If the wizarding world has left a permanent hole in your heart that nothing can fill, you are not alone, and you are not without options. The best fantasy movies share something with Harry Potter that goes beyond wands and wizardry, that the world is bigger and stranger and more wonderful than it seems and that somewhere, out of sight, a door is waiting to be opened. Here are the eight films that come closest to recreating that feeling.
Chronicles of Narnia (2005)
Four siblings evacuated from the countryside during World War II find a closet that opens to a completely different world, locked in an endless winter by a witch who has ruled for a hundred years and is terrified by a prophecy that four human children will end her reign. The film has the same quality that made the early Harry Potter films so magical, the sense of an ordinary child being drawn into something monstrous and discovering that they were always meant to be there. Tilda Swinton’s White Witch is one of the great fantasy villains, and the film is currently streaming on JioHotstar.
‘Fantastic Beasts and where to find it’ (2016)
Set in 1920s New York and following magizoologist Newt Scamander when he arrives in America with a suitcase full of magical creatures who promptly flee the city, this is the closest thing to a return to the wizarding world outside of the original series. Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt, an incredibly awkward and lovable outsider whose love for magical creatures is more believable than his love for almost anything else, and the film builds a version of the wizarding world that feels genuinely fresh. It is streaming on Prime Video and JioHotstar.
‘The Golden Compass’ (2007)
Based on Philip Pullman’s beloved novel, the film follows Lyra Belacqua, a fearless young girl living in a parallel world where every human has an animal companion named a demon who embodies their soul, as she sets out to rescue children taken in by a mysterious organization with terrifying intentions. The world building is extraordinary, the mythology is rich, and Dakota Blue Richards anchors the film with a performance of real fire and intelligence. For anyone who loved the idea of a young protagonist discovering a vast and dangerous magical world, it’s streaming on Prime Video.
‘Eragon’ (2006)
A farm boy in a medieval fantasy world discovers a dragon egg hatching just for him, becomes attached to the creature and drawn into an ancient conflict between a tyrannical king and the last rebels who remember a better world. It’s a film with the bones of a classic fantasy epic, a young hero, a fate he didn’t ask for, and a world full of downtrodden and almost forgotten magic, and it captures the unique pleasure of a story that takes its mythology seriously. For fans of dragon lore and classic fantasy adventures, it’s live on JioHotstar.
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ (2010)
A twelve-year-old boy with dyslexia and ADHD discovers that his real father is Poseidon, god of the sea, and that the mythological world he learned about in school is not only real, but actively trying to kill him. The film has the same Harry Potter DNA in its bones, about an ordinary child discovering an extraordinary heritage, a school for people like him and a quest that will determine the fate of the world, and it handles Greek mythology with a lightness and enthusiasm that makes it so much fun. It is live on JioHotstar.
‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ (2008)
Twin brothers who move into their great-uncle’s old estate find a guide to the secret world of fairies hidden within the walls, and the moment they open it, they set in motion a chain of events that brings all the creatures described within its pages straight to their doorstep. The film has a wonderfully exciting energy and a real sense of danger that sets it apart from bland fantasy films, and Freddie Highmore is excellent in the dual role of the two brothers. For fans of the magical worlds hidden beneath the surface of the ordinary, it’s streaming on Prime Video
‘Stardust’ (2007)
A young man crosses the wall that separates his town from a magical kingdom to retrieve a fallen star for the girl he loves, only to discover that the star is actually a woman named Yvaine and that half the kingdom is hunting her for her own reasons. The film is witty, romantic and genuinely adventurous, with a scene-stealing cast of Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro in a role no one has seen before. It’s a movie that makes you feel warm and a little haunted, and it’s live on Prime Video.
‘Coraline’ (2009)
A young girl discovers a secret door that leads to an idealized parallel version of her life in her new home, where her Other Mom cooks amazing food, her Other Dad pays attention to her, and everything seems perfect until she realizes that everyone in this world has buttons for their eyes. Henry Selick’s stop-motion masterpiece is one of the most spectacular and genuinely disturbing fantasy films ever made, capturing the same mix of wonder and dread that the dark ‘Harry Potter’ films did so well. It’s a must watch and is available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
