Feeling tired and defeated from following a rigid mundane routine every day is not at all unlikely because our lives can be pretty hectic and stressful at times.
On such occasions, all you want to do is take a long relaxing stroll in some enchanted woods or go for a swim with mermaids in the sparkling seawater, right?
Well, of course, we cannot do any of that, but Hollywood has just the right solution, A good fantasy movie!
From magic and wizards to enigmatic supernatural creatures, a good fantasy movie has so many wonderful things to offer. It is the perfect way to destress and escape into a world of adventures, mythical beings, and friendships like no other.
Some of these movies become crucial parts of pop culture and some can take us to nostalgia town. They filled us with wonder when we watched them as kids, but one is never too old to enjoy them.
So if you are thinking of going on a movie marathon, here is a list of all the best Hollywood Fantasy Movies (or movie series) to binge-watch.
1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Let's start the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies with everyone's favorite, Lord Of The Rings.
The Lord Of The Rings series comprises three movies,
The Fellowship of The ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, directed by Peter Jackson, is based on the novel written by R.R. Tolkien.
The movies follow the adventure of a hobbit, Frodo Baggins, and his companions who after inheriting a ring that is the root of great evil embark on a journey to destroy the ring.
It is an epic tale of bravery and comradery and an absolute much watch if you haven’t already watched the series multiple times.
2. Star Wars Series
If you thought a trilogy was too little to tell a story, you can have three trilogies instead.
Star Wars consist of 9 movies as follows:
- Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
- Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Episode VII- The Force Awakens
- Episode VIII- The Last Jedi
- Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker
Apart from these, there are two more anthology movies, Solo(2018) and The Rogue One(2016). It is a sci-fi fantasy movie series created by George Lucas.
It is one of the most famous, successful, and influential movie franchises ever and the best series to have a Saturday movie marathon.
May the force be with you.
3. Avengers Series
Coming in at number three is another massive movie franchise, The Avengers. Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe is huge,
The Avengers series has four movies:
- The Avengers(2012)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
All the movies are directed by the Russo brothers and John Whedon based on comics by Stan Lee.
The earth’s mightiest heroes come together to defeat villains as they try to destroy the planet. The movies have a variety of superheroes to choose from to have a favorite.
Marvel movies are the must-watch and most loved ones in the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies.
It doesn’t matter if you are team Cap or team Iron man, but we are all team Avengers.
Avengers assemble!
4. The Dark Knight Trilogy
We had talked about Marvel, now how can I not include DC movies in the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies!
The Dark Knight trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan, comprises Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
The movies are about Bruce Wayne who is also a millionaire vigilante superhero Batman.
After witnessing the death of his parents, he learns how to fight and battles injustice to save and protect Gotham city.
The batman series did give us a superhero to root for but also gave us a villain who we can’t help but love, The Joker.
So get your friends and nerd out as you watch the movies and if you aren’t the nerd yet, re-watch the trilogy.
5. Harry Potter Series
“You’re a wizard Harry!” yes he is, our favorite wizard.
The movie series based on the novel series of the same name by J. K. Rowling comprises eight fantasy films:
- Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
- Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)
- Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)
- Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005)
- Harry Potter And The Order Of Phoenix (2007)
- Harry Potter And The Half-blood Prince (2009)
- Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part-1 (2010)
- Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part- 2 (2011)
Harry Potter is usually the very first Hollywood Fantasy Movie that we all see. And no doubt, it's worth it.
The fantastical world of magic and magic school, wands and owls, is an exhilarating experience and makes the viewers want to be a part of that world.
Let’s be honest, we are still waiting for a letter from Hogwarts, right?
6. Pirates Of The Caribbean Series
Not all treasure’s silver and gold, mate! Because a movie series can be a treasure too, like this one.
The movies part of the series are:
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the black pearl(2003)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge(2017)
- a short film Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code: Wedlocked
If you love the sea and band of feisty pirates, well this one is for you.
Follow Jack Sparrow on his adventures as he travels the sea, fighting curses, finding treasures, and much more.
7. The Hobbit Series
From the world of R. R. Tolkien comes another fabulous fantasy adventure directed by Peter Jackson. The Hobbit.
The trilogy comprises The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey(2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug(2013), and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies(2014).
This series follows the adventure of a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins.
8. The Chronicles of Narnia Series
The movie series is sure to send us for a spin in nostalgia town. Still, hoping to find a wardrobe that is also a secret passage to a land of mythical beasts and ice witches?
Then it is the right time to bring back The Chronicles of Narnia.
The series is based on a set of novels written by C. S. Lewis and includes The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005), The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), and The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Trader.
Narnia series is one of those on the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies which always excites us.
9. Sleepy Hollow
Fantasy movie released in1999 loosely based on a short story written by Washington Irving titled “the legend of the sleepy Hollow”.
The lore of the headless horserider is quite famous and a thrilling experience to watch.
A police detective named Ichabod Crane played by Johny Depp is sent to the town of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders allegedly committed by a headless horse rider.
If you are a mystery and horror fan this movie is a good choice.
10. Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth is a dark-fantasy movie released in 2006 with a fairytale-like setting but doesn’t be mistaken.
It explores various real-world topics in the guise of a fairy-tale. To summarise In the plot, a girl named Ofelia is lead to a faun who tells her about her identity and informs her that she is a princess.
She has to, however, pass certain tests to prove her royalty. The story is set amidst the civil war.
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and a must-watch.
11. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was directed by Tim Burton and released in the year 2016.
It is based on a novel by the same name written by Ransom Riggs. The story is about a boy named Jake who ends up discovering a house full of children with various supernatural abilities.
He used to listen to his grandfather tell stories of these strange children and monsters called the Hollowgasts and now he must help to protect the home from these monsters.
The movie, though not exactly following the books, is a great and fascinating one to watch.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is one of those Hollywood Fantasy Movies, which will make us fall in love with our imperfections.
12. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Directed by Terry Gilliam, this 2009 fantasy film tells the tale of a doctor who is a storyteller and the leader of a traveling show, but he harbors a dark secret.
He is sent scrambling when a deal that he made with the devil years ago comes to bite him.
The movie has many dark elements and is probably not for kids even though its name sounds pretty child-friendly.
13. The Forbidden Kingdom
Coming up next on the list is a martial-arts fantasy movie The Forbidden Kingdom released in 2011 and directed by Rob Minkoff. It stars Jackie Chan, Jet Lei along many others.
The film follows a Kung Fu obsessed teenager who ends up in China owing to his obsession where he joins a band of martial art warriors and has to rescue the Monkey King from his jail and return a lost relic to its rightful owner.
The plot sounds too bizarre? Well, what did you expect?
It is a funny and thrilling adventure movie that makes the audience enjoy this bizarre adventure.
14. The Jungle Book
Next up on the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies is The Jungle Book! Our childhood favorite animated classic that later got adapted to live-action in 2016.
The movie has all our favorite characters from the original animated one based on Rudyard Kipling’s book by the same name.
Directed by Jon Favreau, the movie tells the story of the little orphan boy Mowgli who was brought up in the jungle and considers a pack of wolves as his family.
He finds a friend in a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera who help him escape the clutches of Shere Khan who sees him as his prey.
15. Pete’s Dragon
Dragons! Who doesn’t love dragons?
And if it is a friendly green dragon named Elliot, you can’t help but love him. Pete’s Dragon is the story of an orphan boy Pete who is trying to find his lost best friend, yes you guessed it, Elliot the dragon with the help of a ranger, Grace. The movie is directed by David Lowery and was released in 2016. It is a lovely and heartwarming tale of a one-of-a-kind friendship. The original Pete’s Dragon was released in 1977 which was rebooted by Disney later in 2016. Both versions are adorable and make for a great choice for a relaxing family movie night.
16. Life Of Pi
Moving on from dragons, next stop, tigers. Life of Pi hit the theatres in 2012 and immediately left a positive impact on the audience.
The movie is directed by Ang Lee and is based on Yann Martel’s novel by the same name. The story revolves around “Pi” Patel.
When he was sixteen years old he was unfortunately stuck on a lifeboat in the middle of what seemed like an infinite sea. What’s worse was he wasn’t alone.
He was stuck on the boat with a hyena and a Bengal tiger.
The movie does an amazing job painting a lyrical picture of the events that took place and how Pi survived against all odds to be able to tell his own story.
This Hollywood Fantasy Movie is full of mysteries, adventure, and struggle.
17. Enchanted
Ever wondered what would it be like to become part of a fictional world?
Something of this sort happens to the protagonist of this next movie on our list, but instead of a fictional world, she ends up getting transported into our real world.
The 2007 musical fantasy film, Enchanted, directed by Kevin Lima, is about a strange tale of Princess Giselle who after getting banished from her kingdom by her lover’s step-mother, ends up in the real world and falls in love with no prince charming, but a lawyer.
It is a funny, charming, and adorable story of a love blooming beyond dimensions.
18. The BFG
The BFG, directed by Steven Spielberg, released in 2016, is a magical fantasy movie based on a children’s short story by Roald Dahl.
It is the story of an orphan girl, Sophie, who finds herself an unlikely companion, a giant and a big friendly giant at that. The giant has an acute sense of hearing and immense speed.
Sophie is in for an adventure of a lifetime and it makes for a beautiful and mesmerizing cinematic experience for the audience.
19. Bridge To Terabithia
The 2007 family fantasy film is about two kids, Leslie Burke and Jesse Aarons, who create a world of their fantasy called Terabithia and spend their time in an abandoned treehouse.
It is a thoroughly enjoyable and emotional movie that is easily a brilliant choice for watching with family.
It is based on Newbery’s award-winning children’s novel.
20. Cinderella
I'll be doing injustice to the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies if I'll not include Disney movies.
The story of Cinderella is arguably one of the most cherished fairy tales from everyone’s childhood.
The magic of the tale is only magnified when we get to watch it on a screen, which is what makes the 2015 film such a delight to watch.
The live-action movie was much anticipated and it did a good job delivering what was expected.
The story of the young girl Ella, who gets mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters but eventually finds her prince charming.
21. Into The Woods
This American 2014 musical fantasy film can best be described as a collision between different fictional worlds and what a brilliant collision it is.
The story follows a couple, who are to remain childless as the result of a curse put on them by a witch. The witch was once beautiful and to restore her beauty, the couple sets out on a quest to find the ingredients for a spell.
On their journey, they encounter various people, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel.
The movie is a delight for the eyes with its cinematography and costumes and has a host of talented actors in various roles.
22. Zathura: A Space Adventure
Another childhood favorite, Zathura: A Space Adventure is about two brothers who find a mysterious board game in their house.
As they played the game, they were transported into space and have no choice but to finish the game to return to earth.
It is an exhilarating adventure movie released in 2005, directed by Jon Favreau. The film shows the bittersweet relation between siblings.
No matter how much they fight amongst each other, they deeply care for each other.
Zathura is similar to Jumanji but this Hollywood Fantasy Movie will be loved more by space lovers.
23. Peter Pan
To forever remain young, but to be stuck as a child always?
That is exactly the case with Peter Pan, a boy who magically never ages and lives in a place where kids never grow up; an island called Neverland.
He invites a girl Wendy and her brothers to this island but as soon as they reach there Wendy and her brothers are kidnapped by captain hook, Peter Pan’s archenemy.
The movie follows along with the story as Peter tries to get the kids back to safety. The 2003 movie directed by J. P. Hogan is a masterful retelling of a beloved classic tale.
The magic of Peter Pan and Neverland reaches the audience as they find themselves immersed in the film.
Peter Pan is one of the best but somewhat a little under-rated Hollywood Fantasy movie.
24. Stardust
This Hollywood fantasy movie released in 2007, directed by Matthew Vaughn, is set in a small fictional English Village.
A man named Tristan wants to cross the stone wall which separates the village from the neighboring village of Stormhold. He had promised Victoria, an upscale lady he is infatuated with, that he would bring her a star from the Stormhold Kingdom.
He ends up having an adventure of his life in his attempts to get to the star and finding some facts about his own life.
It is a beautiful love story filled with adventure and thrill.
25. Big Fish
This is a heartwarming tale of the relationship between a father and a son.
The protagonist of the film, Will Bloom, a reporter by profession, returns home to his ailing father.
After the death of his father, Will tries to see for himself how much truth was present in his father’s tall tales.
The movie was directed by Tim Burton and hit the theatres in 2003.
26. The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is a classic fantasy romance movie released in1987 directed by Rob Reiner. It is based on William Goldman’s novel by the same name.
This fairytale-like film is truly iconic and full of lovely moments and enthralling adventurous feats. When a little boy gets bored due to being ill his grandfather reads him a story about a young woman and her one true love.
The story has many elements including pirates, sword fighting, fencing, and, of course, unconditional love.
27. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
This Hollywood fantasy movie always makes me want to drown in a river of chocolate, but in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory you better be careful before making any such impulsive decisions.
The movie is a 2005 musical fantasy directed by Tim Burton based on the well-loved book of the same name written by Roald Dahl.
When an impoverished boy named Charlie Bucket finds a golden ticket in his favorite chocolate bar, he is invited by Willy Wonka, the owner of the chocolate factory, for a special tour of his factory, along with four other lucky kids
The story is very intriguing and the blast of colors, entertaining characters makes this movie a treat to watch.
All the chocolates, candies, and Charlie’s good-natured innocence is sure to give you a sugar rush for a week.
28. The Golden Compass
This beautiful fantasy adventure movie was released in 2007 and directed by Chris Weitz. Lyra Belacqua is a young girl who is destined to go on an adventure to the far north where she has to rescue her best friend and other kidnapped kids.
The plot is set in a world riddled with witches and supernatural powers.
Lyra is accompanied in her mission by an armored polar bear and she holds possession of a special magical golden compass that doesn’t always point north.
29. The Spiderwick Chronicles
Moving into a new place is a daunting task in itself and for the Grace family, it becomes even more painful as they find themselves surrounded by some kind of magical monsters and other magical creatures.
The twin brothers Jared and Simon try to protect their family from the monster attack and in the process, they reconcile their differences.
The movie was released in 2008 and directed by Mark Waters.
30. The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a 2010 fantasy adventure movie directed by John Turteltaub and is last on our list of Hollywood Fantasy movies.
Dave was just a normal guy until a master sorcerer named Balthazar hired him as an apprentice. Dave had to learn magic and aid Balthazar in defeating his arch-enemy, Maxim Horvath, and also try to keep himself alive in the entire chaos.
It is a funny and thrilling movie and you might as well end up learning a thing or two about magic.
With this, I conclude the list of Hollywood Fantasy Movies.
I think we can all agree that the fantasy genre is the best for when you are looking to relax and destress.
The stories are more than just fantastical adventures; they have characters that we love and adore, values that inspire us, and the bravery of the characters encourage us to become better versions of ourselves.
Apart from being rich in plot and characters most fantasy movies are visually gorgeous with mesmerizing soundtracks.
These are the perfect choice for a movie night with friends or family.
Do like and share with the fantasy movie lovers of your group.
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