10 Most Perfect Fantasy Movies, Ranked

1 week ago 16

The-Wizard-of-Oz--Judy-Garland-Margaret-Hamilton-1

Published Jan 25, 2026, 10:25 AM EST

Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada.

Fantasy is perhaps the oldest and most diverse genre of storytelling. It's a chance for storytellers to make sense of the world around us and its various obstacles through fantastical imagery, such as fearsome beasts, brave heroes, and magic. From ancient myths to fairy tales, fantasy stories have inspired humans for countless generations, and will do so for as long as there are creative people to tell them.

When cinema took off in the early 20th century, fantasy stories were some of the first to be adapted. To this day, they remain some of the most visually distinct movies, utilizing impressive effects to bring the mythical worlds to life. Naturally, some withstand the test of time better than others, ensuring that they will never be forgotten by fans of cinema.

10 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad' (1958)

A cyclops fights a dragon in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

Ray Harryhausen was a legend among Hollywood effects artists thanks to his revolutionary stop-motion techniques. He excelled at creating monsters, and so lent his talent to numerous fantasy films. Each of his movies brought something unique and unforgettable to the table, but the one where everything clicked together perfectly was the first of his trilogy of Sinbad movies, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

The movie seamlessly blends Harryhausen's monsters in with the live-action footage, as best seen through a stellar duel between Kerwin Mathews' Sinbad and a skeletal warrior, which puts many of today's CGI-heavy duels to shame. Beyond the monsters, the movie stands as the textbook example of an adventure movie, with plenty of action, fantastic locations, and diverse characters to keep the audience's attention. Mathews is fantastic as the archetypal hero, while Kathryn Grant plays well off of him as Sinbad's fiancé, Princess Parisa, and Torin Thatcher has great on-screen presence as the villainous Sokurah.

9 'Pan's Labyrinth' (2006)

Ofelia looking scared at the foot of a hallway in Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro has established himself as one of the most creative directors currently in the business, and the undisputed king of dark fantasy movies. His magnum opus is Pan's Labyrinth, set in Francoist Spain, which focuses on a young girl's attempt to complete three tasks given to her by a magic faun. It holds the record for the longest standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, which saw the audience clapping for 22 minutes straight.

The movie is well deserved of such praise; its story juxtaposes the fantastical world that Ivana Baquero's Ophelia must navigate with the cruel brutality of the real world, and shows how one feeds into the other. The best representation of this is the horrific Pale Man, a grotesque monster with eyes in the middle of his hands, who can only feed on the flesh of children, much like how Francoist Spain devoured its own youth. The ending is a bittersweet affair that emphasizes kindness and self-sacrifice, and leaves itself open for interpretation regarding just how much magic was truly in the story.

8 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' (1937)

Snow White (Adriana Caselotti) sings to a group of forest animals in 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'.

When it became clear that Walt Disney's animation company couldn't just produce shorts forever, he decided to make the ambitious leap into feature films, and spent years training his animators through his Silly Symphony shorts. The project was quickly dubbed "Disney's Folly" by the Hollywood elite, and not without reason; it kept going overbudget, with Walt and his brother having to mortgage their homes and ask for a loan from Bank of America, and nobody thought that a cartoon could hold the audience's attention for 80 minutes. Still, Walt pressed on, and not only was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs a success, it has since been recognized as one of the most important films in cinema history.

There are so many reasons to love this movie, such as its beautiful animation and art design pulled straight from a European fairy tale book, to its charming characters and catchy music. Yet what truly makes it a masterpiece is how timeless it is. At its core, Snow White is a story about the virtues of kindness and how spreading it can bring out the best in others, while also cautioning against falling down the self-destructive spiral of envy and spite.

7 'The Princess Bride' (1987)

Westley about to kiss Buttercup while laying on the grass in The Princess Bride

Hollywood had tried for years to adapt William Goldman's The Princess Bride, but it wasn't until Rob Reiner took his shot at it that they finally got a film going. He brought in a strong cast including Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, and Andre the Giant, who was initially nervous to be in a movie, but ended up loving the experience thanks to how accommodating the cast and crew were. The film was initially a modest success, but it grew in popularity over the years, and is now one of the most iconic fantasy movies.

Part of the reason for the film's longevity is its tone. It knows exactly what kind of movie it is—a fun mixture of fairy tale whimsy, swashbuckling adventure, and tender romance—and invites audiences to come along for the ride. It's also full of memorable and quotable dialogue, with many of the best becoming staples of popular culture, such as Patinkin's iconic, "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

6 'The Adventures of Prince Achmed' (1926)

The silhouettes of a man and a woman kissing in 1926's The Adventures of Prince Achmed

Many people think that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first fully animated film, but that is only true for North America. Two Argentenian films by Quirino Cristiani were released in the 1910s, but were destroyed in studio fires. Thus, we look to Germany for the oldest surviving animated movie: Lotte Reiniger's adaptation of the One Thousand and One Nights, The Adventures of Prince Achmed.

The film is told in a unique shadow-puppet style against bright backgrounds, which evokes the feeling of listening to a story around a campfire, and fits perfectly with these ancient tales. This was achieved by manipulating cardboard cutouts, which allowed for precise movements and detailed transformations, especially from the more magical characters. The fact that there is no spoken dialogue highlights how impressive the animation is, as you can tell the character's emotions through body language and facial expressions alone.

5 'Spirited Away'

Chihiro holding into Haku as he flies above the river in Spirited Away.

Studio Ghibli is perhaps the most well-known and respected animation company from Japan. Its films, especially those directed by co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, are praised for their lavish animation, powerful themes, and strong characters, which have earned them fans all around the world. Miyazaki's magnum opus is easily Spirited Away, the film that pulled him out of early retirement, and became the first foreign animated film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Spirited Away is a powerful story that plays out like a Japanese version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with a young girl crossing into a fantastical world with its own logic and rules that she must adapt to or be consumed by. This is the perfect backdrop for a coming-of-age tale that sees young Chihiro forced to learn to survive on her own, while navigating personifications of capitalistic greed and environmental change while keeping a grip on her identity. Needless to say, every single frame oozes with creativity and detail, but the film also knows when to go for a minimalist approach and let music and strong visuals tell the story.

4 'The Thief of Bagdad' (1940)

June Duprez and John Justin smiling in 1940's The Thief of Bagdad

When talkies became the norm, many silent films were re-made to take advantage of these new leaps in technology. One of the best examples is The Thief of Bagdad, another re-telling of the One Thousand and One Nights, based on the 1924 film featuring a gripping performance by Conrad Veidt. The new film brought Veidt back to play the evil sorcerer, Jaffar, but it brought more than sound and color; it was also the first movie to use blue screen technology.

The film is very smart with how it uses the blue screens, only relying on them for some of the greatest magical feats, such as flying horses or a massive Djinn (Rex Ingram). While dated by today's standards, this restraint helps the blue screen effects hold up, and makes those elements of the movie feel alien and otherworldy. Aside from its effects, The Thief of Bagdad presents a very charming story about good vs. evil, with Veidt delivering a haunting performance as the villain, while Sabu steals the show as the lovable but rambunctious titular thief.

3 'The Seventh Seal' (1957)

Arguably the most powerful theme explored in fantasy stories is man's relationship with death. This is because of its universal nature: it is the great equalizer that is waiting for all of us, which inspires many stories about how humans wrestle with this grim reality. The best example is the Swedish masterpiece by Ingmar Bergman, The Seventh Seal, where Bengt Ekerot plays a personification of death who haunts a knight played by Max von Sydow.

Ekerot's take on death is one of the best put to screen, and acts as the baseline for all future personifications. Wearing nothing but a black robe that emphasizes his pale face, Ekerot plays death as a calm but unfeeling creature who cares only about his job. This leads to some fantastic exchanges between him and Sydow's knight, and makes for a terrific movie that explores finding the meaning of life when death is just around the corner.

2 'The Lord of the Rings trilogy' (2001-2003)

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings became the keystone for modern fantasy when it enthralled audiences around the world with its rich mythology, enthralling characters, and epic story about friendship, the passing of time, and the power of small acts of courage. Several attempts were made to turn it into a movie, including an animated film directed by Ralph Bakshi, which covered the first two books in the trilogy. The dream would finally be realized with Sir Peter Jackson's legendary trilogy, which used revolutionary effects to bring Middle-earth to life like never before.

Jackson's trilogy is one of the greatest ever made, and like the books it's based on, is one story spread out between three parts. Every detail was painstakingly crafted to make Middle-earth feel like a living, evolving world, including great care to make the cultures of the world feel distinct, to clever camera tricks to make the Hobbits appear smaller than the rest of the cast. Speaking of the cast, it's a legendary collection of actors who completely lose themselves in their respective roles, with standouts including Sir Ian McKellen as the beloved wizard Gandalf, and Andy Serkis as the tragic Gollum.

1 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939)

Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion look excited and smile in The Wizard of Oz.

L. Frank Baum wrote 14 books set in his magical world of Oz, but most people only know about the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, thanks to the MGM classic, The Wizard of Oz. When one looks at the production of the movie, with its numerous on-set accidents and poor Judy Garland drugged out of her mind, it's a miracle that the film made it to screen. Yet the team pushed on through the perils and turned out a musical masterpiece.

No other movie captures the magic of fantasy like The Wizard of Oz. It's a perfect embodiment of nostalgia and childhood imagination, especially through its use of Technicolor to separate the mundane world from the fantastical one. The characters all fit into classic archetypes that ensure they remain timeless and lovable, while Margaret Hamilton delivers an unforgettable performance as the Wicked Witch of the West that guarantees her a place among cinema's greatest villains.