The Jurassic Park franchise is credited with defining modern dinosaur movies, but years before he launched what would become one of the highest-grossing movie franchises of all time with his 1993 blockbuster movie Jurassic Park, Steven Spielberg was attached to another beloved dinosaur film. The animated movie from 1988 spins a much more heartwarming tale and remains one of the best dinosaur movies ever. As fans await Jurassic World Rebirth’s streaming debut after the movie broke numerous box office records, they can now stream the best dinosaur movie not in the Jurassic Park franchise after it joined Netflix’s streaming lineup in September.
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The movie in question is The Land Before Time. Don Bluth’s 1988 classic, which Spielberg executive produced, started streaming on Netflix on September 1st. The movie is set in prehistoric times and centers around Littlefoot, a young brown Apatosaurus orphaned after his mother dies protecting him. Together with his friend Cera, he sets out on an adventure to find the legendary Great Valley, where he will be reunited with others of his kind, meeting a variety of new friends along the way. The film’s voice cast includes Judith Barsi, Burke Byrnes, Gabriel Damon, Bill Erwin, Pat Hingle, Candace Hutson, Will Ryan, and Helen Shaver.
Why You Should Watch The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time is one of the most beloved animated films of the ‘80s, and for good reason. Beautifully animated and featuring a powerful score, the movie balances a high-stakes adventure with an uplifting and heartfelt story that resonates with viewers of all ages. The characters at the heart of the story are instantly loveable, and their journey to return home, a path that explores themes of friendship, teamwork, and survival, is relatable and brings plenty of emotional depth to the movie.
Although the movie didn’t reach the same heights that Spielberg’s Jurassic Park would just a few years later (that 1993 movie went on to gross over $914 million worldwide), The Land Before Time was a success in every aspect of the word. Produced on a $12.3 million budget, the movie grossed $84.5 million globally, making it a box office success. The film was also well-received by critics and currently holds a 65% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the audience rating sits at 79%. Decades later, The Land Before Time remains an animated classic and is a film that not only continues to appeal to new generations of viewers but is also endlessly rewatchable for audiences of all ages.
Other Family-Friendly Movies Now on Netflix
Netflix’s September 2025 content lineup features plenty of streaming options that the entire family can enjoy. In addition to The Land Before Time, September 1st brought beloved titles like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Paddington, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Nearly the entire Shrek franchise is also streaming on Netflix. On September 8th, the streamer debuted its new Dr. Seuss adaptation, Dr. Seuss’s Red Fish, Blue Fish, a new Netflix original family title that will be followed by two more adaptations in October and November.
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