Best Movies like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is set in the same Wizarding World as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, linked by shared magical lore, secret societies, and the discovery of magical creatures. Both follow inexperienced protagonists navigating complex magical communities and dealing with tensions between the magical and non-magical worlds.

Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 32m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.9 by 29,907 people. The movie made an estimated total of $976,475,550 in the box office.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children features a hidden community of unusual individuals with supernatural abilities, thematically echoing the existence of magical creatures and societies kept secret from ordinary humans, as explored through Newt Scamander's adventures in Fantastic Beasts.

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 10,555 people. The movie made an estimated total of $296,482,446 in the box office.

Stardust blends magical creatures, a fantastical setting, and a journey involving magical artifacts. Like Fantastic Beasts, the protagonist ventures across the boundary between ordinary and magical worlds, encountering strange beings and societies hidden from everyday life.

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 4,516 people. The movie made an estimated total of $137,500,000 in the box office.

The Golden Compass sees its young protagonist thrust into a secretive magical world rife with political conflict and populated by fantastical beings. Its exploration of complex magical institutions and the impact on non-magical society aligns with the premise of Fantastic Beasts.

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 4,884 people. The movie made an estimated total of $372,234,864 in the box office.

Pan's Labyrinth is set in a historical period overlaid with a hidden realm of magical beings and moral ambiguity. Both it and Fantastic Beasts intertwine a real-world setting with secret magical events and extraordinary creatures influencing the larger world.

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 11,598 people. The movie made an estimated total of $83,258,226 in the box office.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus centers on magical realms and fantastical creatures woven into early twentieth-century life. Both films feature protagonists who journey through magical landscapes, encountering and managing beings outside the bounds of normal society.

After a carnival troupe saves his life, a man agrees to help its immortal leader collect five souls and win a bet with the devil. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.4 by 2,920 people. The movie made an estimated total of $64,352,607 in the box office.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief also features a young lead navigating a world where mythological beings and magic exist alongside the modern world but hidden from most people, much like the dual realities in Fantastic Beasts.

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 House with a Clock in Its Walls involves a secret magical society, a young protagonist, and magical creatures disrupting ordinary life, mirroring the central conflict of creatures escaping into 1920s America in Fantastic Beasts.

When ten-year-old Lewis is suddenly orphaned, he is sent to live with his Uncle Jonathan in a creaky (and creepy) old mansion with a mysterious ticking noise that emanates from the walls. Upon discovering that his uncle is a warlock, Lewis begins learning magic, but when he rebelliously resurrects an evil warlock he must find the secret of the house and save the world from destruction. The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.3 by 2,329 people. The movie made an estimated total of $131,523,093 in the box office.

The Spiderwick Chronicles follows protagonists uncovering a hidden world filled with magical creatures. Both films center on the accidental release of fantastic beings and the challenge of concealing them from the human world.

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 2,911 people. The movie made an estimated total of $164,200,000 in the box office.

The Secret of Moonacre presents a young protagonist discovering a magical legacy in a historical setting, solving mysteries related to enchanted creatures and hidden societies, which reflects the adventure through secret magical traditions in Fantastic Beasts.

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.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms explores enchanted worlds filled with imaginative creatures and magical conflicts. Both films balance a historical-inspired aesthetic with journeys into hidden, wondrous realms apart from the ordinary world.

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 Last Mimzy involves unusual beings and advanced artifacts sparking government attention, paralleling the theme in Fantastic Beasts of magical phenomena inciting official scrutiny and the ensuing complications between the magical and ordinary world.

Two siblings begin to develop special talents after they find a mysterious box of toys, and soon their parents and even their teacher are drawn into a strange new world – and find a task ahead of them that is far more important than any of them could imagine. The Last Mimzy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.3 by 496 people. The movie made an estimated total of $27,308,918 in the box office.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice sees an apprentice discovering secret magic in a modern city, blending everyday life with the chaos unleashed by magical beings—echoing the premise of magical forces interacting with society at large as in Fantastic Beasts.

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 5,327 people. The movie made an estimated total of $215,300,000 in the box office.

Eragon centers on a young hero uncovering a magical heritage, befriending mythical creatures, and tangling with secretive magical orders. These elements mirror the magical discovery and interplay between humans and extraordinary beings found in Fantastic Beasts.

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 3,490 people. The movie made an estimated total of $250,425,512 in the box office.

The Kid Who Would Be King features a young protagonist stumbling upon legendary magic, venturing into quests alongside creatures only a select few perceive, resonating with the themes of secret magical societies and youthful exploration in Fantastic Beasts.

Old-school magic meets the modern world when young Alex stumbles upon the mythical sword Excalibur. He soon unites his friends and enemies, and they become knights who join forces with the legendary wizard Merlin. Together, they must save mankind from the wicked enchantress Morgana and her army of supernatural warriors. The Kid Who Would Be King is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.2 by 851 people. The movie made an estimated total of $32,140,970 in the box office.

Bridge to Terabithia presents young characters discovering a magical realm tied closely to their real struggles, an exploration of hidden worlds and imaginative creatures akin to the secret magical spaces Newt explores in Fantastic Beasts.

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 5,380 people. The movie made an estimated total of $137,587,063 in the box office.

Inkheart follows a protagonist whose actions cause fantastic beings to emerge into the real world, requiring secrecy and containment. Both films deal with magical creatures inadvertently released and the urgency of preserving the boundary between magic and reality.

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 2,299 people. The movie made an estimated total of $62,803,180 in the box office.

A Monster Calls blends real-world turmoil with the intervention of a fantastical creature that appears to guide the protagonist, thematically linking with Fantastic Beasts’ interplay between real historical settings and the intrusion of magical beings.

12-year-old Conor encounters an ancient tree monster who proceeds to help him cope with his mother's terminal illness and being bullied in school. A Monster Calls is a movie from Spain in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.3 by 3,599 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,309,313 in the box office.

Chronicle revolves around young characters unlocking supernatural abilities and facing escalating consequences, thematically similar to Fantastic Beasts’ focus on magic unleashed in the real world and the complications that arise from hidden powers.

Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over. Chronicle is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 24m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.9 by 5,819 people. The movie made an estimated total of $145,000,000 in the box office.

Big Fish features a protagonist recounting fantastical encounters and legendary beings, mixing reality with myth and wonder. It shares with Fantastic Beasts a narrative style that blurs the lines between ordinary life and the extraordinary world of magical creatures.

Throughout his life Edward Bloom has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William. Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures. Big Fish is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 5m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.8 by 7,855 people. The movie made an estimated total of $123,200,000 in the box office.

Kubo and the Two Strings tells the story of a young hero undertaking a mythic journey in a myth-infused world filled with spirits and monsters. Both films celebrate the adventure of discovering magical creatures within imaginative settings.

Kubo mesmerizes the people in his village with his magical gift for spinning wild tales with origami. When he accidentally summons an evil spirit seeking vengeance, Kubo is forced to go on a quest to solve the mystery of his fallen samurai father and his mystical weaponry, as well as discover his own magical powers. Kubo and the Two Strings is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.6 by 3,864 people. The movie made an estimated total of $76,249,438 in the box office.

Mortal Engines is set in a unique historical-fantasy world where extraordinary technology superimposes on remnants of familiar history. Both films construct immersive alternate histories populated by unusual creations and shaped by secret societies.

Many thousands of years in the future, Earth’s cities roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. On one of these massive traction cities, the old London, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the wastelands who will change the course of his life forever. Mortal Engines is a movie from New Zealand in English, with a total 2h 8m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.2 by 5,255 people. The movie made an estimated total of $83,869,818 in the box office.

The Forbidden Kingdom sees a protagonist transported into a mythical realm filled with powerful beings and magical questlines. Themes of stepping out of the ordinary world into a hidden magical society align with the overarching adventure in Fantastic Beasts.

An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself travelling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King. The Forbidden Kingdom is a movie from China in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.6 by 1,952 people. The movie made an estimated total of $127,906,624 in the box office.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle explores accidental immersion into a hidden world wrought with danger and strange creatures, requiring teamwork to navigate and escape. This parallels the chaos and urgency that follows magical creatures escaping into the real world in Fantastic Beasts.

Four teenagers in detention discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of. When they decide to play, they are immediately sucked into the jungle world of Jumanji in the bodies of their avatars. They’ll have to complete the adventure of their lives filled with fun, thrills and danger or be stuck in the game forever! Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 6.8 by 14,658 people. The movie made an estimated total of $995,339,117 in the box office.

The Brothers Grimm imagines the titular storytellers as investigators of magical occurrences in a historical setting, encountering creatures that blur myth and reality. This blend of folklore, history, and secret magic connects it to the world-building in Fantastic Beasts.

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 3,004 people. The movie made an estimated total of $105,300,000 in the box office.

The Water Horse is about a secret magical creature discovered in a historical setting, and the ensuing efforts to protect it from public and official scrutiny. The challenge of keeping magical beings hidden mirrors the central conflict in Fantastic Beasts.

A lonely boy discovers a mysterious egg that hatches a sea creature of Scottish legend. The Water Horse is a movie from New Zealand in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.5 by 1,164 people. The movie made an estimated total of $103,967,384 in the box office.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones surrounds its young heroine with hidden societies, magical creatures, and the struggle to navigate a double life in modern times. This shared focus on secret magical communities and supernatural beings links it with Fantastic Beasts.

In New York City, Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager, learns that she is descended from a line of Shadowhunters — half-angel warriors who protect humanity from evil forces. After her mother disappears, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters and enters Downworld, an alternate realm filled with demons, vampires, and a host of other creatures. Clary and her companions must find and protect an ancient cup that holds the key to her mother's future. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is a movie from Germany in English, with a total 2h 10m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.4 by 4,673 people. The movie made an estimated total of $95,396,573 in the box office.

Beasts of the Southern Wild introduces a young protagonist facing the arrival of mythical creatures and environmental upheaval. Like Fantastic Beasts, the film blends the real and the magical, using creatures as metaphors for change and survival.

Hushpuppy, an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink, in 'the Bathtub', a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink’s tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe—for a time when he’s no longer there to protect her. When Wink contracts a mysterious illness, nature flies out of whack—temperatures rise and the ice caps melt, unleashing an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs. With the waters rising, the aurochs coming, and Wink’s health fading, Hushpuppy goes in search of her lost mother. Beasts of the Southern Wild is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,161 people. The movie made an estimated total of $21,107,746 in the box office.

Guardians of the Galaxy brings together an eclectic team navigating extraordinary dangers in imaginative worlds far removed from ordinary reality. While set in space, its tone of adventure amid unusual beings and secretive conflicts resonates with the magical escapade of Fantastic Beasts.

Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser. Guardians of the Galaxy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.9 by 29,994 people. The movie made an estimated total of $772,776,600 in the box office.