When family movie night rolls around it can be hard to choose a film that everyone wants to watch. It is easy to revert to an old faithful, but if you are at the stage where you would rather do your taxes than watch Frozen again, then you are in luck because thanks to the myriad of streaming services, there are a lot of great options at your fingertips.

From star-studded blockbusters to cute indie flicks and heartwarming dramedies, there are new family movies streaming out there to satisfy even the fussiest member. The best new family movies to stream today manage to be kid-friendly, thought-provoking, and entertaining for audiences of all ages. Any of these options are the perfect pick for a cozy night in with loved ones.

35 ‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken’ (2023)

Director: Kirk DeMicco

One of the most underrated standalone films from DreamWorks’ filmography, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken follows Ruby, an awkward high school student trying her best to hide the fact that she and her family are krakens. Ruby soon learns that her family has a powerful lineage of being protectors of the ocean, a role that Ruby wants to learn and explore much more than her boring high school life. However, danger proves itself to be lurking around the corner, as Ruby’s new classmate, Chelsea, is actually a mermaid, a sworn enemy of the krakens.

The greatest strength of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is its beautiful and expressive character designs, with each character popping off the screen with beautiful colors and vibrant movements. From the simplistic land sequences to the bright and powerful underwater sequences, the film acts as a visual spectacle that is sure to enchant and delight audiences of all ages. Even if the plot is mostly predictable, there’s enough charm and joy to make it an excellent watch.

34 ‘The Sleepover’ (2020)

Director: Trish Sie

The Sleepover is the 2020 Netflix Original starring MalinAkerman and Joe Manganiello. The film is an action-packed family adventure and perfect for parents who love spy and heist movies. While it often relies on overdone tropes, viewers can still expect more than a few laughs thanks to how ridiculous it tends to get.

Siblings Clancy (Sadie Stanley) and Kevin’s (Maxwell Simkins) sleepover with friends goes awry when their parents are abducted because, much to the shock of the entire family, their mother (Akerman) is not the housewife they think she is but in fact, a former thief who is actually in witness protection. Now it’s up to Clancy, Kevin, and their friends to save the mother they thought they knew and their father, the innocent bystander.

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33 ‘Orion and the Dark’ (2024)

Director: Sean Charmatz

One of the latest original films from DreamWorks Animation, Orion and the Dark follows the story of Orion (Jacob Tremblay), a young boy with a wild imagination that more often than not gives him more fears in life than joy. One fateful night, he meets the embodiment of nighttime himself, Dark (Paul Walter Hauser), who comes into his life with hopes of being able to show Orion the wonders of the world and to help him get over his debilitating fears.

While Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman is much more commonly associated with the themes of dread and existentialism in his works, he’s able to make his writing style more approachable and child-friendly through Orion in the Dark. The result is an animated film that, on top of its ingenious premise and stellar visuals, treats its audience of children with much more respect and appreciation than other animated films. Orion in the Dark is a film that has a powerful lasting message at its center, one that is sure to leave a mark on audiences of all ages.

Watch on Netflix

32 ‘Yes Day’ (2021)

Director: Miguel Arteta

Yes Day was the ninth most-watched movie on Netflix in 2021, attracting millions of viewers from around the world. The feel-good family flick stars Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramírez, and Jenna Ortegae

Allison (Garner) and Carlos Torres (Ramírez) used to know how to have fun, but after three kids and a mountain of responsibility later, things have changed. Now they spend most of their time saying ‘no’ to fun, that is until their eldest daughter challenges them to a Yes Day, where they agree to every one of their children’s wild requests for 24 hours. Yes Day is a super fun, sweet film that every parent will be able to relate to and every child will want to reenact.

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31 ‘The Magician’s Elephant’ (2023)

Director: Wendy Rogers

One of the best new kids’ movies streaming that you might have not heard of, The Magician’s Elephant is a Netflix original animated movie that follows Peter’s (Noah Jupe) journey after he goes looking for his missing sister. The orphan boy’s magical misadventure is prompted by a fortune teller’s assurance that she’s still alive, and all he has to do is “follow the elephant.”

Before viewers know it, Peter is whisked away on a magical path that he never would have expected to go on. The Magician’s Elephant is a touching tale of perseverance and bravery for the sake of love. While it doesn’t strive to be anything novel, it manages to tug at heartstrings at just the right moments.

Watch on Netflix

30 ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ (2020)

Director: Jeff Fowler

One of the most successful video game movies of all time, Sonic the Hedgehog sees the famous blue hedgehog making his jump to the big screen for the first time. It tells the origin of the speedster, showing how he ended up on Earth as a child and fostered a new home hiding in the outskirts of the cozy small town of Green Hills. However, after he meets up with a new human friend, Tom, they must team up in order to stop the evil scientist Dr. Robotnik from taking over the world.

While it still takes several liberties and trends of family movie adaptations, Sonic the Hedgehog does an effective job of translating the hectic energy and charm of Sonic as a character to the big screen. The inherent charm of the film as a whole doesn’t only come from Sonic, however, as Jim Carrey‘s portrayal of the lead villain, Dr. Robotnik, is easily one of his most energetic and memorable performances in decades.

29 ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ (2023)

Directors: Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath

Based on the world-famous video game franchise, The Super Mario Bros. Movie adapts the gaming icon to the big screen, telling Mario and Luigi’s first adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom. The film sees the dynamic duo of Brooklyn plumbers transported to the kingdom after discovering a mysterious pipe, being separated as well as completely out of their element. Wrapped up in the conflict of this strange world, Mario teams up with the kingdom’s Princess Peach in order to take down the deadly and dangerous Bowser.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of the biggest runaway success stories in 2023, thanks to its ability to stay true to the cheerful energy and excitement that has made the franchise beloved by gamers worldwide. Just as the case with the game series, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a perfect fit not only for diehard gamers who have kept up with the series since its inception, but for fans of all ages looking for a creative and colorful adventure. It will only continue to cement a legacy as one of the most iconic and defining new family movies, further amplified by its new home on streaming.

28 ‘We Lost Our Human’ (2023)

Creators: Rikke Asbjoern, Chris Garbutt

A new release among family movies streaming on Netflix, We Lost Our Human is an interactive Netflix special that’s perfect for families looking for something wholly original. The ambitious interactive movie presents its engrossing story in a non-linear fashion, letting audiences decide what its main characters should do next.

These characters are actually a humorous cat and dog, who are startled to wake up one day to find that all the humans (including theirs) are gone. It’s up to fans to help them navigate the world to find them, or even destroy the universe completely. The fun and weird journey on Netflix provides a totally unique viewing experience that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Watch on Netflix

27 ‘Enola Holmes’ (2020)

Director: Harry Bradbeer

Sherlock Holmes’ (played by Henry Cavill) teenage sister gets the spotlight in Enola Holmes. The titular mischievous and witty sleuth uses her talents to track down her missing mother, but she soon encounters a rebellious lord who obviously needs her help. Enola must learn to overcome obstacles, both external and internal, to survive the tricky situation.

With the lead character masterfully portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown, Enola Holmes is effortlessly inspiring and tons of fun to watch with the family. It sends a strong message for young girls especially and reminds them that they can grow up to be whatever they want (no matter what anyone says).

26 ‘DC League of Super Pets’ (2022)

Director: Jared Stern

A more child-friendly animal counterpart to the classic Justice League heroes, DC League of Super-Pets follows the story of Krypto the Super Dog, the trusted canine companion of the man of steel himself. After Superman and the rest of the Justice League end up being kidnapped by Lex Luthor, Krypto finds himself teaming up with an array of shelter animals who have achieved superpowers of their own. With the help of his new companions, Krypto may just have a shot at defeating Lex, who is joined by his own nefariously evil pet, Lulu the guinea pig.

It’s no secret that superhero movies have been a defining trend of films in recent memory, with DC League of Super-Pets being one of the few examples of creating a massive superhero story specifically for families. On top of featuring the standard action and excitement that comes from these films, DC League of Super-Pets also specifically focuses on comedy, both slapstick and simplistic enough for young children, as well as deep-cut satirical jokes and references for fans of DC in general.

25 ‘Mixtape’ (2021)

Director: Valerie Weiss

Mixtape is without a doubt one of the best Netflix Original films to date. Mixtape is a quirky, heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking coming-of-age film about a young girl desperately trying to find a connection with the parents she lost as a baby. The film has received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike.

Set in 1999, Mixtape is the story of Beverly (Gemma Brooke Allen) a 12-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother Gail (Julie Bowen). Since losing Beverly’s mother in a car accident, Gail has lived a quiet life as a postal worker and is extremely protective of her granddaughter preventing her from ever having too much fun. But Beverley’s life gets a lot more exciting when she discovers a mixtape that belonged to her parents. When the mixtape is destroyed by her Walkman she goes on a quest to find the songs in an attempt to recreate it. However, her pursuit leads to more than she could have dreamed of, making new friends along the way and discovering a love of music.

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24 ‘Wish Dragon’ (2021)

Director: Chris Appelhans

One of many standout original animated feature films from Netflix, Wish Dragon follows the story of Din, a young teen who is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend, who now lives a much more luxurious life than him. He soon gets his chance when he ends up in possession of a magical teapot containing a wish-granting dragon, finally giving him the opportunity to live out his wildest dreams.

While the film certainly shared a number of similarities with other animated films such as Aladdin, there’s enough heart and visual distinctions present to make Wish Dragon its own stand-out experience. The building upon the relationship between Din and Lina especially is something that the film does spectacularly, as well as the creativity and boundless potential of Long the dragon’s wish-making powers.

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23 ‘Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile’ (2022)

Directors: Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile sees the classic children’s book character taking the leap to live action on the big screen, seeing the Primm family discovering the giant singing reptile living in their attic. While initially terrified at the prospect of one of nature’s deadliest predators living in their domain, each member of the family finds their way warming up to Lyle and his whimsical charm. The entire family soon comes together to help Lyle get over his fear of stage fright, so that he can finally show off his natural singing talent to the entire world.

Many “CGI children’s characters in the real world” stories have been released over the years, ranging from the successful Sonic the Hedgehog to the less-than-desirable The Smurfs. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is one of few that leans into the absurdity and inherent comedy of its presence, able to get a great deal of comedy and charm from playing off of the wild antics of a big cartoon gator. Combined with some genuinely great musical numbers, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a pleasant surprise and is easily one of the best new kids movies on streaming right now.

Watch on Netflix

22 ‘We Can Be Heroes’ (2020)

Director: Robert Rodriguez

From the acclaimed director of the Spy Kids franchise, Robert Rodriguez‘s We Can Be Heroes tells the story of the quirky children of the world’s greatest superhero team. However, after an alien invasion ends up leading to the capture of the world’s heroes, it soon becomes up to the children to band together and find a way to break their parents out of alien captivity. The kids initially are at odds with one another thanks to their conflicting powers and lifestyles, but they soon find it within themselves to come together as a cohesive unit in order to save their families.

We Can Be Heroes comes complete with all the classic charm and style of Rodriguez’s other family films, simply updated to the modern era with the capabilities of modern technology and effects. While this style of over-the-top and effects-heavy filmmaking isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it fits perfectly in line with the wild and entertaining style that defined films like Spy Kids and Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

21 ‘Jungle Cruise’ (2021)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Inspired by the Disney ride of the same name, Jungle Cruise is a blockbuster, family comedy starring Emily Blunt and wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson. In it, brother and sister, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) and Dr. Lily (Blunt) Houghton acquire the services of a charismatic skipper, Frank Wolff (Johnson) to guide them through the Amazon River in search of the Lágrimas de Cristal Tree and its flowers which have healing properties. Their quest proves to be much more dangerous than anticipated, filled with adventure and supernatural mystery.

Jungle Cruise is a wacky, wild, and sometimes heartfelt adventure film that has something to offer for audiences of all ages. While it doesn’t do much to the adventure genre’s tried and tested formula, kids will undoubtedly love the antics in the forest and adults can appreciate the visual effects and wholesome story.

20 ‘Leo’ (2023)

Directors: Robert Smigel, Robert Marianetti, David Wachtenheim

Leo follows the story of a 74-year-old pet lizard named Leo (voiced by Adam Sandler) who has been living in the same elementary school classroom for his entire life. After realizing that he may be coming to the end of his days, he begins a scheme to escape when being taken home by one of the students. However, Leo accidentally lets loose his secret sentience after talking to the student, slowly becoming the talk of the class as he bestows his elder wisdom upon the struggling students.

There’s enough genuine charm and heart present throughout Leo to make it a lighthearted yet highly enjoyable watch.Leo also has a great ensemble cast of characters allowing for a multitude of effective comedic moments. On top of that, the film allows Sandler to tap into his classic comedic songwriting talents, a side of him that harkens back to his origins writing comedy albums and songs on Saturday Night Live. The film’s surprisingly high number of quality aspects easily makes it one of the most unexpected best family movies in the streaming era.

19 ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ (2019)

Director: Jake Kasdan

After the phenomenal success of the first film, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, its sequel shows that the gang is back for round two and has brought Awkwafina, Danny DeVito, and Danny Glover along for the hilarious and often disastrous ride.

With things at college not going the way, Spencer (Alex Wolff) had hoped, and his romance with Martha (Morgan Turner) seemingly fizzled out he decides to try his luck in the game of Jumanji once again, leaving his friends to ever so reluctantly come to his rescue. Jumanji: The Next Level is just as funny and action-packed as the first installment and stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Nick Jonas, and Karen Gillan. Don’t expect anything profound or too emotional, as the 2019 film clearly just wants audiences to have fun.

Watch on Starz

18 ‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ (2021)

Directors: Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine

One of the most underrated animated films in recent memory, Ron’s Gone Wrong tells the story of Barney, a social outcast living in a world where every child his age has their own digital robot companion. However, his family simply doesn’t have the resources to afford to get him such an expensive piece of tech, continuing to cement him as a loner among his peers. This soon changes when he gets a malfunctioning buddy as a gift, yet the errors and malfunctions that affect Ron prove to make him more valuable and genuine than any normal robot could hope to achieve.

While the “boy and robot friendship” story has been explored to great lengths in the realm of animation through films like The Iron Giant and Big Hero 6, Ron’s Gone Wrong excels and forges its own path thanks to its ingenious commentary and comedy. The film has a genuine and deep understanding of the modern social media-driven age and can use this to craft not only a powerful and resonating message but also tap into modern internet-style comedy in a way few animated films have ever been close to replicating.

17 ‘The Bad Guys’ (2022)

Director: Pierre Perifel

An underrated DreamWorks animated movie, The Bad Guys is a comedy heist film based on the eponymous children’s book by Aaron Blabey. It follows a group of wacky criminals – Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Ms. Tarantula – who, after finally being caught and tried for their crimes, decide to become good citizens. They realize this is easier said than done, and keep getting tempted to go back to being bad.

Audiences can expect to laugh and be surprised by some emotional moments as the anthropomorphic animals fool everyone into thinking they can stick to model behavior. Their lives are forever changed by, well, the genuine change their leader experiences, which is soon interrupted by a new villain.

16 ‘The Sea Beast’ (2022)

Director: Chris Williams

Director Chris Williams‘ The Sea Beast is a thrilling animated adventure movie that takes viewers on a dizzying journey through the high seas. It’s centered on the legendary Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), whose monster-slaying days are changed when the young Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) joins him on his quest to find the elusive Red Bluster.

The Oscar-nominated film has the perfect mix of action and adventure, and a touch of heartwarming moments, too. It’s an exhilarating swashbuckling story that’s perfect for younger audiences, and adults can expect to be wowed by its visuals. Fans who love it will be happy to know that a sequel for The Sea Beast is currently being developed for Netflix.

Watch on Netflix