<P> The film is named after a segment in Disney 's 1940 film Fantasia called The Sorcerer 's Apprentice Starring Mickey Mouse ( with one scene being an extensive reference to it ) , which in turn is based on the late - 1890s symphonic poem by Paul Dukas and the 1797 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ballad . Balthazar Blake ( Nicolas Cage ) , a `` Merlinean '' , is a sorcerer in modern - day Manhattan , fighting against the forces of evil , in particular his nemesis , Maxim Horvath ( Alfred Molina ) , while searching for the person who will eventually inherit Merlin 's powers ( `` The Prime Merlinean '' ) . This turns out to be Dave Stutler ( Jay Baruchel ) , a physics student , whom Balthazar takes as a reluctant protégé . The sorcerer gives his unwilling apprentice a crash course in the art of science , magic , and sorcery , in order to stop Horvath and Morgana le Fay ( Alice Krige ) from raising the souls of the evil dead sorcerers ( `` Morganians '' ) and destroying the world . </P>
<P> The film is named after a segment in Disney 's 1940 film Fantasia called The Sorcerer 's Apprentice Starring Mickey Mouse ( with one scene being an extensive reference to it ) , which in turn is based on the late - 1890s symphonic poem by Paul Dukas and the 1797 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ballad . Balthazar Blake ( Nicolas Cage ) , a `` Merlinean '' , is a sorcerer in modern - day Manhattan , fighting against the forces of evil , in particular his nemesis , Maxim Horvath ( Alfred Molina ) , while searching for the person who will eventually inherit Merlin 's powers ( `` The Prime Merlinean '' ) . This turns out to be Dave Stutler ( Jay Baruchel ) , a physics student , whom Balthazar takes as a reluctant protégé . The sorcerer gives his unwilling apprentice a crash course in the art of science , magic , and sorcery , in order to stop Horvath and Morgana le Fay ( Alice Krige ) from raising the souls of the evil dead sorcerers ( `` Morganians '' ) and destroying the world . </P>
who played morgana in the sorcerer 's apprentice
who played morgana in the sorcerer 's apprentice
Alice Krige
Alice Krige