The 20 best movies from DreamWorks Animation

There’s no questioning that Shrek is DreamWorks’s best film. The comedy about a grumpy ogre who falls in love with a princess changed the game in the animation industry. Thanks to its hilarious characters, pop culture references, adult jokes, modern soundtrack, and comedic spin on fairytales, it resonated with adults just as much as children and remains beloved. Not to mention it was the first ever movie to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and launched an entire franchise.

As one of only a few DreamWorks’ hand-drawn animated films, The Prince of Egypt is a visually stunning and emotionally rich masterpiece. In this musical retelling of the Book of Exodus, Moses learns of his Hebrew identity and leads his people to freedom. It’s one of the rare great modern biblical films. It’s gorgeous, beautifully moving, grand in scope, and elevated by its lineup of epic musical numbers — a classic crafted with depth, creativity, and heart. 

Kung Fu Panda is a prime example of DreamWorks’ effortless ability to combine laughs and emotion. The film focuses on Po, a martial arts-obsessed panda who is underestimated by all when chosen to become the Dragon Warrior. Po is a lovable underdog protagonist, thanks to the perfect casting of Jack Black, who has become permanently associated with the character. It has the perfect mix of wacky humor and exciting action, complete with its moving messages of determination and self-belief. 

In one of their multiple collaborations with Aardman Animations, DreamWorks brought Wallace and Gromit to the big screen with Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. The human and dog pair had already starred in several comedic shorts, but this marked their first feature. Thanks to a mysterious and humorous plot featuring a Were-Rabbit sabotaging a Giant Vegetable Competition and the impressive showcase of Aardman’s signature stop-motion claymation, it’s a pure delight.

In a world where Vikings hunt dragons, young Hiccup befriends a Night Fury called Toothless and learns that his people may be wrong about these creatures. How to Train Your Dragon follows the familiar beats of an outsider protagonist, a forbidden friendship, and an unenlightened society but is executed in a way filled with wonder, curiosity, and integrity. The friendship between Hiccup and Toothless is all kinds of wholesome, and the film’s soaring visuals and score are magnificent. 

Based on the popular children’s graphic novel series, The Bad Guys follows a gang of animal criminals. When their latest heist goes awry, they face prison and pretend to seek rehabilitation, only for one of them to actually start turning to the good side. The film features a stunning mix of 2D and 3D animation, giving characters like Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake a unique look that differs from DreamWorks’ typical computer-generated animation. It benefits from its visual flair as well as its energetic pacing. 

When DreamWorks announced a sequel to Puss in Boots ten years after the original, nobody expected it to be the studio’s best film in years. As Puss searches for the titular Last Wish to restore his nine lives, the film explores some surprisingly deep themes of mortality and offers up one of the most terrifying animated villains in years. Aided by charming humor and characters and a stunning animation style that looks like a fairytale painting, it’s one of DreamWorks’s best sequels. 

Madagascar is a perfect example of DreamWorks’ ability to produce great original family movies. The film sees four animals who have spent their lives at Central Park Zoo shipped off to Madagascar, where they must adjust to living in the wild. Madagascar is one of the studio’s funniest films, thanks to its clever gags, goofy characters, and an all-star voice cast that includes Ben Stiller and Chris Rock. You’ll never hear “I Like To Move It” again without thinking of dancing lemurs.

Move over, Empire Strikes Back. Everyone knows that Shrek 2 is really the greatest sequel of all time. It takes everything that made the first film such a hit and ups the scale to a new level. The setting of Far Far Away offers plenty of conflict for Shrek and Fiona and introduces new characters like the fierce Puss in Boots and the evil Fairy Godmother. Complete with the classic heart and humor of the Shrek films, as well as some epic musical numbers, it’s simply a masterpiece. 

In a joint effort with DreamWorks, Aardman Animations debuted their first feature film with the classic 2000s comedy Chicken Run. It follows rooster and chicken duo Rocky and Ginger as they plot an escape from their farm and the hands of their evil owners, who plan to turn them and their kind into pies. Thanks to its creative and vibrant stop-motion animation, fun escape plot, witty comedy, and lovable characters, it's remained a huge hit.

DreamWorks knows how to make a great sequel, and How to Train Your Dragon 2 is among the best. Hiccup and Toothless face a new threat in the form of dragon trapper Drago, who is bent on capturing all dragons. The darker and more mature sequel sees our heroes go into uncharted territory and discover all kinds of new dragons. Hiccup also meets his mother, a high emotional point in the story, who shares his same passion for protecting dragons. 

Po and Co. returns in Kung Fu Panda 2, a sequel that more than lives up to the original. Now officially the Dragon Warrior, Po is faced with defeating the evil peacock Shen but must uncover the mystery of his past to do so. In a darker and more emotional film, we learn of Po’s backstory that ties into the film’s themes of choosing to fixate on the past or moving forward. Of course, there’s still an abundance of humor and silliness from Po to balance it all out. 

Set in the Old West, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron follows a wild stallion who is captured by humans and befriends a Lakota Native American who helps to free him. It’s one of DreamWorks’ more serious films, where you won’t find the animals talking but instead communicating through narration and song. It’s a beautiful showcase of the studio’s 2D animation, and its universal themes of freedom, hope, and perseverance can connect to any audience member.

With two films already set in the jungle, the Madagascar series goes into an entirely different and fresh direction for its third installment. To get back to New York and escape a crazed Animal Control officer, Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria join a traveling circus across Europe. Their adventures take them everywhere from London to Rome, and the new circus setting provides dazzlingly colorful visuals that stand with some of DreamWorks’ most impressive animation. 

Long before superhero films reigned supreme at the box office, DreamWorks poked fun at the genre with Megamind. The film follows blue and big-foreheaded supervillain Megamind, who is left without purpose when he kills his nemesis. When the new superhero he creates turns out to be evil, Megamind is forced to become a hero. With its absurd plot and villain perspective, the film subverts and satirizes classic tropes while leaving audiences with a touching message of acceptance.

With How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, DreamWorks manages to pull off one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. The final film sees Hiccup as Viking Chief as he seeks a dragon utopia called "The Hidden World," which he must protect and find before an evil dragon hunter does. The film is an emotional sendoff to characters audiences have grown to love, retains the gorgeous visuals associated with the series, and gets extra points for giving Toothless an adorable female Night Fury love interest. 

The first Trolls movie is a perfectly fine kids' affair, but its sequel was a surprising improvement on the original. While bigger isn't always better, it applies to this explosion of color, music, and energy. When Princess Poppy must stop Queen Barb of the Rock from destroying all other genres of music, the titular trolls are sent on an adventure full of pop tunes, rainbows, trippy visuals, and meaningful lessons that perfectly adhere to the film’s young target audience.

DreamWorks goes prehistoric with The Croods, a tale about a family who must leave the safety of their cave and discover the unfamiliar outside world with the help of an inventive boy who teaches them a thing or two about evolution and change. The film has the perfect balance of emotion and laughs as the Croods adjust to more modern ways and are scared to take risks into the unknown. The imaginative primeval landscape and action are also a feast for the eyes.

Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost join forces in Rise of the Guardians, one of DreamWorks’ most fantastical and magical films. The mischievous Jack Frost joins the Guardians of Childhood to defeat the Boogeyman, who threatens the hopes and dreams of children. With its gorgeous world-building, visuals, and story, Rise of the Guardians gives viewers the nostalgic joy of seeing classic childhood icons together while taking them on a heartwarming journey. 

In their third and final collaboration with Aardman Animations, DreamWorks offers one of their most underrated flicks with Flushed Away. Roddy is a rat who lives a lavish lifestyle in a luxurious flat in London but is flushed down the toilet into the city’s sewers. In the underground world of Ratropolis, Roddy faces many new surprises, including a villainous toad, evil henchmen, a streetwise rat, and even singing slugs. It has the perfect touch of witty British humor and remains extremely endearing.