From Zero to Hero, in no time flat
Zero to Hero, just like that!
Zero to Hero, just like that!
"Who put the "glad" in "gladiator"? (HERCULES!)
Whose darin' deeds are great theater? (HERCULES!!)
Is he bold? (No one braver!)
Is he sweet? (Our favorite flavor!)"
Whose darin' deeds are great theater? (HERCULES!!)
Is he bold? (No one braver!)
Is he sweet? (Our favorite flavor!)"
- Part of "Zero to Hero"
Disney's Hercules is a media franchise owned by The Walt Disney Company that is loosely based on the Greek divine hero Heracles, who is known by his Roman equivalent's name Hercules here. Beginning with the 1997 animated film Hercules, the franchise covers the adventures of the incredibly strong son of Zeus and Hera who becomes a mortal thanks to Zeus' spiteful brother Hades. He must become a "true hero" in order to reclaim his godhood and be able to return to his family's home on Mount Olympus before Hades and his Titans overthrow Zeus and the gods.
List of works
Films- Hercules (1997) – The originating film.
- Hercules: Zero to Hero (1999) – A direct-to-video package film containing three episodes of the 1998–1999 animated series below as flashback sequences.
Video games
- Hercules (1997) – A tie-in game released for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy.
- Disney's Animated Storybook: Hercules (1997) – A point-and-click interactive storybook that is an abridged retelling of the 1997 film.
- Disney's Hades Challenge (1998) - An Adventure Game spin-off where the player is a rookie hero or heroine being trained by Phil and has to solve various problems around Greece while Hercules is away.
- Kingdom Hearts (since 2002) – This franchise gets a lot of representation in Disney and Square Enix's crossover series. The only game in the series to date it has not appeared in is Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. The series is known for using Olympus as a vehicle for the various tournaments and guest Final Fantasy characters.
- Kingdom Hearts (2002): Hercules and Phil appear as allies of Sora’s party. Hades serves as not only the Arc Villain, but as a member of Maleficent’s army of Disney Villains, with Cereberus and some of the Titans as bonus bosses.
- Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (2004): Mostly follows the same beats as the first game.
- Kingdom Hearts II (2006): Meg, Pain, Panic, Pegasus, and the Hydra debut. In response to Hades’s popularity, focus shifts to the Underworld, where Hades opens his own tournament. The events also see a partial adaptation of the original movie’s climax.
- Kingdom Hearts coded (2008): Herc serves as a party member.
- Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days (2009): Roxas and his comrades in the Organization interact with only Phil this time.
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (2010): In this prequel of the series, the heroes team up with young Hercules against Hades.
- Kingdom Hearts χ (2013-2022) A recurring setting where Hades’s knowledge of the afterlife comes in handy.
- Kingdom Hearts III (2019): For the first time, the plot of the movie is adapted in a manner more traditional for the series, with Hades leading the Titans in an assault on Olympus. Herc once again serves as a party member.
- Kingdom Hearts IV (TBA): What is all but stated to be Hades makes an appearance in the first teaser trailer.
- Disney Magic Kingdoms (2016) – Hercules, Megara, Hades, Phil, Pegasus, Pain, and Panic were added as limited event characters in a 2020 update along with attractions based on the 1997 film.
- Disney Mirrorverse (2022) – Hercules and Hades are playable Guardians in the game.
- Disney Speedstorm (2023) – Hercules and Megara have been playable racers since the game's early access release, and Hades was added in season four. Mount Olympus is also represented as a track environment.
Western Animation
- Disney's Hercules: The Animated Series (1998–1999) – An interquel TV series that takes place during Hercules' high school years.
- Disney's House of Mouse (2001–2003) – This crossover animated series made a lot of good use of Hades during its run.
