10 Best Movies Like Warcraft

Summary

  • Warcraft
    is based on the video game series of the same name and follows a war between humans and orcs.
  • Fantasy movies like
    Willow
    and
    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
    are perfect for those who enjoyed
    Warcraft.
  • High-grossing film series like
    Harry Potter
    and
    Lord of the Rings
    also have similar themes to
    Warcraft.

As the title suggests, Warcraft depicts two opposing sides of an impending war set in a fantasy world, and if one enjoys the movie and seeks more, several other films have similar themes, genres, characters, and everything in between. The 2016 action fantasy film, directed by Duncan Jones and written by Jones and Charles Leavitt, is based on the popular video game series of the same name. Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft was launched in 1994, and since then, all the games in the series have taken place in and around the world of Azeroth, featuring humans and orcs.

After earning $439 million at the worldwide box office,
Warcraft
became the highest-grossing film based on a video game in 2016. However,
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
surpassed
Warcraft
‘s record in 2019 with $450 million, and
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
took the top spot in 2023 with $1.36 billion.

The cast of Warcraft worked hard to bring the video game series to life in 2016, but the movie still received negative reviews from critics and failed to break even at the box office (despite its record-breaking worldwide gross). Nevertheless, the action fantasy film was a hit among viewers, with Warcraft‘s Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes sitting at 76 percent. A planned Warcraft sequel was still scrapped, though, meaning that fans must look elsewhere to get their fix of the fantasy genre after watching and finishing Warcraft.

10 Willow

Directed By Ron Howard

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Willow PGFantasyAdventureDramaRomanceAction Where to Watch

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Director Ron Howard Release Date May 20, 1988 Distributor(s) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Writers Bob Dolman Cast Jean Marsh , Val Kilmer , Joanne Whalley , Patricia Hayes , Warwick Davis Runtime 126 minutes Expand

After Warcraft‘s ending, one might be interested in Willow, a 1988 epic dark fantasy adventure film set in a fantasy world (Andowyne). The movie centers around Willow, an aspiring sorcerer, and Madmartigan, a mercenary, who come together to protect a baby from the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda of Nockmaar. Queen Bavmorda learns of a prophecy that states the baby will be her downfall, so, she seeks to destroy the newborn.

Willow
was nominated for Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989 but lost in both categories to
Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Although it opened to mixed reviews, Willow became a fantasy cult classic and Disney+ even debuted a Willow sequel TV show in 2022 (which has since been removed from the streaming platform). Its world is similar to the one in Warcraft, and while Willow doesn’t feature an all-out war, it features high stakes that keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

9 Lord Of The Rings

Directed By Peter Jackson

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The Lord of the Rings

Movie(s) The Lord of the Rings (1978) , The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug , The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies , The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim Created by J.R.R. Tolkien Cast Norman Bird , Anthony Daniels , Elijah Wood , Ian McKellen , Liv Tyler , Viggo Mortensen , Sean Astin , Cate Blanchett , John Rhys-Davies , Billy Boyd , Dominic Monaghan , Orlando Bloom , Christopher Lee , Hugo Weaving , Sean Bean , Ian Holm , Andy Serkis , Brad Dourif , Karl Urban , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage , James Nesbitt , Ken Stott , Benedict Cumberbatch , Evangeline Lilly , Lee Pace , Luke Evans , Morfydd Clark , Mike Wood , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Charlie Vickers , Markella Kavenagh , Megan Richards , Sara Zwangobani , Daniel Weyman , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lenny Henry , Brian Cox , Shaun Dooley , Miranda Otto , Bilal Hasna , Benjamin Wainwright , Luke Pasqualino , Christopher Guard , William Squire , Michael Scholes , John Hurt TV Show(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Expand

Lord of the Rings is undoubtedly one of the best film series to watch following Warcraft, given its fantasy setting of Middle-earth and high acclaim (and endless amount of media to consume in the entire franchise). Peter Jackson’s three Lord of the Rings movies are based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s book series of the same name, which was published in the mid-1950s. Lord of the Rings chronicles Frodo Baggins’, a hobbit, and his friends’ pursuit to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron.

Lord of the Rings Movie

Release Date

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

December 19, 2001

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

December 18, 2002

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

December 17, 2003

Lord of the Rings is one of the highest-grossing film series of all time, accumulating almost $3 billion over the course of its three movies. Its reputation speaks for itself and Lord of the Rings is a pinnacle franchise in the fantasy genre. Thankfully, the series has continued after The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King with The Hobbit films, an upcoming anime movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, and more live-action films in development.

8 Harry Potter

Directed By Chris Columbus (1 & 2), Alfonso Cuarón (3), Mike Newell (4), David Yates (5, 6, 7, & 8)

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Harry Potter

Created by J.K. Rowling Cast Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Tom Felton , Alan Rickman , Matthew Lewis , Bonnie Wright , Evanna Lynch , Maggie Smith , Michael Gambon , Richard Harris , Ralph Fiennes , Helena Bonham Carter , Alfred Enoch , Harry Melling , Gary Oldman , Robert Pattinson , Warwick Davis , Oliver Phelps , James Phelps , David Bradley , David Thewlis , Katie Leung , Jason Isaacs , Imelda Staunton , David Tennant , Jamie Campbell Bower , Timothy Spall , Robbie Coltrane , Eddie Redmayne , Jude Law , Katherine Waterston , Ezra Miller , Dan Fogler , Alison Sudol , Johnny Depp , Mads Mikkelsen Expand $96 at AmazonSee at TargetSee at Walmart

The Harry Potter movie series, which consists of eight films, might not be as high fantasy as Warcraft as it partly takes place in the real world. However, in this version of the real world, there is also a hidden wizarding world featuring numerous fantastical creatures. The popular franchise is based on J.K. Rowling’s book series of the same name and features Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, a young wizard who is destined to be the one to defeat Lord Voldemort.

Harry Potter Movies

Release Date

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

November 16, 2001

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

November 15, 2002

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

June 4, 2004

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

November 18, 2005

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

July 11, 2007

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

July 15, 2009

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

November 19, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

July 15, 2011

Similar to Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter franchise (or the Wizarding World franchise) is among the highest-grossing film series ever. With eight Harry Potter movies and three Fantastic Beasts films (a prequel trilogy) under its belt, the Wizarding World franchise has earned over $9.6 billion. Its success will continue as an HBO Harry Potter TV show is in development, and it will serve as a reboot of the franchise, with a new cast playing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and other iconic characters.

7 The Golden Compass

Directed By Chris Weitz

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The Golden Compass PG-13AdventureFamilyFantasy Where to Watch

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Director Chris Weitz Release Date December 7, 2007 Distributor(s) New Line Cinema Writers Chris Weitz Cast Nicole Kidman , Daniel Craig , Sam Elliott , Eva Green , Ian McKellen , Dakota Blue Richards Runtime 113 Minutes Expand

Like other options on this list (and Warcraft), Chris Weitz’s The Golden Compass is an adaptation of a previous work. The 2007 fantasy adventure film is based on Philip Pullman’s 1995 novel Northern Lights and depicts the journey of a tribe of seafarers, seeking to rescue a group of children. The Golden Compass is set in a world where each person’s soul exists outside of their body as a dæmon, an animal companion that is a physical manifestation of someone’s inner being. Unfortunately, a planned sequel was canceled, but the unfinished movie franchise is still worth watching for those who enjoyed Warcraft.

His Dark Materials,
Philip Pullman’s book trilogy which includes
Northern Lights,
was later adapted into an HBO TV series that lasted for three seasons.

6 Godzilla

Directed By Gareth Edwards

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Godzilla (2014) PG-13 Where to Watch

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Director Gareth Edwards Release Date May 16, 2014 Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Toho Writers Max Borenstein , David Callaham Cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Bryan Cranston , Elizabeth Olsen , Ken Watanabe , Sally Hawkins , Vera Farmiga , David Strathairn Runtime 123 Minutes Expand

While many of the movies on this list are linked to Warcraft because they fall under the fantasy genre label, some are similar to Duncan Jones’ 2016 movie because of their action (and monster elements), including the 2014 film Godzilla. Of course, the Godzilla movie series contains several different flicks that can be watched after Warcraft. However, Godzilla (2014) is perhaps the best option as it debuted only two years before Warcraft, meaning it has similar visual effects techniques. Plus, it serves as a reboot, making it the ideal introduction to the franchise for new fans.

Godzilla
(2014) was the first installment in Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise, which has since produced four sequels with another one on the way.

The Godzilla (2014) cast features Aaron Taylor-Johnson as U.S. Navy Lieutenant Ford Brody, a soldier who seeks to reunite with his family after a recently awakened Godzilla seeks revenge against MUTOs. Gareth Edwards’ movie received mostly positive reviews and grossed over $529 million against a budget of $160 million. Godzilla (2014) was the first installment in Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise, which has since produced four sequels with another one on the way.

5 Clash Of The Titans

Directed By Louis Leterrier

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Clash of the Titans PG-13FantasyAction Where to Watch

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Director Louis Leterrier Release Date April 2, 2010 Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Ralph Fiennes , Nicholas Hoult Cast Sam Worthington , Liam Neeson , Ralph Fiennes , Mads Mikkelsen , Gemma Arterton Runtime 1h 46m Expand

The 2010 action fantasy film Clash of the Titans is a remake of the 1981 movie of the same name, which is loosely based on Perseus in Greek mythology. It falls under the same genres as Warcraft and, similar to the 2016 film, Clash of the Titans contains an equal balance of war and fantasy.

A
Clash of the Titans
sequel,
Wrath of the Titans,
was released in 2012.

Clash of the Titans follows Sam Worthington as Perseus, the son of Zeus who finds himself in the middle of a civil war amongst the gods. Perseus then leads an army to the underworld to defeat Hades. For those intrigued by Greek mythology and who liked Warcraft, Clash of the Gods is the perfect movie to watch next (despite its unfavorable reviews as the action is worth the watch).

4 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Directed By Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

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Dungeons and Dragons: Honor among Thieves FantasyAdventure Director Jonathan Goldstein , John Francis Daley Release Date March 3, 2023 Writers Jonathan Goldstein , John Francis Daley Cast Hugh Grant , Chloe Coleman , Chris Pine , Rege-Jean Page , Justice Smith , Michelle Rodriguez , Sophia Lillis

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is probably one of the most underrated movies of 2023, and it deserves its flowers. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics, the fantasy heist action comedy film severely underperformed at the box office, grossing only $208 million against a budget of $150 million. Nevertheless, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a must-watch for those who thoroughly enjoyed Warcraft because it contains similar high fantasy themes and mythical creatures. Plus, it’s also based on a game.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is an adaptation of the mega-popular tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The 2023 movie is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and follows Chris Pine as Edgin Davis, a bard and a thief, who leads a ragtag group of different beings on a quest to find a relic and reunite with his daughter. Of course, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ story and its ending are much more complicated than that, and one must watch it to learn more.

3 Mortal Engines

Directed By Christian Rivers

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Mortal Engines PG-13AdventureFantasy Where to Watch

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Director Christian Rivers Release Date December 14, 2018 Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Peter Jackson , Philippa Boyens , Fran Walsh Cast Frankie Adams , Robbie Sheehan , Colin Salmon , Hera Hilmar , Ronan Raftery , Stephen Lang , Jihae , Hugo Weaving Runtime 128 Minutes Expand

Mortal Engines, based on Philip Reeve’s 2001 book of the same name, is a steampunk film set more than 1,000 years in the future in an apocalyptic world, decimated by a cataclysmic event. So, like Warcraft, the 2018 movie Mortal Engines is also a depiction of a fantasy world. However, in Mortal Engines, the future features motorized cities on wheels, which are called “Traction Cities,” and the world practices Darwinism by having the larger cities colonize the weaker settlements.

Mortal Engines
doesn’t contain the same mythical creatures as
Warcraft,
but its futuristic setting and action scenes are akin to Duncan Jones’ 2016 film.

Hera Hilmar stars as Hester Shaw in the Mortal Engines cast, and Hester lives in Salzhaken, a small Bavarian mining town. Unfortunately, London, as one of the larger cities, absorbs Salzhaken, and Hester seeks to put an end to this heinous practice. Mortal Engines doesn’t contain the same mythical creatures as Warcraft, but its futuristic setting and action scenes are akin to Duncan Jones’ 2016 film.

2 Chronicles Of Narnia

Directed By Andrew Adamson (1 & 2) and Michael Apted (3)

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe PGAdventureFantasy Where to Watch

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Director Andrew Adamson Release Date December 9, 2005 Distributor(s) Buena Vista Pictures Distribution Writers Ann Peacock , Andrew Adamson , Christopher Markus , Stephen McFeely Cast William Moseley , Anna Popplewell , Skandar Keynes , Georgie Henley , Tilda Swinton , James McAvoy , Jim Broadbent , Liam Neeson Runtime 143 Minutes Sequel(s) The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) , The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Expand

Chronicles of Narnia is another successful fantasy film franchise that fans of Warcraft will likely also enjoy. The Chronicles of Narnia movie series is based on C.S. Lewis’ book series of the same name, depicting the Pevensie children discovering the magical world of Narnia that they can enter through their wardrobe. Narnia features a countless number of mythical creatures and wondrous sights, and the children are immediately enraptured by the world.

Chronicles of Narnia Movies

Release Date

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

December 9, 2005

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

May 16, 2008

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

December 10, 2010

When the Pevensie children enter Narnia, they learn from a lion named Aslan that the White Witch has forced an endless winter on its inhabitants. Together, they join forces to defeat her. More than a decade after the original film series’ success, Greta Gerwig is set to direct new Chronicles of Narnia movies for Netflix. Unfortunately, not much is known about the future films, but given Gerwig’s impressive track record, the franchise is in good hands.

1 Rampage

Directed By Brad Peyton

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Director Brad Peyton Release Date April 13, 2018 Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Carlton Cuse , Ryan Condal Cast Joe Manganiello , Malin Akerman , Dwayne Johnson , Matt Gerald , Will Yun Lee , Jeffrey Dean Morgan , Naomie Harris Runtime 1h 47m Expand

The final best movie to watch after Warcraft is Rampage, which stars Dwayne Johnson as Davis Okoye, a primatologist and the head of an anti-poaching unit. The 2018 science fiction monster film is a loose adaptation of Midway Games’ video game series of the same name, which features players taking on a human-turned-monster role and destroying cities, trying not to get caught along the way. However, the movie Rampage is nothing like the game (but still contains various references to its inspiration).

In Rampage, Johnson’s Davis teams up with a gorilla named George, who continuously grows due to an after-effect from an experiment gone wrong. Together, they attempt to stop other mutated creatures like George from destroying Chicago. Rampage is more grounded in the real world than Warcraft, but it contains elements of war and strange creatures, making it an ideal watch for those who loved the 2016 action fantasy film.

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