3 Fantasy Movies From 2001 That ’90s Kids Are Still Obsessed With Today (& They All Have New Releases Coming)

While sci-fi is the dominant blockbuster genre now, the fantasy genre had a renaissance in the early 2000s, with tons of major franchises taking viewers into sprawling, magical worlds. Three of the biggest fantasy movie genres of all time got their start in 2001, and all three of them are still running today.

Due to these three films being some of the biggest blockbusters of the decade, it isn’t surprising that they resonated with kids of the ’90s. Kids of the 1990s were becoming old enough for slightly more mature projects by 2001, and these fantasy movies were there to cater to this demographic. So, here are the three 2001 fantasy movies that kids of the 1990s, and many more, can’t get enough of.

3) Shrek

Throughout the 1990s, Disney’s slate of animated fantasy films defined the childhoods of thousands of kids. Stories like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Hercules are still some of the most well-known fantasy movies of all time. So, when a competitor arose in the form of DreamWorks, it was obvious how they should kick the door open. 2001’s Shrek is the film that cemented DreamWorks’ identity. While the studio’s previous hand-drawn ventures attempted to recreate the Disney formula, Shrek turned things on its head by satirizing Disney’s typical fare. The all-star cast, soundtrack, and dozens of pop culture references led to Shrek being a massive success and one of the most iconic animated movies of all time.

Shrek‘s longevity was proven in the massive amount of follow-ups it received. The film has already received three proper sequels, two spin-off Puss in Boots movies, and tons of animated specials, theme park rides, and more. Now, over two decades after the release of the original film, Shrek 5 is on the way, with it hitting theaters on June 30, 2027. Shrek is still DreamWorks’ most iconic movie, and very few animated films have managed to become as beloved as it in the years since.

2) The Lord of the Rings

When it comes to fantasy literature with staying power, it is hard to find anything with as much as The Lord of the Rings. Years after the release of 1937’s The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien redefined the world of Middle-Earth with the release of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first entry in the iconic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The subsequent novels and other works set in Middle-Earth turned the franchise into one of the most beloved of all time, meaning that it was ripe for a movie. So, when it came time to adapt the impossible-to-adapt stories, director Peter Jackson stepped up to the plate with the release of 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy has gone on to be known as one of the best trilogies of all time, with each of the three films being critically acclaimed and massive box office hits. So, when the ’90s kids reached the final entry in 2003, they wanted more. Subsequent entries like The Hobbit trilogy, The Rings of Power TV show, and The War of the Rohirrim animated prequel tried and failed to recreate the feeling of the original movies. So, fans from the early 2000s still have an itch that hasn’t been scratched, and hopefully the upcoming The Hunt for Gollum movie will finally pull this off.

1) Harry Potter

It is nearly impossible to find a fantasy fandom as dedicated as the one surrounding Harry Potter, and it is still as strong as ever. The original Harry Potter books are the entry point to high fantasy for many young readers, and the craze that surrounded the original novels meant that a movie series was inevitable. 2001 saw the release of the first movie, 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which brought the iconic cast of wizards and muggles to the big screen for the first time. The movie series continued until the final film’s release in 2011, but that was far from the end of the franchise.

The three Fantastic Beasts films continued to expand the movie series, although they weren’t as popular as the original films. However, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort made the fandom explode even further. Fans from all over jumped on the opportunity to visit the world of the franchise in real life, including merchandise in the form of wands, robes, and more. Despite it being over 15 years since the last mainline movie was released, the Harry Potter fandom is stronger than ever, and kids of the ’90s may never let it die.

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