The world can be cruel. What else can we do to distract ourselves from it than to watch some of these amazing fantasy movies?
Each of these fantasy movies has exactly what a fan of aliens, magic, or cute talking animals would love. These 20 movies are amazing for children, adults, and children-at-heart.
20. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer
Star Wars fans are anticipating the release of Star Wars Chapter IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Not only will this be the ninth installment to the timeless Star Wars franchise, but, by using unused footage from The Force Awakens, The Rise of Skywalker with also include the late Carrie Fisher. Taking place a year after The Last Jedi, the remainder of the Resistance must face the First Order one again, while the conflict between the Jedi and the Sith reaches its climax. The movie was set to be released on May 24, 2019, but has been pushed back to December 20, 2019.
19. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Godzilla: King of the Monsters trailer
Bringing back the classic monsters of the 1950s and 60s monster movie craze, a crypto-zoological agency called Monarch to come face-to-face with legendary monsters. Alongside the mighty Godzilla, the agency collides with the monsters Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. This will be the first time Godzilla has gone up against all three of these kaiju since the 1968 film Destroy All Monsters.
Hellboy trailer
Based on the graphic novels by the same name, Hellboy embarks on a new adventure to battle an ancient sorceress from the time of King Arthur. Hellboy, created by Mike Mignola of Dark Horse Comics, draws inspiration from the comics Darkness Calls, The Wild Hunt, The Storm and the Fury, and Hellboy in Mexico, and is the first R-rated Hellboy movie. David Harbour, who plays Hellboy in this installment, was met with positive feedback for his performance as the well-meaning half-demon.
17. Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Since 1995, Tom Hanks has warmed our hearts with his performance as the rootin’ tootin’ cowboy Sheriff Woody. Now, fresh out of the box, Woody and his friends embark on one more adventure, with new friends, new discoveries, and old companions returning for one final rodeo. Toy Story 4 deals with Woody’s struggles of life without his original owner, Andy Davis, and his life with Bonnie, his new owner.
16. Dora and the Lost City of Gold
Dora and the Lost City of Gold trailer
Come on, vámonos! Everybody let’s go! Experience Dora the Explorer like never before in this exciting take on the children’s cartoon that taught us Spanish. Dora and the Lost City of Gold takes Dora, portrayed by Isabela Moner, into high school with her cousin Diego. Whilst trying to fit in, she and her group are kidnapped while on a field trip. Travel into the Peruvian jungle with Dora to save her parents and discover the secret of the lost city of gold.
15. Paradise Hills
Paradise Hills trailer
In this twisted fairytale, Uma, played by Emma Roberts, wakes up to find herself on an island called Paradise. Run by the Duchess, played by Milla Jovovich, Paradise reforms wayward girls and provides emotional healing so that they may fit into society's desires. Paradise Hills premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019 and was formally released in October.
14. The Divine Fury
The Divine Fury trailer
For all of you K-drama fans, this movie is right up your ally. In this Korean action horror film Yong-Soo, played by Park Seo-Joon, is a martial arts champion with the ability to fight against a powerful evil force. Together with Father Ahn, a priest and exorcist played by Ahn Sung-ki, the two team up to defeat demonic entities in South Korea.
13. The Lion King (2019)
The Lion King (2019) trailer
Following the Disney live-action trend, Walt Disney Pictures released The Lion King as a CGI live-action reboot to the original 1995 movie. The movie features all of the original songs and includes songs from the Broadway musical like “He Lives in You,” which was also featured in The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, alongside “Spirit,” an original song performed by Ilya Salmanzadeh and Labrinth for the film. The Lion King is currently the top-grossing movie of the year, the seventh-highest grossing movie of all time, and has surpassed Frozen as the highest-grossing animated film
12. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World trailer
One year after the events of How to Train Your Dragon 2, Berk is now a dragon-human utopia. On his quest to find “the hidden world,” a safe haven for dragons, Hiccup and Toothless come across a female Light Fury, whom Toothless takes a liking to. In Hiccup’s latest quest to save the dragons, he and his friends must fight a new enemy who wishes to cause the extinction of the Night Furies.
11. Pokémon Detective Pikachu
Pokémon Detective Pikachu trailer
Based on the timeless videogame, Pokémon, Detective Pikachu follows Tim Goodman, played by Justin Smith, and Pikachu, voiced by Ryan Reynolds, on a mission to find Tim’s missing father, Harry. Tim dreamed of becoming a Pokemon Trainer, however, after the death of his mother and the disappearance of his father, he takes on a job as an insurance agent. Now, with the help of a talking Pikachu that only Tim can understand, the mystery behind his father’s disappearance could be solved.
10. Wonder Park
Wonder Park trailer
Dealing with the absence of her sick mother, June Bailey begins to seclude herself from her imaginative Wonderland theme park that she and her mother would imagine together. When she finds a broken-down Wonderland in the woods after escaping a bus to math camp, June discovers that her park is being overrun by chaos and destruction caused my plush monkey toys called chimpanzombies. Wonder Park is the third Nickelodeon Pictures movie to pilot an upcoming series, after Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Barnyard. The Wonder Park television series is set to be released sometime in 2019.
9. Lucy in the Sky
Lucy in the Sky trailer
Lucy in the Sky follows Lucy Cola, an astronaut played by Natalie Portman, through a downward spiral after a lengthy mission. Through an affair, losing connection to her family, and seeing her lover begin a romantic relationship, Lucy’s life on Earth may become a black hole in this science-fiction drama. Lucy in the Sky premiered in the Toronto International Film Festival and was formally released in October. The film is loosely based on the criminal activities of Lisa Nowak and her relationship with William Oefelein
8. Abominable
Abominable trailer
On the rooftop of her apartment in Shanghai, China, young violinist Yi, voiced by Chloe Bennet, finds a young yeti. Yi and her friends embark on an epic quest to get the yeti, whom they name Everest, home to his family at the highest point on Earth. Abominable premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7th and was formally released on September 27th. Universal Pictures distributed the film in the United States, and Pearl Studios distributed it in China.
7. Weathering with You
Weathering with You trailer
Tokyo is in a period of constant rain in this slice-of-life fantasy. A highschool boy named Hodaka Morishima, voiced by Kotaro Daigo, befriends an orphaned girl named Hina Amano, voiced by Nana Mori, who is able to manipulate the weather. Weathering with You was released in Japan on July 19th, and was distributed by Toho, who also distributed movies such as Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You, and Godzilla: King of Monsters, which showed up earlier on this list, as well as the popular anime series, My Hero Academia.
6. Iron Sky: The Coming Race
Iron Sky: The Coming Race trailer
It has been 29 years since the nuclear war between Earth and the Moon Nazis made Earth inhabitable. The survivors find refuge on the dark side of the moon on a former Moon Nazi base and have taken to the religion, Jobism, based around the teachings of the late Steve Jobs. If you enjoy conspiracy theories, this movie is perfect for you; the movie’s inspiration comes from the conspiracy theory, Vril: The Power of the Coming Race, published in 1871. It is the sequel to the 2012 movie, Iron Sky.
5. Dumbo
Dumbo trailer
Based on the 1941 animated feature of the same name, Dumbo takes place in 1919, shortly after the end of World War I. A failing circus’ Asian elephant gives birth to a calf that has large ears, and has the ability to fly. The movie is a mixture of live-action and CGI and is one of Tim Burton’s newest projects to be released. The movie brings forward a much darker undertone of traveling circuses, much like the original did, and the mistreatment of animals.
4. Jumanji: The Next Level
Jumanji: The Next Level
Come back to the jungle when Spencer is sucked back into the Jumanji video game. His friends, Fridge, Martha, and Bethany, return to the game to save him. Along with them are Spencer’s grandfather, Eddie, played by Danny Devito, and his friend Milo, played by Danny Glover. The movie takes place after the events of its predecessor, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and is set to release on December 13. Karen Gillian, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black will return to reprise their roles as the game’s avatars.
3. The Kid Who Would Be King
The Kid Who Would Be King trailer
When a dangerous enchantress threatens the world, one boy, with the powerful Excalibur, must face her with his friends as the new Knights of the Round Table. The movie holds a modern take on the Arthurian legends of Camelot and King Arthur. The Kid Who Would Be King is a timeless classic for all ages, and a beautiful coming-of-age story.
2. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil trailer
Taking place five years after Maleficent, Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora are engaged to be married. Unfortunately, Prince Phillip’s mother, Queen Ingrith, plans to use the wedding to divide the humans and the fairies. On the brink of war, Aurora and Maleficent find themselves on opposite sides, with their family being torn apart. Angelina Jolie will reprise her role as Maleficent, and Elle Fanning as Aurora.
1. Aladdin
Aladdin trailer
Rebooting the 1992 classic, Aladdin, this live-action take on the movie brings a more Arabic feel to the Disney classic. The movie follows market-urchin Aladdin, played by Mena Massouda, and his monkey Abu on a thrilling adventure of love, magic, and mayhem. Alongside a magical genie, played by Will Smith, and the beautiful Princess Jasmine, played by Naomi Scott, the epic tale is retold in a modern, more Arabic-friendly style. Aladdin has taken original songs from the 1992 original and has corrected them to be less controversial and more culturally appropriate for the setting and time.
Let your imagination take flight and watch one of these movies. If you want, there are many more options in these other articles!
11 Fantasy Movies Like The Lord of the Rings
