Fantasy films are films that belong to the
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
genre with fantastic themes, usually
magic,
supernatural
Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
events,
mythology
Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
,
folklore
Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
, or exotic
fantasy worlds. The
genre
Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...
is considered a form of
speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term, umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from Realism (arts), realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality, instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or ...
alongside
science fiction film
Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses Speculative fiction, speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as Extraterrestrial life in fiction, extraterrestria ...
s and
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...
s, although the genres do overlap. Fantasy films often have an element of magic,
myth
Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
,
wonder,
escapism, and the extraordinary.
Subgenres
Several sub-categories of fantasy films can be identified, although the delineations between these subgenres, much as in fantasy literature, are somewhat fluid.
The most common fantasy subgenres depicted in movies are
high fantasy
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot. Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Pres ...
and
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery (S&S), or heroic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of Romance (love), romance, Magic (fantasy), magic, and the supernatural are also ...
. Both categories typically employ quasi-medieval settings, wizards, magical creatures and other elements commonly associated with fantasy stories.
High fantasy films tend to feature a more richly developed fantasy world, and may also be more character-oriented or thematically complex. Often, they feature a hero of humble origins and a clear distinction between good and evil set against each other in an epic struggle. Many scholars cite
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
's ''
The Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...
'' novel as the prototypical modern example of high fantasy in literature, and the recent
Peter Jackson film adaptation
A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...
of the books is a good example of the high fantasy subgenre on the silver screen.
Sword and sorcery movies tend to be more plot-driven than high fantasy and focus heavily on action sequences, often pitting a physically powerful but unsophisticated warrior against an evil wizard or other supernaturally endowed enemy. Although sword and sorcery films sometimes describe an epic battle between good and evil similar to those found in many High fantasy movies, they may alternately present the hero as having more immediate motivations, such as the need to protect a vulnerable maiden or village, or even being driven by the desire for vengeance.
The
1982 film adaptation of
Robert E. Howard's ''
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero created by American author Robert E. Howard (1906–1936) and who debuted in 1932 and went on to appear in a series of fantasy stories published in ''We ...
'', for example, is a personal (non-epic) story concerning the hero's quest for revenge and his efforts to thwart a single megalomaniac—while saving a beautiful princess in the process. Some critics refer to such films by the term
Sword and Sandal rather than sword and sorcery, although others would maintain that the Sword and Sandal label should be reserved only for the subset of fantasy films set in ancient times on the planet Earth, and still others would broaden the term to encompass films that have no fantastic elements whatsoever. To some, the term Sword and Sandal has pejorative connotations, designating a film with a low-quality script, bad acting, and poor production values.
Another important subgenre of fantasy films that has become more popular in recent years is
contemporary fantasy. Such films feature magical effects or supernatural occurrences happening in the "real" world of today.
Films with live action and animation such as
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
's ''
Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to:
* Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers
* Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny
** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...
'', ''
Pete's Dragon'', ''
Enchanted'', and the
Robert Zemeckis film ''
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. It is loosely based on the 1981 novel ''Who Censored Roger Rabbit?'' by Gary K. Wol ...
'' are also fantasy films although are more often referred to as Live action/animation hybrids (2 of those are also classified as musicals).
Fantasy films set in the
afterlife
The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...
, called
Bangsian fantasy, are less common, although films such as the 1991
Albert Brooks comedy ''
Defending Your Life'' would likely qualify. Other uncommon subgenres include
historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic (fantasy), magic) into a more "realistic" narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those c ...
and
romantic fantasy, although 2003's ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' successfully incorporated elements of both.
As noted above, superhero movies and fairy tale films might each be considered subgenres of fantasy films, although most would classify them as altogether separate movie genres.
Fantasy movies and the film industry
As a cinematic genre, fantasy has traditionally not been regarded as highly as the related genre of science fiction film. Undoubtedly, the fact that until recently fantasy films often suffered from the "
Sword and Sandal" afflictions of inferior production values, over-the-top acting, and decidedly poor special effects was a significant factor in fantasy film's low regard.
Since the early 2000s, however, the genre has gained new respectability in a way, driven principally by the successful adaptations of
Tolkien's ''
The Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...
'' and
J. K. Rowling's ''
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven Fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
'' series. Jackson's
''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy is notable due to its ambitious scale, serious tone, and thematic complexity. These pictures achieved phenomenal commercial and critical success, and the
third installment of the trilogy became the first fantasy film ever to win the
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
. The ''Harry Potter'' series has been a tremendous financial success, has achieved critical acclaim for its design, thematic sophistication and emotional depth, grittier realism and darkness, narrative complexity, and characterization, and boasts an enormous and loyal fanbase.
Following the success of these ventures, Hollywood studios have greenlighted additional big-budget productions in the genre. These have included adaptations of the first, second, and third books in
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer, literary scholar and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalen ...
' ''
The Chronicles of Narnia
''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven portal fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, the series is set in the fictional realm of Narnia (wor ...
'' and the teen novel ''
Eragon'', as well as adaptations of
Susan Cooper's ''
The Dark Is Rising'',
Cornelia Funke's ''
Inkheart'',
Philip Pullman's ''
The Golden Compass'',
Holly Black's ''
The Spiderwick Chronicles'', Nickelodeon's TV show ''
Avatar: The Last Airbender'', and the ''
Fantasia'' segment (along with
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...
's original poem) ''
The Sorcerer's Apprentice''
Many fantasy movies starting in the 2000s, such as ''The Lord of the Rings'' films, the 1st and 3rd ''Narnia'' adaptations, and the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th ''Harry Potter'' adaptations have most often been released in November and December. This is in contrast to
sci-fi films, which are often released during the northern hemisphere summer (June–August). All 3 of the ''
Pirates of the Caribbean'' films, however, were released in July 2003, July 2006, and May 2007 respectively, and the latest releases in the ''Harry Potter'' series were released in July 2007 and July 2009. The huge commercial success of these pictures may indicate a change in Hollywood's approach to big-budget fantasy film releases.
Screenwriter and scholar
Eric R. Williams identifies fantasy films as one of eleven super-genres in his
screenwriters taxonomy, claiming that all feature length narrative films can be classified by these super-genres. The other 10 super-genres are
action,
crime
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...
,
horror,
romance,
sci-fi,
slice of life,
sports
Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
,
thriller,
war and
western.
[Williams, Eric R. (2017). ''The screenwriters taxonomy : a roadmap to collaborative storytelling''. New York, NY: Routledge Studies in Media Theory and Practice. . . P. 21]
History
Fantasy films have a history almost as old as the medium itself. However, fantasy films were relatively few and far between until the
1980s, when high-tech filmmaking techniques and increased audience interest caused the genre to flourish.
What follows are some notable Fantasy films. For a more complete list see:
List of fantasy films
List of fantasy films is a chronological listing of films in the fantasy film, fantasy genre. Fantasy television programs, including made for TV movies and miniseries, should be listed at List of fantasy television programs.
Fantasy films are f ...
1900–1920s
In the era of
silent film
A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
, the earliest fantasy films were those made by French film pioneer
Georges Méliès
Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès ( , ; 8 December 1861 – 21 January 1938) was a French magic (illusion), magician, toymaker, actor, and filmmaker. He led many technical and narrative developments in the early days of film, cinema, primarily in th ...
from 1903. The most famous of these was 1902's ''
A Trip to the Moon''. In the
Golden Age of Silent film (1918–1926) the most outstanding fantasy films were
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor and filmmaker best known for being the first actor to play the masked Vigilante Zorro and other swashbuckler film, swashbu ...
' ''
The Thief of Bagdad'' (1924),
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), better known as Fritz Lang (), was an Austrian-born film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety Obituari ...
's ''
Die Nibelungen'' (1924), and ''
Destiny
Destiny, sometimes also called fate (), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often used interchangeably, the words ''fate'' and ''destiny'' ...
'' (1921). Other notables in the genre were
F.W. Murnau's romantic ghost story ''
Phantom'', ''
Tarzan of the Apes'' starring
Elmo Lincoln, and
D. W. Griffith's ''
The Sorrows of Satan''.
1930s
Following the advent of
sound film
A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...
s, audiences of all ages were introduced from 1937's ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' to 1939's ''
The Wizard of Oz''. Also notable of the era, the iconic 1933 film ''
King Kong'' borrows heavily from the
Lost World
The lost world is a subgenre of the fantasy or science fiction genres that involves the discovery of an unknown Earth civilization. It began as a subgenre of the late- Victorian adventure romance and remains popular into the 21st century.
The ...
subgenre of fantasy fiction as does such films as the 1935 adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's novel ''
She'' about an African expedition that discovers an immortal queen known as Ayesha "She who must be obeyed".
Frank Capra
Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...
's 1937 picture ''
Lost Horizon'' transported audiences to the
Himalaya
The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than 100 pea ...
n fantasy kingdom of
Shangri-La
Shangri-La is a fictional place in Tibet's Kunlun Mountains, Uses the spelling 'Kuen-Lun'. described in the 1933 novel '' Lost Horizon'' by the British author James Hilton. Hilton portrays Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, gently ...
, where the residents magically never age. Other noteworthy fantasy films of the 30s include ''
Tarzan the Ape Man'' in 1932 starring
Johnny Weissmuller starting a successful series of talking pictures based on the fantasy-adventure novels by
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best known for creating the characters Tarzan (who appeared in ...
and the
G. W. Pabst directed ''
The Mistress of Atlantis'' from 1932. 1932 saw the release of the
Universal Studios monster movie ''
The Mummy'' which combined horror with a romantic fantasy twist. more light-hearted and comedic affairs from the decade include films like 1934s romantic drama film ''
Death Takes a Holiday'' where
Fredric March plays Death who takes a human body to experience life for three days and 1937s ''
Topper'' where a man is haunted by two fun-loving ghosts who try to make his life a little more exciting.
1940s
The 1940s then saw several full-color fantasy films produced by
Alexander Korda
Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; ; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956) , including ''
The Thief of Bagdad'' (1940), a film on par with ''The Wizard of Oz'', and ''
Jungle Book
''The Jungle Book'' is an 1894 collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who ...
'' (1942). In 1946,
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau ( , ; ; 5 July 1889 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost avant-garde artists of the 20th-c ...
's classic adaptation of ''
Beauty and the Beast'' won praise for its
surreal elements and for transcending the boundaries of the
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
genre. ''
Sinbad the Sailor'' (1947), starring
Douglas Fairbanks Jr., has the feel of a fantasy film though it does not actually have any
fantastic elements.
Several other pictures featuring supernatural encounters and aspects of Bangsian fantasy were produced in the 1940s during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. These include ''
Beyond Tomorrow'', ''
The Devil and Daniel Webster'', and ''
Here Comes Mr. Jordan'', all from 1941, ''
Heaven Can Wait'' the musical ''
Cabin in the Sky'' (1943), the comedy ''
The Horn Blows at Midnight'' and romances such as ''
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' (1947), ''
One Touch of Venus'' and ''
Portrait of Jennie'', both 1948.
An astonishing anticipation of the full "sword and sorcery" genre was made in 1941 in Italy by Alessandro Blasetti. ''La Corona di Ferro'' presents the struggles of two imaginary kingdoms around the legendary Iron Crown (historically the ancient crown of Italy), with war, cruelty, betrayal, heroism, sex, magic and mysticism, a whirl of events taken from every possible fairy tale and legend source Blasetti could find. This movie is unlike anything done before; indeed, considering that it was finished fifteen years before the publication of Lord Of The Rings, its invention of a vast, national epic mythology is an act of genius. And while the storytelling is rough - due to the need to insert everything - and the resources limited, Blasetti shows how to make a little go a long way through beautifully staged and designed battle and crowd scenes.
Although it's not classified as a fantasy film,
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, director and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style and sought to create a new form of American dance accessibl ...
's ''
Anchors Aweigh'' had a fantasy sequence called "The King who Couldn't Dance" in which Gene did a song and dance number with
Jerry Mouse from
Tom and Jerry
''Tom and Jerry'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series ...
.
Because these movies do not feature elements common to high fantasy or
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery (S&S), or heroic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of Romance (love), romance, Magic (fantasy), magic, and the supernatural are also ...
pictures, some modern critics do not consider them to be examples of the fantasy genre.
1950s
In the 1950s there were a few major fantasy films, including ''
Darby O'Gill and the Little People'' and ''
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.'', the latter penned by
Dr. Seuss. Jean Cocteau's
Orphic Trilogy, begun in 1930 and completed in 1959, is based on
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
and could be classified either as fantasy or surrealist film, depending on how the boundaries between these genres are drawn. Russian fantasy director
Aleksandr Ptushko created three mythological epics from Russian fairytales, ''
Sadko'' (1953), ''
Ilya Muromets'' (1956), and ''
Sampo'' (1959). Japanese director
Kenji Mizoguchi's 1953 film ''
Ugetsu Monogatari'' draws on Japanese classical ghost stories of love and betrayal.
Other notable pictures from the 1950s that feature fantastic elements and are sometimes classified as fantasy are ''
Harvey'' (1950), featuring a
púca of
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the body of myths belonging to the Celtic peoples.Cunliffe, Barry, (1997) ''The Ancient Celts''. Oxford, Oxford University Press , pp. 183 (religion), 202, 204–8. Like other Iron Age Europeans, Celtic peoples followed ...
; ''
Scrooge'', the 1951 adaptation of
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
' ''
A Christmas Carol
''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...
''; and
Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...
's 1957 masterpiece, ''
The Seventh Seal''. Disney's 1951 animated film ''
Alice in Wonderland'' is also a fantasy classic.
There were also a number of lower budget fantasies produced in the 1950s, typically based on Greek or Arabian legend. The most notable of these may be 1958's ''
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad'', featuring special effects by
Ray Harryhausen and music by
Bernard Herrmann.
1960s
Harryhausen worked on a series of fantasy films in the 1960s, most importantly ''
Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963). Many critics have identified this film as Harryhausen's masterwork for its
stop-motion
Stop-motion (also known as stop frame animation) is an animation, animated filmmaking and special effects technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appe ...
animated statues, skeletons,
harpies,
hydra, and other mythological creatures. Other Harryhausen fantasy and science fantasy collaborations from the decade include the 1961 adaptation of
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet and playwright.
His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
's ''
Mysterious Island'', the critically panned ''
One Million Years B.C.'' starring
Raquel Welch, and ''
The Valley of Gwangi'' (1969).
Capitalising on the success of the
sword and sandal genre several Italian
B-movie
A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second ...
s based on classical myth were made, including the ''
Maciste'' series. Otherwise, the 1960s were almost entirely devoid of fantasy films. The fantasy picture ''
7 Faces of Dr. Lao'', in which
Tony Randall portrayed several characters from Greek mythology, was released in 1964. But the 1967 adaptation of the Broadway musical ''
Camelot'' removed most of the fantasy elements from
T. H. White's classic ''
The Once and Future King'', on which the musical had been based. The 1960s also saw a new adaption of Haggard's ''
She'' in 1965 starring
Ursula Andress as the immortal "She who must be obeyed" and was followed by a sequel in 1968 ''
The Vengeance of She'' based loosely on the novel ''
Ayesha: The Return of She'' both produced by
Hammer Film Productions. The musical fantasy film ''
Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to:
* Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers
* Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny
** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...
'' was released in 1964, and 1968 saw the release of ''
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...
'' based on a story by
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer, best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his ...
with a script from
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime Flying ace, fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies ...
.
1970s
Fantasy elements of
Arthurian legend were again featured, albeit absurdly, in 1975's ''
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' is a 1975 British comedy film based on the Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin) and ...
''. Harryhausen also returned to the silver screen in the 1970s with two additional ''Sinbad'' fantasies, ''
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'' (1974) and ''
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger'' (1977). The animated movie ''
Wizards'' (1977) had limited success at the box office but achieved status as a
cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage in repeated ...
. There was also ''
The Noah'' (1975) which was never released theatrically but became a
cult favorite when it was finally released on DVD in 2006. Some would consider 1977's ''
Oh God!'', starring
George Burns to be a fantasy film, and ''
Heaven Can Wait'' (1978) was a successful Bangsian fantasy remake of 1941's ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' (not 1943's ''Heaven Can Wait'').
A few low budget "Lost World" pictures were made in the 1970s, such as 1975's ''
The Land That Time Forgot''. Otherwise, the fantasy genre was largely absent from mainstream movies in this decade, although 1971's ''
Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' and ''
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' were two fantasy pictures in the public eye the former being predominantly from the same team who did ''Mary Poppins'' the latter again being from Roald Dahl in both script and novel.
1980s
1980s fantasy films were initially characterized by directors finding a new spin on established mythologies. Ray Harryhausen brought the monsters of Greek legends to life in ''
Clash of the Titans'' while Arthurian lore returned to the screen in
John Boorman's 1981 ''
Excalibur
Excalibur is the mythical sword of King Arthur that may possess magical powers or be associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Its first reliably datable appearance is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia Regum Britanniae''. E ...
''. Films such as
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. He directs films in the Science fiction film, science fiction, Crime film, crime, and historical drama, historical epic genres, with an atmospheric and highly co ...
's 1985 ''
Legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
'' and
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance Gilliam ( ; born 22 November 1940) is an American-British filmmaker, comedian, collage film, collage animator, and actor. He gained stardom as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe alongside John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Pa ...
's 1981–1986 trilogy of fantasy epics (''
Time Bandits
''Time Bandits'' is a 1981 British fantasy adventure film co-written, produced, and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars David Rappaport, Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael ...
'', ''
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
'', and ''
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'') explored a new artist-driven style featuring surrealist imagery and thought-provoking plots. The modern
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery (S&S), or heroic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of Romance (love), romance, Magic (fantasy), magic, and the supernatural are also ...
boom began around the same time with 1982's ''
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero created by American author Robert E. Howard (1906–1936) and who debuted in 1932 and went on to appear in a series of fantasy stories published in ''We ...
'' followed by ''
Krull'' and ''
Fire and Ice'' in 1983, as well as a boom in
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
-like fantasy films such as ''
The Neverending Story'' (1984), ''
Ladyhawke'' (1985), ''
The Princess Bride'' (1987), and ''
Willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions.
Most species are known ...
'' (1988).
The 1980s also started a trend in mixing modern settings and
action film
The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...
effects with exotic fantasy-like concepts. ''
Big Trouble in Little China'' (1986), directed by
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, composer, and actor. Most commonly associated with horror film, horror, action film, action, and science fiction film, science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s, he is ...
and starring
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor before transitioning to leading roles as an adult in various genres such as action adventures, science-fiction, westerns, romance films, co ...
, combined humor, martial arts and classic Chinese folklore in a modern Chinatown setting. ''
Highlander'', a film about immortal Scottish swordsmen, was released the same year.
Jim Henson produced two iconic fantasy films in the 80s, the solemn ''
The Dark Crystal
''The Dark Crystal'' is a 1982 dark fantasy, dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. It stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell (actress), Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and Barry Dennen. The film was prod ...
'' and the more whimsical and lofty ''
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...
''. Meanwhile,
Robert Zemeckis helmed ''
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. It is loosely based on the 1981 novel ''Who Censored Roger Rabbit?'' by Gary K. Wol ...
'', featuring various famous cartoon characters from animation's "Golden Age," including
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...
,
Minnie Mouse,
Donald Duck,
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character created in the late 1930s at Warner Bros. Cartoons (originally Leon Schlesinger, Leon Schlesinger Productions) and Voice acting, voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his featured roles in the ' ...
,
Daffy Duck,
Droopy,
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner,
Sylvester the Cat,
Tweety Pie, and
Jiminy Cricket
Jiminy Cricket is the Disney version of the Talking Cricket, a fictional character created by Italian writer Carlo Collodi for his 1883 children's book ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'', which Walt Disney adapted into the animated film '' Pinoc ...
, among others.
1990s
The 90s saw the
Disney Renaissance in which many successful adaptations of written fantasy works were released by
Disney Animation.
:''
Aladdin'' (1992)
:''
Army of Darkness
''Army of Darkness'' is a 1992 American dark fantasy comedy film directed, co-written, and co-edited by Sam Raimi. The film is the third installment in the Evil Dead, ''Evil Dead'' film series and the sequel to ''Evil Dead II'' (1987). Starring ...
'' (1992)
:''
Beauty and the Beast'' (1991)
:''
Bram Stoker's Dracula'' (1992)
:''
Dragonheart'' (1996)
:''
Edward Scissorhands'' (1990)
:''
Fantasia 2000'' (1999)
:''
The Green Mile'' (1999)
:''
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day (, , , ; Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if ...
'' (1993)
:''
Ghost in the Machine'' (1995)
:''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' (1997)
:''
Hocus Pocus'' (1993)
:''
Hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...
'' (1991)
:''
The Indian in the Cupboard
''The Indian in the Cupboard'' is a low fantasy children's novel by the British writer Lynne Reid Banks. It was published in 1980 with illustrations by Robin Jacques (UK) and Brock Cole (US). It was later adapted as a 1995 children's film ...
'' (1995)
:''
Jumanji
''Jumanji'' is a 1995 American fantasy adventure film directed by Joe Johnston from a screenplay by Jonathan Hensleigh, Greg Taylor, and Jim Strain, based on the 1981 children's picture book by Chris Van Allsburg. The film is the first ins ...
'' (1995)
:''
Kazaam'' (1996)
:''
Matilda'' (1996)
:''
Meet Joe Black'' (1998)
:''
Mulan
Hua Mulan () is a legendary Chinese folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century Common Era, CE) of Chinese history. Scholar, Scholars generally consider Mulan to be a fictional character. Hua Mulan is depicte ...
'' (1998)
:''
Nightbreed'' (1990)
:''
The Prince of Egypt'' (1998)
:''
Princess Mononoke'' (''Mononoke Hime'') (1997)
:''
Toy Story
''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the first installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise and the Firsts in animation, firs ...
'' (1995)
:''
Toy Story 2
''Toy Story 2'' is a 1999 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and the first sequel to Toy Story. It is the second installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise and was directed by J ...
'' (1999)
:''
The Wind in the Willows'' (''Mr Toad's Wild Ride'') (1996)
:''
The Witches'' (1990)
2000s
The 2000s saw a boom in the genre. This was compounded by the success of
''Lord of The Rings'' and
''Harry Potter'', which spurred a movement in film adaptations of fantasy literary works including
''The Chronicles of Narnia'',
''Tales from Earthsea'',
''Eragon'',
''Inkheart'', and
''The Golden Compass''. The
''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy and
''Pirates of the Caribbean'' also saw success at the box office.
: ''
13 Going on 30'' (2004)
: ''
17 Again'' (2009)
:''
300
__NOTOC__
Year 300 ( CCC) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Valerius (or, less frequently, year 1053 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 300 ...
'' (2006)
: ''
Alvin & the Chipmunks'' (2007)
: ''
Anji'' (2004)
: ''
Atlantis: The Lost Empire'' (2001)
: ''
Big Fish'' (2003)
: ''
Bridge to Terabithia'' (2007)
: ''
The Brothers Grimm'' (2005)
: ''
The Chronicles of Narnia
''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven portal fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, the series is set in the fictional realm of Narnia (wor ...
'' (2005-10)
: ''
Coraline'' (2009)
: ''
Corpse Bride'' (2005)
: ''
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' (2000)
: ''
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' (2008)
: ''
D-War'' (2007)
: ''
Dorian Gray'' (2009)
: ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
'' (2000-12)
: ''
Elf
An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
'' (2003)
: ''
The Emperor's New Groove
''The Emperor's New Groove'' is a 2000 American animated fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Mark Dindal and produced by Randy Fullmer, from a screenplay writte ...
'' (2000)
: ''
Enchanted'' (2007)
: ''
Eragon'' (2006)
: ''
Fat Albert'' (2004)
: ''
The Golden Compass'' (2007)
: ''
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven Fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
'' (2001–11)
: ''
The Hexer'' (2001)
: ''
How the Grinch Stole Christmas'' (2000)
: ''
Howl's Moving Castle'' (2004)
: ''
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'' (2009)
: ''
Imagine That'' (2009)
: ''
Inkheart'' (2008)
: ''
The Invention of Lying'' (2009)
: ''
King Kong'' (2005)
: ''
Lady in the Water'' (2006)
: ''
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'' (2004)
: ''
Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' (2003)
: ''
The Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...
'' (2001–03)
: ''
The Lovely Bones'' (2008)
: ''
The Master of Disguise'' (2002)
: ''
Monsters Inc.'' (2001-13)
: ''
Nanny McPhee'' (2005)
: ''
Night Watch'' (2004)
: ''
Pan's Labyrinth'' (2006)
: ''
Peter Pan'' (2003)
: ''
Pirates of the Caribbean'' (2003-17)
: ''
Prezzemolo'' (2003)
: ''
Race to Witch Mountain'' (2009)
: ''
The Science of Sleep'' (2006)
: ''
The Secret of Kells'' (2009)
: ''
The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising'' (2007)
: ''
Shrek
''Shrek'' is a 2001 American animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, and written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, and Roger S. H. Schulman, loosely based on the 1990 children's picture boo ...
'' (2001-10)
: ''
Spider-Man (Raimi trilogy)'' (2002-07)
: ''
The Spiderwick Chronicles'' (2008)
: ''
Spike'' (2008)
: ''
Spirited Away'' (2002)
: ''
Stardust'' (2007)
: ''
Star Wars Episodes I-III'' (1999-2005)
: ''
Tales from Earthsea'' ((2006)
: ''
Treasure Planet
''Treasure Planet'' is a 2002 American animated science fiction film, science fiction adventure film directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and written by Musker, Clements and Rob Edwards (screenwriter), Rob Edwards. Produced by Walt Disney ...
'' (2002)
: ''
Twilight
Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'' (2008–12)
: ''
Underworld
The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld.
...
'' (2003-16)
: ''
Where the Wild Things Are'' (2009)
: ''
Zathura: A Space Adventure'' (2005)
2010s
The early 2010s saw a continuation of the book to screen adaptation fad of the 2000s. Also prevalent in the decade were remakes of older fantasy films especially from
Walt Disney Pictures.
: ''
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'' (2012)
: ''
Aladdin'' (2019)
: ''
Alice in Wonderland'' (2010)
: ''
Alice Through the Looking Glass'' (2016)
: ''
Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles ...
'' (2018)
: ''
''A Monster Calls'' (2016)
: ''
A Wrinkle in Time
''A Wrinkle in Time'' is a young adult science fantasy novel written by American author Madeleine L'Engle. First published in 1962, the book won the Newbery Medal, the Sequoyah Book Award and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was runner-u ...
'' (2018)
: ''
Baahubali: The Beginning'' (2014)
: ''
Baahubali 2: The Conclusion'' (2017)
: ''
Beauty and the Beast'' (2017)
: ''
Black Panther
A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
'' (2018)
: ''
Brave'' (2012)
: ''
Christopher Robin'' (2018)
: ''
Cinderella
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'' (2015)
: ''
Clash of the Titans'' (2010) and its 2012 sequel, ''
Wrath of the Titans''
: ''
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero created by American author Robert E. Howard (1906–1936) and who debuted in 1932 and went on to appear in a series of fantasy stories published in ''We ...
'' (2011)
: ''
Crimson Peak'' (2015)
: ''
Dark Shadows
''Dark Shadows'' is an American Gothic fiction, Gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show depicted the lives, loves, trials, and tribulatio ...
'' (2012)
: ''
Doctor Strange
Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as ...
'' (2016)
: ''
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'' (2018)
: ''
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'' (2016)
: ''
Frozen'' (2013)
: ''
Frozen II'' (2019)
: ''
Godzilla: King of the Monsters'' (2019)
: ''
Goosebumps'' (2015)
: ''
Gulliver's Travels
''Gulliver's Travels'', originally titled ''Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships'', is a 1726 prose satire by the Anglo-Irish writer and clerg ...
'' (2010)
: ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1'' (2010)
: ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2'' (2011)
: ''
Hop'' (2011)
: ''
How to Train Your Dragon
''How to Train Your Dragon'' is a media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the book series How to Train Your Dragon (novel series), of the same name by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: '' ...
'' (2010–19)
: ''
Immortals'' (2011)
: ''
Into the Woods'' (2014)
: ''
Jack the Giant Slayer
''Jack the Giant Slayer'' (previously titled ''Jack the Giant Killer'') is a 2013 American heroic fantasy, fantasy adventure film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney, from a story by Lemke ...
'' (2013)
: ''
John Carter'' (2012)
: ''
Life of Pi'' (2012)
: ''
Maleficent'' (2014)
: ''
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'' (2019)
: ''
Mary Poppins Returns'' (2018)
: ''
Maximum Shame'' (2010)
: ''
Midnight in Paris'' (2011)
: ''
Mirror Mirror'' (2012)
: ''
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'' (2016)
: ''
Oz the Great and Powerful'' (2013)
: ''
Paddington
Paddington is an area in the City of Westminster, in central London, England. A medieval parish then a metropolitan borough of the County of London, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Paddington station, designed b ...
'' (2014)
: ''
Pan'' (2015)
: ''
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Sea of Monsters'' (2013)
: ''
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'' (2010)
: ''
Pete's Dragon'' (2016)
: ''
Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit is a fictional animal character in various children's stories by English author Beatrix Potter.
A mischievous, adventurous young rabbit who wears a blue jacket, he first appeared in ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'' in 1902, and subseq ...
'' (2018)
: ''
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'' (2010)
: ''
Puss in Boots'' (2011)
: ''
Sardaar Ji'' (2015) (Punjabi)
: ''
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'' (2010)
: ''
Snow White and the Huntsman'' (2012)
: ''
Song of the Sea'' (2014)
: ''
Sucker Punch'' (2011)
: ''The Bastard Sword'' (2018)
: ''
The BFG'' (2016)
: ''
The Hobbit'' (2012–14)
: ''
The Jungle Book'' (2016)
: ''
The Kid Who Would Be King'' (2019)
: ''
The Last Airbender'' (2010)
: ''
The Lorax'' (2012)
: ''
The Muppets'' (2011)
: ''
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms'' (2018)
: ''
Trolls
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human be ...
'' (2016)
: ''
The Shape of Water'' (2017)
: ''
The Sorcerer's Apprentice'' (2010)
: ''
Thor: Ragnarok'' (2017)
: ''
Thor: The Dark World'' (2013)
: ''
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
'' (2011)
: ''
Toy Story 3
''Toy Story 3'' is a 2010 American animated comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The third installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' series, it was directed by Lee Unkrich, the editor ...
'' (2010)
: ''
Toy Story 4'' (2019)
:''
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...
'' (2017)
: ''
Your Highness'' (2011)
2020s
The 2020s as of 2023 have shown an increasing interest by studios to adapt games into film with
''Monster Hunter'',
''Sonic the Hedgehog'', ''
The Super Mario Bros. Movie'', and ''
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves''.
:
''Bloodshot'' (2020)
:
''Dolittle'' (2020)
: ''
Dragonheart: Vengeance'' (2020)
: ''
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'' (2023)
: ''
Encanto'' (2021)
: ''
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'' (2022)
:
''Fantasy Island'' (2020)
:
''Jiu Jitsu'' (2020)
:
''Monster Hunter'' (2020)
:
''Mulan'' (2020)
: ''
Nahuel and the Magic Book'' (2020)
:
''The Old Guard'' (2020)
:
''Onward'' (2020)
:
''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2020)
: ''
Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' (2022)
: ''
Spider-Man: No Way Home'' (2021)
: ''
The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' (2023)
: ''
Trolls World Tour'' (2020)
:
''The Witches'' (2020)
: ''
Wonder Woman 1984'' (2020)
: ''
Wolfwalkers'' (2020)
See also
*
Fantasy television
Fantasy television is a genre of television programming featuring elements of the Fantastique, fantastic, often including Magic (paranormal), magic, supernatural forces, or exotic fantasy worlds. Fantasy television programs are often based on tal ...
*
List of fantasy films
List of fantasy films is a chronological listing of films in the fantasy film, fantasy genre. Fantasy television programs, including made for TV movies and miniseries, should be listed at List of fantasy television programs.
Fantasy films are f ...
*
List of highest-grossing fantasy films
References
External links
{{Authority control
Film genres
History of fiction