The 50 Best Fantasy Movies of All Time
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Few film genres provide such an acute sense of escapism as fantasy films. Whether you’re entering a mythological land like Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings, a spiritual realm like Kami of Spirited Away, a surrealist labyrinth like Alice in Wonderland, or a universe all its own (Dune, anyone?) … we seem to gravitate to the ways in which fantasy films can transport us to worlds that seem light years away, with stories that lie close to our hearts. And the best part is? You don’t need to ride a dragon or to answer any bridge troll’s riddle in order to get to your destination. (Although, you might need to pay a fee for your travels if you’re catching it in theaters.)
From timeless classics like The Wizard of Oz to tales of today like The Shape of Water, the fantasy genre has become one of the greatest tests for the caliber of our film industry’s technical and storytelling capabilities. Put reality on hold for a while and let yourself get lost in some of the most imaginative movies of all time. These are the 30 best fantasy films ever made.
Edward Scissorhands
When most directors create a film inspired by their childhood, one might expect a typical coming-of-age tale with, you know, a human protagonist. That changes when said director is Tim Burton. And the result, much like the rest of Burton's canon, is unsettling on its surface and moving at its core. Johnny Depp stars as artificial humanoid Edward Scissorhands who, as you might have guessed, has scissors for hands. When Edward’s physical roadblock to human intimacy is exacerbated by falling in love with the daughter of his caretakers, his development unravels in oddly beautiful ways.
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Jumanji
Nothing says childhood adventure like a trip inside a board game with Robin Williams as your guide. When a pair of siblings inadvertently open a pandora’s box by beginning to play a supernatural board game, all hell breaks loose. Now, they must finish the game in order to reverse the curse it has wrought upon its previous player, who just happens to be trapped inside.
Bonus: if you like the original (which is undisputedly the best) there's a revamp starring The Rock and Jack Black which is mighty enjoyable, too.
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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
This internationally beloved wuxia epic (a genre of Chinese storytelling that weaves fantastical tales of martial artists in ancient China), has become a timeless classic in the fantasy canon both for its plot and its spectacular combat scenes. Set in 19th-century China, a master swordsman decides to give up his life of combat to be with his lover, and bequeaths his Green Destiny Sword to a close friend. However, when the delivery is intercepted by a disguised thief, destiny unravels into gravity-defying duels.
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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
It's The Wizard of Oz for modern audiences! Peter Jackson’s masterful trilogy (and if you wanna go deep, there’s the overstuffed Hobbit films, too) is the greatest fantasy series of all time. (In books as well, we say.) With transportive scenery, intricate sets and costumes, vast battle scenes, a brilliant score, and phenomenal acting—he fully creates Middle-earth on screen. J. R. R. Tolkien’s beloved series is as real as it ever could be in these once-in-a-lifetime films.
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The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz has all the bells and whistles of the genre—munchkins, witches, and genuinely terrifying flying monkeys. The 1939 musical classic follows Dorothy on her tornado-spurred adventure to the magical land of Oz. While she heads down the Yellow Brick Road on her way to the Wizard, whom she hopes will help her get back home, she makes friends with the Cowardly Lion, Tinman, and Scarecrow, who all have asks of their own for the wizard. While it’s no doubt a trip to a fantasy land, it’ll leave you certain that there’s no place like home.
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Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro’s inspired 2006 film is one that sometimes flies under the radar, but one watch of the dark fantasy and you’ll know why it's a cult classic. Set in 1944 Nazi-occupied Spain, the main story centers on Ofelia, a young girl whose own adventure into the labyrinth eventually shed light on the devastating effects of war and evil.
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Alice in Wonderland (1951)
In your mind’s eye, when you think of the rabbit-hole-traveler, the shrinking, the growing, Alice, the Mad Hatter—what do you see? Even though it’s a tad underrated, probably not Tim Burton’s gothic take on Alice in Wonderland. It’s more likely that the 1951 Disney animated outing is the one you see. And for good reason: The Mouse House nailed the wonder, innocence, and adventurous spirit of Lewis Carroll’s classic.
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The Shape of Water
Another del Toro offering, the 2017 Best Picture winner brings us back Stateside and introduces us to a mute woman who falls in love with a fish-like monster who was captured in South America and transported back to the States. (!) It has the signature mid-century flair of del Toro’s previous work and all the oddities to keep you intrigued. Warning: please keep an eye on your hard-boiled eggs.
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Mary Poppins
It may not have all the bells and whistles that your more stereotypical fantasy films have, but make no mistake, Mary Poppins is capital F fantasy. Combining the elements of animation and live action choreography, the Disney classic transcended the genre’s boundaries and set a standard that is as exciting as it is family friendly.
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Harry Potter
Though J.K. Rowling is working hard to destroy her own legacy on Twitter, legions of fans will not let her present-day bigotry ruin the magic of the Harry Potter series. After the books captured a generation's imaginations, this film series managed to visualize the vast wizarding world. The casting is spot on, and the films grow in complexity and scope as the characters and the source material does.
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The Princess Bride
The 1987 American film is an intelligent, comedic fairy tale adventure. Celebrating and subverting the genre at once, it follows Westley on his quest to reunite with his one true love, Buttercup, and battle the evils of the kingdom of Florin along the way. It also features perhaps the most iconic Mandy Patinkin line delivery of all time, if you still needed convincing.
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Spirited Away
This beloved animated fantasy film from Studio Ghibli comes from the master writer-director Hayao Miyazaki. The Oscar-winning film follows a young girl whose family is transported to the world of Kami from Japanese Shinto folklore. When her parents are turned into pigs, she sets out to save them and herself so they can return to their own realm. With beautiful visuals, compassionately realized characters, and themes that tackle real world adult issues—Spirited Away is one of the best films of this century.
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Coraline
In this vivid stop-motion fantasy, adapted from a Neil Gaiman novel, an imaginative child named Coraline discovers a parallel world behind a secret door in her new family home. Little does Coraline know, the world holds dark secrets, which threaten to endanger the lives of everyone she loves. Come for the madcap fantasy, but stay for the tender coming of age story, wherein one courageous girl discovers the true meaning of home.
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Where the Wild Things Are
Spike Jonze’s heartfelt adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s seminal children’s book centers on Max, a lonely boy who sails away to the island of the “Wild Things,” who crown him their king. In this spirited story about the joy and wonder of our inner child, Jonze’s signature visual style carries the day, shaping a visually spectacular world of shaggy creatures and spectacular landscapes.
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Big Fish
By far Tim Burton’s best movie (yeah, we said it), based on the novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace, Big Fish is a Southern Gothic fantasy starring Ewan McGregor as a man frustrated by his dying father’s tall tales. On his deathbed (or rather, in his death bathtub), the father looks back on his extraordinary life, which brought him face to face with everything from giants to witches. In a tear-jerking story about fathers and sons, Burton explores the meaning of truth, the fantastical, and the stories we tell in order to live.
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Labyrinth
Okay, Labyrinth is legitimately terrifying, but where else are you going to get a David Bowie musical directed by Jim Henson? Nowhere! When Bowie’s evil goblin king kidnaps an infant boy, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) sets out on a quest to save her brother. She must travel through a fantastical maze populated by some trippy Henson puppets to get him back.
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Shrek
Has there ever been another animated series that lived on in meme form quite like Shrek? From Smash Mouth to Donkey, an entire generation refused to let this 2001 Dreamworks picture fade away. And though we may remember it best from the clips and photos that still flood Instagram, Shrek is a truly hilarious fantasy comedy and a touching story about loneliness and friendship.
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Fantasia
It must’ve been a swerve at the time: Take this goofy, squeaky, children’s character, and make him the star of a meditative, music-filled tone poem. Fantasia is full of wonder, dazzling animation, and still holds its place as one of Disney’s most innovative films. Who knew that Mickey Mouse could star in something dark enough to give a kid nightmares?
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Inside Out
Pixar has long studied the childlike parts of our brains—the joy, anger, sadness of your single-digit years. And in Inside Out, the creators made a whole damn film about a child’s brain, personifying the emotions of 11-year-old Riley as she’s coming of age. An absolute must watch.
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The Green Knight
Telling the tale of Sir Gawain, a lesser-known and naive knight on King Arthur's court, The Green Knight is a bizarre, modern take on the 14th-century legend. Coming in contact with ghosts, giants, and schemers with easy bait, Sir Gawain sets out on a journey spurred on by a massive tree-man's impossible challenge.
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The Dark Crystal
Muppets legend Jim Henson took his puppetry to the next level in The Dark Crystal, a fantasy film he made with the masterful Frank Oz about fairies, dwarfs, and the powerful Crystal of Truth.
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Jason and the Argonauts
Following the story of Jason and his legendary Argonauts, the real star of this 1963 film is Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation. Towering over our Greek heroes are harpies, krakens, cyclops, and an army of undead skeletons.
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Bridge to Terabithia
A young Josh Hutcherson helped adapt this beloved children's book about two 11-year-old kids who venture into the woods and create a fantasy land that helps them cope with their troubles back home.
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Pirates of the Caribbean
Johnny Depp's charming and slapstick portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, a swashbuckling and cursed high seas pirate, created an entire franchise of films, not to mention a theme park. As the crew encounters undead soldiers, the Kraken, Davy Jones, and the Fountain of Youth, you can't look away.
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Dune (1984)
In the future, mining colonies on the planet Arrakis dig for a special spice that extends human life and enhances their senses. You know the latest adaptation is good, but have you clocked the OG? The original 1984 film by David Lynch is a trippy affair full of psychedelic episodes and giant worms that is a campier cult classic than Denis Villeneuve's sleek, sci-fi remake.
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Excalibur
A medieval fantasy about the legendary "sword of power," Excalibur tells the legend of King Arthur in a lore-packed two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Alongside Arthur are famous characters of old such as Sir Lancelot, the wizard Merlin, and enchantress Morgana Le Fay.
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Conan the Barbarian
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in this epic tale of heroes and sorcerers, brandishing his muscles, a massive sword, and vengeance against an evil snake cult led by James Earl Jones. Conan was Schwarzenegger's breakthrough role as an action star, landing him the lead roles in The Terminator and Predator.
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Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes, Uncle Boonmee is a meditative Thai fantasy that mulls over family, grief, and generational trauma. As Boonmee, a farmer suffering from kidney failure, contemplates the knowledge that he will soon die, he is visited by the spirit of his wife and the haunting ghost of his lost son.
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The NeverEnding Story
A magical book reveals to a young boy the secrets to stopping a dark force that threatens the land of Fantasia in The NeverEnding Story, a cherished children's classic. With happy gnomes, a lucky dragon, and a giant turtle from the Swamps of Sadness named Morla the Ancient One, The NeverEnding Story manages to pack every child's fantasy into a single story—and then some.
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The Northman
An underrated gem from 2022, the third film from director Robert Eggers has both blistering action, and the makings of a slow-burning thriller as our viking hero Amleth vows to take revenge on the killer of his father. While it is gritty and feels historically accurate to viking cultures, the movie also has some incredible fantastical scenes drawing on Norse spirituality and mythology.
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The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
This Terry Gilliam film, which notoriously bombed at the box office upon its 1988 release, is absolutely delightful and ahead of its time. With lavish sets and costumes, bonkers performances you’ll have to see to believe and a chaotic, cartoony mood that never lets up. If you want a movie to truly transport you somewhere strange for two hours, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a great ride.
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Princess Mononoke
Another Miyazaki classic, this epic fantasy film about a struggle between human clans and Gods of a forested land in 14th century Japan is considered one of his greatest masterpieces. It’s a powerful crystallization of the themes of environmentalism so common in Miyazaki’s films, and features some beautiful imagery and compelling characters through its lengthy runtime.
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
The new Dungeons & Dragons movie was better than it had any right to be. With a great ensemble cast who filled their tabletop cliches well, including Chris Pine as a wisecracking bard, Justice Smith as a bumbling novice sorcerer and Michelle Rodriguez with the standout role as the party Barbarian. There are also tons of references to monsters and locations that fans of the D&D 5e system will geek out over, and the movie generally moves at a great pace between fun setpieces and goofy dialogue, keeping you constantly entertained.
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The Seventh Seal
Ingmar Bergman’s 1958 masterpiece is just as confounding and engrossing as it was decades ago. The Seventh Seal often ranks among the greatest films of all time, with the opening scene of Max von Sydow’s knight facing off in a chess match with the personification of Death in plague-stricken Sweden being a lasting image that people who haven’t even seen the film know of.
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Stardust
This romantic fantasy adventure, adapted from the fantasy novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, is a genuine delight! It follows a young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) who enters a magical world to find a fallen star for his betrothed, only to realize that the fallen star is actually a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). They become embroiled in the machinations of the world as Yvaine is targeted by witches who want to consume her heart to regain their youth.
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Song of the Sea
This animated adventure film from the Irish director Tomm More is one of the most visually-striking films ever, with vibrant colors and gorgeous settings and characters inspired by Celtic folklore. It follows a boy named Ben who lives with his sister Saoirse and lighthouse keeper father on an island, and has to go on an epic quest after discovering that Saoirse is a selkie, a mythological creature that can shift between the forms of a seal and a human.
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The Addams Family (1991)
Some purists won’t even look twice at these movies since they don’t live up to other Addams Family cartoons or live-action series from their past, but this film deserves some credit on its casting alone. Raul Julia as Gomez? Christina Ricci as Wednesday? Christopher Lloyd as Fester? Anjelica Huston’s Morticia?? What more do you really need?
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Everything Everywhere All At Once
This sort of sits on the science fiction/fantasy border, and a trillion other genres, but EEAAO still deserves credit for being one of the most entertaining and imaginative movies of 2022. The Daniels made their bonkers multiversal concept sing. It wouldn’t have been effective if it was just weird, though, and it’s elevated to even higher levels by moving performances from Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu.
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The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
This adult animated fantasy film, a spinoff of the new Witcher netflix series, shows the backstory of a much-loved character from the book, games and series: Geralt’s mentor Vesemir. Seeing a fully-animated perspective of the terrifying monsters and unforgivingly brutal world we love is compelling, and Theo James is effortlessly charming in the lead voice role as a young Vesemir. It’s obviously better to go in knowing more about The Witcher, but you could probably still enjoy this as a standalone experience if you just jumped in.
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How to Train Your Dragon
You know the original movie is good when there are still How to Train Your Dragon spin offs coming out to this day. This is where we were first introduced to the Viking village of Berk, which is in a constant power struggle with attacking dragons. The protagonist Hiccup, voiced brilliantly by Jay Baruchel, wants to become a powerful warrior, but eventually finds his own way by forming a special bond with a sleek black dragon he names Toothless. The animation still looks incredible to this day, and seeing Hiccup go from a cowardly kid to brave dragon-rider is wonderfully satisfying.
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Life of Pi
The novel Life of Pi was thought to be an unfilmable book, but Ang Lee begged to differ with this sweeping, visually stunning work. It’s not a strict fantasy by traditional definitions, but it features an epic adventure, an unlikely bond forming between Pi and the tiger Richard Parker, and some strange moments of magical realism they encounter while floating through the ocean following a shipwreck.
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Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
It’s fantastical enough that this live action/animated mystery flick got made in the first place! Introducing us to the concept of Toontown, where all the animated characters we know and love take residence and cross into the real world, and framing it all as a noir-inspired mystery where our detective Eddie Venkman (Bob Hoskins) has to clear the name of a cartoon bunny Roger Rabbit accused of murder, was an absolute stroke of genius through and through.
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Willow
This comedic high fantasy adventure, featuring a young Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer in lead roles, has lush fantasy trappings that still look great today, and a fun swashbuckling tone that keeps you moving breezily through it. Davis plays aspiring sorcerer Willow, who comes upon a baby that has become the target of an evil sorceress queen, and gets help from Kilmer’s mercenary Madmartigan to protect the infant princess and vanquish the encroaching threat.
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Kubo and the Two Strings
This Laika-produced stop motion fantasy film followed a 12-year-old boy in feudal Japan named Kubo who embarks on a quest, with a snow monkey and beetle by his side, to defeat his grandfather, the Moon King, who stole his left eye as an infant. The stop motion filmmaking here is truly next-level, and the writing does a great job of keeping jokes in the dialogue throughout while still telling an impactful narrative.
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Death Becomes Her
This cult-classic Meryl Streep comedy follows her character, a self-obsessed actress Madeline Ashton, who becomes immortal after drinking a potion, but begins experiencing bizarre side effects. If Streep wasn’t enough, supporting performances by Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis bring this campy dark comedy to life, or undeath.
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Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Just because some fans of this film quote parts of it to death and then some doesn’t mean it still isn’t brilliant on its own! It’s basically a series of surreal sketches loosely connected by a plot inspired by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, but everyone knows it just spirals into absurdity in the most delightful ways. From the sudden animated segments, to the vicious death battle with a cute white rabbit, to the sudden introduction of modern day police that eventually arrest every character, few films keep you guessing as much as this one does on a first watch.
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Hellboy (2004)
Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of Mike Mignola’s beloved Dark Horse comics character is still one of the greatest superhero films ever made. Its bombastic style clearly shows a love and reverence for the source material, and Ron Perlman does a fantastic job in his take on the character, bolstered by excellent special effects makeup. For a film from 2004, the CGI effects and opulent set design still pops and looks incredible today.
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Before Sarah Michelle Gellar cartwheeled and punched her way into our hearts as Buffy in the hit Fox series, there was the Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie starring Kristy Swanson in the lead role. It’s bizarre at first to see someone else as the wisecracking vampire hunter, but Swanson’s interpretation is just as charming! There’s also an excellent supporting performance from Donald Sutherland, who takes on the “Giles” role of Buffy’s slaying mentor. This is a worthy watch if you loved the show and want to know how it started, or if you don’t know anything about it and just want a goofy comedy-horror film to check out.
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Return to Oz
This distinctly darker and stranger sequel to the beloved classic certainly riled up critics when it was first released, but the film has garnered a well-deserved cult-following more recently. Dorothy is taken to a sanitarium by her aunt and uncle who don’t believe that her journey in the original movie happened. She escapes the sanitarium and eventually arrives in Oz to find a broken Yellow Brick road. This is the sole feature film directing credit of the famous editor Walter Murch, with some solid filmmaking behind it and creatures that would have been traumatizing to see as a child like the Wheelers.
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