Peacock Brings More Nostalgia to the Lineup With the Best Family Movie of 1996 (And It’s Just as Good Nearly 30 Years later)

November 5, 2025, 1:00pm

The ‘90s were a great decade for the family movie, and 1996 continued the trend with some of the most beloved releases of the decade. From films like 101 Dalmatians to Space Jam, James and the Giant Peach, and Muppet Treasure Island, 1996 was one of the biggest and most successful years for family-friendly movies. Many of those movies are still beloved today, and movie lovers looking for a nostalgic, family-friendly viewing option can now stream one of the best family movies from 1996 on Peacock.

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As the NBCUniversal streamer began updating its library for November, Danny DeVito’s witty adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel Matilda started streaming. The iconic family film stars Mara Wilson as Matilda Wormwood, a 6-year-old girl with psychokinetic abilities who uses her superpowers to push back against her crude family and her school’s tyrannical principal, Agatha Trunchbull. The film joined Peacock’s streaming library on November 1st, but with content catalogs constantly updating, it’s unclear how long Matilda will call Peacock its streaming home.

Matilda Still Holds Up Today

Despite nearly 30 years having passed since Matilda first hit the big screen, the movie is just as beloved today as it was back then. The film owes much of its longevity to the fact that it is a true family movie that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages, Matilda offering a great and empowering story packed with plenty of visual gags and humor to keep younger viewers invested while also never shying away from exploring tougher issues such as neglect and bullying.

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Matilda is one of those rare films that gets better with age, allowing returning viewers to find new appreciation for it on repeat watches, and continues to grow in popularity and critical appreciation. The movie features several standout performances from the ‘90s, including Pam Ferris as Miss Trunchbull and Embeth Davidtz as Miss Honey, who has become a pop culture icon, solidifying Matilda’s relevance today. Now considered a quintessential ‘90s movie and one of the best family movies ever, Matilda is so beloved that it is the fourth-most-logged movie from 1996 on Letterboxd, placing it far above other family movies of that same year like Space Jam, which places at No. 13.

What’s New on Peacock?

Peacock subscribers looking for more movies to add to their watchlists have a long list of new streaming options. Matilda started streaming on Peacock on November 1st alongside a roster of other family-friendly movies, including several Despicable Me films, The Croods, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The Hat, Little Rascals, Marmaduke, Nanny McPhee, and Paddington. Other newly streaming movies include the original Jurassic Park trilogy, Bring It On, Dunkirk, The Intern, and Les Miserables.