( 1596 ) Hercules ' Dog Discovers Purple Dye ( 1636 ) Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides ( 1638 ) Hercules the Archer ( 1909 ) Other Hercules in popular culture Hercules ( franchise ) Labours of Hercules Pillars of Hercules Maczuga Herkulesa Hercules in ancient Rome Hercules ' Club Xena : Warrior Princess Shirt of Nessus Alan Menken Musicals God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater ( 1979 ) Little Shop of Horrors ( 1982 ) Weird Romance ( 1992 ) A Christmas Carol ( 1994 ) Beauty and the Beast ( 1994 ) King David ( 1997 ) The Bellringer of Notre Dame ( 1999 ) Sister Act ( 2006 ) The Little Mermaid ( 2007 ) Leap of Faith ( 2010 ) Newsies ( 2011 ) Aladdin ( 2014 ) The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz ( 2015 ) A Bronx Tale ( 2016 ) Musical films Little Shop of Horrors ( 1986 ) The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) Newsies ( 1992 ) Aladdin ( 1992 ) Pocahontas ( 1995 ) The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1996 ) Hercules ( 1997 ) Home on the Range ( 2004 ) A Christmas Carol ( 2004 ) Enchanted ( 2007 ) Tangled ( 2010 ) Beauty and the Beast ( 2017 ) Aladdin ( 2019 ) Songs `` Part of Your World '' `` Under the Sea '' `` Kiss the Girl '' `` Be Our Guest '' `` Beauty and the Beast '' `` Friend Like Me '' `` A Whole New World '' `` Just Around the Riverbend '' `` Colors of the Wind '' `` If I Never Knew You '' `` If I Ca n't Love Her '' `` The Bells of Notre Dame '' `` Out There '' `` God Help the Outcasts '' `` Hellfire '' `` Someday '' `` Go the Distance '' `` I Wo n't Say ( I 'm in Love ) '' `` Happy Working Song '' `` That 's How You Know '' `` So Close '' `` Ever Ever After '' `` Mother Knows Best '' `` I See the Light '' Films directed by Ron Clements and John Musker The Great Mouse Detective ( 1986 ) The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) Aladdin ( 1992 ) Hercules ( 1997 ) Treasure Planet ( 2002 ) The Princess and the Frog ( 2009 ) Moana ( 2016 ) Walt Disney Animation Studios List of feature films Released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 ) Pinocchio ( 1940 ) Fantasia ( 1940 ) Dumbo ( 1941 ) Bambi ( 1942 ) Saludos Amigos ( 1942 ) The Three Caballeros ( 1944 ) Make Mine Music ( 1946 ) Fun and Fancy Free ( 1947 ) Melody Time ( 1948 ) The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad ( 1949 ) Cinderella ( 1950 ) Alice in Wonderland ( 1951 ) Peter Pan ( 1953 ) Lady and the Tramp ( 1955 ) Sleeping Beauty ( 1959 ) One Hundred and One Dalmatians ( 1961 ) The Sword in the Stone ( 1963 ) The Jungle Book ( 1967 ) The Aristocats ( 1970 ) Robin Hood ( 1973 ) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ( 1977 ) The Rescuers ( 1977 ) The Fox and the Hound ( 1981 ) The Black Cauldron ( 1985 ) The Great Mouse Detective ( 1986 ) Oliver & Company ( 1988 ) The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) The Rescuers Down Under ( 1990 ) Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) Aladdin ( 1992 ) The Lion King ( 1994 ) Pocahontas ( 1995 ) The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1996 ) Hercules ( 1997 ) Mulan ( 1998 ) Tarzan ( 1999 ) Fantasia 2000 ( 1999 ) Dinosaur ( 2000 ) The Emperor 's New Groove ( 2000 ) Atlantis : The Lost Empire ( 2001 ) Lilo & Stitch ( 2002 ) Treasure Planet ( 2002 ) Brother Bear ( 2003 ) Home on the Range ( 2004 ) Chicken Little ( 2005 ) Meet the Robinsons ( 2007 ) Bolt ( 2008 ) The Princess and the Frog ( 2009 ) Tangled ( 2010 ) Winnie the Pooh ( 2011 ) Wreck - It Ralph ( 2012 ) Frozen ( 2013 ) Big Hero 6 ( 2014 ) Zootopia ( 2016 ) Moana ( 2016 ) Upcoming films Ralph Breaks the Internet : Wreck - It Ralph 2 ( 2018 ) Frozen 2 ( 2019 ) Associated productions The Reluctant Dragon ( 1941 ) Victory Through Air Power ( 1943 ) Song of the South ( 1946 ) So Dear to My Heart ( 1949 ) Mary Poppins ( 1964 ) Bedknobs and Broomsticks ( 1971 ) Pete 's Dragon ( 1977 ) Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( 1988 ) Enchanted ( 2007 ) People Executives Edwin Catmull Roy Conli Roy E. Disney Walt Disney Don Hahn Jeffrey Katzenberg John Lasseter Peter Schneider Thomas Schumacher David Stainton Disney 's Nine Old Men Les Clark Marc Davis Ollie Johnston Milt Kahl Ward Kimball Eric Larson John Lounsbery Wolfgang Reitherman Frank Thomas Related topics History Disney animators ' strike Disney Renaissance Methods and technologies 12 basic principles of animation Computer Animation Production System Disney Animation : The Illusion of Life Multiplane camera Documentaries Frank and Ollie ( 1995 ) The Sweatbox ( 2001 ) Dream On Silly Dreamer ( 2005 ) Waking Sleeping Beauty ( 2009 ) Other Disney animation units Disney Television Animation DisneyToon Studios ( WDAS unit ) Lucasfilm Animation Marvel Animation Pixar Animation Studios Circle 7 ( defunct ) Miscellaneous Alice Comedies Laugh - O - Gram Studio List of Disney animated shorts List of Disney theatrical animated features unproduced Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Mickey Mouse ( film series ) Silly Symphonies Once Upon a Time Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hercules_(1997_film)&oldid=816247170 '' Categories : 1997 films English - language films Hercules ( franchise ) 1990s comedy - drama films 1990s fantasy films American films American action comedy films American children 's animated adventure films American children 's animated comedy films American children 's animated fantasy films American comedy - drama films American fantasy adventure films Animated action films Animated comedy films Animated drama films Annie Award winners Fantasy - comedy films Films scored by Alan Menken Films about Heracles Films directed by John Musker Films directed by Ron Clements Films set in ancient Greece Animated musical films Musical fantasy films Disney Renaissance Sword and sorcery films Deicide in fiction Albums produced by Stephen Schwartz ( composer ) Soundtracks produced by Alan Menken 1990s American animated films Walt Disney Animation Studios films Walt Disney Pictures films Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from November 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages Use mdy dates from November 2015 Articles with hAudio microformats Album infoboxes lacking a cover Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Беларуская Български Brezhoneg Català Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Gaelg Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית ქართული Latina Magyar Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Runa Simi Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt ייִדיש 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 20 December 2017, at 05 : 13. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who plays the voice of hades in the disney movie hercules
Answer: James Woods