Encanto took the world by storm with a beautiful family-friendly storyline about family love, acceptance, and differences that make us who we are. The film’s original songs quickly became fan-favorite; the soundtrack is the most popular Disney soundtrack ever – especially “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” which broke all records with around 380 million YouTube views.
The movie is wonderful and worth watching. Now, if you’ve already watched it, loved it, and want something similar – don’t worry; we got you! Here’s the ultimate list of the 15 best movies like Encanto you absolutely need to see.
Tarzan (1999)
Synopsis: “The movie is about the life of Tarzan. Tarzan was a small orphan who was raised by an ape named Kala since he was a child. He believed that this was his family, but on an expedition, Jane Porter is rescued by Tarzan. He then finds out that he’s human. Now Tarzan must make the decision as to which family he should belong to…”
Why it’s like Encanto: Like Encanto, Tarzan is a story about family, being different, finding your place, and accepting who you are, both from yourself and from your family. Mirabel and Tarzan have a lot in common – both are different from the rest of their family but ultimately prove to be just as important as any other family member.
It’s a beautiful story teaching us it’s okay to be different. Also, the soundtrack is absolutely amazing!
Watch the trailer here.
Hercules (1997)
Synopsis: “Hercules, son of the Greek God, Zeus, is turned into a half-god, half-mortal by evil Hades, God of the Underworld, who plans to overthrow Zeus. Hercules is raised on Earth and retains his god-like strength, but when he discovers his immortal heritage, Zeus tells him that to return to Mount Olympus, he must become a true hero.
Hercules becomes a famous hero with the help of his friend Pegasus and his personal trainer, Phil the satyr. Hercules battles monsters, Hades and the Titans, but it is his self-sacrifice to rescue his love Meg which makes him a true hero.”
Why it’s like Encanto: “Was Hercules ever like, ‘yo, I don’t wanna fight Cerberus’” is a quote that Louisa uses in her song from Encanto, as she faces some of the same questions he had to face in his endeavors. Just like Herc, Louisa is super strong, and everybody in the village seems to take advantage of that.
Hercules and Louisa have a lot in common, and so do the movies – it’s a story of family, self-acceptance, societal pressure to be something you might not even want to be, and finding your place below the stars. Also, just like Encanto, Hercules has a soundtrack that’ll forever remain a classic, with hits like “Zero to Hero”, “On My Way”, “Gospel Truth”, etc.
Watch the trailer here.
Onward (2020)
Synopsis: “In a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, go on a journey to discover if there is still a little magic left out there in order to spend one last day with their father, who died when they were too young to remember him. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries.
When the boys’ fearless mom, Laurel, realizes that her sons are missing, she teams up with the legendary winged-lion-scorpion former warrior — The Manticore — and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed.”
Why it’s like Encanto: Every family is different, and so is this one. It took a wild adventure like this one for the brothers to realize that all they ever needed was each other and that they are each other’s best friends, always there for one another when needed the most – just like the family Madrigal in Encanto.
While the movie lacks the soundtrack Encanto has, it’s filled with beautiful messages about family, sibling love, accepting each other’s differences, etc. Also, the world in Onward is filled with mystery and magic, just like the one we witness in Encanto.
Watch the trailer here.
Luca (2021)
Synopsis: “A young boy experiences an unforgettable seaside summer on the Italian Riviera filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the ocean’s surface.”
Why it’s like Encanto: Luca was easily one of my favorite movies in 2021. Like Encanto, it was a story about being different and accepting yourself for who you are, not for who others want you to be. Also, it shows that friendship, family, and acceptance will come as long as we are ready to change and throw away old prejudices. Also, “Silencio, Bruno!”
Watch the trailer here.
Coco (2017)
Synopsis: “Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events.
Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.”
Why it’s like Encanto: Coco plays with the marvelous Latin-American heritage and culture just like Encanto, along with a phenomenal soundtrack and a vibrant, colorful world filled with magic. It’s a beautiful family film about one of the family members being different and trying to find himself.
Miguel is, in many ways, similar to Mirabel, as both are misunderstood by their families, but in the end, they find a way to bring everybody together and prove that old prejudice needs to be set aside, and everything else will fall into place.
Watch the trailer here.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
Synopsis: “Orphaned, penniless, but ambitious and with a mind crammed with imagination and fresh ideas, the American entertainer, Phineas Taylor Barnum, will always be remembered as the man with the gift to blur the line between reality and fiction.
Thirsty for innovation and hungry for success, the son of a tailor manages to open a wax museum; however, he soon shifts focus to the unique and the peculiar, introducing extraordinary, never-seen-before live acts on the circus stage.
Now, some people call Barnum’s rich collection of oddities, an outright freak show; but, when Phineas, obsessed for cheers and respectability, gambles everything on the opera singer, Jenny Lind, to appeal to a high-brow audience, he will lose sight of the most crucial aspect of his life: his family. Will Barnum, the greatest showman, risk it all to be accepted?”
Why it’s like Encanto: The Greatest Showman is the only non-animated film on this list, but I had to put it here for several reasons. One, the beauty of a person comes from the inside. Two, family ought to accept you, regardless of your flaws or deficiencies. Three, the soundtrack is absolutely marvelous. One of my favorite musicals ever.
Watch the trailer here.
Moana (2016)
Synopsis: “Moana Waialiki is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island’s fishermen can’t catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess, Te Fiti.
The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti’s heart, so Moana sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific. The film is based on stories from Polynesian mythology.”
Why it’s like Encanto: The storyline of Moana is situated in a recluse society, separated from the rest of the world, just like Encanto. Also, Moana is doing everything she can to save her family and community despite not being accepted by everybody for who she is. The soundtrack is beautiful, and the film’s plots are quite similar.
Watch the trailer here.
Mulan (1998)
Synopsis: “This retelling of the old Chinese folktale is about the story of a young Chinese maiden who learns that her weakened and lame father is to be called up into the army in order to fight the invading Huns. Knowing that he would never survive the rigors of war in his state, she decides to disguise herself and join in his place.
Unknown to her, her ancestors are aware of this and to prevent it, they order a tiny disgraced dragon, Mushu to join her in order to force her to abandon her plan. He agrees, but when he meets Mulan, he learns that she cannot be dissuaded and so decides to help her in the perilous times ahead.”
Why it’s like Encanto: Mulan features a strong female lead character, just like Encanto, has a phenomenal soundtrack that’ll remain a classic forever, and features many segments of Chinese tradition and folklore, much like Encanto does with Colombian tradition.
Watch the trailer here.
Frozen (2013)
Synopsis: “When the newly-crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister Anna teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather condition.”
Why it’s like Encanto: Frozen has one of the most memorable soundtracks and original songs in Disney history, features a strong female lead character that’s different from her family, and a world filled with magic, family love, and self-acceptance. What else do you need?
Watch the trailer here.
Tangled (2010)
Synopsis: “The magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.”
Why it’s like Encanto: While Tangled isn’t exactly a story about family and accepting the differences between family members, it has a lot in common with Encanto. Like, a world filled with magical flair, awesome songs, humor, visuals, heart-warming characters, adventures, phenomenal visuals, a strong female lead character trying to find herself, and so much more.
Watch the trailer here.
Monster House (2006)
Synopsis: “13-year-old DJ is observing his neighbor Nebbercracker on the other side of the street in the suburb that destroys tricycles of children that trespass his lawn. When DJ’s parents travel on the eve of Halloween and the abusive babysitter Zee stays with him, he calls his clumsy best friend Chowder to play basketball. But when the ball falls in Nebbercracker’s lawn, the old man has a heart attack, and soon they find that the house is a monster.”
Why it’s like Encanto: The story of Monster House is quite different from Encanto – a bit scarier and much more revolving around friendship and childhood instead of family, but there’s one obvious similarity between the two – a living house, Casita, in Encanto, and the monster house in, well, the Monster House.
Watch the trailer here.
Raya And The Last Dragon (2021)
Synopsis: “Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned, and it’s up to a lone warrior to track down the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.”
Why it’s like Encanto: The phenomenal Oscar-nominated movie features a strong female lead character, a magical world, and sought inspiration from tradition and folklore. It also delivers a similar, important message like Encanto – one should accept others’ differences, and also – family doesn’t have to be related by blood. Family is love, acceptance, and sacrifice.
Watch the trailer here.
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Synopsis: “A young and parentless girl adopts a ‘dog’ from the local pound, completely unaware that it’s supposedly a dangerous scientific experiment that’s taken refuge on Earth and is now hiding from its creator and those who see it as a menace.”
Why it’s like Encanto: You can’t really compare an alien experiment pretending to be a dog with Encanto’s Mirabel, but Lilo & Stitch teaches a similar lesson: don’t judge a book by its covers. Everybody deserves a family filled with love, kindness, acceptance, and affection, and Lilo provides just that to an extraterrestrial reject nobody thought was even capable of love.
Also, Lilo and her sister’s family is quite different from the Madrigals – instead of a big, vibrant family, their life is humble, and all they have is each other. Still, regardless of what a family looks like or how many members are in the family, the only important thing is to love one another, no matter how different they might be.
Watch the trailer here.
Spirited Away (2001)
Synopsis: “During her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.”
Why it’s like Encanto: Although spirited Away is a Japanese animated film, it left such a huge mark on me as a kid that it’s still one of my favorite movies of all time. It teaches us that all the materialistic goals and desires we might have in life mean nothing when our lives are all said and done.
Spirited Away is a story about a young girl that would do anything to save her family in a magical world filled with mysticism, witches, magic, etc. Also, just like Encanto, Spirited Away won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.
Watch the trailer here.
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines (2021)
Synopsis: “A quirky, dysfunctional family’s road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity’s unlikeliest last hope!”
Why it’s like Encanto: The Mitchells Vs. The Machines was a film competing against Encanto at this year’s Academy Awards, nominated for the Best Animated Feature Film.
While you can’t really compare a world of magic with a world in the middle of a cyborg/robot apocalypse, the Mitchells are also an odd family where every member is different, has a unique personality, and a distinct role within the family, just like Encanto’s Madrigals.
Also, they overcome all obstacles by accepting one another and loving each other, and the fate of the entire community (in their case, the world) depends entirely on them.
Watch the trailer here.
