As time goes on, fantasy keeps trying to reinvent itself, and over the past decade, it’s proven it definitely doesn’t need to follow formulas anymore. The genre in the 2020s hasn’t delivered that many new movies yet, but the ones that did come out landed with force. From multiverses and those epic sagas that catch everyone off guard to more intimate dramas, recent fantasy films have taken bigger risks, with bolder visuals and stories that demand more from the audience. Some leaned heavily into spectacle and magic, while others used the genre to confront viewers and push a message.
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That’s why we put together a list of the 10 best fantasy movies of the 2020s so far. Even though plenty of titles pulled solid audience numbers, only a few truly delivered.
10) Barbie
Barbie had everything it needed to go terribly wrong, especially since no one really knew what a live-action movie about a doll (even the most iconic one ever) was supposed to be. But the film shocked the world by turning the perfect life in Barbieland into a hilariously existential meltdown. The whole plot centers on Barbie (Margot Robbie) questioning who she is and what her purpose might be, and it’s in that reality check that the story shines and pulls the audience in. It’s basically a social satire, but it works because it never feels forced. It plays with beauty standards and gender expectations while delivering an absurdly colorful, pink-soaked aesthetic that sparked a global craze.
What’s most interesting about Barbie is how it builds its own world: cohesive, recognizable, and unique, but without relying on typical fantasy elements (and therefore avoiding clichés). It’s a fun mix of humor, adventure, and emotion, because it actually means something (you certainly tear up at what it’s trying to say). And the best part: it’s accessible to anyone without ever talking down to the viewer. It’s not epic, but it’s one of the best fantasy films of the decade simply because it knows exactly what it wants to be: a modern, light, personality-driven entry in the genre.
9) Wonka
When you fully give in to the whimsy, Wonka becomes one of the most delightful fantasy films anyone could watch in a long time (especially if you’re already a fan of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). The story dives into the origins of the iconic Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet), long before he becomes the owner of the biggest and most famous chocolate factory in fiction. And the real fun of the movie comes from how it builds an exaggerated, colorful world filled with Oompa-Loompas and wonderfully bizarre, creative inventions that feel like they were pulled straight out of a fairy tale. Plus, the musical format reinforces the magical vibe the film is absolutely committed to delivering.
For some people, aside from the visuals and Chalamet’s very strong performance, the story might not stand completely on its own. But the truth is that the fantasy here is intentionally more about aesthetics and fun than narrative depth. If you go in expecting a heavily structured plot with weighty genre elements, you’ll probably walk away disappointed. Wonka‘s whole intention is to pull the audience into its absurd universe and entertain through charm and comedic situations. It works best for viewers looking for an escape into a magical, charming reality.
8) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Back in the day, Beetlejuice wasn’t just a milestone in Tim Burton’s career — it became a cornerstone of pop culture. So when Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiered, it was inevitable that the audience turnout would be huge. The film is basically controlled chaos, the kind you end up loving even while fully aware that the narrative can get a little messy. The story follows Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), as she deals with the mischievous spirit Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) and the bizarre world of the dead. Visually, it’s wildly creative and filled with moments you genuinely haven’t seen in any other fantasy film. If Wonka is charming, this one is the kind of delightful madness you accept exactly because it’s unhinged.
The biggest strength of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is its nostalgia, not just for revisiting classic elements, but for instantly making you feel like you’ve stepped right back into that weird, unpredictable universe. And even with a slightly fragmented plot, it keeps your attention because you never know what absurd thing will happen next. Overall, it works because it doesn’t try to be too serious or too coherent. By the time it ends, you walk away laughing, impressed, just a little bit unsettled (in the best possible way), and wanting more.
7) Wicked
The biggest hit of 2024, Wicked, is the kind of fantasy that feels engineered to blow the audience’s mind. A spin-off of The Wizard of Oz, the story follows the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), and Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) before the classic tale everyone knows — with all the rivalry, friendship, and magic you’d expect. As a musical, it’s flawless, delivering the kind of emotional highs and goosebumps people hope for (especially in the final stretch). And when you factor in the costumes and production design, the magic is complete. The movie is visually stunning and incredibly easy to get absorbed in. It’s a spectacle.
Because the story (inspired by the Broadway musical and Gregory Maguire’s novel) is so large in scale, the adaptation had to be split into two parts. Wicked: For Good arrived carrying the same emotional intensity and does a strong job closing out the narrative. However, compared to the first film, it loses a few points in cohesion and emotional punch. Wicked simply stands out more for being visually richer, grander, and the audience’s first real impact with this version of Oz. It has energy, style, clarity, and, much like Barbie, it became a full-on cultural craze, even sparking a massive discussion about the moviegoing experience for musicals.
6) Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
This movie is exactly what you’d expect from a proper D&D adaptation. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves follows the bard Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine), who teams up with a mismatched group of allies to recover a stolen artifact. It’s fast, fun, and loaded with the kind of inside jokes longtime players love. And the real secret to its success goes beyond the action and humor: the movie fully understands the spirit of a tabletop RPG. Every character has a clear role, and the group works like a real party with banter, tension, teamwork, and chaotic choices. The battles are exciting, the locations are varied, and the magic is present without ever turning messy or excessive.
On top of that, the film knows how to play with fantasy clichés without feeling lazy. The protagonist isn’t a traditional hero: he’s charming, flawed, and a little bit of a scammer. The villains have clear motivations but still lean into just enough caricature to keep the tone light and fun. In the end, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves delivers exactly what it promises: classic fantasy with that “I want to jump into this world right now” energy. It also strikes a rare balance that works for both audiences: if you already play RPGs, you walk out wanting to start a campaign immediately, and if you don’t, you leave genuinely curious about what the game is all about.
5) Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Who doesn’t love Shrek? It’s the success of that franchise that made the Puss in Boots spin-off possible — and the second film goes all-in by adding a surprisingly more mature layer. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish follows the cat as he confronts his fear of death and faces his own mortality while still getting into wildly funny adventures. And one of the most interesting things here is how the movie stands out visually: everything is incredibly vibrant, with a distinct style and such detailed animation that it practically turns a kids’ movie into a tactile cinematic experience.
And it’s worth pointing out that this is also a fantasy film with genuinely strong character work, which naturally leads to real emotion. You actually care about what’s happening, even though you know it’s aimed at a younger audience — and that’s rare. Most animated fantasies rely solely on charm or jokes, but Puss in Boots: The Last Wish uses every narrative choice to reinforce Puss’s emotional arc (and nothing feels forced). You watch it and go through an entire range of feelings because the story is more complex and mature than the genre usually allows, all without losing its charm, humor, or sense of fun.
4) How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
The live-action How to Train Your Dragon earned plenty of praise from fans of the original animated trilogy, mainly because it stays faithful and delivers exactly what you’d expect from a fantasy of this scale: stunningly rendered dragons, fearless Vikings, and aerial battles that feel almost choreographed. And just that alone already says a lot. The story follows young Hiccup (Mason Thames) as he learns to connect with dragons and figure out his place in the world. It’s a film about growth, trust, and friendship, but it knows how to update the narrative. The emotional tension works, the humor is placed at the right moments, and the conflicts resolve in ways that go beyond magic and combat.
What really makes the How to Train Your Dragon live-action one of the best fantasy films of the 2020s is that it never loses its focus, because the tone balances action and heart in the right amount. Plus, the visual effects are top-tier, but always serve the story instead of trying to overwhelm the audience. The animated version is beloved, but for many viewers, this adaptation stands toe-to-toe with it. And even people who never watched the original get swept up in the film’s momentum. It’s basically proof that, in a decade where fantasy keeps trying to reinvent itself, the classic formula still works — as long as it’s well crafted.
3) Encanto
Encanto won an Oscar, so that already sets the tone. But why is this one of the most adored animated films in years, and deservedly so? Because it doesn’t treat fantasy as something distant or unreachable, it’s woven into the everyday lives of the Madrigal family, almost like an extension of their emotions and conflicts. The story follows Mirabel, the only family member without a magical gift, who must save the magic that keeps their home and community together. From there, the movie builds a colorful musical universe full of rhythm and personality, without losing sight of family dynamics and, especially, everyone’s individual insecurities.
But the real reason Encanto stands out as one of the best films is how it uses fantasy to talk about universal themes without falling into moral-of-the-story clichés. Every Madrigal power is a clear metaphor for identity, responsibility, expectations, and anxiety — things anyone can relate to, regardless of age. Mirabel exposes these cracks behind her family’s perfect façade, and the film doesn’t shy away from showing how that affects everyone. It’s easy to get swept up in the visuals and musical numbers, sure, but the story always pulls you back to the emotional core. In the end, Encanto proves that a movie doesn’t have to be massive to be impactful — it just has to be sincere.
2) Soul
It’s been a while since Soul premiered, but even today, whenever someone brings the Pixar movie up, the conversation immediately takes off. That’s because the movie struck a nerve with audiences by tackling a topic most movies avoid: death and what might come after. In this story, Joe Gardner is a passionate yet frustrated musician. After an accident, he ends up stuck between life and death and has to figure out who he is before he can return to his own body. The “The Great Before” world works as a fantasy realm because it breaks from reality to explore things that would be impossible to discuss literally: purpose, passion, failure, and the pressure to “be someone.”
The fantasy here is really just a tool to talk about something universally familiar: the struggle to find meaning in everyday life. Besides, the film’s themes are already emotional on their own, but Soul is incredibly smart about knowing how to turn abstract concepts into emotionally grounded moments, and even with its minimalist aesthetic and visual metaphors, it never stops being accessible (that’s where the balanced humor comes in). Basically, it’s an adult film disguised as a kids’ animation. You finish it and immediately start reflecting on your own life and the value of small moments.
1) The Green Knight
Although it’s one of the decade’s strongest fantasy movies, this kind of fantasy isn’t for everyone (which is exactly why so many people have never even heard of it). But the fact that The Green Knight isn’t accessible is the entire point. It’s not trying to win over the general audience; it’s deliberately crafting a sensory, symbolic, and unsettling experience that forces you to move at its pace. This isn’t conventional cinema. In the story, Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), nephew of King Arthur (Sean Harris), accepts a deadly challenge from the mysterious Green Knight (Ralph Ineson). From that moment on, every surreal encounter along the way plays like a moral puzzle, revealing far more about who he is than who he wants to be.
The fantasy here isn’t epic; it’s bold, weird, postmodern, filled with silence, symbols, ambiguous creatures, and scenes that feel almost dreamlike. The Green Knight builds a mysterious, atmospheric world and invites you to get lost without offering clear answers — and that’s exactly what makes it so great. Fantasy is usually tied to escapism, but in this case, it’s designed for pure reflection on maturity, courage, and responsibility. None of the scenes is meant to entertain; they’re meant to challenge you. And because it’s so unapologetically different, it’s an ambitious experience that’s absolutely worth checking out just to see what it’s all about.
Have you seen any of these movies? Which one’s your favorite? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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