For so long, Disney has been synonymous with family-friendly animation. Even just the term "Disney movie" likely conjures up a specific image. But Disney isn't the only studio in existence to produce generational classics. Ever considered what might be the greatest family animation movies not made by Disney?
From DreamWorks to Sony Animation to pre-merger 20th Century Fox and more, Disney has had many challengers to its throne as the premier animation studio in Hollywood. While few corporate entities come close to matching Disney's scale and influence, many rival studios and upstarts have released must-see animation classics that give Mickey Mouse and the Magic Kingdom a run for their money.
Here are 32 of the greatest family animation movies that aren't from Disney.
32. Rise of the Guardians (2012)
A generic title and audience fatigue toward 3D family adventures circa early 2010s made 2012's Rise of the Guardians fall short of expectations. But time has been kind to Rise of the Guardians, becoming something of an underappreciated gem even among animation enthusiasts. Directed by Peter Ramsey in his feature-length debut, the story sources from seasonal legends to see a pseudo-superhero group – made up of Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman – recruit Jack Frost to stop a boogeyman from plunging the world into perpetual darkness. It may not enchant everyone, given its bland art design, but Rise of the Guardians is plenty of fun.
31. The Wild Robot (2024)
In 2024, The Wild Robot stunned audiences everywhere with its beautiful watercolor visuals, pro-environmental messaging, and moving story about adaptation, survival, and kindness. Based on Peter Brown's 2016 novel, The Wild Robot tells of a service robot, Roz (Lupitya Nyong'o) who winds up shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and learns to adapt to her surroundings, as well as becoming the adoptive mother of an orphaned goose (voiced by Kit Connor). The Wild Robot's story about technology and nature living in harmony made it one of the highest-grossing movies of 2024.
30. Rango (2011)
In Gore Verbinski's affectionate parody and homage of spaghetti Westerns, Johnny Depp voices a pet chameleon who poses as a gunslinger only to wind up actually fighting for something worthwhile. In Rango, the title character winds up the desert town of Dirt and inadvertently becomes its new sheriff. Upon finding deep-rooted corruption, Rango drops the act and actually works to become the real hero Dirt needs. Uniquely filmed with the movie's voice actors dressed in character to capture their facial reactions, Rango blurs the line between animation being ostensibly a children's medium and innovative work of art that can impress all generations.
29. Wolfwalkers (2020)
Although its subdued release on Apple TV+ obscured Wolfwalkers from widespread popularity, this delightful 2D animated feature is a real howl that shouldn't be missed. Set in 17th century Ireland, Wolfwalkers follows a young English girl named Robyn as she befriends a free-spirited "Wolfwalker" – a member of a magical tribe who can transform into wolves during sleep. Forced between her new friendship and her father, himself a hunter of wolves, Robyn embarks on a journey of friendship and self-discovery amid an epic Celtic-inspired fantasy. Wolfwalkers will really want to make everyone of all ages run with the wolves.
28. The Secret of NIMH (1982)
While on the surface a cute movie about mice going on adventures, there's so much more going on past its storybook surface. Directed by Don Bluth and based on Robert C. O'Brien's children's novel, The Secret of NIMH follows Mrs. Brisby, a timid mother (voiced by Elizabeth Hartman in her final film role) who seeks the help of super-intelligent rats to help cure her son of pneumonia before the plowing season begins. Smack in the middle of the rats' political power struggle, Mrs. Brisby rises to the occasion as a most unlikely hero. One of Bluth's most celebrated movies, The Secret of NIMH is a deceptively deep story while delighting audiences of all ages with its universal story concerning bravery, the love for family, and the delicate balance between science, magic, and the unknown.
27. The Red Turtle (2016)
Children may not have patience for a silent, nonverbal movie with arthouse pacing. But if you're willing to give them a challenge, let them seek out The Red Turtle. In this beautiful animated production from France, a shipwrecked man winds up on a remote island. His attempts to escape are constantly thwarted by a red turtle, who slowly transforms into a woman. Over time, the two build a life together on the island. Although The Red Turtle is beguiling even to adults, the movie is nonetheless a poetic meditation on reconciling life's expectations with one's environment.
26. Happy Feet (2006)
Director George Miller goes into a completely different gear from his Mad Max saga for Happy Feet. In this jukebox musical comedy, an emperor penguin named Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) is born without the ability to sing, but instead discovers a real knack for tap dancing. After being alienated from his community, Mumble journeys to the human world where he discovers man's involvement in an environmental crisis. An uplifting story about acceptance and also, somehow, ecology, Happy Feet proves writer/director George Miller has a vision beyond post-apocalyptic action-thrillers.
25. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
The familiar story of Pinocchio gets a unique Guillermo del Toro spin, including urgent political underpinnings, a love for monsters, and utterly hypnotic stop-motion animation. An adaptation of the classic 1883 novel, Pinocchio tells the story we all know and love – a wooden boy is granted life – with more pronounced footing in the human world, set in Italy during World War I. A dream project for del Toro, which he co-directed with Mark Gustafson, Pinocchio is proof that the old fairy tales and myths still have much to offer, and that they are so much more than just cartoons for children.
24. The Road to El Dorado (2000)
Disney's Magical Kingdom is paved with gold, so leave it to Spanish con artists Miguel and Tulio to take a piece of it. Released at the heyday of 2D animated films between the 1990s and 2000s, The Road to El Dorado tells the story of two con men who win a map to the fabled city of El Dorado. Upon washing ashore in the new world, the natives of El Dorado treat the two like gods. The Road to El Dorado was just the third animated picture by DreamWorks in its attempt to become a serious contender in the animation space. While it wasn't exactly a goldmine for DreamWorks, the movie has endured as a generational cult classic.
23. The Brave Little Toaster (1987)
Predating Toy Story by several years, The Brave Little Toaster follows a group of sentient household appliances who try to find their human owner after they are left abandoned at a summer cabin. The outside elements test their loyalty and bravery, while confronting their own inevitable obsolescence. While often mistaken for a Disney film – it was actually produced by indie studio Hyperion Pictures, and aired on syndication on the Disney Channel – The Brave Little Toaster's emotionally moving story and admirable animation (impressive when you consider it had stricter resources than an average Disney production) has made it a cult classic outside the Disney canon.
22. Ultraman: Rising (2024)
Ultraman has been an icon in Japan since 1966. But abroad, the super-sized superhero has barely left a footprint. That changed in 2024, when the first English-language, American-made Ultraman movie came to Netflix. Directed by Shannon Tindle, Ultraman: Rising is a stand-alone continuation of the original Ultraman television series, telling the story of Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), a baseball star who secretly carries on his father's responsibility as Ultraman. Things get complicated for Ken when he becomes the surrogate parent of an orphaned kaiju baby, Emi. A visually spectacular production that pays homage to its tokusatsu roots while forging a totally new path, Ultraman: Rising is not only a great introduction to the vast Ultra franchise but an earth-shattering picture about fatherhood and responsibility.
21. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Surpassing low expectations as a sequel to the nearly forgotten 2011 movie Puss in Boots – itself a spin-off of the Shrek franchise – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is proof you can't judge a cat by his fur. After finding that he's used up eight of his nine lives, Puss in Boots (a returning Antonio Banderas) embarks on a search for the Wishing Star to restore them, all while confronting old enemies along the way. With an utterly fresh painting-like animation style that heavily departs from the "realistic" CGI of the Shrek films, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a gasp of fresh air in an otherwise stale series.
20. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
While it's not actually a step-by-step instructional video for training dragons (unfortunately), How to Train Your Dragon is an early 2010s classic that took fantasy stories for a real spin. In How to Train Your Dragon, a young Viking (voiced by Jay Baruchel) challenges his people's tradition of slaying dragons by befriending one, which he names Toothless, and finds a way to tame and live alongside the majestic creatures. A heartwarming story about trust, bravery, and willingness to question the status quo, How to Train Your Dragon takes to the skies in style.
19. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
For Fantastic Mr. Fox, released in 2009, Wes Anderson applies his knack for storybook compositions and picturesque stop-motion animation to Roald Dahl's classic 1970 children's novel. George Clooney lends his voice as Mr. Fox, a retired thief who plans one final heist against three cruel farmers who later retaliate against his family in revenge. Besides the complete eye candy that is the movie's animation style, Anderson's punchy dialogue and witty visual storytelling are on full display in this feature sure to delight children and adults alike.
18. Ice Age (2002)
Essentially "Three Dinosaurs and a Baby," the first Ice Age launched an animated media franchise that simply hasn't compared to the towering iceberg that is the original. The first in the long-running series centers on a cautious mammoth, a wise-cracking sabre-tooth tiger, and a dim but kind sloth who team up to bring a human baby back to its tribe. Initially written as a more serious action-adventure, Ice Age was retooled during development to become a family comedy, consequently launching an expansive franchise that allowed 20th Century Fox to rival Disney and Pixar (before it eventually folded into the Disney corporate portfolio).
17. Coraline (2009)
Neil Gaiman's haunting 2002 novella Coraline put Laika on the map in 2009 when Gaiman's story was turned into a hair-raising but often beautiful stop-motion animated movie. Retaining the story of the novella, Coraline tells of a young girl (voiced by Dakota Fanning) who feels neglected by her parents when she discovers an alternate parallel universe in her family's new home. While button-eyed doppelgangers of her parents lavish her with all the attention she craves, she soon comes to realize that nothing comes close to the real thing. While Coraline is appropriate for families, its gothic scares can give young ones their first real scream.
16. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)
Co-directed by Don Bluth (with Gary Goldman) and released on the same day as Disney's game-changing The Little Mermaid, All Dogs Go to Heaven has cultivated a strong cult following for its uncompromising story containing dark themes for children. Death, violence, revenge, and even the afterlife are littered all over All Dogs Go to Heaven, but it's the friendship between a brash German Shepherd (voiced by Burt Reynolds) with a young orphan girl (Judith Barsi, who recorded her lines just prior to her real-life murder) that has made the movie so memorably touching. Although it exists on the record as one of Bluth's lowest-grossing films, audiences today cherish All Dogs Go to Heaven, making us all hug our furry friends all the more tighter. Goodbyes aren't forever.
15. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
After making his directing debut with the Lupin the Third film The Castle of Cagliostro, acclaimed animator and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki adapted his own manga with 1984's fantasy adventure Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the pacifist princess and pilot Nausicaä who tries to prevent a ruthless kingdom from eradicating a jungle populated by mutant insects. Aerospace, nature, and the unknown are some of Miyazaki's recurring themes, and Nausicaä is only just the beginning of his legendary run.
14. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Travis Knight makes his feature debut with Kubo and the Two Strings, an acclaimed animated movie from studio Laika. Heavily inspired by Japanese mythology, Kubo and the Two Strings tells of a one-eyed young boy with a magical shamisen – a classic Japanese stringed instrument, like a guitar – who must find his late father's samurai armor and stop his evil relatives. Although Laika was well-established by 2016 with films like Coraline and ParaNorman under its belt, the praise drawn by Kubo and the Two Strings gave the studio its singular identity as an animation house balanced between family-friendly commercial appeal and arthouse sensibilities.
13. An American Tail (1986)
In a decade when Disney languished, animator and filmmaker Don Bluth seized on the chance to outmatch Mickey Mouse with his own output of animation classics. Among his most revered remains An American Tail, a classic immigration story told through the diminutive perspective of mice. The story follows a young Russian-Jewish mouse, Fievel (Phillip Glasser) who gets lost on the way to America and must find a way to reunite with his family. While critics were not so easily swayed by Fievel's journey, the movie was embraced by audiences and became a big hit on home video. Its sleeper hit status launched a franchise of sequels, spin-offs, TV specials, even video games, but the first An American Tail is the only trip worth taking.
12. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
When it comes to Hayao Miyazaki, it's truthfully hard to pick which ones are among his greatest. But there's no question that the oversized half-bunny, half-bear giant Totoro is one of his most enduring creations. In this serene adventure set in a rural corner of Japan, My Neighbor Totoro follows two sisters who deal with the reality of their ill mother by discovering local spirits who dwell just outside their own backyard. While naysayers pan the film for its low stakes and "nothing happens" plot, believers like to get lost in the movie's understanding that magic can exist in places closer to us than we might think.
11. ParaNorman (2012)
Spooky enough to satisfy Halloween marathons but enjoyable for the whole family, the coming-of-age comedy ParaNorman is all treats with no tricks. The movie follows Norman, an adolescent boy who has the power to communicate with ghosts. Although he's bullied at school and even isolated by his own family, he works to put an end to an ancient witch's curse that plagues his New England hometown. An entertaining movie with resonant story themes involving self-acceptance, belonging, and the difficulties of growing up, ParaNorman is buoyed by its unique art design that gives the whole film its eerie vibes.
10. The Last Unicorn (1982)
While its stiff animation reminds you that you're not watching a more fluid Disney blockbuster, The Last Unicorn asserts itself as a worthwhile fantasy adventure about identity, mortality, and courage. Mia Farrow voices the titular Unicorn, the last of her kind who goes on a search for other unicorns like herself. She is eventually transformed into a mortal woman and falls for a prince at the cost of potentially abandoning her quest. Although The Last Unicorn didn't exactly gallop at the box office, it has survived to become a cult classic beloved by all who bear witness to its beauty.
9. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
2008: The year the summer Olympics took place in Beijing, DreamWorks capitalized on America's fascination with a modernizing China with the family comedy Kung Fu Panda. The movie follows Po (voiced by Jack Black), a clumsy panda who is inexplicably chosen to become the "Dragon Warrior" and save his village from the evil Tai Lung. As a student of martial arts under Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), Po learns to become a real hero from within. While originating at DreamWorks as a satire of kung fu movies, co-director John Stevenson insisted on making a more straightforward martial arts movie, "albeit one with a comic character," he told ComingSoon.net in 2008.
8. Your Name (2016)
While the MPAA officially rated Makoto Shinkai's celebrated 2016 anime film Your Name with a tame PG, the movie skews to an older crowd of adolescents. Nevertheless, the movie is provocative and expansive, a body-switching comedy in which two high school students from different sides of Japan begin waking up in each other's bodies. As the two deal with the chaos, they race to unravel the mystery behind the phenomenon, seemingly rooted in the stars. Boasting utterly gorgeous scenery and a sweeping story of quite literal star-crossed romance to boot, Your Name may mystify younger viewers, but wait until they're older and watch them get swept away.
7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
This is the "ultimate" Spider-Man. At the height of superhero dominance in cinemas, Sony Animation threw down the gauntlet with a stand-alone animated Spider-Man movie that won over audiences everywhere – including the Academy Awards. Loosely based on the Ultimate Spider-Man and Spider-Verse comics, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse follows an entirely different teenage superhero, Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) who learns to become the next Spider-Man with the help of other Spider-Men and Spider-Women (and Spider-Ham) from across the multiverse. A seismic release that forever changed the look and feel of mainstream animation, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is really out of this world.
6. The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Kids may not be ready to sit through all of Cecil B. DeMille's epic classic The Ten Commandments. Thankfully, The Prince of Egypt exists. An animated retelling of the story of Moses with an original showtunes soundtrack, The Prince of Egypt is a rousing, uncompromising story about liberation and brotherhood. More than just another Bible movie, The Prince of Egypt's multi-dimensional storytelling, especially through its soundtrack, made it a massive hit in 1998, enough to put DreamWorks on the map as a competent rival to Disney. Even now the movie keeps its reputation as one of the most beloved animated musicals of all time, enduring even on TikTok.
5. The Land Before Time (1988)
Who can forget Littlefoot and his search for The Great Valley? Hot off of his previous movie An American Tail, animator and director Don Bluth began working with producer Steven Spielberg on their next project, effectively "Bambi with dinosaurs." The movie became The Land Before Time, the unstoppably sad but moving adventure about childlike dinosaurs who fight the elements – including monstrous T. rexes – to reunite with their loved ones in "The Great Valley," a lush corner of the world not yet ravaged by famine. While The Land Before Time launched a long-running franchise of lesser direct-to-video sequels, none of them touch the devastation of Littlefoot and his love for his late mother.
4. Shrek (2001)
You can already hear Smash Mouth's "All Star," can't you? In 2001, mainstream animation entered a new era of CGI-heavy productions and celebrity voice casts with Shrek, a send-up of familiar fairy tales with anachronistic humor. (Think Disney by way of Mel Brooks.) Mike Myers stars as Shrek, a lonely ogre whose peaceful solitude is interrupted when fairy tales are forced to move into his swamp. Tasked with rescuing a princess (Cameron Diaz) if he wishes to get his swamp back, Shrek – and wise-cracking Donkey (Eddie Murphy) – embark on an unlikely adventure about friendship, trust, and even prejudice. In spite of its pervasive status as a meme, Shrek really is one of the greatest non-Disney animated features of the 21st century.
3. Spirited Away (2001)
Of all of Hayao Miyazaki's movies, Spirited Away just might be his single best. (Maybe.) In this candlelit fantasy, a young girl, Chihiro (voiced by Rumi Hiiragi in the original Japanese language track and Daveigh Chase in the English dub) takes a job at a bathhouse run by a witch in order to restore her parents back to their human forms after they've been transformed into pigs. An elaborate coming-of-age tale about lonesomeness and the sudden end of childhood, Spirited Away balances Miyazaki's delicateness about nature and the ruthlessness of modern society.
2. Anastasia (1997)
An animated princess musical so good that it's often mistaken as a Disney movie, Anastasia – from directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman – remakes the 1956 Yul Brynner movie Anastasia, along with doses of Pygmalion. (It also plays with popular urban legend that the real-life Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna actually survived the assassination of her family during the Bolshevik revolution.) Mixing history with storybook fantasy, Anastasia sees a young orphan woman with foggy memories of her childhood being groomed by con men to pose as the real Grand Duchess Anastasia, only to learn she is the real Anastasia. An impressive production from top to bottom, Anastasia is truly animation royalty.
1. The Iron Giant (1999)
What is purpose? Is it fate or free will? That's the story underlining The Iron Giant, Brad Bird's celebrated 1999 sci-fi about a boy who befriends a giant alien robot in 1950s Maine. When a colossal robot from outer space lands on Earth, it befriends a young boy who teaches him that whatever he might be made for – and he's clearly not made for hugs – doesn't have to be his destiny. Set against the paranoia of Cold War America, The Iron Giant is a towering story about friendship that transcends programming.
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