(Photo by DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection. THE WILD ROBOT.)

50 Best New Animated Movies

If you’re someone who’s drawn to the possibilities of movies, where sitting down means tripping to worlds and galaxies beyond our own, or through memories of the perilous, personal, and beautiful journeys taken right here on our big blue marble, then check out our guide to the 50 best new animated movies, recently released in theaters and at home!

The list starts with Certified Fresh movies, where it’s apparently rabbit duck robot season with Transformers origin story Transformers One, DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot, and heartbreaking Robot Dreams. Pixar came back in a big way with Inside Out 2. And Netflix has shown they’re taking their animation game to the next level with anime The Imaginary, Charlie Kaufman-scripted Orion and the Dark, and Ultraman: Rising.

After those, you’ll find Fresh movies, like DreamWorks’ other 2024 family offering, Kung Fu Panda 4. Mars Express had critics and audiences all aboard. And the consistently steady DC animation crew began their next Tomorrowverse arc with Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, along with the start of the standalone Watchmen series with Chapter 1.

Enjoy our guide to the best of new animated movies, added as they come out!

#1

Robot Dreams (2023)
Tomatometer icon 98%

#1
Adjusted Score: 105007%
Critics Consensus: As heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, Robot Dreams is the stuff good animation is made of.
Synopsis: DOG lives in Manhattan and he's tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Pablo Berger

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 112013%
Critics Consensus: Soulfully exploring thought-provoking themes through a beautifully animated lens, The Boy and the Heron is another Miyazaki masterpiece.
Synopsis: From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) comes a new critically-acclaimed fantasy adventure. After... [More]
Starring: Luca Padovan, Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

#3

The Wild Robot (2024)
Tomatometer icon 97%

#3
Adjusted Score: 112184%
Critics Consensus: A simple tale told with great sophistication, The Wild Robot is wondrous entertainment that dazzles the eye while filling your heart to the brim.
Synopsis: The epic adventure follows the journey of a robot--ROZZUM unit 7134, "Roz" for short -- that is shipwrecked on an... [More]
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy
Directed By: Christopher Sanders

#4
#4
Adjusted Score: 117478%
Critics Consensus: Just as visually dazzling and action-packed as its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse thrills from start to cliffhanger conclusion.
Synopsis: Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn's full-time,... [More]
Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson
Directed By: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson

#5
#5
Adjusted Score: 109171%
Critics Consensus: With its unique visual style and a story that captures the essence of the franchise's appeal, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is an animated treat for the whole family.
Synopsis: After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New... [More]
Starring: Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Hannibal Buress, Rose Byrne
Directed By: Jeff Rowe

#6

Nimona (2023)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#6
Adjusted Score: 97140%
Critics Consensus: Tapping a rich emotional vein with its splendid animation and thoughtful allegory, Nimona is a deeply lovable animated adventure.
Synopsis: When Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight in a futuristic medieval world, is framed for a crime he didn't commit,... [More]
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Jordan Gubian
Directed By: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane

#7

The Imaginary (2023)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#7
Adjusted Score: 94816%
Critics Consensus: A visually splendid and emotionally resonant anime film that appeals to the child in everyone, The Imaginary is a flight of fancy that audiences won't mind getting swept up in.
Synopsis: Rudger is a boy no one can see, imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger,... [More]
Starring: Louie Rudge-Buchanan, Evie Kiszel, Hayley Atwell, Sky Katz
Directed By: Yoshiyuki Momose

#8

Orion and the Dark (2024)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#8
Adjusted Score: 96348%
Critics Consensus: An uncommonly ambitious animated film, Orion and the Dark benefits from a Charlie Kaufman screenplay that isn't afraid to tangle with existential ideas.
Synopsis: The thing Orion fears the most is the dark. When the embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, Dark... [More]
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Werner Herzog, Angela Bassett
Directed By: Sean Charmatz

#9

Inside Out 2 (2024)
Tomatometer icon 90%

#9
Adjusted Score: 111165%
Critics Consensus: Spicing things up with the wrinkle of teenage angst, Inside Out 2 clears the head and warms the heart by living up to its predecessor's emotional intelligence.
Synopsis: The little voices inside Riley's head know her inside and out--but next summer, everything changes when Disney and Pixar's Inside... [More]
Starring: Amy Poehler, Kensington Tallman, Maya Hawke, Lilimar
Directed By: Kelsey Mann

#10

Transformers One (2024)
Tomatometer icon 89%

#10
Adjusted Score: 99399%
Critics Consensus: Dramatically satisfying with a dash of good humor, Transformers One suggests that animation might be the optimal medium for this oft-adapted franchise.
Synopsis: TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were... [More]
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key
Directed By: Josh Cooley

#11

Leo (2023)
Tomatometer icon 84%

#11
Adjusted Score: 87395%
Critics Consensus: Slick animation, catchy songs, and some winning voice work from a cast led by Adam Sandler help Leo strike an uneasy balance between satirical and sweet.
Synopsis: Actor and comedian Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania, The Wedding Singer) delivers signature laughs in this coming-of-age animated musical comedy about... [More]
Starring: Adam Sandler, Bill Burr, Jason Alexander, Cecily Strong
Directed By: Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim

#12

Ultraman: Rising (2024)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#12
Adjusted Score: 87307%
Critics Consensus: Ultraman: Rising adds an interesting wrinkle of childrearing to the franchise's high-octane formula, making for a colorful romp fit for the whole family.
Synopsis: With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle... [More]
Starring: Christopher Sean, Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young
Directed By: Shannon Tindle, John Aoshima

#13
#13
Adjusted Score: 88742%
Critics Consensus: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget offers more of the easy laughs and eye-catching animation that fans of the original enjoyed, although there's a general feeling of diminishing returns.
Synopsis: Having escaped from the farm, Ginger and Rocky welcome a new little adventurer into their lives. Back on the mainland,... [More]
Starring: Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan
Directed By: Sam Fell

#14

The Inventor (2023)
Tomatometer icon 76%

#14
Adjusted Score: 78070%
Critics Consensus: A beautifully animated history lesson, The Inventor seems somewhat uncertain as to which audience it's trying to reach, but it remains amusing and often engaging.
Synopsis: "The Inventor" follows famed inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci after he leaves Italy for France. In his new country,... [More]
Starring: Stephen Fry, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, Matt Berry
Directed By: Jim Capobianco, Pierre-Luc Granjon

#15

Elemental (2023)
Tomatometer icon 73%

#15
Adjusted Score: 88013%
Critics Consensus: Elemental may not satisfy as fully as the greatest Pixar pictures, but it remains a solid story told with dazzling visual flair.
Synopsis: Disney and Pixar's "Elemental," an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live... [More]
Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi
Directed By: Peter Sohn

#16

Mars Express (2023)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#16
Adjusted Score: 100626%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera are hired by a wealthy businessman to track... [More]
Starring: Léa Drucker, Mathieu Amalric, Daniel Njo Lobé, Marie Bouvet
Directed By: Jérémie Périn

#17

Blue Giant (2023)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#17
Adjusted Score: 90285%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Dai Miyamoto's life is turned upside down the day he discovers jazz. A former high school basketball player, Dai picks... [More]
Starring: Yuki Yamada, Shôtarô Mamiya, Amane Okayama
Directed By: Yuzuru Tachikawa

#18
#18
Adjusted Score: 48163%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Picking up after the heroic rescue of Toki Wartooth, METALOCALYPSE: ARMY OF THE DOOMSTAR finds DETHKLOK frontman Nathan Explosion traumatized... [More]
Starring: Brendon Small, Tommy Blacha, Victor Brandt, Mark Hamill
Directed By: Brendon Small

#19
#19
Adjusted Score: 56493%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: KIZUMONOGATARI -Koyomi Vamp- centers around a high school student named Koyomi Araragi, who survives an encounter with a gorgeous yet... [More]
Starring: Hiroshi Kamiya, Maaya Sakamoto, Yui Horie, Takahiro Sakurai
Directed By: Tatsuya Oishi

#20

Chicken for Linda! (2023)
Tomatometer icon 97%

#20
Adjusted Score: 97927%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Paulette feels guilty after unjustly punishing her daughter Linda and would do anything to make it up to her. Linda... [More]
Starring: Mélinée Leclerc, Clotilde Hesme, Laetitia Dosch, Esteban
Directed By: Chiara Malta, Sébastien Laudenbach

#21
#21
Adjusted Score: 94987%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: He's a spy. She's an assassin. Together, Loid and Yor keep their double lives to themselves while pretending to be... [More]
Starring: Takuya Eguchi, Atsumi Tanezaki, Saori Hayami, Kenichirou Matsuda
Directed By: Takashi Katagiri

#22

Watchmen Chapter I (2024)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#22
Adjusted Score: 77847%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In an alternate world, the murder of a government sponsored superhero draws his outlawed colleagues out of retirement, into a... [More]
Starring: Matthew Rhys, Katee Sackhoff, Titus Welliver, Troy Baker
Directed By: Brandon Vietti

#23
#23
Adjusted Score: 66476%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A nationwide manhunt for Hank Venture leads to untold dangers and unexpected revelations while an imposing evil from the past... [More]
Starring: James Urbaniak, Patrick Warburton, Michael Sinterniklaas, Jim Schumann
Directed By: Jackson Publick

#24

Lamya's Poem (2021)
Tomatometer icon 90%

#24
Adjusted Score: 48830%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In a mysterious and haunting dream world, a 12-year-old girl meets the 13th century young poet Rumi, as they travel... [More]
Starring: Mena Massoud, Millie Davis, Faran Tahir, Raoul Bhaneja
Directed By: Alex Kronemer

#25
#25
Adjusted Score: 49711%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The Anti-Monitor (the Monitor's evil counterpart) is released into the DC Multiverse and begins to destroy the different Earths that... [More]
Starring: Alexandra Daddario, Matt Bomer, Jensen Ackles, Stana Katic
Directed By: Jeff Wamester

#26

Unicorn Wars (2022)
Tomatometer icon 80%

#26
Adjusted Score: 80765%
Critics Consensus: While its humor may strike some as needlessly crude, Unicorn Wars is a visually audacious strike against cultural and military fascism.
Synopsis: It's "Bambi meets Apocalypse Now" in this provocative and strangely beautiful horror comedy from acclaimed filmmaker and illustrator Alberto Vazquez... [More]
Starring: Jon Goiri, Jaione Insausti, Txema Regalado, Ramón Barea
Directed By: Alberto Vázquez

#27
#27
Adjusted Score: 56361%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The origin story for one of Peanuts’ most beloved characters, Franklin, follows how he approaches making new friends. Franklin’s family... [More]
Starring: Caleb Bellavance, Etienne Kellici, Terry McGurrin, Isabella Leo
Directed By: Raymond S. Persi

#28
#28
Adjusted Score: 79647%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A lost cat, a voluble giant toad and a tsunami help an unambitious salesman, his frustrated wife and a schizophrenic... [More]
Starring: Katherine King, Shoshana Wilder, Jesse Noah Gruman, John Vamvas
Directed By: Pierre Földes

#29
#29
Adjusted Score: 60248%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Inspired by the comic book series by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace and Troy Nixey, Batman: The Doom That Came to... [More]
Starring: David Giuntoli, Tati Gabrielle, Gideon Adlon, Christopher Gorham
Directed By: Sam Liu

#30

Migration (2023)
Tomatometer icon 73%

#30
Adjusted Score: 78140%
Critics Consensus: Beautiful animation and entertaining work from a talented voice cast help Migration take flight in spite of a story that doesn't quite stand out from the flock.
Synopsis: This holiday season, Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites... [More]
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key
Directed By: Benjamin Renner

#31

The Amazing Maurice (2022)
Tomatometer icon 73%

#31
Adjusted Score: 75000%
Critics Consensus: You may not necessarily need to rush out and see it right meow, but The Amazing Maurice is a solid book adaptation that makes for fun family viewing.
Synopsis: Maurice is a streetwise ginger cat who comes up with a money-making scam by befriending a group of talking rats.... [More]
Starring: Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton
Directed By: Toby Genkel, Florian Westermann

#32
#32
Adjusted Score: 74010%
Critics Consensus: Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie will be best enjoyed by its youthful target audience, but it's sweet, thoughtful, and funny enough to entertain the entire family.
Synopsis: When a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, it gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The... [More]
Starring: Kristen Bell, James Marsden, Mckenna Grace, Taraji P. Henson
Directed By: Cal Brunker

#33

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Tomatometer icon 71%

#33
Adjusted Score: 81399%
Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Panda 4 offers enough eye-catching entertainment to sustain the franchise's young fans, although it's starting to feel like this series is running out of steam.
Synopsis: After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior... [More]
Starring: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman
Directed By: Mike Mitchell

#34
#34
Adjusted Score: 29241%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Bramble gains new superpowers after an unknown object from space lands on Earth. When an alien invader seeks to retrieve... [More]
Starring: Zhang Bingjun, Zhang Wei, Tan Xiao, Li Wanyao
Directed By: Huida Lin

#35

Dragonkeeper (2024)
Tomatometer icon 63%

#35
Adjusted Score: 35467%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The dragons of ancient China are on the brink of extinction; their only hope is a brave young girl on... [More]
Starring: Bill Nighy, Bill Bailey, Anthony Howell, Brendan Coyle
Directed By: Salvador Simó

#36

Rally Road Racers (2023)
Tomatometer icon 73%

#36
Adjusted Score: 73324%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Zhi, a rookie race car driver, gets the opportunity to compete against the reigning champion of the rally car circuit.... [More]
Starring: Jimmy O. Yang, J.K. Simmons, Chloe Bennet, Lisa Lu
Directed By: Ross Venokur

#37
#37
Adjusted Score: 71140%
Critics Consensus: Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is littered with too much flotsam and jetsam from better animated features to stand as a true original, but its inherent sweetness and lively style make for likable enough family entertainment.
Synopsis: Sweet, awkward 16-year-old Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise) is desperate to fit in... [More]
Starring: Lana Condor, Toni Collette, Annie Murphy, Sam Richardson
Directed By: Kirk DeMicco

#38
#38
Adjusted Score: 66227%
Critics Consensus: Always well-intentioned and once-in-a-blue-moon compelling, The Magician's Elephant is an adaptation with a message about believing in yourself unveiled with more whimsy than magic.
Synopsis: When young Peter, who is searching for his long-lost sister, crosses paths with a fortune teller in the market square,... [More]
Starring: Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Brian Tyree Henry, Sian Clifford
Directed By: Wendy Rogers

#39
#39
Adjusted Score: 68358%
Critics Consensus: Trolls Band Together serves up another amusing, eye-catching outing that should entertain young fans of the franchise while remaining perfectly painless for parents.
Synopsis: After two films of true friendship and relentless flirting, Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) are now officially, finally,... [More]
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Camila Cabello, Eric André
Directed By: Walt Dohrn

#40

Thelma the Unicorn (2024)
Tomatometer icon 63%

#40
Adjusted Score: 63342%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamorous music star. In a pink and glitter-filled moment of... [More]
Starring: Brittany Howard, Will Forte, Jemaine Clement, Jon Heder
Directed By: Jared Hess, Lynn Wang

#41
#41
Adjusted Score: 18055%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Supergirl must contend with a mysterious group called the Dark Circle as it searches for a powerful weapon held in... [More]
Starring: Meg Donnelly, Harry Shum Jr., Darren Criss, Matt Bomer
Directed By: Jeff Wamester

#42
#42
Adjusted Score: 75157%
Critics Consensus: While it's nowhere near as thrilling as turtle tipping your way to 128 lives, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a colorful -- albeit thinly plotted -- animated adventure that has about as many Nintendos as Nintendon'ts.
Synopsis: Mario and Luigi go on a whirlwind adventure through Mushroom Kingdom, uniting with a cast of familiar characters to defeat... [More]
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black
Directed By: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

#43

The Monkey King (2023)
Tomatometer icon 56%

#43
Adjusted Score: 57709%
Critics Consensus: Often rousing, The Monkey King is an animated blur of tried-and-true -- but still appealing -- archetypes.
Synopsis: The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic Monkey and his magical fighting Stick on an... [More]
Starring: Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy
Directed By: Anthony Stacchi

#44
#44
Adjusted Score: 54393%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Tom Lee discovers he's part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians. With guidance from a... [More]
Starring: Henry Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh
Directed By: Raman Hui

#45
#45
Adjusted Score: 42267%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Bestowed with magical powers of creation, Ladybug must unite with her opposite, Cat Noir, to save Paris as a villain... [More]
Starring: Cristina Valenzuela, Bryce Papenbrook, Keith Silverstein, Zeno Robinson
Directed By: Jeremy Zag, Thomas Astruc

#46

Wish (2023)
Tomatometer icon 48%

#46
Adjusted Score: 60425%
Critics Consensus: Wish earns some tugs at the heartstrings with the way it warmly references many of the studio's classics, but nostalgia's no substitute for genuine storytelling magic -- no matter how beautifully animated it might be.
Synopsis: Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Wish" is an all-new musical-comedy welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a... [More]
Starring: Chris Pine, Ariana DeBose, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral
Directed By: Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn

#47

The Garfield Movie (2024)
Tomatometer icon 37%

#47
Adjusted Score: 45570%
Critics Consensus: The Garfield Movie rolls along at a zany enough clip to be diverting for kids, but this animated adventure doesn't much resemble Jim Davis' iconically grumpy creation.
Synopsis: Garfield (voiced by Chris Pratt), the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After... [More]
Starring: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Hannah Waddingham
Directed By: Mark Dindal

#48

Max Beyond (2024)
Tomatometer icon 20%

#48
Adjusted Score: 7066%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A PTSD marine goes to extreme measures to rescue his 8 year old brother from a science research facility where... [More]
Starring: Jane Perry, Dave Fennoy, Natalie Britton, Jennifer Armour
Directed By: Hasraf Dulull

#49
#49
Adjusted Score: 7051%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The Anti-Monitor attacks the remaining Earths and their inhabitants. Heroes and villains across time and space join the Justice League... [More]
Starring: Jensen Ackles, Darren Criss, Corey Stoll, Meg Donnelly
Directed By: Jeff Wamester

#50
#50
Adjusted Score: 7193%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An endless army of shadow demons threatens to destroy the world and all parallel Earths. The only thing opposing them... [More]
Starring: Jensen Ackles, Darren Criss, Meg Donnelly, Stana Katic
Directed By: Jeff Wamester

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