Love Animals? You Have To Watch These Movies
Animals in movie roles often make us laugh, smile, or cry—usually ugly-crying—but that's why movies that feature animals as their main characters are so poignant and timeless: we sometimes connect with them better than we do the human characters. Let's examine some of the best movies where animals took a leading role. Beware: Tear-jerkers are mostly likely ahead.
Jaws
You can hear the theme tune ringing in your ears, I know you can. Perhaps no movie has ever struck fear into the hearts of ocean-going people than Jaws (1975). Starring Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Schneider, the classic tale of a shark hunt saw a shark take center stage for the first time in a major production.
One Hundred And One Dalmatians
The classic Disney movie was released way back in 1961 and tells the tale of the kidnap of 84 Dalmatian puppies from their mother and father: Perdita and Pongo, who must set out on a cross-country journey to rescue their litter from the cruel socialite Cruella de Vil, who wants to use their fur to make coats. One Hundred And One Dalmatians was adapted from a book of the same name, published in 1956 by Dodie Smith. It remains a classic Disney movie to this day.
Walt Disney, One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
Jurassic Park
Even obsolete animals make the list of the greatest animals-in-movies roles of all time. Jurassic Park (1993) saw dinosaurs come to life after scientists traveled to a remote island where dinosaurs have been recreated from prehistoric DNA. What could possibly go wrong? While the movie starred Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Richard Attenborough, the marauding dinosaurs were the real stars of the show in this groundbreaking movie that broke box office records.
Universal, Jurassic Park (1993)
The Lion King
Another Disney animated classic follows the adventures and trials of Simba, a young lion who's father, Mufasa, was murdered by his uncle, Scar—as a horrified Simba watched. Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking through Simba's coming-of-age journey, The Lion King (1994) features music from Elton John and the voice acting talents of James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, and Jeremy Irons.
Walt Disney, The Lion King (1994)
Bambi
Another tear-jerker extraordinaire is Disney's Bambi (1942), all about a young deer named Bambi who's journey through life leads him to find new friends, namely a rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower, as well as a beautiful doe named Faline. Under the watchful eye of his doting mother and stern father, The Great Prince Of The Forest, Bambi learns that tragedy sometimes befalls the serenity of the forest in one of the most compelling (and heartbreaking) Disney movies of all time. You have been warned.
The Secret Life Of Pets
The Secret Life Of Pets (2016) is a Universal Pictures about the misadventures of a New York City Pitbull Terrier named Max (voiced by Louis CK), who's serene life is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray to whom Max takes an instant dislike. While out on a walk, they meet Snowball (Chris Rock), a rebellious bunny rabbit who demands that Max and Duke join him in his quest to take revenge against the humans who've wronged them.
Universal, The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Flipper
Starring Elijah Wood and Paul Hogan, Flipper (1996) tells the story of a young boy who spends the summer with his eccentric uncle off the Florida coast, befriending a dolphin named Flipper. The 1996 film is a remake of a 1963 movie of the same name. While a young Elijah Wood may be the main human, Flipper is certainly the star of the show, even though he's played by an animatronic dolphin.
Zootopia
Zootopia (2016) may be one of our favorite animal movies, because the entire animated cast is made up of all kinds of animals. From tiny shrews to magnificent elephants, Zootopia is a place where animals live without human constraints. Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is the first rabbit to join the Zootopia police force and must work with a sly fox, detective Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) to solve a mysterious crime and prove herself worthy.
Finding Dory
A spin-off of Finding Nemo (2003), Finding Dory tells the story of the beloved blue tang fish, Dory. Detailing Dory's quest to find her parents, Finding Dory stars Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, alongside Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy. Unlike in the first film, Finding Nemo, Nemo takes a backseat as the affable blue tang fish takes center stage in a sequel that took 13 years to come.
Walt Disney, Finding Dory (2016)
Lady And The Tramp
Based on Ward Greene's tale of two dogs, published in Cosmopolitan magazine in 1945, Disney released Lady And The Tramp (1955) as a musical rom-com that follows Lady, a Cocker Spaniel with a happy family life, as she grows up from a puppy to an adult, finds love in a homeless mutt named Tramp, and deals with the loss of her family. Lady And The Tramp remains a steadfast Disney classic.
Walt Disney, Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Planet Of The Apes
Planet of the Apes has been remade several times since its first run in 1968, but the original saw the apes take center stage in a sci-fi thriller where three astronauts were marooned on a futuristic planet where the apes are in charge and humans are considered slaves. Sociological themes run deep in this movie that's widely considered one of the best sci-fi movies ever.
Twentieth Century, Planet of the Apes (1968)
Madagascar
This fun-filled animated adventure movie from DreamWorks tells the story of an animal quartet that find themselves transported from Central Park Zoo to the remote island of Madagascar. Madagascar (2005) stars the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and David Schwimmer. A lion named Alex is the star of the show, voiced by Stiller.
Kung-Fu Panda
The imaginative, comedic tale of Kung-Fu Panda (2008) is set in Ancient China—onlythis one is populated by anthropomorphic animals. In a Karate Kid-esque tale, Kung-Fu Panda centers on Po, a panda living in the Valley of Peace, who unwittingly becomes the last hope of his people against a snow leopard who's prophesied to bring destruction.
DreamWorks, Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Happy Feet
The adorable Mumble is certainly the selling point of Happy Feet (2006). The story centers around Mumble, an emperor penguin who has the unusual ability to tap dance like his life depends on it, but is unable to sing a heartsong to attract a suitable mate. Ridiculed by his family and friends, and even cast out by his own father, the heartwarming redemption tale of Happy Feet stars Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, and Hugh Jackman. It was a huge commercial success and generated a sequel: Happy Feet Two (2011).
Warner Bros., Happy Feet (2006)
King Kong
While the King Kong franchise began with the iconic 1933 horror movie of the same, our entry into the list of the greatest animal-centric movies is the 2005 remake. King Kong follows a filmmaker who journeys, along with his crew, to Skull Island, where they encounter many prehistoric creatures and King Kong himself. Starring Jack Black, Naomi Watts, and Adrien Brody, King Kong generated three more sequels in 2017, 2021 and 2024.
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life (1998) took the unusual step of focusing its story on a colony of ants. The main character, Flik, is always screwing things up for his colony—his latest screw-up costs them their entire food stores, which they've been bartering for with a destructive grasshopper named Hopper. A Bug's Life follows Flik on his journey of self-discovery and redemption, in a bid to rally fighters to defend his colony from the vengeful Hopper.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
What's that? A movie starring Richard Gere, but his performance was totally eclipsed by a dog? Hachi: A Dog's Tale is set in a modern American context but is a retelling of a 1987 Japanese movie, Hachiko Monogatari. It tells the story of a real Akita dog named Hachiko, who was remembered for his incredible loyalty to his owner. Hachiko waited for his owner (at the spot they used to meet) every day for nine years, following his owner's demise.
Sony, Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)
Lassie
The classic tale of Lassie was first told in a 1940 novel, Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight. The huge success of the novel saw Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produce the black-and-white Lassie Come Home in 1943, which generated six sequels starring the Rough Collie Pal as the titular dog. Lassie (1994) is widely considered one of the best retellings of the classic film and novel, and tells the story of the adventures of a Rough Collie, Lassie, and her family, the Turners. Lassie is widely considered to be one of the best classic American pieces of cinema and a cultural icon.
Babe
This Chris Noonan-directed adaptation of the 1983 Dick King-Smith novel, The Sheep-Pig, tells the story of Babe, a farm pig who wants nothing more than to be a sheepdog. Babe (1995) is narrated by Roscoe Lee Browne and stars James Cromwell as Babe's owner, Arthur Hoggett. The uplifting rags-to-riches, zero-to-hero story of Babe resonated with viewers and it became a huge commercial success, spurring a sequel, Babe: Pig In The City (1998).
The Aristocats
The Aristocats (1970) was produced by Walt Disney and is based on a story by Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe, telling the tale of a band of aristocratic cats kidnapped by a butler trying to gain his mistress's fortune, and how they're aided in their escape by an alley cat. It was a huge success in the 1970s and beyond, and although two sequels and a TV series were canceled by Disney, a live-action remake is currently in development.
Walt Disney, The Aristocats (1970)
Ratatouille
Ratatouille was everyone's favorite rat in 2007. Starring the voices of Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, and Ian Holm, Ratatouille tells the story of a Parisian rat who dreams of becoming a chef at a famous Parisian restaurant. The hilarious premise was beloved by fans and generated a legacy that includes a video game, a theme park attraction, and a musical.
Finding Nemo
The original tale of Finding Nemo (2003) was an action-adventure movie that captured the imaginations of kids everywhere. Telling the tale of a clownfish named Marlin who's on the hunt for his missing son, Nemo, the coming-of-age movie sees Nemo taking care of himself and his father's adjustment to letting his son grow up. It is the best-selling DVD of all time.
Alvin And The Chipmunks
Alvin And The Chipmunks (2007) tells the tales of the adventures and misadventures of a group of chipmunks: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, who move in with struggling singer-songwriter, Dave (Jason Lee). When Dave discovers the chipmunks have a gift for singing, his attempt to make them (and himself) famous could break up the family unit. Alvin And The Chipmunks was a huge commercial success and generated three sequels.
Twentieth Century, Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
Old Yeller
Old Yeller (1957) is another American classic about the relationship between man and dog—telling the story of a young boy named Travis and his brother Arliss and mother, Kate, who befriend a stray Black Mouth Cur named Old Yeller, after the dog saves Arliss from a bear attack. It's based on the 1956 children's novel by Fred Gipson. The movie has become a cult classic in the United States and is up there with Lassie in some of the most iconic dog-and-man movies of all time.
Walt Disney, Old Yeller (1957)
A Dog's Purpose
The unique storytelling style of A Dog's Purpose (2017) makes it a dog movie for the ages. Based on the eponymous 2010 novel by W Bruce Cameron, A Dog's Purpose tells the story of a dog over five decades, where they are reincarnated with various owners, on a journey to discover their sense of purpose. An emotional watch at times, A Dog's Purpose was a huge success and generated a sequel: A Dog's Journey (2019).
Universal, A Dog's Purpose (2017)
A Dog's Journey
The excellent A Dog's Purpose (2017) paved the way for A Dog's Journey. Continuing the premise of the previous film, Bailey (a St Bernard/Australian Shepherd mix) must take care of Ethan and then his new granddaughter, CJ. Again, a quest through multiple lifetimes begins for Bailey as the audience is once more thrown into a maelstrom of emotion.
Universal, A Dog's Journey (2019)
Arthur The King
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Arthur The King (2024) is the most recent movie on our list. It tells the true story of a Swedish adventure-racing team that befriended a wounded, stray dog (naming it Arthur) on the trails of an adventure race in the Dominican Republic, and completed the race with the dog. While big-name Mark Wahlberg was the star actor, Arthur the dog took all the plaudits.
Lionsgate, Arthur the King (2024)
Strays
This live-action comedy stars Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx as the voice of a pair of stray dogs, who unite with other stray dogs to take revenge on their owner. It's not a direct sequel, but does have an eerily similar plot to The Secret Life Of Pets. Strays (2023) received mixed reviews, but is still a funny flick, although not for young ears.
Ice Age
The original Ice Age (2002) was one of the standout animated movies of the early 2000s. Telling the story of three characters—a Wooly Mammoth, a sabretooth tiger and a sloth—who must return a human baby to its tribe. Mixing comedy and drama in a fantastic way, Ice Age generated five sequels and a video game from the success of the initial film.
Twentieth Century, Ice Age (2002)
Eight Below
While Paul Walker does star in Eight Below (2006), the real stars of the movie are a team of husky dogs that Walker's character, Jerry Shephard, risks his life to save after being forced to abandon them following a severe storm. The story of that rescue is the subject of Eight Below, with the viewer growing ever-more attached to the dogs in the movie. Eight Below received 3 out of 4 stars from Roger Ebert.
Walt Disney, Eight Below (2006)
Cats & Dogs
This hilarious comedy that pits dogs against cats stars the voices of Alec Baldwin, Tobey Maguire, and Susan Sarandon. It also stars Jeff Goldblum and Elizabeth Perkins. Cats & Dogs (2001) depicts an intense rivalry for human affection between dogs and cats, in which both sides use techniques and tactics resembling espionage to obtain that affection. The hilarious comedy performed well at the box office and generated two sequels.
Warner Bros., Cats & Dogs (2001)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Everyone's favorite turtles from the 1990s and early 2000s were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Beginning as a comic book and eventually morphing into a franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) was the first feature film, preceded by a television series. Featuring the four superhero ninja turtles on their quest to save their master, Splinter, from the supervillain, the Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a huge theatrical success and has generated many sequels.
New Line, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Dumbo
Dumbo (1941) tells the heartwarming story of Jumbo Jr, an elephant who is ridiculed for his oversized ears. He receives the mocking nickname of Dumbo, but is in fact capable of flight by using his large ears. Unexpectedly, Dumbo befriends a mouse named Timothy. The movie was well-received by critics and was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 2017.
Stuart Little
The little mouse that could—Stuart Little (1999) is a live-action comedy based on EB White's eponymous novel from 1945. Written by M Night Shyamalan and starring Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie, Stuart Little tells the story of an anthropomorphic mouse named Stuart who faces many trials and tribulations settling into his new life as a part of the Little family, not least of which is tackling conflicts with Snowbell, the family cat. Stuart Little was a huge commercial success and began a franchise that lasted nearly a decade, with multiple sequels and an animated series.
Columbia, Stuart Little (1999)
Scooby-Doo
Everyone loved the Scooby-Doo (1969) animated series, following the adventures of the titular character, Scooby, a Great Dane with a nose for adventure, mysteries, and mischief. The live-action flick Scooby-Doo (2002) saw the gang reunite to solve a mystery at a horror-themed tropical island resort. It starred Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rowan Atkinson, and Matthew Lillard.
Warner Bros., Scooby-Doo (2002)
Chicken Little
This 2005 flick from Disney was loosely inspired by the European folk tale "Henny Penny", as the title character goes on a journey of redemption after being mocked mercilessly by his peers for thinking that "the sky is falling". The film was a commercial success and inspired two video games. Unfortunately, the planned franchise was canceled, as Disney shifted focus.
Walt Disney, Chicken Little (2005)
Puss In Boots
Puss In Boots (2011) creates an origin story for Puss in Boots, a European folktale originating in Italy in the mid-16th century, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain wealth and power. Puss In Boots starred Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Billy-Bob Thornton, and Zach Galifianakis. Although a spin-off of the Shrek series, Puss In Boots was nominated for the Best Animated Feature at the 84th Academy Awards.
DreamWorks, Puss in Boots (2011)
Air Bud
Air Bud (1997) is an American-Canadian production starring Kevin Zegers as a young boy who befriends a runaway Golden Retriever who has the unique ability to play basketball. Air Bud was portrayed by Buddy, a Golden Retriever dog actor. One of the classic films of the late 1990s that combined America's great loves—basketball and Golden Retrievers—Air Bud generated a franchise that included four direct sequels and nine spin-off movies.
Free Willy
Free Willy (1993) tells the tale of an orca named Willy who's befriended by a young boy who hatches a scheme to save Willy's life and break him out of the captivity of a languishing amusement park, before the park's owner can get rid of him. Free Willy starred a captive orca named Keiko that was eventually returned to the wild after a huge public outcry based on seeing the movie.
Warner Bros., Free Willy (1993)
The Life Of Pi Nearly Killed The Tiger
While a tiger named King was the central figure in the highly-acclaimed Life Of Pi (2012), leaked emails following an investigation by the Hollywood Reporter in 2013 showed that the American Humane Association that monitored the production stated, "Last week, we almost killed King"—the tiger almost drowned in the incident. One monitor for the AHA, Geena Johnson, was also involved in a relationship with a production member of the movie, calling into question her ability to impartially monitor the safety of the animal. She eventually resigned from her position at the Humane Association.
