Harry Potter has become synonymous with movies about magic. Now that the Wizarding World franchise has expanded with the Fantastic Beasts series, it seems as though there aren’t any other memorable films revolving around magic. This, however, would be incorrect. The story of the Boy who Lived may be the standard for magical movies, but there have been a few other films that have done very well in the world of magic and sorcery. These films may not have Dumbledore or epic wand battles, but they’res still fantastic magical movies.
Some of these movies share similarities to Harry Potter. They may also revolve around a young hero whose tasked with battling magical forces. Some may be darker, some may be lighter. However, all of these films have magic in some form. These are the best magical movies that aren’t Harry Potter.
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11 Legend
Embassy International Pictures N.V.
Ridley Scott traded science fiction for fantasy in Legend. The 80s film certainly had enough camp to turn off most Ridley Scott fans, but it also had some memorable moments. One of the longest lasting images of the film is Tim Curry’s character of The Lord of Darkness, a horned, demonic figure who tries to plunge the world into eternal light by killing off the last unicorns. Tom Cruise stars as Jack who must stop The Lord of Darkness in this fantasy classic.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
10 Stardust
Stardust began as a novel written by Neil Gaiman. Matthew Vaughn adapted the film in 2007. The fantasy film starring Daredevil’s Charlie Cox brought Gaiman’s magical world to life with an all-star cast including Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro. In the film, Tristan Thorne, played by Cox, enters a world of pirates and fairies to obtain a fallen star. The fallen star is revealed to be a woman however played by Claire Danes. Despite being well recieved by audiences and critics, the film didn’t earn enough to warrant a sequel.
9 Doctor Strange
The Marvel Cinematic universe didn’t quite commit to the supernatural until Doctor Strange. There was some semblance of sorcery with Loki prior to Doctor Strange’s introduction. However, Loki and the other Asgardians were always presented as highly advanced alien beings as oppposed to actual magical users. Once Doctor Strange arrived, the MCU finally opened the door to heroes who used magic as their primary weapon.
Doctor Strange followed Dr. Stephen Strange as he attempts to heal his hands by any means necessary. That journey takes him to the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj. It is there where his magical abilities enable him to fight the rogue sorcerer Kaecilius with the aid of the Time Stone. The film raised Doctor Strange’s profile in the MCU and introduced the magical side of the universe.
8 Hocus Pocus
Walt Disney Pictures
Hocus Pocus is a staple of Halloween film fare. The cult classic is a must-watch throughout October just as Harry Potter has become around Christmas time. The film follows a young high school student as he unwittingly releases the Sanderson Sisters upon the town of Salem. The witches wreak havoc on Halloween night as the kids try their best to send them back to where they came from.
7 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
There was plenty of magic in the adaptation of the classic The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The film featured plenty of star power with Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan the lion and Tilda Swinton as The White Witch. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe also features Santa giving weapons to children so they can do battle with The White Witch. How many other movies can say that?
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5 Jumanji
The original Jumanji starring Robin Williams is a beloved family film revolving around a magical board game. While the reboot was a well received box office smash, the original film remains a classic. In it, two young siblings free Alan Parrish (played by Williams) who had been locked in a boardgame for decades. The trio is then faced with plenty of jungle dangers in their quest to win the game and free the Alan once and for all.
4 Matilda
The adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book proved to be one of the more popular children’s book adaptations. Matilda actually shared a couple of things with Harry Potter. Both she and Harry were forced to be raised by horrible people while dealing with powers. While Matilda possesses telekenetic powers, much of the film deals with her struggles with her parents and the sadistic principal, Miss Trunchbull.
3 Labyrinth
Henson Associates
Jim Henson and his Creature Shop helped bring the world of Labyrinth to life. The coming-of-age film told the story of Sarah Williams who is forced to solve The Gobin King’s labyrinth in order to save her infant brother from the Goblin King. David Bowie’s performance as the Goblin King was universally praised alongside Jennifer Connelly’s as Sarah. The world that Henson built was impressive. In fact, with the exception of Bowie and Connelly, the cast is made up entirely of puppets.
2 Pan’s Labyrinth
Guillermo Del Toro was once offered the chance to direct Harry Potter. He opted for his own magical fairy tale in the form of Pan’s Labyrinth. The Spanish production followed the character of Ofelia as she embarks on a magical journey at the request of the mysterious Faun. Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil war, Pan’s Labyrinth is a much darker magical film in comparison to others. Paired with Del Toro’s horror sensibilites, this fairytale proved to be one of the most memorable magical films ever made.
1 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Few film series had the same impact as the Harry Potter series. The Lord of the Rings stands as one of the most important film trilogies of all time. It all began with the Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Just as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone brought a classic literary character to life, The Fellowship of the Ring brought the world of J.R.R. Tolkien to life.
Magic is a large part of the series. One of the most iconic characters of course is Gandalf, played by Sir Ian McKellen. Like the Harry Potter series, the world of the Lord of The Rings is filled with other wordly creatures and characters with special abilities. Unlike the Harry Potter series, this story was much more adult oriented and didn’t feature a noseless villain hellbent on taking over a school.
