While there are some truly epic fantasy TV shows out there, even the best cannot compare with some of these classic fantasy movies. The success of Game of Thrones changed television in many ways, but it also led to many looking for the next big fantasy series to bring to the small screen.
With the likes of The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time delivering blockbuster-level productions, it might seem like the fantasy genre is now cemented in the television world. However, from the fantasy masterpieces of the past to some more modern hits, these fantasy movies surpᴀss anything the small screen has delivered.
8
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Directed By Gore Verbinski
Sometimes, a great fantasy story can be made all the better with the right character to lead audiences through. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl defied many people’s expectations by turning the concept of a Disney theme park ride into a hugely entertaining blockbuster adventure. It also had the secret weapon of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Johnny Depp gives a wonderfully eccentric performance as Captain Jack, creating one of the most iconic movie heroes of the 21st century. With the high-seas fun, terrific fantasy plot, and big-scale action, Jack was an unexpected element that made the movie a little more special and something that could not be duplicated.
No fantasy show has created a character as wonderfully wild as Captain Jack, but he is also a character who would never work in a series. The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise proved that even Jack wears thin when overused. However, this first movie gave him the ideal adventure to present himself to the world.
7
Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Directed By Mel Stuart
Another fantasy character who would seemingly only work in a movie is Willy Wonka, but he is not the only reason Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory rises above all fantasy shows. Based on the story by Roald Dahl, the movie centers around the mysterious and brilliant chocolatier, Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), who opens his factory to some lucky customers.
The movie is a wondrous and magical trip through this improbable candy paradise, led by Wonka. Of course, the experience of being inside the chocolate factory is only so magical because it is a fleeting experience. The movie purposely makes the outside world dreary and cold, only for the movie to come alive inside the factory.
It is impossible for a TV show to capture that kind of magic, taking the audience out of one world and into an awe-inspiring new world. On a show, something as wondrous as the chocolate factory would become the norm after a couple of episodes, while the movie has the audience savoring every moment inside Wonka’s world.
6
Beauty And The Beast (1991)
Directed By Gary Trousdale And Kirk Wise
A definitive Disney Renaissance movie, Beauty and the Beast is a retelling of a classic fantasy story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Belle being imprisoned by the desperate and lonely Beast, only for the two to find a connection, may be a problematic romance, but it’s all the more impressive that audiences get swept up in it all.
There are very few fantasy shows that strike the right tone, being both a thrilling fantasy story and suitable for young audiences. Beauty and the Beast is a hugely entertaining adventure, but it is also filled with humor, colorful characters, and fun original songs (another thing that’s hard to pull off on television).
Despite Disney+ offering a new platform for the iconic studio to deliver fantasy stories to audiences, none of the fantasy shows on the streamer have ever been able to replicate the Disney magic in something like Beauty and the Beast.
5
The Princess Bride (1987)
Directed By Rob Reiner
Going back to series like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, there have long been attempts to combine the fantasy genre with a comedic style. However, The Princess Bride is the greatest marriage of these two sensibilities in its story of a dashing hero and a farm girl whose love is put at risk by a villainous lord.
The Princess Bride builds its own rich and complete fantasy world inside this charming storybook. However, it is then filled with humor that is unique and different from what you would find in any other fantasy movie. It is easy to get wrapped up in the fantasy world, but The Princess Bride is also hilarious from beginning to end.
When it comes to TV shows that try to blend these two elements, it feels as though they are often forced to choose between being more of a comedy or more of a fantasy story. The Princess Bride is confident in both aspects and creates something all its own.
4
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Directed By Ingmar Bergman
Many of the great fantasy TV shows offer spectacle and escapism, which is perfectly valid. However, The Seventh Seal shows the brilliance that can come from using the genre to explore deeper philosophical topics. Set during the Black Plague in the aftermath of the Crusades, the movie follows a knight playing a game of chess with the Grim Reaper.
Though there are dark fantasy movies that take bold swings with the genre, The Seventh Seal is a complex and compelling experience as well as a truly astounding cinematic offering. Its stark black-and-white pH๏τography perfectly captures the tone of the movie and elevates its dreamlike quality.
There is nothing wrong with fantasy stories filled with big battles and fantastical creatures, as that is often what fans are looking for from the genre. However, only a movie could succeed in the thoughtful and quiet take on the genre that The Seventh Seal provides.
3
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
Directed By Frank Capra
Along with being a brilliant fantasy movie, It’s a Wonderful Life also remains one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. James Stewart gives an endearing performance as George Bailey, a noble family man whose life is thrown into chaos on New Year’s Eve, leading to an angel reminding him how special he is.
It’s a Wonderful Life is not as overtly fantastical as some other movies in the genre, as much of the movie is simply watching this man’s life over the years. However, It’s a Wonderful Life uses its fantasy elements to give its message, which has resonated with so many people for so long.
One of the main differences between television storytelling and movie storytelling is that a movie will have the end of its story in sight from the beginning. It’s a Wonderful Life builds its story beautifully, with each moment a key piece in the path towards that beautiful final message.
2
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Directed By Victor Fleming
Though The Wizard of Oz was not the first movie to use color, its use of it in one iconic moment created arguably the most perfect moment in fantasy movie history. Dorothy Gale’s journey to the land of Oz is a wonderful fantasy adventure that has inspired countless stories that followed, with its larger-than-life characters, memorable songs, and unique world.
The moment Dorothy steps out of her black-and-white house and into the Technicolor world of Oz is a truly transporting experience that few movies have ever been able to match, let alone a TV show. Even an acclaimed movie like Wicked failed to really capture the magic of that original movie.
The Wizard of Oz is one of those timeless fantasy stories that shows the excitement of leaving your world and entering a new one, while also showing the comfort of coming back home.
1
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
Directed By Peter Jackson
As impressive as the production design for The Rings of Power is, it is a reminder that a TV show will never be able to recreate what Peter Jackson did on the big screen with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was an ambitious mission to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but the result was an unrivaled cinematic experience.
From the world-building thrills of The Fellowship of the Rings to the mounting dread of The Two Towers to the epic conclusion of The Return of the King, each part of this story is a brilliant accomplishment in fantasy storytelling. Even with the Lord of the Rings movies cutting so much book material, Jackson created a vast and alive Middle-earth.
There are plenty of fans who likely would have wanted to see these stories expanded even more, but the three movies make for a complete fantasy story and one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time.
