| Errors | Missing | Unverified | Supported |
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While it's difficult to know for absolute certain every single improvised moment without behind-the-scenes confirmation, I can point to a couple of areas in Hercules (1997) where improvisation seems highly likely, based on the actors' comedic styles and the general flow of the scenes:
Danny DeVito as Phil: Danny DeVito is known for his improvisational skills. It's highly probable he added some ad-libs to Phil's dialogue, particularly during moments of frustration or exasperation with Hercules. One potential area would be Phil's gruff training sessions with Herc. It is likely he did some adlibbing on that scene, especially with his "from zero to hero" spiel.
Bobcat Goldthwait as Pain and Matt Frewer as Panic: The scenes with Hades' bumbling minions, Pain and Panic, likely contain some degree of improvisation. Given Bobcat Goldthwait's famously manic energy and Matt Frewer's background in comedic acting, there are moments where their interplay feels particularly spontaneous and off-the-cuff. For example, their constant screw-ups and subsequent panicking could include moments of improvised lines or vocal inflections.
It's important to note that animation presents a unique challenge to improvisation. Unlike live-action films, animators need to work from a pre-determined soundtrack, therefore the amount of improv is limited. The actors would probably have recorded many takes with different tones, and they might've improvised during those takes. The animators would then have chosen the best moments to use in the final film.
James Woods is the primary example of improvisation in Hercules. He spoke so fast and ad-libbed so much that the character's design and the film's overall tone were altered to accommodate him.
Specific scenes where Hades loses his temper and says lines like 'I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm cool, I'm fine' were largely ad-libbed by Woods.
In the 1997 film Hercules, the most significant improvisation came from James Woods as Hades. Originally written as a slow, menacing villain (intended for Jack Nicholson), Woods' fast-talking, 'used-car salesman' delivery was largely ad-libbed. This was so effective that the directors, Ron Clements and John Musker, had the script rewritten to match his persona and instructed animators to speed up Hades' movements. Specific ad-libs include Hades' frequent temper-tantrum recoveries (e.g., 'I'm fine, I'm fine'). Additionally, Bobcat Goldthwait (Pain) and Matt Frewer (Panic) were allowed to improvise extensively because they recorded their lines together in the same booth, a rarity in animation designed to capture their comedic chemistry. Danny DeVito (Phil) also contributed ad-libs, particularly during the training montages, to give the character a more authentic 'grumpy New Yorker' feel.