Top Fantasy Movies Of 2025: Box Office Rankings

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2025 wasn’t a blockbuster year for movies overall, but fantasy films still did well. This is typical, as fantasy movies often appeal to all ages, bringing in large family audiences to theaters.

The success of fantasy movies in 2025 was boosted by the fact that most of the biggest releases were continuations of existing stories – sequels, remakes, or adaptations of well-known franchises. Although there weren’t many high-earning fantasy films overall, those that did well at the box office – particularly one that earned over $1 billion – had a significant impact.

Freakier Friday – $153.1 Million

The 2003 movie Freaky Friday, based on Mary Rodgers’ novel, has become the most well-known adaptation for many people today. A lot of millennials remember watching Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis switch bodies countless times growing up.

After more than twenty years, a sequel to the original film, Freakier Friday, surprisingly appeared in 2025. It delivers exactly what fans want from a sequel – more of the fun from the first movie, but with a bigger story. This time, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis swap bodies not only with each other, but also with Lohan’s daughter and her future stepdaughter.

Similar to the original, Freakier Friday received positive reviews, which helped it earn $153.1 million. Because many legacy sequels don’t live up to expectations, the good word-of-mouth likely boosted ticket sales. The film was a hit with millennial parents who enjoyed bringing their kids to see it.

Snow White – $205.6 Million

Image by Yailin Chacon

In 2025, few films sparked as much debate as the live-action remake of Snow White. The movie faced criticism for several reasons, including the decision not to cast actors with dwarfism as the dwarfs, and differing opinions expressed by its stars, Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot.

Many people actively protested the movie, which negatively impacted how much money it made in theaters. Although it earned $205.6 million worldwide – a high amount for many films – it cost over $300 million to make, making it a major financial failure for Disney.

Despite the negative reception, many people still went to see the movie in theaters or watched it online later. Critics generally didn’t like it, although Rachel Zegler’s performance as Snow White was consistently praised.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t – $242.4 Million

Released in 2013, Now You See Me quickly became a popular and inventive thriller. The film centers around a group of talented magicians who commit daring robberies, and its success was fueled by a captivating story and a charming cast, including Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Woody Harrelson.

The follow-up film was good, but it was more expensive to make and earned less money at the box office. It seemed like the series had ended, until a third movie, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, was announced. This new installment featured both the original actors and several fresh, younger faces.

Despite earning $242.5 million – the lowest amount of any film in the series – Now You See Me: Now You Don’t was still considered a hit. It revitalized the franchise and delivered more of what fans enjoyed, leading to a fourth movie being approved even before the third one was released, demonstrating the series’ lasting appeal.

Wicked: For Good – $525.8 Million

2024’s biggest blockbusters included Wicked, earning over $700 million at the box office. As the first of two planned films based on the popular stage musical, audiences were excited to see how the story of Elphaba and Glinda would end, particularly with familiar characters from The Wizard of Oz making an appearance.

Although Wicked: For Good still earned a significant $525.8 million, it made noticeably less money than the first Wicked movie. This is likely because many people felt the second part of the Wicked stage show wasn’t as strong, so they didn’t expect the film to be as good.

Reviews for Wicked: For Good weren’t as strong as those for the first movie. Many critics thought the second part felt hurried and the songs weren’t as memorable. However, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande both gave fantastic performances, making it worth watching.

How To Train Your Dragon – $636.3 Million

Helen Sloan / © DreamWorks / © Universal Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

Live-action remakes of animated movies are usually successful in theaters. While they rarely match the quality of the original, families continue to enjoy seeing them on the big screen, and the recent remake of How to Train Your Dragon was no exception.

Unlike Disney’s live-action remakes which often revisit older classics, How to Train Your Dragon is a more recent film, released about fifteen years ago. This new version closely follows the original, even with the same director, and surprisingly, it works well.

While the new How to Train Your Dragon movie doesn’t really break any new ground, it’s still a really heartwarming and enjoyable film. It was well-received by critics and earned over $636 million around the world, which led to plans for a live-action remake of the next movie in the series.

A Minecraft Movie – $961.1 Million

For years, Minecraft has been a hugely popular video game, earning critical praise and becoming one of the best-selling games ever. Many people doubted it could ever make a good movie, but A Minecraft Movie surprised everyone and proved them wrong.

The movie follows four unlikely friends who are transported to a blocky, cubic world. With the assistance of a skilled builder named Steve, they try to find a way back home. Although critics were divided on the film, it proved very popular with moviegoers.

The Minecraft movie earned an impressive $961.1 million, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2025. Its success was likely due to the game’s existing fanbase and a popular cast, including Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Emma Myers, known for her role in Wednesday. A follow-up movie is already planned.

Lilo & Stitch – $1.038 Billion

After the expensive production of the live-action Snow White, many thought Disney would make fewer live-action remakes. But the release of Lilo & Stitch later in the year proved them wrong. It became the biggest fantasy hit of 2025 and one of the year’s highest-grossing films overall.

Similar to many live-action remakes, the new Lilo & Stitch stays fairly close to the original animated film. However, the ending was changed in a significant way, and the movie as a whole received a generally lukewarm reception from critics and audiences alike.

Despite being an older film, Lilo & Stitch was incredibly popular with families and earned over $1.038 billion in theaters. This highlights just how much people love the original movie, especially considering the animated version only made around $300 million.

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2026-02-26 18:12