The Best Fantasy Movies on Netflix Right Now (October 2023)

While a Goosebumps movie kind of sounds like a bad idea, the 2015 adaptation of the popular R.L. Stine book series is shockingly great. The trick was making Stine a character in the movie, as Jack Black plays the author who attempts to come to the rescue when some nosy kids accidentally let loose the monsters from his many spooky stories. Just like the books themselves this one is horror-tinged but not too hardcore, making it an excellent choice for youngsters. – Adam Chitwood

A live-action feature adaptation of the hit anime series, Fullmetal Alchemist, which was adapted from the original manga of the same name, follows two brothers, Edward (Ryôsuke Yamada) and Al, who have the power to transmute matter: an art called alchemy. After a horrific accident during a failed attempt to resurrect their mother, Ed is left with one arm and one leg, while Al is left bodiless. Ed vows to recover his brother’s lost body, so they venture on a quest to find the mythological Philosopher’s Stone. Fullmetal Alchemist is an action-packed adventure feature full of heart and humor, leaning into its foundation of manga and anime and allowing audiences to enjoy the genuine message in the undoubtedly sometimes goofy story. – Yael Tygiel

Based on the graphic novel by the amazingly talented queer visionary ND Stevenson, Nimona is a comedic and stylistic fantasy story that will pull at your heartstrings. Set in a futuristic world blended with a medieval cultural aesthetic, the film follows the disgraced knight Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), who is on the run after being framed for the Queen’s murder. While trying to clear his name, he reluctantly befriends Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a shapeshifting teenager who wants to be his villainous sidekick. Moretz and Ahmed are wonderful together as their characters grow to trust one another, which is only enhanced by the dynamite writing filled with organic and quick-paced banter. – Tauri Miller

Demián Bichir (Let the Right One In) stars with young actor Evan Whitten in Chupa, an adorable family film directed by Jonás Cuarón. Chupa charmingly explores the mysterious and mythical creature, told through a unique story about a young teen (Whitten) who discovers the strange and beautiful being when visiting relatives in Mexico. Co-starring icon Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) and an undeniably cute CGI chupacabra creature reminiscent of a Gremlin, Chupa is a delightful movie for the whole family. Bursting with whimsy, as well as some creative action and stunts, Chupa is built on a gorgeous tale of family, heart, and a hint of mystery. – Yael Tygiel

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring launched director Peter Jackson into icon status as the first film in the illustrious Lord of the Rings franchise. The Fellowship of the Ring gathers an incredible ensemble cast for the epic fantasy saga, starting with Elijah Wood playing the meek Hobbit Frodo, who leaves the safety of the Shire with a diverse set of companions from various creatures and species to journey across Middle-earth with a singular mission: to destroy a powerful ring from a dark wizard. Supporting Wood on his quest are actors Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, and Ian McKellen, among many others, earning the adventure film series a slew of awards and accolades. – Yael Tygiel

While filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld is best known as the director of Men in Black and the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events, his signature style was on full display in his directorial debut: the 1991 adaptation The Addams Family. While this movie may not be suitable for all kids, it’s got a spooky, creepy sensibility that will appeal strongly to certain folks without crossing the line into inappropriate territory. The production design is gorgeous, the performances are delightfully kooky, but above all the throughline of humor makes The Addams Family a supremely entertaining watch. – Adam Chitwood

Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley) and Mark Gustafson (The PJs) team up to create the exquisitely crafted claymation film Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Pinocchio is the story of an Italian woodcarver named Geppetto, voiced by David Bradley (Doctor Who), whose grief-filled wish magically breathes life into his wooden marionette Pinocchio (Gregory Mann). With the two brilliant directors working collectively to highlight the deliberately intricate art and whimsical music of this dark adaptation, Pinocchio is an enchanting rendition of the classic tale. Featuring an unbelievable cast, including Ron Perlman, John Turturro, and Cate Blanchett, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio truly stands undeniably apart. – Yael Tygiel

Set in a fantastical land where young women are separated into opposing enchanted schools to learn the ways of Princesses and Witches, The School for Good and Evil is a whimsical movie from director Paul Feig (Ghostbusters), who co-wrote the story, based on Soman Chainani’s book, with David Magee. Alongside glorious performances from Charlize Theron (The Old Guard) and Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere), The School for Good and Evil stars Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie as prospective students Sophie and Agatha. Exploring the nature of humanity, the balance of positive and negative, and the strength of friendship through a playful adventure, The School for Good and Evil is an elegantly thoughtful movie for audiences of all ages. – Yael Tygiel

Dracula Untold is a creative origin story for one of the most iconic gothic figures in all of vampire lore. Set in 1462 Transylvania, Dracula Untold reveals how, when the son of Prince Vlad (Luke Evans) is drafted by the Turk Sultan (Dominic Cooper) to an unjust war, Vlad makes a deal with the Master Vampire (Charles Dance) to save his family and his kingdom, turning him into Dracula. Director Gary Shore allows Dracula Untold to be more than just a monster movie, weaving in a Faustian tale alongside an epic war drama and sword fighting, shrewdly increasing the gore and bloodshed expected in a vampire flick. – Yael Tygiel

Before Julie Plec’s Peacock series, a film adaptation of The Vampire Academy was brought to the big screen by Mark Waters starring Zoey Deutch and Lucy Fry as the best friends from opposite sides of the proverbial track. Building on the richly complex mythology laid out in Richelle Mead’s novels, The Vampire Academy dives into the class systems and vampire traditions of Moroi, peaceful vampires who discreetly live within our world, protected by half-vampire guardians called Dhampir. The Vampire Academy places Deutch and Fry at the forefront as they train to take their places in society while battling for love, friendship, and against their bloodthirsty, immortal Vampire enemies: the Strigoi. – Yael Tygiel

Blake Lively (A Simple Favor) stars in The Age of Adaline, a unique and intriguing story of the life and loves of an enigmatic woman who ceases to age after a car accident. As the titular Adaline, Lively seamlessly transitions through decades and styles, believably shouldering the weight of an old soul until ultimately falling in love with the unequivocally handsome Michiel Huisman (The Flight Attendant). Director Lee Toland Krieger (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) beautifully toys with light and color, framing his star-studded cast deliberately, using these elements to build a delightful romance brimming with fantastical mythology. – Yael Tygiel

Based on the horror-fantasy children’s book by J. A. White, Nightbooks is about a young, creative kid named Alex (Winslow Fegley) who loves to write scary stories. However, after his parents become concerned about his mental health, he promises to burn all of them and never write again. On his way to do this, he gets kidnapped by a witch named Natacha (Krysten Ritter), who forces him to continue writing stories or else be turned into a figurine. He, along with the help of his friend – another imprisoned child named Yazmin (Lidya Jewett) – must outsmart the witch and break free. Nightbooks effectively serves up scares for its young audience, and its compelling story makes it an entertaining watch for older viewers, too. – Taylor Gates

Afterlife of the Party revolves around Cassie (Victoria Justice) and Lisa (Midori Francis), two women who have been best friends since first grade. Now, however, they are beginning to drift apart, as Cassie loves to party while Lisa is more of a homebody. After getting into a huge fight one night, Cassie dies and is tasked with serving as a guardian angel before being allowed to enter heaven. One of the people on that list? None other than Lisa. If you’re looking for a unique comedy with a surprising amount of heart, look no further – Afterlife of the Party is an entertaining tale of friendship and forgiveness. – Taylor Gates

Bleach is ranked as one of the best supernatural manga turned live-action adaptation films. Ichigo Kurosaki, played by Sôta Fukushi, is just your average teenage boy with the gift of a sixth sense. He’s a Soul Reaper who not only sees ghosts but also sees Hollows, a race of creatures born from human souls that do not cross over after death, instead corrupting spirits and devouring the souls of both the living and the dead. Fukushi seamlessly embodies the Zanpakuto-wielding soul reaper, protecting Karakura Town with a sense of earnestness in an otherworldly story that could easily have felt cheap and gimmicky. Director Shinsuke Sato navigates the worlds of life and death, light and dark, while showcasing gorgeous special effects and capturing the canon with a faithful set and costume design. – Yael Tygiel

Despite what the title might suggest, A Monster Calls isn’t a horror movie — it’s a richly metaphorical drama that centers around the way that children choose to process grief. The film follows the young boy Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall), whose mother (Felicity Jones) is on her deathbed. Lewis has visions of a giant, fantastical creature (voiced by Liam Neeson), who gives him the sort of wisdom that he never got from his own absent father (Toby Kebbell). It’s clear that most of these fantasies are in Conor’s head; regardless, J.A. Bayona’s wondrous visual spectacle brings Connor’s most vivid dreams to life. –Liam Gaughan

Night Teeth is a vampire movie like you’ve never seen before. The film follows Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), a chauffeur hired to drive two friends, Blaire (Debby Ryan) and Zoe (Lucy Fry), to several parties around Los Angeles. The catch? The two women are vampires – and they’re about to cause some serious chaos. With sleek cinematography and some genuine laughs and scares alike, Night Teeth is stylish and campy fun. – Taylor Gates

An action thrill-ride that is still slept on to this day, The Old Guard is a superhero movie all its own that packs a real punch in everything from its crushing combat sequences to the prevailing heart found in each one of its characters. It stars a typically resolute Charlize Theron as Andy, the head of a group of immortal mercenaries who must undertake a revenge mission after being set-up by someone they trusted. The twist is that the reason for their immortality is that all the members have regenerative healing abilities that ensure they can take quite a beating and keep going. Adapted from the comic book of the same name by Greg Rucka and brought to life with a razor-sharp eye by director Gina Prince-Bythewood, the film also sees a scene-stealing KiKi Layne command the screen as Nile to make it a must-see for any lover of action cinema. – Chase Hutchinson

Based in part on the legendary Chinese mythological story of Chang’e, Over the Moon is a cheery and heartfelt animated feature. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking when it comes to this movie, but the exploration into Chinese mythology is relatively new for Western animation. The film was also screenwriter Audrey Wells‘ final film and demonstrates the comedy and heart that was so often found in her films. A family-friendly toe-tapping movie, Over the Moon came out rather quietly during the pandemic but still warrants a look for those looking for a good time. — Therese Lacson

Is it fantasy? It’s fantasy enough to deserve a spot in the fantasy category of Netflix’s movie catalog. Irreverent and iconic, if you’re one of the few people who haven’t seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, now is your perfect opportunity. From clopping coconuts to mere flesh wounds, this movie is packed full of references that remain funny even upon revisiting. Follow King Arthur and his knight as they quest, coming across foes, temptations, and evil rabbits, it’s silly, it’s funny, it’s a joy! — Therese Lacson

In an alternate universe world, fantasy creatures exist alongside humans in a modern urban fantasy by David Ayer. While Bright didn’t win too many favors with the critics, Will Smith and Joel Edgerton play an intriguing pair of cops who battle not only personal prejudices but also criminals and opposition as cops on the beat in the city of angels. Urban fantasy is a lesser-explored subgenre in media but with it, stories are able to tackle real-world modern issues through a fantastical lens, like in Bright. A surprisingly star-studded cast and an exciting new world turned this into a hit among audiences and became a one of Netflix’s most-streamed movies ever. — Therese Lacson

Seventh Son is unabashedly a fantasy film. The glorious cinematography, the ‘spooks’, the witches, the monsters, they all clearly signpost this film as a product of its genre. Based on the first book in Joseph Delaney’s The Wardstone Chronicles, the film stars Ben Barnes as the titular seventh son, who is destined to save the world from Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore). He just needs some training before he fights her, so who better to guide him than the last member of the society of knights, Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges)? Seventh Son may seem derivative and unoriginal, but it’s also ridiculously fun. The film is irreverent, a refreshing change for a genre that tends to take itself too seriously. There are sparks of humor that keep you going. Moore and Bridges are at their scenery-chewing best, and the supporting cast is littered with familiar faces. For Shadow and Bone fans, you won’t want to miss Barnes playing an out-of-sorts and somewhat vulnerable hero. This is no Darkling, but Barnes’ Tom Ward is a far cry from Prince Caspian. – Monita Mohan