10 Best DreamWorks Movies, Ranked

Summary

• Megamind delivers a poignant message with stellar animation and an all-star cast of comedy actors firing on all cylinders.
• The Prince of Egypt is an epic biblical saga with breathtaking imagery and a score that pushes the PG rating past its breaking point.
• Chicken Run is an understated stop-motion masterpiece that reignited appreciation for the art form with charming British humor.

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The best DreamWorks movies include many amazing animated films, but a select few rise to the top as the best. Often described as the jazz to Disney’s classical music, DreamWorks is by far one of the most impressive and well-known Western animation studios outside of Disney’s employ, telling more unorthodox stories compared to Mickey Mouse’s safer narratives. Coming a long way since the release of their first feature animation, Antz, in 1998, DreamWorks’ recent animated domination has added to its legacy of excellent movies.

Identifying the greatest hits among DreamWorks’ impressive catalog of films comes down mainly to taste. Still, tangible variables can help measure how the best of the studio’s offerings stack up. From the art style, critical response, and box office numbers of DreamWorks’ best films, a solid picture of which films have been the most iconic for the animation titan begins to develop. Whether it’s an original, genre-breaking trendsetter or a sequel that puts Disney’s direct-to-video animated spinoffs to shame, DreamWorks’ filmography is full of impressive contenders.

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10 Megamind (2010)

An All-Star Cast Firing On All Cylinders

Megamind
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Director Tom McGrath Cast Will Ferrell , Ben Stiller , Brad Pitt , Jonah Hill Release Date November 11, 2010

Just as the superhero genre was beginning to establish its chokehold on Hollywood, Megamind came along to shatter audience expectations for the genre. Beyond the all-star cast of comedy actors at the top of their game (Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill) and the impressively aged animation, Megamind presents a poignant message about doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, and vice versa, that many viewers need to hear.

Even though the film echoes The Incredibles and Despicable Me, it’s a shame about the disappointing follow-ups without Will Ferrell. This included a sequel movie, Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate (which has a 9% Rotten Tomatoes score), and a TV series called Megamind Rules!, which premiered on Peacock but brought in none of the original movie’s voice cast.

While the first movie won no awards, it was still a box-office success and an underappreciated animated movie. The talented voice cast, impressive animation style, and some legitimately funny laughs have helped it withstand the test of time and remain entertaining over a decade later.

Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate and all eight episodes of Megamind Rules! are now streaming on Peacock.

9 The Prince Of Egypt (1998)

An Epic In The True Sense Of The Word

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The Prince of Egypt
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Director Brenda Chapman , Steve Hickner , Simon Wells Cast Val Kilmer , Ralph Fiennes , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sandra Bullock , Jeff Goldblum , Danny Glover Release Date December 16, 1998

The Prince of Egypt is a biblical saga on par with the likes of Ben-Hur in terms of scope, beauty, and sheer awe but in animated form. The film is, at its core, a tale of faith and family told through the lens of two brothers, torn apart by their allegiances and duty to a higher power.

Hans Zimmer’s euphoric score and the breathtaking imagery of Egypt’s wind-swept landscape make the saga a true marvel for the senses. That said, the film pushes the PG rating past its breaking point with some macabre divine fury straight out of the Old Testament.

The Prince of Egypt was only DreamWorks’ second animated film after Antz, long before it became a box office juggernaut with Shrek. Regardless, it was still a decent box office success thanks to the faith-based crowds, and it received two Oscar nominations, both for the music, one for the score, and the other for the song “When You Believe.”

8 Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

A Shockingly Thoughtful Follow-Up To The Original

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
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Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson Cast Jack Black , Angelina Jolie , Dustin Hoffman , Gary Oldman , Jackie Chan , Seth Rogen , Lucy Liu , David Cross , James Hong , Michelle Yeoh Release Date May 26, 2011

As brilliant as the quality of Jack Black’s Kung Fu Panda was, few could’ve imagined a follow-up film would go on to nearly outdo its predecessor. Deepening Po’s backstory with some surprisingly tragic drama and developing his character with fundamental Eastern philosophy, Kung Fu Panda 2 let audiences know that the franchise wasn’t about to start pulling its punches.

It’s the rare case of a sequel living up to what the original put out and helped establish Kung Fu Panda as a major animated franchise. While it harbors some truly standout moments, the film struggles with pacing compared to the rest of the Kung Fu Panda films, holding it back from being in DreamWorks’ upper echelon of movies.

Despite this, it was still a massive success, bringing in $665 million on a $150 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), one of the highest-grossing movies ever directed by a woman (Jennifer Yuh Nelson). It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature and ensured the franchise’s future.

7 Chicken Run (2000)

An Understated Stop-Motion Masterpiece

Chicken Run
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Director Peter Lord , Nick Park Cast Phil Daniels , Lynn Ferguson , Mel Gibson , Tony Haygarth , Jane Horrocks , Miranda Richardson Release Date June 21, 2000

Produced in partnership with legendary stop-motion studio Aardman Animations, Chicken Run was instrumental in reigniting moviegoers’ appreciation for the pain-staking art form one frame at a time.

The quirky jailbreak story of the rebellious chickens on a small Yorkshire farm has an unmistakable charm, with understated British humor that ages like a fine wine and a genuine sense of terror sure to convert many viewers into veganism. Even if it isn’t the most groundbreaking story, Aardman’s first foray into feature filmmaking is a feather in DreamWorks’ cap.

The movie was a box office success, making $227.8 million on a $45 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). While it didn’t earn Oscar attention, it did win the Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture – Animated or Mixed Media and took home awards from various film critics’ associations across the country. It even spawned a sequel over 20 years later.

6 How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

A Worthy Return To A Magical World Of Dragons

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How to Train Your Dragon 2
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Director Dean DeBlois Cast Jonah Hill , Cate Blanchett , Kristen Wiig , Jay Baruchel , T.J. Miller , Gerard Butler , Christopher Mintz-Plasse Release Date June 13, 2014

DreamWork’s second expedition to the lands of Berk proved that the success of the first film was no flash-in-the-pan fluke, with returning director Dean DeBlois delivering another breathtaking vision of soaring above through the skies on the backs of dragons. The sequel expands on the lore of the Viking world while introducing new dragons and upping the stakes with the series’ first on-screen human death.

How To Train Your Dragon 2 was utterly snubbed at the 2015 Oscars when it lost out to Big Hero 6.

The movie was another box office success for DreamWorks, and it opened up the world by introducing Hiccup’s mother, who was long thought to be dead. It remained a smart animated movie and showed why the original was such a success. How To Train Your Dragon 2 was utterly snubbed at the 2015 Oscars when it lost out to Big Hero 6. If it wasn’t for the forgettable villain, How To Train Your Dragon 2 could’ve flown even higher.

5 Kung Fu Panda (2008)

The Premiere Modern Martial Arts Comedy

Kung Fu Panda
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Kung Fu Panda is an animated martial arts comedy directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson. Set in ancient China, it follows Po, an overweight and clumsy panda voiced by Jack Black, who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. When an evil snow leopard named Tai Lung threatens the Valley of Peace, Po is unexpectedly chosen as the Dragon Warrior.

Director Mark Osborne , John Stevenson Cast Jack Black , Dustin Hoffman , Angelina Jolie , Ian McShane , Jackie Chan , Seth Rogen Release Date June 4, 2008

Few could’ve guessed that the action comedy starring Jack Black as a food-loving Panda would be a movie of such genuine quality, but the first Kung Fu Panda blows away audience expectations.

Not only is Black’s comedic timing as sharp as ever but the film’s perfect hero’s journey and intricately choreographed fight sequences elevate it from a passing family movie to a spectacle of animation prowess. Some of the dialogue does drag the film down at times, with Po’s cringeworthy lines putting a blemish on the film’s otherwise mirror polish, but the martial arts film still holds up today.

The movie was a box office success, making $631 million on a $130 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film (losing out to Pixar’s Wall-E). However, it beat the Pixar film at the Annie Awards while bringing home 10 awards from the prestigious animation ceremony. It also launched a franchise that turned into three sequels and a TV series.

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4 Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Put The Feline Fencer On Par With Shrek

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
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Director Joel Crawford Cast Antonio Banderas , Salma Hayek Pinault , Olivia Colman , Harvey Guillen , Samson Kayo , Wagner Moura , Anthony Mendez , John Mulaney , Florence Pugh Release Date December 21, 2022

After the lukewarm reception of Puss in Boots’ first solo film within the Shrek universe, DreamWorks created a dazzlingly animated sequel that manages to be thoughtful, funny, and heartwarming all at once.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish uses its jaw-dropping, painting-like animation to expertly weave a narrative that manages to juggle three memorable antagonists across the perilous journey of everyone’s favorite fearless hero. Although the inspiration from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse isn’t exactly subtle, The Last Wish is undoubtedly one of DreamWorks’ heaviest hitters, balancing action, comedy, romance, and fear on the tip of a sword.

The movie was a decent box office hit in the post-pandemic era of Hollywood, a sleeper hit with long legs in theaters. It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film, losing to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. The sequel was seen as a huge improvement over the original in everything from the visuals to the story.

3 How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

A High-Flying Smash Hit

How to Train Your Dragon
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How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 animated film set in the Viking world of Berk, where Hiccup, the son of Stoick the Vast, befriends a dragon and defies the village’s traditional dragon-slaying ways, leading to a reevaluation of the Viking-dragon conflict.

Director Dean DeBlois , Chris Sanders Cast Jay Baruchel , Gerard Butler , Craig Ferguson , America Ferrera , Jonah Hill

Loosely based on the children’s book of the same name, How to Train Your Dragon presents a heartwarming tale of the bond between man and beast, emphasizing the importance of questioning the status quo and sticking up for friends.

Toothless’ wide eyes and playful grin greet viewers like an old friend before taking them soaring through the clouds with some of the most impressive 3D flying sequences ever created, bearing a distinctly “live-action” feel.

The poignant performances and effortlessly adorable bond between the downtrodden Hiccup and his faithful mount can’t be overlooked as one of DreamWorks’ strongest features. It wasn’t as big of a box office success as later Dreamworks movies, but it was still successful enough to warrant sequels and TV shows linking the movies together. It also earned an Oscar nomination but lost to the Pixar masterpiece, Toy Story 3.

Toothless’ wide eyes and playful grin greets viewers like an old friend before taking them soaring through the clouds.

2 Shrek (2001)

An Enduring Classic That Paved The Way For Others

Shrek
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Director Vicky Jenson , Andrew Adamson Cast Cameron Diaz , Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , John Lithgow Release Date May 18, 2001

Even though Shrek has become near-ubiquitous with his meme status in the present day, there’s a real beating sentiment behind pop culture’s less-than-ironic love for the grumpy green ogre. The original Shrek was groundbreaking for a reason, blending modern humor that toed the line of its PG rating with a fairytale world that broke the mold of Disney’s medieval fare by upsetting the status quo.

Despite the baggage of some dated animation and references, Shrek continues to be DreamWorks’ most beloved and iconic film series, thanks to the layered success of its first entry. The history-making film helped solidify Dreamworks as a serious player in the world of animated big screen adventures and it never looked back.

Shrek won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The movie finished its box office run with $492.2 million on a smaller $60 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). It is also the landmark movie that won the very first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, beating out Pixar’s Monster’s Inc. Its cultural impact is undeniable, with sequels, a spinoff series with Puss in Boots, and even a Broadway musical adaptation of the story.

1 Shrek 2 (2004)

Evolved The Comedy Of Shrek To New Heights

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Director Kelly Asbury , Andrew Adamson , Conrad Vernon Cast Eddie Murphy , Mike Myers , Rupert Everett , Antonio Banderas , Jennifer Saunders , Cameron Diaz , Julie Andrews , John Cleese Release Date May 19, 2004

One of the rare instances in which a sequel managed to outdo the original, Shrek 2 took everything that made Shrek work and doubled down. They added to the number of jokes per minute, hilarious modern references, musical numbers and, most importantly, the core cast with the addition of Puss in Boots

Shrek 2 elevated the franchise from a mere standout comedy film to an absolute icon. The movie came close to the billion-dollar mark, with $935.5 million at the box office, and it earned an Oscar nomination, losing out to The Incredibles.

It was the last great Shrek movie, although the second Puss in Boots installment came close to its brilliance. Between the lively musical finale, endlessly entertaining additions to the roster of fairytale characters, and the infectious energy of its humor, Shrek 2 remains DreamWorks’ magnum opus to this day.

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