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The 15 Most Thrilling Fantasy Movies, Ranked
Collider presents a ranking of the most thrilling fantasy films, selected based on critical acclaim and their impact on the genre.
– Willow (1985): Features a sorcerer dwarf (Warwick Davis) and mercenary (Val Kilmer) on a quest to restore a royal infant to her kingdom. Though receiving mixed critical reviews, it became a cult classic with an 80% audience score and spawned a 2022 Disney+ series.– Stardust (2007): An adaptation of Neil Gaiman's 1999 novel following Prince Tristan (Charlie Cox) rescuing a fallen star from an evil witch. It earned $137 million at the box office and is praised for its exciting action sequences and fight choreography.– The Mummy (1999): Set in 1920s Cairo, this adventure film about an Egyptologist and adventurer accidentally awakening an ancient priest was a major critical and commercial success, earning $417.4 million with an $80 million budget.
In short
- Fantasy films ranked by critical ratings and genre influence
- Willow became cult classic despite mixed reviews; spawned Disney+ series
- The Mummy earned $417.4 million at global box office
Explained simply
Fantasy films tell stories set in imagined worlds or shaped by magic and the supernatural. They often draw on familiar ideas such as quests, enchanted objects and battles between opposing forces, while blending them with other genres, including adventure and comedy.
The films mentioned span different approaches: Willow follows a journey to protect a royal child, Stardust adapts a novel about a star who falls to Earth, and The Mummy mixes supernatural danger with 1920s adventure. Their reception ranges from modest reviews and later cult popularity to strong box-office and critical success.
Rankings of fantasy films can reflect several measures, including reviews, audience response, commercial performance and influence on later works. These measures do not always point to the same conclusion, so a ranked list offers one publication’s selection rather than a definitive order.
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