27 hidden references and clever jokes in 'Hercules' you probably missed as a kid

Erin AjelloSep 20, 2020, 20:57 IST

There are several well-thought-out puns throughout "Hercules."Disney

Disney's "Hercules" (1997) is a beloved animated retelling of the classic Greek myth, but even die-hard fans may not have caught all these hidden gems.
The film is full of references to Greek mythology, including the tale of the Titans and the divine guests at Zeus and Hera's party.
There are also jokes related to more recent cultural phenomena, like "Buns of Bronze" and the Marilyn Monroe constellation.

"Hercules" (1997) put a Disney spin on classic Greek mythology. Despite the animated film's G rating, there are plenty of jokes and references in the movie that are more likely to be appreciated by adults.

Disney recently announced a live-action remake of the classic film, so some fans have reignited a love for the original animated version, but even they might not know about all these hidden gems.

Read on for some of the best details, jokes, and references that you probably never caught in "Hercules."

One of the Muses is attracted to Hercules.

Thalia, the muse of comedy, makes a few references about her crush. Disney

The Muses explain some pretty accurate Titan mythology.

The musical introduction to the story follows Greek myth. Disney

There's an alcohol reference that kids likely don't understand.

The Muses reference vermouth in "The Gospel Truth." Disney

Several recognizable gods and goddesses are shown at Zeus and Hera's party.

Aphrodite, Athena, and Poseidon are a few of the figures at the party. Disney

Zeus uses the major cloud types when making Pegasus.

Zeus makes Pegasus out of cirrus, nimbostratus, and cumulus clouds. Disney

Zeus and Hercules have matching medallions.

The father and son duo sport medals with lightning bolts on them. Disney

Hades travels across a river of dead souls.

His boat isn't traversing through water. Disney

The movie makes some odd word choices, such as "lugubriousness" and "furshlugginer."

Young viewers probably didn't catch all the complex words in "Hercules." Disney

The Fates kill a woman during their first scene.

The humorous exchange between the Fates distracts from what they're actually doing. Disney

There are only six planets shown during the prophecy scenes.

Ancient Greeks hadn't yet recognized Uranus and Neptune as planets. Disney

Hercules' human parents are accurately named after their mythological counterparts.

Hercules gets adopted by human parents on Earth after he's stolen from Mount Olympus. Disney

Philoctetes' interaction with the wood nymphs shows classic satyr behavior.

Philoctetes, or Phil, is a satyr, which is a woodland fertility spirit. Disney

Phil brags about training some major mythological figures.

Phil shows off a statue of Achilles. Disney

There's a visual pun to go along with the term "greenhorn."

Greenhorn describes someone who's inexperienced in something. Disney

There's also a visual reference to "The Karate Kid" in the training montage.

The "Hercules" characters strike the same poses as Daniel LaRusso. Disney

The centaur Hercules fights plays into a traditional Greek myth.

The story of Hercules fighting the centaur wasn't original. Disney

Thebes is compared to New York City multiple times.

Phil calls Thebes "the Big Olive." Disney

There's a not-so-subtle Roman numeral joke.

Pain and Panic make a joke involving Roman numerals. Disney

Modern references are made while describing Hercules' new popularity.

The film mentions Hercules' "Buns of Bronze" workout scroll. Disney

Hercules passes a constellation that imitates a famous Marilyn Monroe scene.

Marilyn Monroe can be spotted in the constellations. Disney

There's also a reference to Grauman's Chinese Theatre in "Zero to Hero."

Hercules leaves his handprints like celebrities do at LA's Chinese Theatre. Disney

Scar from "The Lion King" makes an unfortunate appearance.

The classic Disney villain got what was coming for him in "Hercules." Disney

Hercules and Meg see a play about Oedipus.

Oedipus is a rather controversial Greek figure. Disney

The film tries to answer the age-old question of how a famous statue lost its arms.

Greek sculptor Alexandros of Antioch created Venus de Milo. Disney

The Muses recreate a scene from Disney's popular Haunted Mansion ride.

The Easter egg is for die-hard Disney fans. Disney

Hades uses legal terminology when describing his contract with Hercules that ends up thwarting him in the end.

"Boilerplate" refers to a standardized document or procedure. Disney

The different monsters Hercules fights at the end of the film include some of his most famous mythological enemies.

Hercules fights a Hydra and Cerberus the three-headed dog. Disney

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