50 New Movies Streaming Now For the Whole Family to Enjoy

When family movie night rolls around it can be hard to choose a film that everyone wants to watch. It is easy to revert to an old faithful, but if you are at the stage where you would rather do your taxes than watch Frozen again, then you are in luck because thanks to the myriad of streaming services, there are a lot of great options at your fingertips.

From star-studded blockbusters to cute indie flicks and heartwarming dramedies, there are new family movies streaming out there to satisfy even the fussiest member. The best new family movies to stream today manage to be kid-friendly, thought-provoking, and entertaining for audiences of all ages. Any of these options are the perfect pick for a cozy night in with loved ones.

50 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' (2023)

Directed by Kirk DeMicco

One of the most underrated standalone films from DreamWorks' filmography, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken follows Ruby, an awkward high school student trying her best to hide the fact that she and her family are krakens. Ruby soon learns that her family has a powerful lineage of being protectors of the ocean, a role that Ruby wants to learn and explore much more than her boring high school life. However, danger proves itself to be lurking around the corner, as Ruby's new classmate, Chelsea, is actually a mermaid, a sworn enemy of the krakens.

The greatest strength of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is its beautiful and expressive character designs, with each character popping off the screen with beautiful colors and vibrant movements. From the simplistic land sequences to the bright and powerful underwater sequences, the film acts as a visual spectacle that is sure to enchant and delight audiences of all ages. Even if the plot is mostly predictable, there's enough charm and joy to make it an excellent watch.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

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49 'The Sleepover' (2020)

Directed by Trish Sie

The Sleepover is the 2020 Netflix Original starring Malin Akerman and Joe Manganiello. The film is an action-packed family adventure and perfect for parents who love spy and heist movies. While it often relies on overdone tropes, viewers can still expect more than a few laughs thanks to how ridiculous it tends to get.

Siblings Clancy (Sadie Stanley) and Kevin's (Maxwell Simkins) sleepover with friends goes awry when their parents are abducted because, much to the shock of the entire family, their mother (Akerman) is not the housewife they think she is but in fact, a former thief who is actually in witness protection. Now it's up to Clancy, Kevin, and their friends to save the mother they thought they knew and their father, the innocent bystander.

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48 'Merry Little Batman' (2023)

Directed by Mike Roth

Taking a holiday children's book approach to the classic DC superhero, Merry Little Batman sees Bruce Wayne's son, Damian Wayne, as his biggest wish for Christmas is to be a superhero like his dad. After Damien is left home alone during a night of crime fighting and justice serving for Batman, Damian ends up stumbling upon a villainous plot to take over Gotham City. He soon takes it upon himself to dawn the mantle of Batman and goes out into the winter night to save the day.

Merry Little Batman is tonally and stylistically completely different than every other Batman film, using the characters and world as a jumping off point for a wholesome story of family and connection during the holidays. The film's distinct 2D animation style harkens back to classic children's books and animated holiday specials of old, as it perfectly recaptures the warm and cozy feeling of spending time with family during the holidays.

Merry Little Batman (2023)

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47 'Orion and the Dark' (2024)

Directed by Sean Charmatz

One of the latest original films from DreamWorks Animation, Orion and the Dark follows the story of Orion (Jacob Tremblay), a young boy with a wild imagination that more often than not gives him more fears in life than joy. One fateful night, he meets the embodiment of nighttime himself, Dark (Paul Walter Hauser), who comes into his life with hopes of being able to show Orion the wonders of the world and to help him get over his debilitating fears.

While Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman is much more commonly associated with the themes of dread and existentialism in his works, he's able to make his writing style more approachable and child-friendly through Orion in the Dark. The result is an animated film that, on top of its ingenious premise and stellar visuals, treats its audience of children with much more respect and appreciation than other animated films. Orion in the Dark is a film that has a powerful lasting message at its center, one that is sure to leave a mark on audiences of all ages.

Orion and the Dark

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46 'Yes Day' (2021)

Directed by Miguel Arteta

Yes Day was the ninth most-watched movie on Netflix in 2021, attracting millions of viewers from around the world. The feel-good family flick stars Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramírez, and Jenna Ortega.

Allison (Garner) and Carlos Torres (Ramírez) used to know how to have fun, but after three kids and a mountain of responsibility later, things have changed. Now they spend most of their time saying 'no' to fun, that is until their eldest daughter challenges them to a Yes Day, where they agree to every one of their children's wild requests for 24 hours. Yes Day is a super fun, sweet film that every parent will be able to relate to and every child will want to reenact.

Yes Day

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45 'The Magician's Elephant' (2023)

Directed by Wendy Rogers

One of the best new kids' movies streaming that you might have not heard of, The Magician's Elephant is a Netflix original animated movie that follows Peter's (Noah Jupe) journey after he goes looking for his missing sister. The orphan boy's magical misadventure is prompted by a fortune teller's assurance that she's still alive, and all he has to do is "follow the elephant."

Before viewers know it, Peter is whisked away on a magical path that he never would have expected to go on. The Magician's Elephant is a touching tale of perseverance and bravery for the sake of love. While it doesn't strive to be anything novel, it manages to tug at heartstrings at just the right moments.

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44 'Sing 2' (2021)

Directed by Garth Jennings

The sequel to the widely beloved and successful Illumination film, Sing 2 continues the theatrical stage performance ventures of Buster Moon and his motley crew of singers, with their sights set on performing a new show at the Crystal Tower Theater. However, the culture shock of jumping to the life of the bustling Redshore City proves to be more difficult, as Moon is forced to scrounge for any connections possible in able to give their show a chance. They end up finding an opportunity under the ruthless mogul Jimmy Crystal, after promising to bring back legendary retired rock legend Clay Calloway.

Sing 2 features a lot of the same positives and aspects that made the original film such a success, combining the inherent family-friendly nature of cute animals with the classic singing/talent show premise. The film only continues to strive and evolve the characters of the first film, combined with a variety of new memorable characters mixed into the lineup. It all comes together for the major selling point of the film, which is the massive, color climactic show, filled with fun, upbeat music and a great conclusion to all the characters' stories.

Sing 2

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43 'Sonic the Hedgehog' (2020)

Directed by Jeff Fowler

One of the most successful video game movies of all time, Sonic the Hedgehog sees the famous blue hedgehog making his jump to the big screen for the first time. It tells the origin of the speedster, showing how he ended up on Earth as a child and fostered a new home hiding in the outskirts of the cozy small town of Green Hills. However, after he meets up with a new human friend, Tom, they must team up in order to stop the evil scientist Dr. Robotnik from taking over the world.

While it still takes several liberties and trends of family movie adaptations, Sonic the Hedgehog does an effective job of translating the hectic energy and charm of Sonic as a character to the big screen. The inherent charm of the film as a whole doesn't only come from Sonic, however, as Jim Carrey's portrayal of the lead villain, Dr. Robotnik, is easily one of his most energetic and memorable performances in decades.

Sonic the Hedgehog

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42 'Hotel Transylvania: Transformania' (2022)

Directed by Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska

The fourth film in the Hotel Transylvania series, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania flips the status quo and formula of the series on its head, when an invention gone wrong ends up transforming Johnny into a monster, and Dracula and his friends into humans. Unable to adjust to their new bodies, the group ends up traveling across the globe in order to find a cure before they are forced to stay in their bodies permanently.

The Hotel Transylvania films have always had a knack for wildly expressive character animation and implementing 2D animation techniques into a 3D space, with Transformania being no different. The film does an exceptional job with the expressive and chaotic new designs for the characters, as well as the inherent comedy that comes from the premise and the always great vocal performances from the cast. It does a great job of living up to the legacy of the series and is a must-watch for fans of the previous entries.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

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41 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' (2023)

Directed by Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath

Based on the world-famous video game franchise, The Super Mario Bros. Movie adapts the gaming icon to the big screen, telling Mario and Luigi's first adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom. The film sees the dynamic duo of Brooklyn plumbers transported to the kingdom after discovering a mysterious pipe, being separated as well as completely out of their element. Wrapped up in the conflict of this strange world, Mario teams up with the kingdom's Princess Peach in order to take down the deadly and dangerous Bowser.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of the biggest runaway success stories in 2023, thanks to its ability to stay true to the cheerful energy and excitement that has made the franchise beloved by gamers worldwide. Just as the case with the game series, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a perfect fit not only for diehard gamers who have kept up with the series since its inception, but for fans of all ages looking for a creative and colorful adventure. It will only continue to cement a legacy as one of the most iconic and defining new family movies, further amplified by its new home on streaming.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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40 'Family Switch' (2023)

Directed by McG

Harkening back to classic family body-swap movies like Freaky Friday and 13 Going on 30, Family Switch follows the dysfunctional Walker family, who on a rare planetary alignment end up switching bodies with each other. While they attempt to find a way to return to normal, they are forced to pretend to be each other and live out each other's lives, in the process gaining perspective on what it's truly like to be on the other side of the age barrier.

Family Switch features the same levels of comedic charm and wit as other body-swap films, simply brought up to speed and adapted to the modern era of filmmaking. It makes for a great avenue that allows staple comedic forces like Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms to run wild with over-the-top performances, as well as allowing younger stars Emma Myers and Brady Noon an equal opportunity to shine. Time will only tell if the film will have a similar legacy to that of the great body-swap movies of old.

Family Switch

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39 'Wish' (2023)

Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn

Acting as the celebration for 100 years of feature filmmaking by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Wish follows the sharp-witted Asha (Ariana DeBose), who lives in the glorious town of Rosas, ruled by the glorious King Magnifico (Chris Pine) who grants the wishes of the townsfolk. However, when Asha learns the harsh reality and truth behind Magnifico's wishmaking, she sets out on a journey to free the wishes of the townsfolk. She ends up getting some surprise magical help from a living shooting star, brimming with limitless joy and energy.

As the culmination of 100 years of animation films, Wish has a lot of distinct tributes and callbacks as a love letter to the varied history and eras of Disney, making it a perfect watch for die-hard Disney fans. The storybook aesthetic applied to the animation also helps it stand out compared to Disney's previous animated films, as it effectively pays tribute to the past while also forging a path for Disney's future.

Wish

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38 'We Lost Our Human' (2023)

Created by Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt

A new release among family movies streaming on Netflix, We Lost Our Human is an interactive Netflix special that's perfect for families looking for something wholly original. The ambitious interactive movie presents its engrossing story in a non-linear fashion, letting audiences decide what its main characters should do next.

These characters are actually a humorous cat and dog, who are startled to wake up one day to find that all the humans (including theirs) are gone. It's up to fans to help them navigate the world to find them, or even destroy the universe completely. The fun and weird journey on Netflix provides a totally unique viewing experience that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

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37 'Enola Holmes' (2020)

Directed by Harry Bradbeer

Sherlock Holmes' (played by Henry Cavill) teenage sister gets the spotlight in Enola Holmes. The titular mischievous and witty sleuth uses her talents to track down her missing mother, but she soon encounters a rebellious lord who obviously needs her help. Enola must learn to overcome obstacles, both external and internal, to survive the tricky situation.

With the lead character masterfully portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown, Enola Holmes is effortlessly inspiring and tons of fun to watch with the family. It sends a strong message for young girls especially and reminds them that they can grow up to be whatever they want (no matter what anyone says).

Enola Holmes

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36 'The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run' (2020)

Directed by Tim Hill

The third feature film based on the worldwide phenomenon television series, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run sees SpongeBob and Patrick going on a wild road trip across the ocean in search of SpongeBob's lost pet, Gary. Their journey has them encountering a number of wild and unpredictable characters, ranging from dangerous Western outlaws to a quirky malfunctioning robot, as they reach their final destination of Atlantic City. Realizing that Gary has been snail-napped by King Poseidon, it becomes up to SpongeBob and Patrick to save Gary.

While the previous SpongeBob films were mostly 2D animation in their execution, paralleling the art style of the original series, Sponge on the Run makes an experimental delve into modernization with its animation style. The film's original stylized 3D style does a great job at reflecting and modernizing the style and fluid 2D animation of the show into 3D, able to greatly capture the manic energy and charm of the show. The film's comedy and style are filled with the classic charm and wit that has made the series such a phenomenon for decades.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run

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35 'Spy Kids: Armageddon' (2023)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez

The fifth film and modern reboot of the classic Spy Kids franchise, Spy Kids: Armageddon sees brother-sister duo Tony and Patty getting themselves wrapped up in a wild secret agent plot. When a vicious villain ends up putting a dangerous videogame firewall on nearly every piece of technology in the world, the duo have to suit up and train to become spies themselves in order to save their parents as well as the world.

Even despite being decades apart from the previous films in the franchise, Armageddon still features the same chaotic energy that made the franchise such a smash hit with children of all ages. The series has always made use of wild visual effects to create high-octane action and wild fantasy worlds for the characters to explore, with Armageddon only furthering these core aspects of the franchise. Few family films are able to recapture and parallel the distinct vision of Robert Rodriguez, which is why his family films have continuously been considered fan favorites.

Spy Kids: Armageddon

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34 'DC League of Super Pets' (2022)

Directed by Jared Stern

A more child-friendly animal counterpart to the classic Justice League heroes, DC League of Super-Pets follows the story of Krypto the Super Dog, the trusted canine companion of the man of steel himself. After Superman and the rest of the Justice League end up being kidnapped by Lex Luthor, Krypto finds himself teaming up with an array of shelter animals who have achieved superpowers of their own. With the help of his new companions, Krypto may just have a shot at defeating Lex, who is joined by his own nefariously evil pet, Lulu the guinea pig.

It's no secret that superhero movies have been a defining trend of films in recent memory, with DC League of Super-Pets being one of the few examples of creating a massive superhero story specifically for families. On top of featuring the standard action and excitement that comes from these films, DC League of Super-Pets also specifically focuses on comedy, both slapstick and simplistic enough for young children, as well as deep-cut satirical jokes and references for fans of DC in general.

DC League of Super-Pets

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33 'Mixtape' (2021)

Directed by Valerie Weiss

Mixtape is without a doubt one of the best Netflix Original films to date. Mixtape is a quirky, heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking coming-of-age film about a young girl desperately trying to find a connection with the parents she lost as a baby. The film has received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike.

Set in 1999, Mixtape is the story of Beverly (Gemma Brooke Allen) a 12-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother Gail (Julie Bowen). Since losing Beverly's mother in a car accident, Gail has lived a quiet life as a postal worker and is extremely protective of her granddaughter preventing her from ever having too much fun. But Beverley's life gets a lot more exciting when she discovers a mixtape that belonged to her parents. When the mixtape is destroyed by her Walkman she goes on a quest to find the songs in an attempt to recreate it. However, her pursuit leads to more than she could have dreamed of, making new friends along the way and discovering a love of music.

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32 'Wish Dragon' (2021)

Directed by Chris Appelhans

One of many standout original animated feature films from Netflix, Wish Dragon follows the story of Din, a young teen who is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend, who now lives a much more luxurious life than him. He soon gets his chance when he ends up in possession of a magical teapot containing a wish-granting dragon, finally giving him the opportunity to live out his wildest dreams.

While the film certainly shared a number of similarities with other animated films such as Aladdin, there's enough heart and visual distinctions present to make Wish Dragon its own stand-out experience. The building upon the relationship between Din and Lina especially is something that the film does spectacularly, as well as the creativity and boundless potential of Long the dragon's wish-making powers.

Watch on Netflix

31 'Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile' (2022)

Directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile sees the classic children's book character taking the leap to live action on the big screen, seeing the Primm family discovering the giant singing reptile living in their attic. While initially terrified at the prospect of one of nature's deadliest predators living in their domain, each member of the family finds their way warming up to Lyle and his whimsical charm. The entire family soon comes together to help Lyle get over his fear of stage fright, so that he can finally show off his natural singing talent to the entire world.

Many "CGI children's characters in the real world" stories have been released over the years, ranging from the successful Sonic the Hedgehog to the less-than-desirable The Smurfs. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is one of few that leans into the absurdity and inherent comedy of its presence, able to get a great deal of comedy and charm from playing off of the wild antics of a big cartoon gator. Combined with some genuinely great musical numbers, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a pleasant surprise and is easily one of the best new kids movies on streaming right now.

Watch on Netflix

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