The best DreamWorks movies include many amazing animated films, but a select few rise to the top as the best. Often described as the jazz to Disney’s classical music, DreamWorks is by far one of the most impressive and well-known Western animation studios outside of Disney’s employ, telling more unorthodox stories compared to Mickey Mouse’s safer narratives. Coming a long way since the release of their first feature animation, Antz, in 1998, DreamWorks’ recent animated domination has added to its legacy of excellent movies.
Identifying the greatest hits among DreamWorks’ impressive catalog of films comes down mainly to taste. Still, tangible variables can help measure how the best of the studio’s offerings stack up. From the art style, critical response, and box office numbers of DreamWorks’ best films, a solid picture of which films have been the most iconic for the animation titan begins to develop. Whether it’s an original, genre-breaking trendsetter or a sequel that puts Disney’s direct-to-video animated spinoffs to shame, DreamWorks’ filmography is full of impressive contenders.
15
Monsters Vs Aliens (2009)
A Sci-Fi Comedy Adventure
- Release Date
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March 27, 2009
- Runtime
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94 Minutes
- Director
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Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon
While there are some DreamWorks movies that showcase truly heartfelt and special storytelling, Monsters vs Aliens is a reminder that some animated films can just be hugely entertaining romps that make for great family-friendly fun. The movie features an all-star voice cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, and Hugh Laurie as a group of monsters locked away by the government, only to be promised their freedom if they help fight the invading alien army.
The movie was also a big enough hit and remained a favorite among enough fans to launch a mini-franchise of sorts, including two TV specials and a TV series.
Once again, the movie does not go too deep beyond the fun sci-fi comedy premise, but it still delivers exactly what fans would be looking for. The animation makes for a wild sci-fi story that is also filled with humor and colorful characters. The movie was also a big enough hit and remained a favorite among enough fans to launch a mini-franchise of sorts, including two TV specials and a TV series.
14
Antz (1998)
The More Mature Animated Bugs Movie
- Release Date
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October 2, 1998
- Runtime
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83 minutes
- Director
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Eric Darnell, Tim Johnson
- Writers
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Todd Alcott, Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
The very first DreamWorks animated movie showcases a studio that was willing to be much different from Disney and other competitors. Antz is a comedy that follows a neurotic and lowly worker ant trying to find his place in the large community. However, when he is mistaken for one of the colony’s heroic soldiers, his life is changed and he is sent on a grand adventure.
Antz is mostly remembered as the other movie about ants that came out around the same time as A Bug’s Life. While Antz has long suffered from that comparison, it is a much different film that is not for the youngest moviegoers. There are some surprisingly intense scenes and crude humor that relate more to an older crowd. It also boasts a star-studded cast, including Woody Allen, Gene Hackman and Sylvester Stallone. It makes for a funny and exciting animated adventure with an admirably bold approach.
13
Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)
The Iconic Duo’s Oscar-Winning Adventure
The characters of Wallace and Gromit are beloved and they predate DreamWorks as a company. However, DreamWorks was responsible for producing one of their most acclaimed works. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was a production in collaboration with Aardman Animations which finds the titular duo in the midst of their own hilarious and fun horror movie as they must contend with a giant rabbit that is targeting the community’s vegetable gardens.
The movie is a great reminder of the kind of innovative and exciting sequences that can be presented in an animated project. It is an action-packed ride that is fun for all ages. The sheer fun of the movie helped it to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, becoming the first stop-motion animated picture to achieve this. It is also the kind of animated movie that remains a timeless gem to be enjoyed for years to come.
12
Over The Hedge (2006)
A Woodland Critters Heist Movie
While there are so many animated movies that feature adorable critters as their ensemble, Over the Hedge forms a genuinely entertaining and funny movie around these characters. Bruce Willis leads the voice cast as RJ, a cunning raccoon who finds himself in a lot of trouble when he is caught stealing a hibernating bear’s supply of food and accidentally destroys it all. Needing to replace the supply before winter, RJ tricks a bunch of woodland critters into helping him invade the local suburbs for food.
Willis gives one of his most lively and charming performances as the con artist raccoon, bringing to mind his breakout role in Moonlighting. There are also some standout supporting players, including Garry Shandling, Nick Nolte, and Steve Carell. While the movie doesn’t go for the same heartfelt feelings as some of DreamWorks’ other offerings, it is a hilarious madcap adventure with some heist movie elements to it.
11
Megamind (2010)
An All-Star Cast Firing On All Cylinders
Just as the superhero genre was beginning to establish its chokehold on Hollywood, Megamind came along to shatter audience expectations for the genre. Beyond the all-star cast of comedy actors at the top of their game (Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill) and the impressively aged animation, Megamind presents a poignant message about doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, and vice versa, that many viewers need to hear.
Even though the film echoes The Incredibles and Despicable Me, it’s a shame about the disappointing follow-ups without Will Ferrell. This included a sequel movie, Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate (which has a 9% Rotten Tomatoes score), and a TV series called Megamind Rules!, which premiered on Peacock but brought in none of the original movie’s voice cast.
Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate and all eight episodes of Megamind Rules! are now streaming on Peacock.
While the first movie won no awards, it was still a box-office success and an underappreciated animated movie. The talented voice cast, impressive animation style, and some legitimately funny laughs have helped it withstand the test of time and remain entertaining over a decade later.
10
The Prince Of Egypt (1998)
An Epic In The True Sense Of The Word
- Release Date
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December 18, 1998
- Runtime
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99 Minutes
- Director
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Simon Wells, Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner
The Prince of Egypt is a biblical saga on par with the likes of Ben-Hur in terms of scope, beauty, and sheer awe but in animated form. The film is, at its core, a tale of faith and family told through the lens of two brothers, torn apart by their allegiances and duty to a higher power.
Hans Zimmer’s euphoric score and the breathtaking imagery of Egypt’s wind-swept landscape make the saga a true marvel for the senses. That said, the film pushes the PG rating past its breaking point with some macabre divine fury straight out of the Old Testament.
The Prince of Egypt was only DreamWorks’ second animated film after Antz, long before it became a box office juggernaut with Shrek. Regardless, it was still a decent box office success thanks to the faith-based crowds, and it received two Oscar nominations, both for the music, one for the score, and the other for the song “When You Believe.”
9
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
A Shockingly Thoughtful Follow-Up To The Original
As brilliant as the quality of Jack Black’s Kung Fu Panda was, few could’ve imagined a follow-up film would go on to nearly outdo its predecessor. Deepening Po’s backstory with some surprisingly tragic drama and developing his character with fundamental Eastern philosophy, Kung Fu Panda 2 let audiences know that the franchise wasn’t about to start pulling its punches.
It’s the rare case of a sequel living up to what the original put out and helped establish Kung Fu Panda as a major animated franchise. While it harbors some truly standout moments, the film struggles with pacing compared to the rest of the Kung Fu Panda films, holding it back from being in DreamWorks’ upper echelon of movies.
Despite this, it was still a massive success, bringing in $665 million on a $150 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), one of the highest-grossing movies ever directed by a woman (Jennifer Yuh Nelson). It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature and ensured the franchise’s future.
8
Chicken Run (2000)
An Understated Stop-Motion Masterpiece
- Release Date
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June 21, 2000
- Director
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Peter Lord, Nick Park
- Writers
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Peter Lord, Nick Park, Karey Kirkpatrick, Kelly Asbury, Mark Burton, Cody Cameron
Produced in partnership with legendary stop-motion studio Aardman Animations, Chicken Run was instrumental in reigniting moviegoers’ appreciation for the pain-staking art form one frame at a time. The quirky jailbreak story of the rebellious chickens on a small Yorkshire farm has an unmistakable charm, with understated British humor that ages like a fine wine and a genuine sense of terror sure to convert many viewers into veganism. Even if it isn’t the most groundbreaking story, Aardman’s first foray into feature filmmaking is a feather in DreamWorks’ cap.
The movie was a box office success, making $227.8 million on a $45 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). While it didn’t earn Oscar attention, it did win the Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture – Animated or Mixed Media and took home awards from various film critics’ associations across the country. It even spawned a sequel over 20 years later.
7
How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
A Worthy Return To A Magical World Of Dragons
9/10
- Release Date
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June 13, 2014
- Runtime
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105 Minutes
- Director
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Dean DeBlois
DreamWork’s second expedition to the lands of Berk proved that the success of the first film was no flash-in-the-pan fluke, with returning director Dean DeBlois delivering another breathtaking vision of soaring above through the skies on the backs of dragons. The sequel expands on the lore of the Viking world while introducing new dragons and upping the stakes with the series’ first on-screen human death.
How To Train Your Dragon 2 was utterly snubbed at the 2015 Oscars when it lost out to Big Hero 6.
The movie was another box office success for DreamWorks, and it opened up the world by introducing Hiccup’s mother, who was long thought to be dead. It remained a smart animated movie and showed why the original was such a success. How To Train Your Dragon 2 was utterly snubbed at the 2015 Oscars when it lost out to Big Hero 6. If it wasn’t for the forgettable villain, How To Train Your Dragon 2 could’ve flown even higher.
6
The Wild Robot (2024)
The Oscar-Nominated Sci-Fi Movie With Heart
It may have missed out on winning the Oscar, but there are plenty of people who feel as though The Wild Robot is the best animated movie of 2024. Based on the children’s book of the same name, The Wild Robot featured the voice of Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, a service robot who crash-lands in the forest on her way to being delivered. Going about her programmed nature to help, she eventually creates a pseudo-family out in the wilderness.
The movie is filled with exciting set pieces and beautiful animated sequences that showcase just how far DreamWorks movies have come over the years in terms of their production values. However, it is also a wonderful testament to the storytelling which mixes together comedy, adventure, and heart so effectively that it stands up with some of Pixar’s masterpieces.
5
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The Premiere Modern Martial Arts Comedy
8/10
- Release Date
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June 4, 2008
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Director
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Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Few could’ve guessed that the action comedy starring Jack Black as a food-loving Panda would be a movie of such genuine quality, but the first Kung Fu Panda blows away audience expectations.
Not only is Black’s comedic timing as sharp as ever but the film’s perfect hero’s journey and intricately choreographed fight sequences elevate it from a passing family movie to a spectacle of animation prowess. Some of the dialogue does drag the film down at times, with Po’s cringeworthy lines putting a blemish on the film’s otherwise mirror polish, but the martial arts film still holds up today.
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The movie was a box office success, making $631 million on a $130 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film (losing out to Pixar’s Wall-E). However, it beat the Pixar film at the Annie Awards while bringing home 10 awards from the prestigious animation ceremony. It also launched a franchise that turned into three sequels and a TV series.
4
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Put The Feline Fencer On Par With Shrek
5/10
- Release Date
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December 21, 2022
- Runtime
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102 minutes
- Director
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Joel Crawford
After the lukewarm reception of Puss in Boots’ first solo film within the Shrek universe, DreamWorks created a dazzlingly animated sequel that manages to be thoughtful, funny, and heartwarming all at once.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish uses its jaw-dropping, painting-like animation to expertly weave a narrative that manages to juggle three memorable antagonists across the perilous journey of everyone’s favorite fearless hero. Although the inspiration from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse isn’t exactly subtle, The Last Wish is undoubtedly one of DreamWorks’ heaviest hitters, balancing action, comedy, romance, and fear on the tip of a sword.
The movie was a decent box office hit in the post-pandemic era of Hollywood, a sleeper hit with long legs in theaters. It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film, losing to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. The sequel was seen as a huge improvement over the original in everything from the visuals to the story.
3
How To Train Your Dragon (2010)
A High-Flying Smash Hit
9/10
- Release Date
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March 18, 2010
- Runtime
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98 Minutes
- Director
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Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Loosely based on the children’s book of the same name, How to Train Your Dragon presents a heartwarming tale of the bond between man and beast, emphasizing the importance of questioning the status quo and sticking up for friends. Toothless’ wide eyes and playful grin greet viewers like an old friend before taking them soaring through the clouds with some of the most impressive 3D flying sequences ever created, bearing a distinctly “live-action” feel.
Toothless’ wide eyes and playful grin greets viewers like an old friend before taking them soaring through the clouds.
The poignant performances and effortlessly adorable bond between the downtrodden Hiccup and his faithful mount can’t be overlooked as one of DreamWorks’ strongest features. It wasn’t as big of a box office success as later Dreamworks movies, but it was still successful enough to warrant sequels and TV shows linking the movies together. It also earned an Oscar nomination but lost to the Pixar masterpiece, Toy Story 3.
2
Shrek (2001)
An Enduring Classic That Paved The Way For Others
Even though Shrek has become near-ubiquitous with his meme status in the present day, there’s a real beating sentiment behind pop culture’s less-than-ironic love for the grumpy green ogre. The original Shrek was groundbreaking for a reason, blending modern humor that toed the line of its PG rating with a fairytale world that broke the mold of Disney’s medieval fare by upsetting the status quo.
Despite the baggage of some dated animation and references, Shrek continues to be DreamWorks’ most beloved and iconic film series, thanks to the layered success of its first entry. The history-making film helped solidify Dreamworks as a serious player in the world of animated big screen adventures and it never looked back.
Shrek won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The movie finished its box office run with $492.2 million on a smaller $60 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It is also the landmark movie that won the very first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, beating out Pixar’s Monster’s Inc. Its cultural impact is undeniable, with sequels, a spinoff series with Puss in Boots, and even a Broadway musical adaptation of the story.
1
Shrek 2 (2004)
Evolved The Comedy Of Shrek To New Heights
8/10
- Release Date
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May 19, 2004
- Runtime
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93 minutes
- Director
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Kelly Asbury, Andrew Adamson, Conrad Vernon
One of the rare instances in which a sequel managed to outdo the original, Shrek 2 took everything that made Shrek work and doubled down. They added to the number of jokes per minute, hilarious modern references, musical numbers and, most importantly, the core cast with the addition of Puss in Boots
Shrek 2 elevated the franchise from a mere standout comedy film to an absolute icon. The movie came close to the billion-dollar mark, with $935.5 million at the box office, and it earned an Oscar nomination, losing out to The Incredibles.
It was the last great Shrek movie, although the second Puss in Boots installment came close to its brilliance. Between the lively musical finale, endlessly entertaining additions to the roster of fairytale characters, and the infectious energy of its humor, Shrek 2 remains DreamWorks‘ magnum opus to this day.