Picture: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (left), The School For Good and Evil (center), and Damsel (right)
Netflix offers one of the best fantasy show selections, from Avatar: The Last Airbender to The Sandman. While Netflix isn’t revered for its selection of fantasy movies, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some gems to behold. Let us talk you through some of the best fantasy films on Netflix, which you can watch now.
Regarding Netflix Original movies, the streamer excels in science fiction and horror. Fans of fantasy, from epic and dark fantasy to fairy tale and family entries, are left wanting. With that said, we are good on the TV side of things. Over the years, Netflix has added a few impressive fantastical entries to its library. This year mainly has been fruitful, with Millie Bobby Brown’s Damsel being one of the most popular movies on Netflix.
Let’s dive into our list of the best fantasy movies on Netflix in 2024. Bear in mind that these are all Netflix Original movies, available on the service worldwide!
The Yin-Yang Master
The Yinyang Master
This imaginative, visually stunning fantasy movie is one of Netflix’s hidden gems. The Yin-Yang Master is a Chinese film that chronicles the chaos that unfolds when a feud erupts between two realms. Like the yin-yang philosophy, the movie is a battle between good and evil, humans and demons. It has everything you’d expect from a fantasy movie, such as mythical creatures, epic battles, and an exciting magic system.
The characters are all likable and well-developed, especially protagonist Master Qingming (Chen Kun). If you’ve already watched it and still can’t get enough, there’s another movie on Netflix, The YinYang Master: Dream of Eternity, to check out, too!
Slumberland
Slumberland
If you want to step back from grand, high-stakes fantasy, check out Slumberland. It’s a lovely, family-friendly family adventure about a young girl, Nemo (Marlow Barkley), who discovers a map that transports her into a world of dreams. There, she meets an eccentric outlaw, Flip (Jason Mamoa), who shows Nemo around and assists her in helping her find her late father.
Slumberland is full of heart. It’s a visually stunning, wildly fun adventure for all ages. It’s based on the comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay. Some of you may remember the original animated adaptation, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, from 1989. I’d liken the story to Alice in Wonderland, which is high praise indeed!
Okja
Picture: Okja – Kate Street Picture / Netflix
In Okja, a young girl named Mija (Seo-Hyeon Ahn) lives in rural Korea with her best friend, a giant fantastical animal who’s something of a cross between a hippopotamus and an elephant. She cares for the animal, named Okja, for over a decade. Eventually, her family caught wind of the fantastical beast and shipped Okja to New York. Naturally, Mija sets a course to save her best friend.
Okja has a stacked cast, including Paul Dano, Tilda Swinton, and Jake Gyllenhaal. It is a lovely fantasy film and an excellent commentary on corporate greed and ethical matters. It received great critical acclaim, too, and currently stands at an impressive 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bright
Picture: Bright – Clubhouse Pictures / Netflix
When we think of orcs, most people picture a Middle-earth setting. Los Angeles is probably the last thing that comes to mind. But Bright steps away from all our preconceptions. Instead, it tells the story of LAPD officer Daryl Ward (Will Smith), who’s partnered with the first-ever orc officer, Nick, played by Joel Edgerton. It’s certainly a refreshing take on the fantasy genre- putting orcs and elves in real-world situations. The movie works well, too. I particularly loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Daryl and Nick.
Sadly, Bright 2 is no longer happening. While there were definitely plans to continue the story—a sequel was actually announced in January 2018—Netflix has since dropped the project altogether. Even so, Bright is a fun and refreshing fantasy movie; I certainly can’t omit it from this list.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Picture: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Necropia Entertainment / Netflix
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is one of my favorite Netflix Original movies. It’s sweet, charming, and delightful, and its inspired stop-motion style is some of the best animations you’ll see. The story is a loose adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s classic 1883 Italian novel. The tale of Pinocchio has been widely covered in the media throughout the years, perhaps most notably through Disney’s animated version and even the Shrek movies. But this one takes the crown as the best.
Del Toro’s version has a distinct charm, thanks mostly to the stop-motion. However, the changes to the story all feel vindicated and enhance the classic tale. You immediately feel this was a massive passion project for del Toro. Pinocchio’s critical success speaks volumes, too. The movie won the Academy Award for ‘Best Animated Feature’ and was nominated for three Golden Globe nominations.
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle
Picture: Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle – Imaginarium Productions
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle came out at a strange time. Two years prior, Disney released their own live-action The Jungle Book. It isn’t unusual in Hollywood to see multiple studios working on similar projects. However, audiences weren’t quite ready for a new Jungle Book movie so soon after Disney’s. It chronicles the events of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, about a boy, Mowgli, who is raised in the jungle by animals.
This adaptation is slightly darker and more serious than previous versions of the story, and it shares a closer tone to the original source material. Directed by Andy Serkis, the film boasts a wonderful cast, including Serkis himself, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, and Christian Bale. The movie was unfairly slated at the time of release, but looking back today, it’s aged pretty well. If you’re going to watch Netflix’s adaptation for the first time, it’s best to know it is vastly different to the more family-friendly Disney adaptations that came before.
Troll
Picture: Troll – Motion Blur Films
After premiering in 2022, Troll quickly became Netflix’s most popular non-English film. The movie is very much your typical giant monster flick. In this case, it’s a troll, a creature engrained in fantasy folklore, who unveils himself in Norway after being trapped for over 1000 years. Enraged, he destroys everything in his path, sparking national alarm. As the troll destroys his way through the Norwegian countryside, nearing the capital of Oslo, the residents must prepare for his attack.
What I like about Troll is how closely it leans towards Norwegian folklore. It feels very mystical, as well as an action-packed thriller. It doesn’t try to hide that it’s inspired by traditional Kaiju films — they even make a King Kong reference in the film.
Nightbooks
Picture: Nightbooks – Catchlight Studios / Netflix
Based on the novels by J.A. White, Nightbooks is a creepy fantasy film filled with magic and witches. It follows a young boy named Alex (Winslow Fegley), who gets trapped in a magical apartment, owned by evil witch Natacha (Krysten Ritter). In order for him to be spared his life, Alex must tell her one spooky story every night. While trapped, Alex finds another prisoner, Yasmin, whom he teams up with to find a means of escape.
Nightbooks is perfect for both fantasy and horror fans. It may not satisfy the needs of people looking for more depth from a fantasy film. But in terms of fun, family-friendly films, especially to watch around the Halloween season, look no further!
The School For Good and Evil
Pictured: The School for Good and Evil – Feigco Entertainment / Netflix
Thanks to Hogwarts, everyone loves a fantasy story featuring a school of magic. And while it may seem at first like The School for Good and Evil may be a Harry Potter rip-off, don’t turn away just yet. The School for Good and Evil stands on its own two feet. Based on the series of novels by Soman Chainani, the series follows two best friends, Sophie and Agatha, who attend the school. However, one is sent to the school for Good, and the other is sent to the school for Evil. The twist? Sophie and Agatha are sent to opposite the school they were expecting, And so naturally, as the story progresses, their friendship and morals are tested.
What I loved about this film is how the world is presented. It’s a fully fleshed-out fantasy world with a rich backstory, likely helped out by the fact that it’s based on a solid amount of source material. The story is a little predictable, but fantastic special effects and performances across the board help it out. Currently, Netflix has not commissioned a sequel, although director Paul Feig has previously expressed his desire to make more movies set in this world.
Damsel
Picture: Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie in Damsel – Netflix
Damsel was the most-watched Netflix Original film in the first half of 2024, garnering a staggering 143 million views. The movie stars Millie Bobby Brown as Princess Elodie, who agrees to marry the charming Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), only for it all to be a trap. Elodie is subsequently thrown into a cave, where there lurks a fearsome dragon — and the movie quickly turns into a brutal survival story.
Despite the fantastic viewership, the movie released to mixed reviews. Even so, the picture was popular enough to span different mediums, with author Evelyn Skye releasing a novelisation shortly before the film’s premiere.
What is your favorite fantasy movie on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
Netflix Synopsis: "A young woman's marriage to a charming prince turns into a fierce fight for survival when she's offered up as a sacrifice to a fire-breathing dragon."
