There’s so much to watch on Disney+. From the action-packed Marvel films, to the classic, feel-good Pixar movies, Disney’s streaming service has no shortage of entertaining content from the big screen. There’s some new installments, such as Hocus Pocus 2 and Disenchanted, as well as others that go way back, including 1950’s Cinderella. Below, a comprehensive list of the best movies available to stream on Disney+.
Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
Hocus Pocus 2 was a massive hit for Disney+ when it was released before Halloween. The sequel film starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy quickly became the streamer’s most-watched film ever. It brought viewers back to Salem almost 30 years after the original film came out. The first Hocus Pocus is available to stream on Disney+, as well.
Disenchanted (2022)
Disenchanted is the sequel to the popular 2007 film and brought back stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Idina Menzel. New cast members included Gabriella Baldacchino, who played Robert’s grown-up daughter, Morgan. Like Hocus Pocus 2, Disenchanted was a huge viewership hit for Disney+ when it premiered.
Strange World (2022)
After failing to impress in movie theaters, Strange World performed well after it began streaming on Disney+. The animated adventure movie features the voices of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quad, Gabrielle Union, and Lucy Liu. It follows a group of explorers who embark on a journey to a mysterious subterranean land.
Turning Red (2022)
Turning Red was one of Disney+’s most popular movies that debuted in 2022. It’s about a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian student who transforms into a giant red panda when he experiences strong emotions. The voice cast includes Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, and Hyein Park. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Luca (2021)
Luca is one of Disney+’s most fantastic installments. The Disney/Pixar animated film follows Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay), a young sea monster boy who can assume human form while on land, and so he decides to explore a town called Portorosso with his new pal Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer). The best friend duo’s experience is truly life-changing, and one that viewers will laugh, smile, and cry over. Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, and Sacha Baron Cohen make up some of the movie’s marvelous voice cast.
Onward (2020)
Onward tells the story of two elf brothers (Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) who are seeking out a rare artifact in magical world that could supposedly bring their dad father back from the dead. But when the boys’ mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are gone, she recruits The Manticore (Octavia Spencer) to help find them. Onward has so many family lessons, and it’s a can’t-miss entry on Disney+.
Coco (2017)
The Day of the Dead serves as the inspiration for Coco, which sees a 12-year-old Mexican boy named Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) ending up in the Land of the Dead, a supernatural world. There, Miguel seeks the help of a deceased relative to help him reunite with his family and end his family’s ban on music, so that he can finally live out his dream of becoming a musician.
Soul (2020)
The 2020 Oscar-winning Soul features an all-star cast lead by Jamie Foxx, who voices a music teacher named Joe Gardner, whose soul and body are separated after falling down a manhole. The incident occurs just before Joe’s big break as a jazz musician, and so he teams up with other souls voiced by Tina Fey, Graham Norton, and more to reunite his soul and body. Along the way, Joe realizes what truly matters — and what doesn’t — in life.
Up (2009)
Up is the origin story of one of Disney/Pixar’s most beloved characters, the adorable Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner). Carl’s wife sadly passes at the start of the film, and he carries out a promise he made to his late spouse by traveling to South America by tying thousands of balloons to his home. He’s joined on this adventure by child Wilderness Explorer Russel (Jordan Nagai), and the generational differences between the counterparts teaches them — and the viewers at home — some valuable lessons.
Toy Story 4 (2019)
The Toy Story films are classics, no doubt about that. All four films are available on Disney+, but if there’s just one worth watching, it’s Toy Story 4. Most movie franchises don’t get better over time, but Toy Story 4 defies the odds by offering another wonderful adventure for Buzz (Tim Allen), Woody (Tom Hanks), and the rest of their talking toy squad. This time, they join new owner Bonnie and new toy Forky (Tony Hale) on a road trip, and along the way Woody reunites with old pal Bo Peep (Annie Potts). All four Toy Story movies knock it out of the park, but this one may just be the franchise’s best.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Who doesn’t love Sulley and Mike Wazowski? John Goodman and Billy Crystal voice Monsters, Inc.‘s iconic duo, who work hard at scaring little children from a different world. But when one of those kids (2-year-old Boo, voiced by Mary Gibbs) wanders into their world, it’s up to Sulley and Mike to protect her from everyone else: including the villainous lizard Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi).
The Incredibles (2004)
The Incredibles can be best described with one word: incredible! The action-packed animated film is all about the super-powered Parr family, that being Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), and their kids Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Spencer Fox), and Jack-Jack. Their allies include the dreamy Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) and outspoken Edna Mode (Brad Bird), and their family dynamics make them all too relatable — even with superpowers.
WALL-E (2008)
WALL-E is all about solo robot WALL-E (Ben Burtt), whose life consists of nothing more than cleaning up a future, uninhabitable Earth. But everything changes for WALL-E when a robot name EVE (Elissa Knight) shows up, and WALL-E forms a quick crush on his fellow robot! The pair explore the galaxy together in a film that every Disney/Pixar fan, humans and robots alike, should tune into.
Inside Out (2015)
Inside Out remains as one of Disney/Pixar’s most critically acclaimed animated films. 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) is struggling adjusting to a new home, so her five emotions — Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) — come alive to lend some assistance. But when the group get separated, it becomes no easy task to get these five personified emotions back home.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Finding Nemo is a classic, and there’s no mystery as to why that is. After all, the movie manages to capture the father-son bond between Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Alexander Gould) that warms the hearts of any viewer watching. Plus, the memory-loss antics of Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) add in some incredible humor to this unforgettable film.
Cars (2006)
Three movies later, Cars is another iconic Disney/Pixar franchise. Cars was created by John Lasseter and takes place in a world populated by talking vehicles, including Lightning (Owen Wilson). Lightning gets lost on his way to California in a race and ends up in Radiator Springs, a small town on Route 66 that is home to Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt). With his car wrecked, Lightning is forced to remain in the town and learn some much-needed life lessons.
Iron Man (2008)
The one where it all began. 2008’s Iron Man was the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a never-ending string of action-packed movies that continue to dominate the box office even all these years later. Robert Downey Jr. truly makes for the perfect Tony Stark, and Iron Man offers everything you’d want in a Marvel film: action, romance, comedy, and a great villain played by Jeff Bridges.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy introduces a slew of new faces to the MCU, including Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Nebula (Karen Gillan), and more. The extraterrestrial group pops up in more MCU films in the future, but its their origin story that remains a must-watch for the hard-core superhero fans and for those getting newly-acquainted to this complex, fascinating franchise.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War is the first part of the blockbuster event that MCU fans had been waiting years for. Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the rest of the Avengers team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) from obtaining the Infinity Stones and destroying the world. Infinity War ends on a cliffhanger (spoiler alert), and leads right into the next film on our list…
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
If you’re gonna watch Infinity War, you should watch Endgame fairly quickly after. After Thanos wipes out half the world, the remaining Avengers and their allies give it another go to stop their nemesis and restore the world once and for all. The action-packed film is quite emotional, given this is probably the last time the beloved heroes are all united together to fight the good fight. Avengers, Assemble!
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Every Star Wars film is available to watch on Disney+, but 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back is the one most worth watching. While most films end with the good guys winning, this one doesn’t, and that’s what makes it so captivating. You have Luke (Mark Hamill) training with Yoda, Leia (Carrie Fisher) falling in love with Han (Harrison Ford), the epic battle between the Resistance and the Empire on the battle of Hoth, and last but not least, Darth Vader’s big reveal to Luke (“I am your father”!) The addition of Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) only further cements The Empire Strikes Back as the greatest Star Wars film of all.
Cruella (2021)
2021’s Cruella is oh so delicious, and that’s especially thanks to the impeccable performance of Emma Stone as the villainous dog skinner. There’s been several iterations of Cruella over the years, but this one may just top them all. Emma Thompson also stars in the film as The Baroness, who plays a crucial role in Cruella’s transformation from aspiring fashion designer to psycho killer.
Hamilton (2020)
It’s not exactly the same experience as being at the Broadway musical in-person, but quite frankly, this live stage recording of Hamilton is just as good. The musical drama film features the principal cast of the award-winning musical including Daveed Diggs, Renee Elise Goldberry, Jonathan Groff, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. Disney+’s recorded version snagged 12 Emmy nominations, and won two, in 2021. Much deserved!
Moana (2016)
Moana tells the story of the brave daughter (Auli’i Cravalho) of a Polynesian village chief who is chosen to reunite an ancient relic with the goddess Te Fiti. Along the way, she encounters Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a shapeshifting demigod who assists her in the adventure. Moana’s mission is simple: return the relic to Te Fiti and save all her people. Sounds easy…right?
The Lion King (2019)
The 2019 remake of The Lion King consists of quite the star studded cast. Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Beyonce, Billy Eichner, the list goes on. The remake is pretty similar to the classic original, though the visual effects and vocal performances make this go-around for Simba pretty epic. The film was one of the most expensive ever made, so yes, you should absolutely check it out.
Cinderella (1950)
Cinderella is arguably the most iconic Disney tale of all. The story of a young girl being a servant for her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, only to meet her Prince and transform into a magical princess, has been told time and time again. But it’s the original Cinderella, which came out way back in 1950, that is the most magical version of all. The late Illene Woods voices the OG Cinderella, and she’s now a Disney Legend.
Home Alone (1990)
Kevin! Home Alone is perfect viewing for the holiday season, considering Macauley Culkin‘s Kevin McCallister gets left home alone while his family unknowingly leaves him behind to jet off on vacation for Christmas. But Kevin’s party-of-one doesn’t last long, as dimwit burglars Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) attempt to break into the house. Leave it to Kevin McCallister to conceive some innovative boobytraps to teach Harry and Marv a lesson to never mess with kids.
The Princess Diaries (2001)
The Princess Diaries is up there with Cinderella as the best rags-to-riches story ever. Anne Hathaway plays Mia Thermpolis, an unpopular high schooler who gets the shock of her life when she learns she is the heir to a European kingdom. Cue Julie Andrews as Mia’s grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi, who teaches Mia how life as a royal truly goes. But Mia isn’t so sure she’s ready to leave the simple life, and she’s left grappling between choosing a path of normalcy or royalty.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is such a thrilling watch for any and all ages. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley are all thrust into an epic battle both in the seas and on land involving pirates led by the villainous Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). The Black Pearl makes an appearance, of course, and the film has no shortage of romance. In fact, the Jack-Will-Elizabeth love triangle is a main focus in The Curse of the Black Pearl, as well as the Pirates of the Caribbean films that come after.
Freaky Friday (2003)
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis absolutely nailed their roles as a mother-daughter duo who magically swap bodies in Freaky Friday. The switch back doesn’t happen immediately, and so the duo is forced to spend their days as one another. Cue Jamie Lee playing a sassy rockstar teenager, and Lindsay as the overbearing mother and soon-to-be-bride. An absolute classic.
The Parent Trap (1998)
We’re seeing double! The Parent Trap is all about identical twin sisters Annie and Hallie (Lindsay Lohan) who meet for the first time at a sleep away camp and form one crazy idea — to switch places! Annie goes off to California to live as Hailie with their dad Nick (Dennis Quaid), while Hailie pretends to be Annie in London with their mother Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson). The girls try to get their parents back together, but they have one big obstacle: Nick’s fiancee Meredith Blake (Elaine Hendrix), who is hell bent on making sure that she marries Nick, no matter what.
High School Musical (2006)
We’re all in this together! High School Musical is still one of Disney Channel’s most memorable films, thanks in part to the star-studded cast of Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and more. Songs like “Bop to the Top,” “Breaking Free,” “Stick to the Status Quo,” and of course, “We’re All in This Together,” are still such classics. Come for the hunky Troy Bolton, and stick around for Sharpay Evans’ admirable (and all too relatable) sass.
Avatar (2009)
There’s never been another movie quite like Avatar. The 2009 film transports viewers to the world of Pandora, where a local tribe of humanoid species are fighting for their survival amidst the expanding mining colony. To date, Avatar remains the highest-grossing film of all time. Sequel films are coming in the next years, which gives Disney the chance to expand the Avatar franchise and capitalize on the original film’s undeniable success.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
This is the greatest show! The Greatest Showman is such an enjoyable musical film, thanks to the impeccable acting and musical performances from Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Zac Efron, and more. The film won a ton of awards, which was much-deserved. We’re still hoping for a sequel, but for now, The Greatest Showman performs just fine on its own.