The Top Fantasy Movie From Every Decade

Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Published Aug 15, 2026, 6:05 PM EDT Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows. In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA. Sign in to your Collider account Fantasy has been one of the hardest genres to crack, even if the best iterations of it can be all-time classics. While science fiction tends to have a hook that can be easily explained, fantasy requires viewers to buy into worldbuilding and expand their imaginations. In recent years, fantasy has become an even tougher sell on the big screen because of how many popular television shows there are in the genre. Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon regularly provide spectacle so immersive that it feels just as fulfilling as a big screen adventure. There’s always been an association between “movies and magic,” and thus the popularity of fantasy films will never die. Nonetheless, it has changed significantly over the course of different decades in film history based on what sort of escapism the audiences are looking for at a given time. 10 ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939) Image via Warner Bros. Pictures The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous films ever made for a reason, and it holds up just as well today. While nearly every aspect of the film has become iconic, it’s easy to forget that The Wizard of Oz was not necessarily a box office triumph when it was first released; it was over time that the characters become crystallized in popular culture, the songs became iconic, and the beautiful transition between black-and-white and color showed the perfect way to use the magic of Technicolor. The Wizard of Oz is a film that has held up so well that it doesn’t matter that it has been endlessly parodied. The failed sequels, prequels, and reimaginings of The Wizard of Oz universe make it even more impressive what Victor Fleming did in adapting material that many deemed to be “unfilmable.” 9 ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ (1946) Image via Universal Studios A Matter of Life and Death is one of the many great films directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and stars David Niven as a British pilot who is accidentally caught up in the afterlife during a mission at the end of World War II, and must try to make his way back to the world of the living. Although it starts off as a thrilling adventure epic, not dissimilar from many of the other war films released during the same decade, A Matter of Life and Death becomes a wholesome and heartfelt fantasy about the value of life. Powell and Pressburger were ahead of their time in visualizing a version of the afterlife that felt exclusive to the silver screen, and did not risk offending members of any specific religion. Niven has simply never been more charming than he is here. 8 ‘The Seventh Seal’ (1958) Image via AB Svensk Filmindustri The Seventh Seal is one of the best medieval films ever made, and is responsible for creating one of the most iconic visualizations of death within all of cinema. Few directors could merge rich dialogue with eye-popping visuals better than the great Ingmar Bergman, as The Seventh Seal draws from the text of history, while taking a wholly imaginative approach to the anxiety surrounding death. Bergman worked with Max von Sydow many times, but The Seventh Seal might be the best of both of their careers. The Seventh Seal is a masterclass in tonal specification, as it is a grand adventure that is remarkably intimate, and even conjures images of horror in its most frightening sequences. It’s become such an iconic film that it has been endlessly parodied, with the most memorable riff being in the underworld sequel in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. 7 ‘Mary Poppins’ (1965) Image via Walt Disney Productions Mary Poppins is the greatest live-action Disney film at all, and solidified itself as a cinematic classic, despite being very different from the book that it was based on. The songs hold up very well and the animated scenes are just as delightful, but the reason that Mary Poppins has endured throughout generations is that it is a “family film” that is just as important for adults as it is for kids. There aren’t many performances in history that are as “practically perfect” as Julie Andrew in Mary Poppins, in what is one of the most deserving Best Actress wins of all-time. That Andrew was able to create such a dynamic, enchanting, and wise character whose thoughtfulness was as impactful as her magic ensured that Mary Poppins represented the best of what an “all ages appropriate” fantasy adventure can look like. 6 ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ (1971) Image via Paramount Pictures Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is another film that became a controversial adaptation due to the disputes with Roald Dahl, but the end result is another family-friendly fantasy adventure that is surprisingly wise and mature. It’s a film that includes surprisingly nightmarish sequences and looks at poverty in an earnest way, but it’s held together by the magic of Gene Wilder, who was simply born to play Willy Wonka. Wilder creates a character who is both completely sincere and utterly sarcastic with every line, showing Wonka to have a threatening aura that masks his real heart. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a film about goodness, and justifies the use of the fantastical to have a good message about the merits of humility, honesty, and love. Although there’s stuff to like in both Tim Burton’s remake and the prequel Wonka, the original 1971 classic is still the definitive version. 5 ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987) Image via 20th Century Studios The Princess Bride was part of a legendary run by director Rob Reiner, who managed to make six masterpieces in a row, each belonging to a different genre. The Princess Bride was adopted from a beloved novel and allowed Reiner to indulge in everything that he loved; it’s a great film about storytelling through the eyes of a child, a hilarious comedy that includes a number of great comedic performances, a sincere love story with a sweeping romance, and an expansive adventure that makes the most of its medieval setting. The Princess Bride is the perfect fantasy film for those who are already fans of the genre, as it subverts cliches in clever ways, yet retains a sincere heart. Naming all of the iconic quotes in the film would be a challenge, but anyone who has seen it knows the power of “as you wish.” 4 ‘Dreams’ (1990) Image via Warner Bros. Pictures Dreams is one of the more underrated and underseen films from Akira Kurosawa, one of the greatest directors of all-time. Kurosawa became best known for his feudal epics and social dramas throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, but he reached a more experimental phase towards the end of his career where he dove into his own subconscious. Dreams is a literal visualization of various dreams that he had, brought to life in an anthology format. Rarely has a film conjured what it’s like to imagine something better than Dreams, as Kurosawa proved to be one of the best filmmakers who transitioned out of the black-and-white era to take full advantage of a bold color palette. It’s also a film that includes some surprising performances, including a rare acting role for Martin Scorsese, a massive fan of Kurosawa’s, as the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh. 3 ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001) Image via New Line Cinema The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the best installment in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which is a fairly impressive achievement when considering that it is among the most perfect franchises of all-time. What differentiates The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is that Peter Jackson creates the perfect humble opening within the Shire that establishes the stakes of what the Hobbits are actually trying to save, and becomes a tireless thriller as soon as they begin their mission to reach the Council of Elrond. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings includes the best acting of the trilogy because the cast is at its most dynamic when the entire fellowship is together, and due to how much more compelling Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) is when he is still the “Grey” wizard. Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the RingsCharacter Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide. 💍Frodo 🌿Samwise 👑Aragorn 🔥Gandalf 🏹Legolas ⚒️Gimli 👁️Sauron 🪨Gollum BEGIN YOUR QUEST → 01 You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders. AAccept it. Someone has to, and running changes nothing. BStay by the side of whoever carries it. They shouldn't go alone. CStep forward and lead. This is exactly what I was made for. DIt's mine now. I won't let anyone else have it. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis. AFollow them without hesitation. I'd rather die beside them than live without them. BRally others and forge a plan to help — strength in numbers. COffer wisdom and guidance. My counsel may save them where swords cannot. DLet them go. Only the strong survive, and sentiment is a weakness. NEXT QUESTION → 03 Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it. ADestroy it. Nothing good comes from power this absolute. BUse it to protect those I love — just this once. CWield it wisely. I have the will and the knowledge to do good with it. DSeize it. I have waited long enough. It belongs to me. NEXT QUESTION → 04 What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are. AA simple, peaceful place — green hills, good food, no adventure required. BWherever the people I love are. Home is a feeling, not a place. CA kingdom I must earn before I can truly claim it as mine. DI lost it long ago. That loss is what drives everything I do. NEXT QUESTION → 05 When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not. ASurvive by any means. I'm not a fighter — but I'll do what I must. BFight for the person beside me, not for glory or honour. CLead the charge. Nothing inspires an army like a king at the front. DStrike from range, fast and precise — never let them get close. NEXT QUESTION → 06 Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask. AListen, then offer honest encouragement. Sometimes people just need belief. BGive them practical help — words are fine, but action is better. CSpeak carefully. I have seen much, and I know what counsel can cost. DTell them what they want to hear. Trust is a tool like any other. NEXT QUESTION → 07 How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind. ASmall and ordinary — but perhaps that's exactly why I was chosen. BDefined entirely by who I serve and love. I am nothing without them. CForged by hardship into something the world has not yet fully seen. DDiminished from what I once was — and consumed by the need to reclaim it. NEXT QUESTION → 08 Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen. AI find peace in it — forests, rivers, open skies. Nature restores me. BI prefer the earth underfoot — stone, mines, solid and real things. CI have watched the world change for longer than most can comprehend. DNature offers hiding places, cold water, raw fish. That's enough for me. NEXT QUESTION → 09 You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character. AShow mercy. Even the most broken souls deserve a chance at redemption. BPity them — but never trust them. They made their choices. CSee them as a tool. Their knowledge or skills may still serve a purpose. DDestroy them before they can cause more harm. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford. NEXT QUESTION → 10 When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories. AThat an ordinary person did an extraordinary thing — and came home. BThat I never abandoned the person who needed me most. CThat I was worthy of the crown — and everything it demanded. DNothing. I don't need songs. I needed it, and now it's gone. REVEAL MY FATE → The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earthThe scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people. 💍 Frodo 🌿 Samwise 👑 Aragorn 🔥 Gandalf 🏹 Legolas ⚒️ Gimli 👁️ Sauron 🪨 Gollum You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is. You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one. You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you. You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late. Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them. You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything. You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct. You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 2 ‘A Monster Calls’ (2016) Image via Focus Features A Monster Calls is a powerful story about how fantasy can be used to heal within times of hardship, as it tells the emotional story of a young boy (Lewis MacDougall) who connects with a fantasy monster (Liam Neeson) when his mother (Felicity Jones) is suffering from a terminal illness. It explores how imagination can help to augment reality when there is no easy solution to express grief, and offers a moving lesson about the strength that children have. A Monster Calls is a heartfelt film that tells a mature story that doesn’t talk down to children, showing why it is important to tell fantasy stories of high quality. Although director J.A. Bayona has a significant amount of experience within the horror genre, A Monster Calls has just the right amount of scary moments without becoming too much for kids. 1 ‘The Green Knight’ (2021) Image via A24 The Green Knight is one of the best films of the decade and took on a challenging task in adapting a work of literature that has been poured over by medieval scholars for centuries, as they have debated what it truly means. The Green Knight works as an exciting sword-and-sorcery adventure because of how charismatic Dev Patel is as the brash knight Ser Gawain, but it becomes a more thoughtful, surrealist study on the confrontation of death. The Green Knight looks and feels like a film of a much higher budget thanks to the brilliance of filmmaker David Lowery, who understands the fantasy genre better than nearly any other living director. Lowery also helmed the best Disney live-action remake (Pete’s Dragon), a surreal pop star odyssey (Mother Mary), and an inventive haunted house film (A Ghost Story), but The Green Knight remains his greatest masterpiece.