Best Movies like Maleficent (2014)

Snow White and the Huntsman shares a dark reimagining of a classic fairy tale, centering on powerful female characters, magical kingdoms, and betrayal as a catalyst for transformation. The focus on an enchanted forest setting and a struggle for power closely mirrors the narrative structure found in Maleficent.

After the Evil Queen marries the King, she performs a violent coup in which the King is murdered and his daughter, Snow White, is taken captive. Almost a decade later, a grown Snow White is still in the clutches of the Queen. In order to obtain immortality, The Evil Queen needs the heart of Snow White. After Snow escapes the castle, the Queen sends the Huntsman to find her in the Dark Forest. Snow White and the Huntsman is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 7m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.0 by 8,293 people. The movie made an estimated total of $396,600,000 in the box office.

The Huntsman: Winter's War explores themes of loyalty, magic, and the consequences of personal vendettas within a fantastical kingdom. Like Maleficent, it features fairy tale elements, a fractured royal family, and battles that decide the fate of both humans and magical beings.

As two evil sisters prepare to conquer the land, two renegades—Eric the Huntsman, who aided Snow White in defeating Ravenna in Snowwhite and the Huntsman, and his forbidden lover, Sara—set out to stop them. The Huntsman: Winter's War is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.3 by 5,082 people. The movie made an estimated total of $164,989,338 in the box office.

Pan's Labyrinth weaves together a rich fantasy world with moral complexities, highlighting a young protagonist drawn into magical conflict amidst war. Both films juxtapose enchanting and dark elements, using fantasy settings to explore the impact of violence and loss of innocence.

In post–civil war Spain, 10-year-old Ofelia moves with her pregnant mother to live under the control of her cruel stepfather. Drawn into a mysterious labyrinth, she meets a faun who reveals that she may be a lost princess from an underground kingdom. To return to her true father, she must complete a series of surreal and perilous tasks that blur the line between reality and fantasy. Pan's Labyrinth is a movie from Mexico in Spanish, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.8 by 11,608 people. The movie made an estimated total of $83,258,226 in the box office.

Stardust blends adventure, romance, and a journey through mystical realms where powerful magical beings influence mortal destinies. Both films revolve around characters navigating enchanted landscapes, discovering unexpected truths, and challenging the boundaries between good and evil.

In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm. His journey takes him into a world beyond his wildest dreams and reveals his true identity. Stardust is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 7m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.3 by 4,519 people. The movie made an estimated total of $137,500,000 in the box office.

Cinderella, like Maleficent, is a live-action adaptation of a classic fairy tale focusing on themes of transformation, forgiveness, and the magical influences that guide the heroine's fate. The interplay between royal families and magical protectors connects the two stories closely.

When her father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger in the woods. Cinderella is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 6.8 by 7,471 people. The movie made an estimated total of $543,514,353 in the box office.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is set in a mythical land threatened by a powerful adversary, featuring a clash between magical and human forces to restore harmony. Both films employ epic battles and explore the transformative journeys of central characters.

Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 23m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 7.1 by 11,651 people. The movie made an estimated total of $745,013,115 in the box office.

Mirror Mirror reinvents the Snow White fairy tale with a magical kingdom, a formidable female antagonist, and a focus on themes of love, justice, and self-discovery, paralleling Maleficent’s new perspective on familiar folklore and its blend of whimsy with darker undertones.

After she spends all her money, an evil enchantress queen schemes to marry a handsome, wealthy prince. There's just one problem - he's in love with a beautiful princess, Snow White. Now, joined by seven rebellious dwarves, Snow White launches an epic battle of good vs. evil... Mirror Mirror is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 5.9 by 3,305 people. The movie made an estimated total of $183,018,522 in the box office.

Ella Enchanted features a young woman struggling against a magical curse imposed by another’s will, navigating enchanted environments while seeking autonomy and love. The film’s use of fairy tale logic and character growth echoes several key aspects of Maleficent.

Ella lives in a magical world in which each child, at the moment of their birth, is given a virtuous "gift" from a fairy godmother. Ella's so-called gift, however, is obedience. This birthright proves itself to be quite the curse once Ella finds herself in the hands of several unscrupulous characters whom she quite literally cannot disobey. Determined to gain control of her life and decisions, Ella sets off on a journey to find her fairy godmother who she hopes will lift the curse. The path, however, isn't easy -- Ella must outwit a slew of unpleasant obstacles including ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, elves and Prince Charmont's evil uncle, who wants to take over the crown and rule the kingdom. Ella Enchanted is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 6.5 by 1,994 people. The movie made an estimated total of $27,400,000 in the box office.

The NeverEnding Story unfolds in a richly imaginative world threatened by destruction, centering on a young protagonist who discovers inner bravery in the face of magical turmoil. Similar to Maleficent, it balances fantastical adventure with deeper themes of loss and redemption.

While hiding from bullies in his school's attic, a young boy discovers the extraordinary land of Fantasia, through a magical book called The Neverending Story. The book tells the tale of Atreyu, a young warrior who, with the help of a luck dragon named Falkor, must save Fantasia from the destruction of The Nothing. The NeverEnding Story is a movie from Germany in German, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1984 with an average rating of 7.2 by 4,443 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,158,808 in the box office.

The Golden Compass presents a magical world with warring factions, powerful relics, and a resourceful heroine journeying to uncover hidden truths. Both films immerse viewers in richly detailed fantasy universes and highlight the struggle between innocence, power, and betrayal.

In a parallel universe, after overhearing a shocking secret, precocious orphan Lyra Belacqua trades her carefree existence roaming the halls of Jordan College for an otherworldly adventure in the far North, unaware that it's part of her destiny. The Golden Compass is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.1 by 4,889 people. The movie made an estimated total of $372,234,864 in the box office.

The Secret of Moonacre follows a young heroine navigating an enchanted estate, unraveling family secrets, and restoring balance between magical rival factions. Its fairy tale origins, magical setting, and themes of healing and hope mirror those found in Maleficent.

When 13 year old Maria Merryweather's father dies, leaving her orphaned and homeless, she is forced to leave her luxurious London life to go and live with Sir Benjamin, an eccentric uncle she didn't know she had, at the mysterious Moonacre Manor. The Secret of Moonacre is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.6 by 506 people. The movie made an estimated total of $7,162,618 in the box office.

Enchanted bridges fairy tale and real-world settings as a storybook character must adapt after being exiled, exploring self-discovery and love beyond magical boundaries. Like Maleficent, it deconstructs classic myths with humor and heart while retaining a strong fantasy sensibility.

The beautiful princess Giselle is banished by an evil queen from her magical, musical animated land and finds herself in the gritty reality of the streets of modern-day Manhattan. Shocked by this strange new environment that doesn't operate on a "happily ever after" basis, Giselle is now adrift in a chaotic world badly in need of enchantment. But when Giselle begins to fall in love with a charmingly flawed divorce lawyer who has come to her aid - even though she is already promised to a perfect fairy tale prince back home - she has to wonder: Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world? Enchanted is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.8 by 5,770 people. The movie made an estimated total of $340,487,652 in the box office.

Jack the Giant Slayer shares a revised approach to well-known fairy tales, centering on the chaos unleashed between human and magical worlds. Both films present unlikely heroes, enchanted battles, and high-stakes consequences tied to longstanding legends.

The story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend–and gets the chance to become a legend himself. Jack the Giant Slayer is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 5.9 by 5,307 people. The movie made an estimated total of $197,700,000 in the box office.

Alice in Wonderland features a heroine navigating a surreal, magical realm ruled by unpredictable monarchs and creatures, reflecting Maleficent’s journey through a fantastical kingdom fraught with betrayal and shifting alliances.

Alice, now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny. Alice in Wonderland is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.6 by 14,947 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,025,467,110 in the box office.

The BFG centers on an unlikely partnership between a young protagonist and a magical being, set in an extraordinary world where the fate of children and kingdoms hangs in the balance. Both films emphasize empathy and transformation within visually imaginative settings.

An orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world. The BFG is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.3 by 3,673 people. The movie made an estimated total of $195,243,411 in the box office.

Bridge to Terabithia explores a hidden fantasy world discovered by children seeking escape and connection, weaving together real-life challenges, friendship, and the transformative power of imagination—shared thematic ground with Maleficent’s blend of magic and emotional growth.

Jesse Aarons trained all summer to become the fastest runner in school. So he's very upset when newcomer Leslie Burke outruns him and everyone else. Despite this and other differences including that she's rich, he's poor, she's a city girl, and he's a country boy the two become fast friends. Together they create Terabithia, a land of monsters, trolls, ogres, and giants where they rule as king and queen. Bridge to Terabithia is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.3 by 5,387 people. The movie made an estimated total of $137,587,063 in the box office.

Beastly updates a classic fairy tale narrative focused on inner transformation, curses, and the redemptive possibilities of love. This re-examination of villainy and redemption aligns closely with Maleficent’s reinterpretation of traditional fairy tale motifs.

A modern-day take on the "Beauty and the Beast" tale where a New York teen is transformed into a hideous monster in order to find true love. Beastly is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 26m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.3 by 2,885 people. The movie made an estimated total of $43,200,000 in the box office.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice involves an ordinary protagonist thrust into a hidden world of magic, battling dark forces while mastering newfound powers. Both films merge modern and fantastical elements, framing magical mentorship and epic conflict as central to the story.

Balthazar Blake is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath. Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler, a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 49m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.1 by 5,330 people. The movie made an estimated total of $215,300,000 in the box office.

The Brothers Grimm combines actual folklore with fantasy adventure, as legendary figures confront magical phenomena and sinister enchantments. The blurring of historical myth and fiction echoes Maleficent’s revisionist approach to familiar fairy tale territory.

Folklore collectors and con artists, Jake and Will Grimm, travel from village to village pretending to protect townsfolk from enchanted creatures and performing exorcisms. However, they are put to the test when they encounter a real magical curse in a haunted forest with real magical beings, requiring genuine courage. The Brothers Grimm is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 5.9 by 3,005 people. The movie made an estimated total of $105,300,000 in the box office.

Inkheart is set in a universe where storytelling unleashes living magic, placing its characters in peril from powerful, fantastical forces. Like Maleficent, it revolves around otherworldly dangers crossing into reality and the impact of magical power on family bonds.

The adventures of a father and his young daughter, in their search for a long lost book that will help reunite a missing, close relative. Inkheart is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.3 by 2,302 people. The movie made an estimated total of $62,803,180 in the box office.

Beauty and the Beast reimagines a timeless fairy tale with themes of transformation, compassion, and misunderstood characters. Both films interrogate the traditional roles of good and evil, using magic and elaborate settings to explore personal redemption.

A live-action adaptation of Disney's version of the classic tale of a cursed prince and a beautiful young woman who helps him break the spell. Beauty and the Beast is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.0 by 16,090 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,266,115,964 in the box office.

Legend features enchanted forests, a battle between light and dark, and characters who must save a magical realm from devastation. Maleficent and Legend share fairy tale iconography, transformative evil, and a setting where the fate of the world is decided by mythic confrontations.

Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story follows a mystical forest dweller, chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lili and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness, or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age. Legend is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 1985 with an average rating of 6.3 by 1,408 people. The movie made an estimated total of $15,502,112 in the box office.

Eragon immerses viewers in a mythic setting where magic, dragons, and royal intrigue are central, following a hero’s rise against a tyrant. The struggle for power within a kingdom and reliance on mystical forces tie it closely with Maleficent’s core elements.

In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy happens upon a dragon's egg -- a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realized he's the one person who can defend his home against an evil king. Eragon is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 5.1 by 3,495 people. The movie made an estimated total of $250,425,512 in the box office.

The Spiderwick Chronicles unfolds as children uncover a hidden magical world and battle mythical creatures threatening their family’s security. Both films highlight the collision between ordinary lives and a secret world brimming with fantastical conflict and protective quests.

Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures. The Spiderwick Chronicles is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.7 by 2,915 people. The movie made an estimated total of $164,200,000 in the box office.

The Last Unicorn conjures a poetic mythic journey where mystical beings, sorrow, and hope intertwine. Its exploration of a magical creature confronting loss and the consequences of a broken world shares Maleficent’s thematic interest in transformation and restoration.

A unicorn learns from a riddle-speaking butterfly that she is supposedly the last of her kind, all the others having been herded away by the monstrous Red Bull. The unicorn sets out to discover the truth behind the butterfly's words. She is eventually joined on her quest by Schmendrick, a second-rate magician, and Molly Grue, a middle-aged woman who dreamed all her life of seeing a unicorn. Their journey leads them far from home, all the way to the castle of King Haggard. The Last Unicorn is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 1982 with an average rating of 7.3 by 605 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,455,530 in the box office.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is set in a land of magical creatures and royal intrigue, focusing on young heroes aiding rightful rulers in a conflict for peace. The emphasis on epic battles, restoration of harmony, and enchanted realms recalls Maleficent’s narrative structure.

One year after their incredible adventures in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Peter, Edmund, Lucy and Susan Pevensie return to Narnia to aid a young prince whose life has been threatened by the evil King Miraz. Now, with the help of a colorful cast of new characters, including Trufflehunter the badger and Nikabrik the dwarf, the Pevensie clan embarks on an incredible quest to ensure that Narnia is returned to its rightful heir. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 30m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.6 by 6,850 people. The movie made an estimated total of $419,665,568 in the box office.

The Secret Garden uses a mysterious estate as a setting for emotional healing and personal discovery. While less fantastical, its themes of restoration, transformation, and the reconciliation of broken families resonate with the underlying emotional arc in Maleficent.

A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and forgotten. Aided by one of the servants' boys, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor. The Secret Garden is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 7.4 by 988 people. The movie made an estimated total of $40,000,000 in the box office.

Red Riding Hood retells a well-known fairy tale in a medieval village threatened by supernatural danger and shaped by intergenerational secrets. Its blend of romance, betrayal, and magical curses aligns with Maleficent’s approach to exploring the darker sides of folklore.

Valerie is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter, but her parents have arranged for her to marry another man. Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter plan to run away together when Valerie's older sister is killed by a werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. Panic grips the town as Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast--one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect ... and bait. Red Riding Hood is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.0 by 3,336 people. The movie made an estimated total of $89,162,162 in the box office.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children blends fantastical powers, hidden worlds, and the importance of protective guardianship for extraordinary youths, which echoes Maleficent’s themes of mentorship, magical intervention, and the search for belonging within a fantastic reality.

A teenager finds himself transported to an island where he must help protect a group of orphans with special powers from creatures intent on destroying them. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 7m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.8 by 10,557 people. The movie made an estimated total of $296,482,446 in the box office.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader follows young adventurers across enchanted seas, featuring magical kingdoms, cursed figures, and the pursuit of redemption—an adventure structure and fantasy aesthetic akin to Maleficent’s reimagined mythos.

This time around Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.4 by 5,955 people. The movie made an estimated total of $415,686,217 in the box office.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief introduces ancient magic into a modern context, with young heroes grappling with personal and inherited powers amidst divine conflict. Both films draw on mythic traditions, magical battles, and journeys of self-discovery.

Accident prone teenager, Percy discovers he's actually a demi-God, the son of Poseidon, and he is needed when Zeus' lightning is stolen. Percy must master his new found skills in order to prevent a war between the Gods that could devastate the entire world. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.2 by 7,889 people. The movie made an estimated total of $226,497,209 in the box office.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is set in a sumptuous magical kingdom, drawing a young heroine into a struggle for control and harmony among fantastical realms. Its richly visual depiction of an enchanted world closely resembles the sense of wonder in Maleficent.

When Clara’s mother leaves her a mysterious gift, she embarks on a journey to four secret realms—where she discovers her greatest strength could change the world. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.1 by 2,257 people. The movie made an estimated total of $173,961,069 in the box office.

The Little Prince adapts a beloved story that delves into imagination, friendships, and inner growth within magical and surreal settings. The interplay between whimsy and deeper emotional truths creates a narrative environment familiar to those who appreciate Maleficent’s fusion of enchantment and heartfelt storytelling.

Based on the best-seller book 'The Little Prince', the movie tells the story of a little girl that lives with resignation in a world where efficiency and work are the only dogmas. Everything will change when accidentally she discovers her neighbor that will tell her about the story of the Little Prince that he once met. The Little Prince is a movie from France in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.6 by 3,007 people. The movie made an estimated total of $101,281,211 in the box office.