The 49 Best Movies on Disney+
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News flash: Disney isn’t just for kids. Sure, Mickey and his friends rule the clubhouse, but there’s room for adults, too. (Ever heard of the term Disney Adult?)In fact, Disney+ has acquired a surplus of movies that your children, siblings, nieces, and nephews won't even recognize. Case in point: Holes—which you should absolutely show the littles in your life.
Disney+ has classic rom-coms, too, like 10 Things I Hate About You and The Princess Bride. Looking for something with less mush and more boom? Try X-Men or Logan. Want something animated? Look no further than Wish, which comes from the teams behind Frozen and Moana. For history buffs there’s even the inspirational astronaut flick Hidden Figures.
Below you’ll find 49 of the best films the streamer has to offer. Take a look, folks—and prepare to dive into the wonderful world of Disney.
Holes
Holes follows Stanley (Shia LaBeouf), a boy falsely accused of stealing. When Stanley winds up at a juvenile camp, he and his fellow inmates are tasked with digging holes in the desert. Mind you, there are rattlesnakes just waiting to bite them! The warden doesn't care, though—she’s hunting for treasure, but what Stanley uncovers threatens to ruin her whole operation.
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Hidden Figures
If you’re looking for entertainment and a history lesson, this one’s for you. Hidden Figures shares the untold true story of three Black women at NASA who helped launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monáe star as Dorothy, Katherine, and Mary—all of whom work together to make history.
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Wish
Wish is from the creators of Frozen and Moana, so you know it will be perfect for your family. The film follows Asha, a young girl who lives in a magical land where the king grants wishes. One day, Asha learns the king has been a little, well … selective with his wish-granting services, so she makes a wish into the ether. To her surprise, a star (named... Star) hears her. With Star’s help, Asha liberates her town from unruly forces.
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The Fault in Our Stars
Be honest: Can you watch this movie without crying? It’s been nearly ten years since the premiere of The Fault in Our Stars, so now’s the perfect time to check. For the uninitiated, The Fault in Our Stars is a devastatingly romantic movie about two teenagers who meet in a cancer support group. I won’t spoil the rest.
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10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate About You needs no explanation, but here goes: it's a ’90s classic, starring Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford. Kat has no interest in dating, but her little sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), does. The twist? The girls’ father won’t let Bianca date anyone until Kat gets a boyfriend. And so begins a scheme to set Kat up with Patrick (Heath Ledger), the handsome new kid.
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Remember the Titans
If you watch anything on this list, let it be Remember the Titans. I’m not even a football fan and I love this film—it’s just that good. Remember the Titans stars Denzel Washington as a wise football coach. His new job is to guide an interracial team after an all-Black high school and an all-white high school are integrated.
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Into the Woods
Thanks to this film’s reasonable runtime (I’m tired of three-hour movies, okay?), you can turn on Into the Woods at dinner and make it to bed before dark! This musical stars James Corden and Emily Blunt as a couple who can’t have a child because a witch has cursed them. To reverse the spell, they have to venture into the woods to find a milk-white cow, hair as yellow as corn, a blood-red cape, and a slipper of gold. Along the way, they run into Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel—who are trying to fulfill their own wishes.
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The Princess Bride
This one’s for the ’80s babies. The Princess Bride is a comedic fairy tale about a woman struggling to reunite with her one true love. To find each other, they have to overcome evil forces, snobby princes, and a whole lot of mayhem. When you’re done watching, check out William Goldman’s novel of the same name for even more laughs.
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Logan
Okay, enough cute shit—let’s add a little excitement to the mix. Logan is an action movie starring Hugh Jackman as Logan, a tired man who’s just trying to hold it together in an apocalyptic future. His plans to lay low are upended when he meets a young girl who needs protection. There are mysterious forces who want to hurt her. The question is … why?
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West Side Story
A classic! A love story! A timeless musical refreshed for a new generation! West Side Story is the gift that keeps on giving. Steven Spielberg directed this version, which tells the story of Tony and Maria—two youngins who meet at a high school dance and coincidentally spark a war between rival gangs who want to control their neighborhood.
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The Sandlot
A ragtag group of kids? Count us in. The Sandlot follows the adventures of Scotty Smalls, a baseball-loving youngster. One day, when his stepdad’s baseball flies over the fence, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to get it back—causing loads of trouble along the way.
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X-Men
X-Men brings the beloved comic-book series to life, telling the epic story of superhuman “mutants"—the next form of evolution. Each mutant has a genetic mutation that manifests in various powers. Most humans aren’t into it, but when the X-Men’s former colleague, Magneto, tries to start a war with humankind, they’re forced to protect a society that fears them—by any means necessary.
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Rogue One
Rogue One is the rare newish Star Wars movie that really gets it right, showing us exactly how a team of rebels stole the plans to the damn Death Star. Make sure you rewatch Rogue One before heading into Andor, the film's Disney+ spinoff series.
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness wasn’t exactly our favorite Marvel jam, but since we’re officially in Marvel’s Multiverse Saga, it’s a must-watch if you want to keep up.
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Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Shame on all of you if you slept on Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers. The ’90s revival, which sees John Mulaney and Andy Samberg voicing the titular chipmunks, is an absolute thrill ride through Disney’s character library. (And, uh... Sonic.)
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Turning Red
With the story of a girl who turns into a giant red panda whenever she’s angry, Pixar once again touches greatness. Make sure you stick around for the third act, which is really something. If you know, you know.
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Isle of Dogs
Classic Disney animation isn’t the only visual style you’ll find on Disney+. Mix things up with Isle of Dogs, a bold stop-motion story from the mind of Wes Anderson. When all the dogs of Megasaki City are exiled to Trash Island, a young boy goes in search of his guard dog, leading to a heartwarming adventure about the bond between humans and man’s best friend.
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Mulan
In this classic from Disney’s Golden Age of animation, set in imperial China, a headstrong young woman takes her aging father’s place in the imperial army. Disguised as a man, she strives to earn the respect of her fellow warriors while struggling to keep her true identity secret. Even if you’ve already seen it a hundred times, Mulan never gets old.
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The Princess and the Frog
In 2009, Disney released a film hearkening back to the glory days of hand-drawn animation: The Princess and the Frog, a modern update to a familiar fairy tale. In 1920s New Orleans, hardworking waitress Tiana's dreams of opening a restaurant take a detour when a fateful kiss turns her into a frog. When Tiana and her amphibian prince hop through the bayou in search of a voodoo priestess to make them human again, they each learn startling truths about themselves.
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Hamilton
Who lives, who dies, who tells the story of Alexander Hamilton? Well, renowned playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda and the original cast of the smash-hit Broadway show certainly do. Recorded live onstage back in 2016, this explosive ensemble brings to life the story of a then under-known U.S. dignitary... and also a new appreciation for the beauty of hip-hop.
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The Incredibles
This crime-fighting family has hung up their capes, sort of. When a former fan wants to destroy them and take over the world, it’s up to the Incredibles (and a few hilariously on-point sidekicks) to save the day.
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Cruella
Disney’s quest to give classic villains their own live-action features, beginning with Maleficent, has now moved on to Cruella, a splashy origin story that explores a young fashion designer’s madcap transformation into Cruella de Vil. It’s a battle of the Hollywood Emmas when Emma Stone, as young Cruella, goes toe to toe with a renowned English designer played by Emma Thompson, making for a visually spectacular feast about two powerful women on the warpath.
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Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean, Tomorrowland, and The Haunted Mansion are no longer the only Disney Parks rides enjoying the big-screen treatment. The venerable jungle-cruise ride gets its day in the sun in this same-titled film about a scientist (Emily Blunt) who hires a skipper (Dwayne Johnson) to ferry her down the Amazon in search of the Tree of Life. This action-packed thrill vehicle is a great Friday-night flick for viewers of all ages.
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Bao
Behind every big-budget blockbuster on Disney+, there's a hidden gem. In the streamer’s library of short films, you’ll find dozens of such gems—including Bao, a touching eight-minute short about a lonesome Chinese Canadian empty nester who gets a second chance at motherhood when one of her handmade dumplings comes to life. Leave it to Pixar to make us cry in eight minutes flat.
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Luca
Is it an animated Call Me by Your Name? Yes and no. It does feature Luca, a sweet boy who makes an Italian friend named Alberto, and the pair share the secret that when they enter water, they turn into mermaids. Luca also makes Alberto jealous when he befriends land-only dweller Giulia, so it’s not not a sweet coming-of-age film! Shedding any of the heaviness and sexuality of the aforementioned film, Disney has created something special that is an absolute summer must-see.
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The Princess Diaries
Turn your nose up all you want, but The Princess Diaries is Disney+ gold. Starring Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, and Héctor Elizondo, the coming-of-age story has the perfect amount of cheese and teenage angst. A true time capsule of the 2000s. And it will have you intermittently whispering the words: Prin-CESS of Genovia.
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Raya and the Last Dragon
Kelly Marie Tran leads a lively voice cast as Raya, a warrior princess looking to restore prosperity to Kumandra, her ancestral homeland, by tracking down the last remaining dragon, her only hope for saving the nation. That dragon, Sisu, is a far cry from a fearsome beast, but their partnership bears fruit in this touching story about trust, girl power, and leaps of faith.
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National Treasure
National Treasure has become a television reboot at Disney+, but you can still stream the original movie (and its sequel) to stay ahead of the curve. Nicolas Cage stars as a cryptologist and treasure hunter who uncovers astonishing secrets about American history. Difficult to believe? You bet your ass. But it’s sure a lot of fun, featuring some high-octane, Indiana Jones–style archaeology.
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Hercules
This 1997 cult classic is among Disney’s finest animated films. Arriving at the tail end of the Disney Renaissance, Hercules is the funny and fast-paced tale of the renowned Greek hero. After 18 years of feeling like an outcast, Hercules discovers his divine lineage, with an ultimatum attached: Hercules can only return to Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, if he becomes a hero. With the help of his world-weary, wise-cracking trainer, Hercules embarks on a storied journey to become a hero, replete with powerful questions about the true nature of heroism.
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Onward
Set in a fantastical world where modern life and medieval magic coexist, Onward stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers who embark on a magical quest to spend one last day with their long-dead father. Hijinks, miscommunications, and a Weekend at Bernie’s–style caper ensue, but so too does a powerful, tear-jerking story about family and memory.
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Soul
This Pixar outing stars Jamie Foxx as Joe, a New York City middle school band teacher determined to make it big as a jazz musician. When Joe falls down a manhole right before his big break, he ends up in the Great Before, the existential limbo where nascent souls receive training before taking up residence in a human body. There he meets 22 (voiced by Tina Fey), a jaded soul whose rebellion masks a deep skepticism about life on Earth. What begins as a buddy-comedy caper to get Joe back into his body ends in a characteristically Pixar meditation on beauty, art, and ambition.
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Godmothered
In this frothy, Enchanted-esque fantasy, Jillian Bell stars as Eleanor, a godmother-in-training who embarks on a quest to save the dying profession from extinction. Finding a forgotten letter from Mackenzie, a young girl in distress, Eleanor tracks down Mackenzie in Boston, only to discover that she’s now a 40-year-old widow working at a local news station, struggling to parent her two daughters and find her happily ever after. Eleanor’s mission to change Mackenzie’s life results in a cheeky send-up of fairy-tale conventions, as well as a genuinely heartwarming story about finding happiness after loss.
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Coco
Criticize the tired Pixar formula all you want: When an algorithm consistently brings tears to your eyes within the first 15 minutes, it’s hard to be a cynic. In Coco, we tag along with Miguel, a young man with dreams of being a musician, as he travels to visit his ancestors on the Mexican Día de los Muertos. The film navigates its themes thoughtfully, achieving poignant commentary about ancestry, mortality, and the pertinent power of borders.
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Black Panther
It’s not often that a superhero-movie franchise makes its name as one of the most iconic in the industry on its first run. But one look at this Marvel flick’s cast, soundtrack, costumes, and set design justifies the hype. Kicking off the origin story of Black Panther, the film joins T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, on his journey home to the nation of Wakanda as he fights to save his father’s throne, the nation, and the world.
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For the Birds
We couldn’t complete this list with a clear conscience without an honorable mention of For the Birds. What this short lacks in runtime, it makes up in Oscar-winning quality. For those of the streaming generation without the distinct pleasure of watching Pixar shorts at the start of every VHS and DVD, consider this our act of service to you.
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The Brave Little Toaster
There’s a large chance this animated movie is jammed about as far back into your memory as its VHS is in your family’s attic. Lucky for you, there’s no more need to journey through cobwebs and spelling-bee trophies to revisit this gem. Embark on what is arguably the greatest hero’s journey of household appliances ever told.
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A Goofy Movie
Sorry, but it’s an indisputable fact that no movie has a better dance sequence than the final scene of A Goofy Movie. It’s not an opinion; it’s just fact. Released in 1995, the stand-alone Goofy movie is actually way better than the premise sounds. Both a coming-of-age story and near movie musical, A Goofy Movie is likely one of those Disney gems that you might not have accounted for in your binge plans.
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Old Yeller
The OG sad dog movie is available on the streaming service as soon as it launches on November 12. Brutally realistic for its 1957 release date, the movie sees Old Yeller stumble upon the Coates family farm as a stray but win over the family’s hearts after saving them from a brutal bear attack. As you might have heard, though, Disney only warms your heart to break it. Sure, the movie is 62 years old, but we’re not going to spoil the ending. Just have some tissues around for after it finishes.
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101 Dalmatians
Whether you’re into the fully animated features from 1961 or the live-action turn we got in 1996 (there is no Cruella De Vil like Glenn Close), Disney+ has you covered with both iterations. Way more terrifying than you might remember, Cruella is after a whole litter of puppies so she can... make them into coats. As you might guess, she never gets away with it, but she makes an incredible villain, cartoon version or not.
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Finding Nemo
Parks and Recreation’s Ron Swanson describes this film’s plot as “a film in which an orange fish is separated from his father,” which is pretty much the perfect summary. The beautiful colors and hilarious voice acting of Ellen DeGeneres in her role as the forgetful Dory make this one of the most beloved films in Pixar’s storied catalog.
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Free Solo
This National Geographic documentary is not for people who are afraid of heights or who are generally averse to thrill seeking. It follows professional climber Alex Honnold, who attempts to achieve the first free-solo climb of El Capitan at Yosemite National Park. Spoiler: He does it so you don’t have to.
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Iron Man
Seeing as Disney owns the rights to the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe, all your favorite superhero movies are available to stream on Disney+. So might as well start with the film that transformed modern Hollywood as we know it—Iron Man is the origin of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. From here, you can go ahead and watch most of the other Marvel movies available on Disney+, including Endgame.
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Inside Out
A little advice: If you’re going through an emotional time, it might be best to tackle this one when things have calmed down a bit. This 2015 film follows 11-year-old midwestern girl Riley as she moves to San Francisco with her parents, all while battling her tricky preteen years. Her emotions are all animated (literally) and brought to life by recognizable voices, including Amy Poehler, as well as Mindy Kaling and her Office costar Phyllis Smith. Again, it’s about feelings, so if you don’t want to think about yours, this isn’t the best choice. Or maybe it is. Face what’s going on in there.
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Star Wars IV: A New Hope
Disney+ made available every film in the modern, prequel, and original eras available to stream on day one. So let’s start it off with the movie that changed it all, the original 1977 Star Wars, where Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Han Solo make their first appearances.
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The Parent Trap
Thirty-seven years before Lindsay Lohan played her own twin in The Parent Trap, Hayley Mills was doing it. The twins, named Susan Evers and Sharon McKendrick, because this is 1961 and everyone has your mom’s name, meet at summer camp and decide to switch places, unbeknownst to their parents.
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Moana
This modern animated classic (that’s surprisingly not Pixar!) is one that both parents and kids can watch repeatedly—and never get “How Far I’ll Go” out of their head. The story of a brave teenager who sets out on a quest to save her island is the film that Esquire ranked as the best Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson movie. (He voices the hero Maui.)
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Released in 1937, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs revolutionized animated films as we know them and fully established the company as a viable film studio. Its animation style was groundbreaking at the time and still holds up. Sure, Disney is best known for computerized technical wonders, but there's something still appealing about these sweet, hand-drawn masterpieces.
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