50 Movies About Dragons You Need To See

Dragons have played a significant role in world mythologies for as long as people have told stories. They've popped up in almost every culture in one form or another (per Smithsonian), and they continue to dominate storytelling via poems, books, comics, video games, movies, and more. Clearly, people love dragons and have been enjoying stories about the legendary giant beasts for thousands of years.

The 20th century brought dragons to the silver screen, and fantasy fans have no shortage of movies to choose from. From J.R.R. Tolkien's Smaug in "The Hobbit" to the Great Protector in "Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," dragons (or creatures like them) have taken a central focus in many films. Of course, not every dragon movie is made equal. We've ranked 50 from worst to best, but there's something worth seeing in all of them, and any fan of the fearsome flying creatures should embark on a quest to seek out each one.

"Dragon Wars: D-War" is a South Korean film that takes a great deal of inspiration from that culture's dragon myths. It's the story of Ethan Kendrick, who has been chosen to protect the Yuh Yi Joo, a person with the power to change an Imoogi (Korean dragon) into a Celestial Dragon. Eventually, Kendrick meets Sarah Daniels, the Yuh Yi Joon, and their adventure begins as they face off against a corrupt Imoogi, Buraki, who unleashes an army of demonic forces upon his enemies.

The film may be rooted in old Korean dragon mythology, but it takes advantage of its modern setting to create an action blockbuster in the Hollywood style. At one time, "D-War" was one of the highest-grossing South Korean films, and it's the kind of movie dragon fans love. That said, it didn't do well with critics, many of whom praised the special effects while tearing apart the story and acting. Despite this, it resonates with dragon fans and is more than worth their time.

Despite the negative attention from critics, "D-War" did well at the box office, earning over twice its budget internationally. According to Variety, a sequel was given the green light in 2016 with a $77+ million budget, but it has yet to manifest.

The aptly-named "Dragonworld: The Legend Continues" is the second in the "Dragonworld" franchise, and is considerably different from the first film. The movie follows Johnny McGowan and his dragon friend, Yowler, as they face an incredible evil: the Dark Knight. As the enemy of all Dragonkin, the Dark Knight is bound to find and slay Yowler, the last dragon on Earth. 

The first "Dragonworld" film is remembered fondly by fans. Unfortunately, the sequel isn't as beloved and suffers from some problems. Its plot is vastly different from the original, and only one actor — Andrew Kier in the supporting role of Angus McGowan — returned to the cast. The overall tone is a bit off, but there are elements fans can appreciate. One bright spot is the continued use of practical effects for the dragon. But even those can't quite live up to the original, as "The Legend Continues" trades animatronics and puppeteering for a guy in a suit.

"Dungeons & Dragons" has been the go-to tabletop role-playing game since its introduction in the early '70s. Despite its popularity and adaptations into cartoons and video games, it took more than a quarter century for D&D to make it to the silver screen. The first "Dungeons & Dragons" movie finally arrived in 2000, and as the name implies, it doesn't just feature dungeons. The movie follows Empress Savina as she fights a powerful wizard, Profion, who desires her throne.

To maintain power, the Empress must find the Rod of Savrille, which allows its user to summon red dragons. After putting a party together, a group of adventurers travels to find the Rod of Savrille before Profion's henchmen, so the Empress can save the world. It's not a bad plot for a D&D campaign, but it do much in theaters, earning only $34 million on a budget of $45 million. 

"Dungeons & Dragons" featured some impressive digital effects (for the time) and relied heavily on CGI to produce the dragons (via IGN). Though the movie was a box office bomb, it did score a sequel in 2005. The eventual resurgence in popularity of the game itself later set the stage for a 2023 reboot.

When meteorites slam into the earth, they prove to be more than what they appear. The meteorites carry dragons inside, and before long, the beasts sow destruction, disorder, and chaos across the land. Two longtime enemies, King Fastrad and King Wednesbury, join forces to fight the threat that promises to destroy both their kingdoms. A party of adventurers comes together to find the dragons' weakness and stop their reign of destruction.

"Dragon Storm" is one of the many made-for-TV movies that premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel (now SyFy) throughout the early 2000s. Unlike many of its peers, the film did incredibly well on the platform, earning more than three million viewers during its premiere broadcast (via The Futon Critic). That made it the most-watched original film on the channel, which is impressive given its special effects and paltry $1 million budget (per TMDB). 

Ultimately, the story and acting take a backseat to dragon spectacle. Given its small budget and made-for-TV focus, it's surprising and refreshing to see so many beautifully-designed and rendered dragons (via Alex Bledsoe), making "Dragon Storm" something of a guilty pleasure for fans of the flying beasts.

"Fire & Ice: The Dragon Chronicles" is another original movie made for the Sci-Fi Channel that focuses on dragons as a central plot element. The film is set in the realm of Carpia, which is ruled by the benevolent King Augustin and Queen Remini. Dragons are known to exist, but they don't become a problem until the king dies unexpectedly, opening the door for a Fire Dragon that rains death upon the kingdom. 

The Fire Dragon isn't the only one of its kind in Carpia, and before long, the Ice Dragon confronts its opponent. Meanwhile, a knight and princess fight to save the kingdom from the threat that promises to destroy all of Carpia. The film features John Rhys-Davies, who was also in "Dragon Storm" four years earlier. 

"Fire & Ice: The Dragon Chronicles" was the most expensive movie produced in Bulgaria, with a budget of $4 million (per TMDB). The dragon effects are spectacular, and were designed in-country in under seven months. According to XMG, much of the CGI rendering was done through automation processes, which helped the SFX team finish the more than 450 CGI VFX shots for the film. 

Despite its poor performance at the box office, "Dungeons & Dragons" earned a standalone semi-sequel, "Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God." The film doesn't follow the events of the first, standing as its own story, though it does feature Bruce Payne, the only actor from the first movie to reprise his role. Instead of hitting movie theaters worldwide, "Wrath of the Dragon God" premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel. However, it was released in some European theatres and select parts of North America.

"Wrath of the Dragon God" is set a century after the events of the first film with the revival of Damodar the dragon (Payne). In the previous movie, Damodar fought the people of Ishmir and was cursed with a century of suffering. He's returned, and plans to resurrect the Dragon God in his quest for revenge against the people of Ishmir.

Like its predecessor, "Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God" flopped. Even in markets where it did get a theatrical release, it mostly went unseen. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie earned only $844,397 on a $15 million budget. Still, more D&D movies were ahead.

Christopher Paolini's hit 2002 novel "Eragon" was ripe for film adaptation the moment the book was published. The movie was released in 2006, introducing the world to the dragon Saphira. Like the book, the film follows Eragon, a farm boy who finds a dragon egg and raises the hatchling, protecting her from various threats. When Saphira matures, Eragon becomes a dragonrider, part of a select group of powerful wizards who ride dragons into battle. Most dragonriders were killed long ago, along with their mounts. Now, Eragon and Saphira must join the fight against Galbatorix and his forces to save the world from his tyranny. 

"Eragon" didn't perform exceptionally well at the box office, though it did manage to rake in more than a quarter billion on a budget of $100 million. Still, it was heavily criticized by critics and fans of the source material for departing too much from the text (per The Literary Phoenix). While this angered many fans, the film deserves a look, as it features one of the most beautifully rendered dragons in cinematic history. "Eragon" was intended to be the first in a franchise following Paolini's "Inheritance Cycle," but the film's failure killed all plans for sequels (per The DisInsider). 

"Dragonheart" was an incredible success (more on that later), and in the years that followed, it grew into a franchise. "Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire" is the second prequel in the franchise, taking place between the events of "The Sorcerer's Curse" and the original film.

"Battle for the Heartfire" is centered around Drago, who attempts to stop two siblings who have dragon-like powers and are after their grandfather's throne. Meanwhile, a new threat arises, putting at risk the source of Drago's power, his Heartfire, which generates his flame and its life-giving powers. The movie features Patrick Stewart as the voice of Drago in one of the inimitable actor's most impressive voiceover roles. Like its predecessors, "Dragonheart: Battle for the Hearfire" builds on the impressive special effects created for the first film.

"Dragons: Fire and Ice" is the first in a two-part film series based on the Mega Bloks toy line, the story of Princess Kyra of the Draigar and Prince Dev of the Norvagen. The two are from rival kingdoms that have been at war for centuries, but that won't stop them from working together when the need arises. Both heroes must join forces and bring their dragons, Aurora and Targon, to save their world and Dragon World from a sinister threat with the aid of the legendary Dragon King Thoron, whose thousand-year exile is at an end.

The film's lore is well developed from the toys the movie is based upon. This helps to establish the large-scale events of the story, priming them to resonate with the young target audience. The movie's dragons are designed to look much like their toy counterparts, and the film itself is skillfully rendered via CGI. 

That said, the CGI is a product of its time, and kids today have no shortage of cartoons capable of visuals beyond this 2004 direct-to-video release. The story makes up for the dated look, though, making "Dragons: Fire and Ice" a compelling animated film even today.

"Dragonworld" is the story of Johnny McGowan, an American orphan who moves to Scotland to live with his grandfather at his castle. Before long, Johnny's loneliness and sorrow are pushed aside when he makes a wish at the castle's magical wish tree. He wishes for a friend and gets a juvenile dragon he names Yowler. The film jumps 15 years, with Johnny and Yowler all grown up. Eventually, trouble comes to town when Johnny is tricked into "renting" Yowler to a corrupt documentary filmmaker who creates an amusement park around the dragon. 

"Dragonworld" is a direct-to-video film designed to entertain children, and it did this reasonably well upon release in 1994. It's not the kind of dragon movie that would appeal to everyone, given its target audience. Still, it's a fun adventure story with beautifully designed practical effects. The artistry of Yowler's design makes "Dragonworld" stand apart from similar dragon-related family-friendly fare. 

"Seventh Son" stars Kit Harrington, Jeff Bridges, and Julianne Moore in a loose adaptation of Joseph Delaney's "The Spook's Apprentice." The film follows the story of Thomas Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son, making him an incredibly powerful "spook" destined to hunt down witches. Moore plays Mother Malkin, a recently escaped witch out for revenge against Master Gregory (Bridges), the spook who defeated and imprisoned her. As Malkin builds an army, Gregory must train Ward to stand up against the threat looming over them with the darkest of dark magic.

"Seventh Son" features several enemies, including Radu, one of Mother Malkin's lieutenants. He has the ability to transform into a dragon, and he's not the only one. Malkin manages to escape her confinement by transforming into a dragon, which Charlie Jane Anders of Gizmodo called "her go-to move." The movie's dragons are more dragon-like than they are true dragons, which makes the film stand out from the competition by offering something different for the genre.

Clearly, a good portion of the $95 million budget went into special effects (per Variety), and the dragons, in particular, look fantastic. Unfortunately, the story didn't attract many fans, and critics lambasted "Seventh Son" upon release.

"Sucker Punch" tells a story across layers of metaphor and fantasy as it follows its lead, Babydoll (Emily Browning), in her attempt to escape from a mental institution. To do so, she must collect various items found throughout fantastical worlds where she and her fellow inmates find new strength. When Babydoll and her fellow inmates — Rocket, Amber, Sweet Pea, and Blondie — make their way to a castle, they must find and kill a baby dragon. This upsets the mother a bit, and the fight escalates into an action-packed scene that ends with Baby Doll driving her sword into the beast's skull. 

"Sucker Punch" wasn't one of Zack Snyder's greatest films, and it didn't perform well at the box office. Despite this, critics have praised its visual style and impressive special effects (per AWN), including those of the dragon. While dragons aren't the film's central theme, the scene is impressive and important to the story. Snyder sat with Mumbrella for an interview and explained the work that went into bringing the dragons to life for the sequence, which runs for 12 minutes and is the culmination of months of work.

"The Pagemaster" features a star-studded voice cast of Hollywood elite, including Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Stewart, and Leonard Nimoy, among others. The film follows Culkin's Richard Tyler as he takes refuge inside a library during an intense storm. The boy, who is afraid of everything except for the comfort of statistics, finds himself trapped, and the only way to escape the library (and animated world he's plunged into) is to make his way through literary classics.

When Tyler enters the fantasy section, it doesn't take long for a dragon to appear and swallow him whole. He finds books inside the dragon and uses the beanstalk from "Jack and the Beanstalk" to escape. All in all, "The Pagemaster" is a story is about empowerment through imagination and overcoming fears, and the dragon is a perfect metaphor.

The majority of the film features classic 2D animation, but there is a sequence involving the dragon requiring the use of CGI. The technology used to transition the film from live-action to traditional animation was innovative at the time of its 1994 release (via Michigan Daily). "Pagemaster" didn't do well at the box office, but has since become a cult classic, attracting old and new viewers decades after its premiere.

"Quest for Camelot" is an animated adventure story loosely based on "The King's Damosel" by Vera Chapman. The movie begins with the evil Ruber attempting to assassinate King Arthur before being thwarted by Excalibur. Kayley, the daughter of the slain Sir Lionel, dreams of following in her father's footsteps. A decade later, she gets her opportunity when another attack results in Excalibur's loss in the Forbidden Forest.

Kayley heads into the enchanted woods to find the sword, gaining allies along the way. One such ally is actually two allies – Devon and Cornwall are two heads of a dragon who don't get along. They can't fly or breathe fire, but they join Kayley's quest. By the movie's end, Devon and Cornwall work together to fly and breathe fire, helping save the kingdom from Ruber and his minions.

Like many movies featured here, "Quest for Camelot" was a box office bomb. It was a massive flop for Warner Bros. Feature Animation and derailed several projects the company had planned (via Polygon). Still, it's a fun adventure story with great music and an interesting dragon, so it's become something of a cult classic.

"Reign of Fire" takes the traditional medieval setting you'd expect from a movie about dragons, and swaps it for modern England. The film opens with construction workers inadvertently unleashing a dragon from its centuries-long slumber. In short order, dragons take over the world, burning and destroying everything they find across the planet's surface. Christian Bale's Quinn Abercromby and Matthew McConaughey's Denton Van Zan work together to find and kill the alpha dragon that spawned the rest.

This 2002 film features an incredibly talented cast and juxtaposes the medieval elements of dragon lore with a modern setting that's ill-equipped to handle the flying monsters. Those monsters were rendered via cutting-edge animation technology. As documented by the YouTube series Making Monsters, Artem handled the dragon's practical design elements, while Secret Lab created the innovative visual effects used in the film.

To make the dragons look as realistic as possible, the animators used Disney's then-recent "Dinosaur" as a benchmark. Using the technology perfected by that movie's animation team, the "Reign of Fire" effects department was able to design dragon models with a 300-foot wingspan (per VFX Blog). While the movie didn't perform as well as expected, it's a unique blockbuster that finds some truly impressive creatures taking center stage, making it a particular favorite of dragon fans.

"Beowulf" is one of the oldest Old English epic poems, penned in the late 10th or early 11th century (per Britannica). The poem has been read by just about every American high school kid at one point or another, and it's also been adapted into numerous plays, books, comics, and in 2017, a big-budget CGI flick. Director Robert Zemeckis' "Beowulf" generally follows the source material, but does stray in some areas by expanding the narrative around some of the poem's gaps. 

The poem was adapted by writers Roger Avery and Neil Gaiman, who put their own creative concepts into the screenplay (per CHUD). The film utilized then-cutting edge motion capture to digitally place the actors seamlessly into the story's grandiose settings. This allowed for the inclusion and interaction with the film's fantastical elements in a natural way (via Computer Animation History).

The dragon was created with that visual integration in mind, and took advantage of real-world inspiration for designing a realistic creature (per The Los Angeles Times). The animators used studies of bats and flying squirrels, paired with a facial performance by actor Ray Winstone, to bring the dragon to life in a unique and innovative way.

Disney's "Pete's Dragon" tells the story of a young boy who runs away from his abusive foster family. Pete is aided in his escape by Elliot, a dragon who can turn himself invisible at will. Before long, Pete finds a fishing village, where he's blamed for Elliot's clumsiness. Eventually, Elliot reveals himself, and he becomes the target of an itinerant snake oil salesman who wants to profit off of him.

Pete finds a new home with the help of a lighthouse keeper's daughter, Nora, who's lost her husband at sea. As the tension mounts over the existence of Elliot, Pete is almost captured by the Gogans, his former foster family. Fortunately, Nora and Elliot keep this from happening. In the end, Pete finds himself a new family with Nora and her newly-returned husband, Paul. Eventually, Elliot moves on to help another child, leaving Pete with his new family.

"Pete's Dragon" was an ambitious project for Disney in 1977, as it incorporated traditional 2D animation with live-action to bring its central character to life. Though the studio had worked for decades on other projects to perfect the art of combining the two mediums (per Cartoon Brew), it really hit its stride with Elliot, a fully-realized character who remains an icon of childhood whimsy.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is the third and final installment in the feature film adaptation of C.S. Lewis' classic books. The film is set three years after "Prince Caspian," catching up with Lucy and Edmund as they're transported back to Narnia with Eustace. They soon find themselves wrapped up in a quest to save seven lords and drive the corruption from Narnia and save it once again. 

Like its predecessors, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" relies heavily on CGI for the creation of many of the creatures and fantastic elements of its fantasy world. The visual effects artists utilized models from previous films but upgraded and adapted them to better suit the narrative. A great deal of attention was placed on Eustace the dragon, who's featured in more than 200 effects shots in the movie. Eustace, along with numerous other characters, was created by MPC, the studio that handled 700 of the movie's 1,400 effects shots. According to Animation World Network, the most challenging aspect of the dragon's design was incorporating elements of actor Will Poulter's face, in order to make Eustace's dragon form appear similar to his human appearance.

"Dragonheart" was released in 1996, and for many, it was the dragon movie of their generation. The film tells the story of Bowen, a dragonslayer with no dragons to slay — that is, until the last dragon in the world, Draco, makes his presence known. The two form an unlikely alliance as they strive to save the kingdom from the corrupted ruler who carries a piece of Draco's Heartfire in his chest.

As chronicled by Cartoon Brew, "Dragonheart" used cutting-edge CGI techniques to bring Draco to life on the silver screen, but the effects team didn't start from scratch. Many of the animators worked on 1993's "Jurassic Park," and they used their skills from that film to develop Draco for "Dragonheart." The film also pioneered the development of CARI, animation caricature software that made Draco's facial movement appear realistic and natural (per Guinness).

The film was something of an outlier, where dragon movies are concerned, in that it was a financial success. "Dragonheart" did well enough to launch a franchise that includes five feature films and a video game. Though critics weren't all that kind to "Dragonheart," it's still remembered fondly by fans.

"Tales from Earthsea" is a Studio Ghibli animated film that serves as an adaptation of the first four books in Ursula K. Le Guin's "Earthsea" series. Directed by Gorō Miyazaki, son of legendary Ghibli master Hayao Miazaki, the movie is a labor of love for the source material, despite some deviations made in the adaptation.

The film is set in the land of Earthsea, where all of humanity is threatened. To save the world, the wizard Sparrowhawk undertakes a quest to find the source of the danger threatening Earthsea, but his power wanes. He joins forces with Arren, a prince who's run away from his kingdom, and a former priestess and her daughter. With any luck, they'll find the source and defeat it to save Earthsea.

One of the characters the party interacts with is Therru, a young farmgirl feared by the locals. She's immortal and can transform into a dragon. As explained by Elly Belle for Polygon, dragons are integral to the story and its themes of fear, anxiety, and responsibility.

"Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster" introduces the titular kaiju to the "Godzilla" franchise, and it's a doozy. While technically not a dragon, it's clear Ghidorah takes his inspiration from dragons, hydras, and wyverns, as he has three heads, flies, and can shoot gravity beams. Something of a cousin to traditional dragons, Ghidorah is an evil space kaiju who travels from planet to planet, wiping out all life.

When Ghidorah comes to Earth, he finds that destroying the planet won't be so easy, as a few kaiju are ready to stand against him. Godzilla is joined by Rodan and Mothra as the trio stands against the deadliest threat posed to the planet since giant beasts began tearing apart cities and stomping on everything in their path. This marks the first time Godzilla truly acts as an antihero, poised to save the world from a monster even more dangerous than himself. Ghidorah would remain one of Godzilla's primary antagonists, even returning for the reboot series in 2019's "Godzilla: King of the Monsters." 

In "Dragon Hunters," the world exists as a series of floating islands of varying sizes, populated with devastating dragons. To combat the threat, brave adventurers have become dragon hunters, and two of the greenest are Lian-Chu and Gwizdo. They've got a lot to learn before they can make their mark on history, and they soon get the chance when Lord Arnold's niece, Zoe, takes matters into her own hands. Zoe joins the dragon hunters, believing them to be the heroes of her dreams. They set out to stop the World Eater, a mighty dragon who returns every 30 seasons to wreak havoc upon the land. Will they stop the deadly dragon, or perish in the attempt? 

"Dragon Hunters" is the result of a joint venture of German, French, and Luxembourgian studios, and it's impressive. Despite being positively reviewed by critics and adored by fans, "Dragon Hunters" found only a small audience. It lost money at the box office but remains loved by a dedicated fan base, thanks in part to the television series that preceded it.

For many fans, "Dragonslayer" was the top-tier dragon movie of Generation X, and it stands as one of the best in the genre. The film is about a young wizard's apprentice named Galen in 6th century Urland, where a terrible dragon has been terrorizing the land. The people of Urland ask the wizard Ulrich to help stop the dragon, which they've appeased with sacrificial virgins, but the wizard is killed, leaving the task to Galen.

The adventure Galen undertakes to complete his master's task is incredible, and it's oddly realistic despite the setting. To combat the dragon, Galen must travel across Urland and use his developing skills to do what only his master could have done — and it's epic. The film's end comes with a twist nobody could have seen coming, and more than 40 years later, it stands as one of the era's best dragon films.

"Dragonslayer" benefited from a unique and innovative story, not to mention the creative creature effects provided by Industrial Light and Magic. This was the first non-Lucasfilm movie ILM worked on, bringing the expertise honed on "The Empire Strikes Back" the year before (per Film School Rejects) to create a dragon that still looks good decades later. 

When Disney kicked off its modern slate of remakes, "Pete's Dragon" was one of the first to get the green light following the successful releases of "The Jungle Book" and "Cinderella." Arriving 39 years after the original, the story of director David Lowery's update is similar but has some key differences, including the setting (per Collider). The film opens in 1977 (when the first movie was released), though that movie was set in the early 1900s.

The story begins with Pete losing his parents, and after a time skip to 1983, he's 11 and living with Elliot, a green dragon with fur and yellow eyes. Instead of being chased by an evil foster family, Pete lives in the forest until he meets a park ranger named Grace and her boyfriend, Jack. Elliot is noticed by loggers and becomes the target of people who would exploit him.

The film ends in much the same way as the original, with Pete adopted by a new family as Elliot leaves to be reunited with his kind. Unlike many of its fellow Disney remakes, "Pete's Dragon" uses its updated visual effects (see Wired) to truly bring something new to the table, with a warm and engaging sense of realism meeting fantasy that delighted critics and audiences alike.

"I Am Dragon" is a Russian film loosely based on "The Ritual" by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko. The movie was introduced to western audiences via Netflix and has garnered quite the following in the years since its release. "I Am Dragon" begins with a village in constant fear of a dragon that is only appeased through the sacrifice of a maiden. This is stopped when a brave knight attempts to save his beloved, only to find he's too late.

He manages to kill the dragon, earning the title of Dragonslayer. Generations later, the Dragonslayer's granddaughter is abducted by the dragon everyone thought dead. She's taken to its lair, where it's revealed the dragon is the form of a young man who cannot control himself when he transforms. The young man desires to be human, hoping to end his transformations and self-imposed exile forever.

The story plays out much like "Beauty and the Beast," though the dragon is far less defined than most classic iterations of the Beast. The film was a box office bomb in Russia, but it had no problem attracting viewers internationally. Depending on the market, its title is either "I Am Dragon," "He's a Dragon," or "Dragon: Love is a Scary Tale."

"The Reluctant Dragon" is one Disney classic that most modern fans have never heard of, for a number of reasons. It was a failure at the box office when it was released, partly because of World War II closing international markets. On top of that, Disney censored the movie in unusual ways, including repainting the animated sequence at the end to remove a dragon's belly button, increasing production costs.

Ultimately, the House of Mouse chose not to invest more capital into a film that was picketed upon release due to an ongoing animators' strike (via "The Disney Version" by Richard Schickel). Regardless of all the drama surrounding "The Reluctant Dragon" in 1941, it's a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore. The film is a mix of animated vignettes and live-action segments consisting of a look behind the scenes at the studio, featuring Disney animators (and Walt Disney himself) going about their work as writer Robert Benchley attempts to convince the company to adapt Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" into an animated film. Despite its curious structure and complicated history, the movie remains charming — particularly its final sequence, when we actually get to see the titular cartoon.

Instead of knocking out a remake of "Sleeping Beauty" during Disney's run of turning classic animated films into live-action adaptations, the studio opted for something different. This brought us "Maleficent," an original story loosely adapted from the original fairy tale, but from the antagonist's perspective. In this film, Maleficent isn't necessarily the villain, nor is she an anti-hero. Instead, she's the protagonist and hero of her own story.

In "Sleeping Beauty," it's never made clear exactly why Maleficent was so angry at being kept out of Princess Aurora's birth celebration, and this movie solves that problem. It depicts a young Maleficent falling in love with farmboy Stefan. When the king invades the Moors, Maleficent mortally wounds him, leading the monarch to declare that whoever kills her will be named king.

Stefan takes up the challenge, but cannot bring himself to kill Maleficent. Instead, he defeats her by removing her wings. He's made king, and he and his queen eventually welcome their daughter Aurora, infuriating Maleficent. From this point, the narrative aligns with "Sleeping Beauty," ensuring a dragon will present itself in the climax. 

Disney's "Enchanted" is both an homage to and parody of the company's classic animated features, blending live-action and animation into a fun narrative. The movie marks a return to form with the use of traditional 2D animation techniques only a few years after the studio switched to CGI. This gives the film a classic feel that truly pays homage to the House of Mouse's bread and butter from the 20th century.

"Enchanted" begins in the animated kingdom of Andalasia, where Giselle dreams of meeting her Prince Charming. There are sidekick critters, cheery tunes, and an evil queen who throws a wrench in Giselle's plans when she shoves the would-be princess into the live-action world of modern-day New York City. Her prince, Edward, follows her in a quest to bring back his beloved, and everyone quickly gets into hilarious hijinks.

Eventually, the evil queen transforms into a dragon, Maleficent-style, and plans to throw the object of Giselle's affection to his death. At the last moment, the dragon is defeated, everyone is saved, and Giselle gets to live out her happily ever after. It's a fun and engaging movie because it doesn't take itself too seriously, which is likely why it was such a success.

"Merlin" is a feature film-length miniseries released on NBC in the late '90s. It's an adaptation of the legend of King Arthur, but told from the perspective of the titular wizard, played by Sam Neill. The change in point of view comes with an expanded look at the period of British history that precedes the rise and fall of Camelot. Additionally, Merlin avoids his fate and remains through the entirety of Camelot's reign, which isn't how his story plays out in Arthurian legend.

The film opens with an elderly Merlin telling the story of Britain prior to the rise of Camelot and covers many of the elements of the legend. Before the rise of King Arthur, Merlin is sacrificed alongside the Lady Nimue to a dragon. The dragon itself isn't the cream of the crop in terms of CGI, but it was 1998 TV, after all.

Regardless, Merlin manages to rescue himself and attempts to save Nimue. Merlin uses magic to spread water and vines, ensnaring the great beast. The Lady is injured and is sent to Avalon to heal. As it turns out, the event was orchestrated by Queen Mab so that Merlin would get his hands on Excalibur.  

Long before CGI brought digital dragons to life, there was the legendary Ray Harryhausen. He was the special effects master of his generation who pioneered the use of his particular brand of stop motion animation, which he called Dynamation. His work was highly influential throughout the 20th century, with "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" being one of his greatest achievements.

This was the first in a trilogy of films based on the legends of the ancient mariner, though the narrative aligns more closely with Sinbad's third and fifth voyages. In the film, Sinbad and his crew land on the island of Colossa to find the shell of a Roc egg, which is needed to save the princess of Baghdad. Sinbad and his men find giant beasts on Colossa, though the cyclops are the deadliest.

As Sinbad and company leave, he releases a chained dragon, which attacks and kills a cyclops. The dragon is killed via a giant crossbow before it can threaten the sailors, and it falls on the true big bad of the tale, killing him. This film is a marvel of mid-20th century cinematic storytelling, and it's one of the first realistic dragons to appear on film.

"The Brothers Lionheart" is a Swedish film based on Astrid Lindgren's book of the same name. The film begins in the 9th century and details the lives (and deaths) of Karl Skorpan and Jonathan Lejon. Both brothers die close to one another, one from tuberculosis and the other in a house fire. They meet again in the magical country beyond the stars called Nangijala, but it's not as idyllic as they believed.

Nangijala is divided into two regions: the Cherry Blossom Valley and the Briar-Bush Valley. Those in the Briar-Bush Valley are ruled by Tengil the Black Knight and his dragon Katla. The brothers, who now call themselves Jonathan and Karl Lionheart, work together to help free the oppressed people of Briar-Bush Valley from Tengil and Katla. "The Brothers Lionheart" isn't widely known outside Sweden, which is a shame. It's an entertaining adventure story that features engaging characters on a classic fantasy quest.

Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" was adapted from Charles Perrault's fairy tale of the same name. The 16th entry in the studio's canon of classic animated features, it remains a beloved classic more than half a century after its release. The film blends striking, stained glass-inspired visuals with musical arrangements based on the Tchaikovsky ballet of the same name, making it a truly cinematic experience.

"Sleeping Beauty" opens with a celebration of the birth of Princess Aurora. Everyone in the kingdom comes to the castle to pay their respects and bestow a gift onto the infant princess — everyone, that is, except Maleficent. The evil fairy crashes the party and curses Aurora for the insult of her lack of invitation. Fast-forward 16 years, and Aurora is protected by three fairies who live with her in the forest, keeping her identity as the cursed princess a secret.

Ultimately, the curse comes true on Aurora's 16th birthday, but instead of dying, she's put into a deep slumber. Maleficent attacks Phillip, Aurora's true love, and transforms into a dragon, leading to a mighty battle between the two. By the end, Maleficent is dead, Aurora is awakened by her true love's kiss, and everyone lives happily ever after ... except for Maleficent, of course. 

In "Wish Dragon," a college student named Din teams up with Long, a powerful dragon capable of granting wishes. They quest throughout modern Shanghai to find Lina, Din's childhood friend with whom he's lost contact over the years. Because Long has the power to grant wishes, the two must confront an intrinsic problem: when you can wish for anything, how do you decide what really matters?

"Wish Dragon" stars a plethora of high-profile Asian American and Chinese actors, including Jimmy Wong, Constance Wu, John Cho, Ronny Chieng, and many others. It was produced by none other than Jackie Chan, who also took over the voiceover duties of Long for the film's Chinese Mandarin version (per Deadline).

The movie didn't make a ton of money at the box office due to a few factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a limited theatrical release in favor of streaming on Netflix, and delays in production that pushed it back a couple of years. Despite these issues, "Wish Dragon" has gained plenty of favorable reviews from critics and audiences. It's been praised for its retelling of "Aladdin" in a modern setting, and for its heartwarming message.

"Willow" tells the story of Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn who finds a Daikini baby in the river near his home. After rescuing the child, it becomes apparent that she's special and in great danger, leading Willow and several volunteers to venture from the village to return the child to her people. What Willow doesn't know is that the child is the result of a prophecy that portends doom to the evil Queen Bavmorda.

Through his adventure, Willow acquires allies, including the mercenary Madmartigan, who is legendary with the blade. Eventually, Willow unlocks magical abilities with the help of the Fairy Queen Cherlindrea. This becomes problematic when Willow accidentally transforms a troll into a two-headed Eborsisk monster, similar to a two-headed hydra. This leads to an epic battle that sees the heroes prevail.

By the film's end, the prophecy comes true, Willow and company are heroes, and everyone returns home. The Eborsisk monster is a fire-breathing flightless dragon, and it's deadly. It's not the climactic threat in the film, but it's the penultimate one, and it's magnificent. Industrial Light & Magic created the creature (as well as the film's other visual effects) via stop motion animation (via VFX Voice).

The legends of Hercules have seen many adaptations over the years, up through Dwayne Johnson's 2014 film. While that movie has its fans, one of the best adaptations is one made for the broadest audience possible. The 1997 Disney animated feature "Hercules" tells the titular character's story as he trains to become a hero and regain his divinity so he can return to Mount Olympus.

He meets friends and enemies along the way, while Hades plots to stop him from fulfilling a prophecy that foretells Hades' demise. As in the legend, Hercules must undertake several tasks, which amount to defeating one deadly monster after the other. The first is a massive hydra unleashed by Hades. At first, it looks like any run-of-the-mill deadly dragon, but as Hercules cuts off its head, more grow in its place. The movie utilizes CGI in the midst of its traditional 2D cel animation to bring the beast to life, presenting an imposing challenge to the hero. It takes cunning to defeat the monster, ensuring Hercules' place in history as a legendary hero.

"Jason and the Argonauts" is another classic film featuring creature effects by the brilliant Ray Harryhausen. Like "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad," this film takes advantage of the master's talents in the creation of numerous fantastical creatures, many of which are massive compared to the human protagonists. It's based on the Greek myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece, but with some cinematic updates to the narrative.

The story revolves around the titular Greek hero as he leads a team of adventurers on a quest to find the legendary Golden Fleece. Through their adventure, Jason and his Argonauts battle fantastic creatures, including harpies, undead skeleton warriors, Talos, Triton, and a deadly hydra. The hydra was placed in Jason's way by the Gods, who needed a powerful creature to protect the Golden Fleece.

In the film, the hydra is animated via Harryhausen's Dynamation technology. It features seven distinct heads and is incredibly powerful. Fortunately, Jason manages to slay the beast by thrusting his sword into its heart, earning the Golden Fleece and his ticket home. 

"Raya and the Last Dragon" is Disney's take on Southeast Asian folklore and mythologies centering around the titular warrior princess. In the movie, Raya goes on a quest to find the last dragon, hoping it can restore a magical gem that would return her father and banish the evil Druun from her lands of Kumandra. The film stars Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, and she's joined by Alan Tudyk, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, and many talented voice actors.

Despite being a major motion picture from Disney, "Raya and the Last Dragon" didn't quite get the level of attention it deserved upon release, due to production delays and the COVID-19 pandemic. The latter forced the studio to do a limited theatrical release alongside simultaneous streaming on Disney+.

While it didn't hit theaters with as much fanfare as its peers, "Raya and the Last Dragon" has since become incredibly successful. Viewers and critics praised the film, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards (though it lost to Disney's other brilliant animated feature released in 2021, "Encanto").

"The Hidden World" is the final film in the "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy, set one year after Hiccup is made chieftain of Berk. The film begins with the problem of overpopulation due to the constant rescue and relocation of dragons to Berk. To solve this, Hiccup decides to try and locate the legendary "Hidden World," believed to be a safe haven for dragons. 

The quest for the Hidden World becomes a necessity after Grimmel attacks and burns much of Berk. After this, Hiccup leads the citizens of Berk and its dragons to find the Hidden World to save his friends from the threat posed by Grimmel. Their adventure takes them to the fabled land, and realizing the dragons will never truly be safe in the human world, the Berkians part with their dragons, ensuring their safety. Like its predecessors, "The Hidden World" performed well at the box office and delighted critics, cementing the series' legacy as a family favorite for generations to come.

"The Neverending Story" is a multifaceted tale about adventure, loss, and processing grief. It begins with Bastian, a bullied boy who finds refuge in books, which he values above all else. When he finds the titular tale, he reads it instead of going to class, and the film plays out the adventure of the book's protagonist, Atreyu. The young warrior embarks on a quest to find a cure for the Childlike Empress and save Fantasia from The Nothing.

He's pursued by Gmork, and he meets and loses some allies along the way. One such ally is Falkor, a beautiful white luck dragon who saves Atreyu from The Nothing. As Bastian reads the book, he becomes a part of the story. By the climax, it's up to him to offer a name to save the Childlike Empress, which he does by yelling his mother's name, "Moon Child," into the night.

The film ends with Bastian riding Falkor in the real world, where he buzzes some bullies, forcing them into a dumpster just as they did to him earlier in the movie. Falkor plays a significant role in the film, and his design makes him a unique entry in dragon fiction.

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, detailing the origin story of its titular hero. Shang-Chi is the son of Wenwu, an immortal Chinese warlord who influences world events via his organization, the Ten Rings, and a powerful alien artifact with the same name. When Shang-Chi is called back to China, he becomes intertwined in his father's plot to find his mother, who was killed by a rival gang when Shang-Chi was a child.

Wenwu seeks the magical village of Ta Lo, which is the bridge between reality and another dimension filled with mythical animals, and it's protected by a benevolent dragon known as the Great Protector. The Great Protector is all that stands between its enemy, the Dweller-in-Darkness, and all of humanity. When Wenwu finds Ta Lo, he unleashes the Dweller-in-Darkness, leading to a massive battle between the forces of good and the minions of evil.

The film falls more into the superhero genre than it does fantasy, though there are fantastical elements spread throughout. The Great Protector's design is influenced by dragons of Chinese mythology, and it's beautiful. The film did gangbusters at the box office, and stands as one of the MCU's best.

"The Flight of Dragons" is a loose adaptation of Peter Dickinson's novel of the same name, combined with "The Dragon and the George" by Gordon R. Dickinson. The film weaves elements of real life with fantasy by pitting science and magic against one another. It opens with the evil red wizard, Ommadon, as he vows to rule the world with dark magic. His brothers band together to stop him, with the green wizard Carolinus looking to the future for help.

Through magic, he finds Peter Dickinson, a science-minded man of the 20th-century, and pulls him back through time to aid him in his quest. Peter finds himself in a world of magic and fantasy, filled with dragons flying through the skies. Through a magical mishap, Peter becomes a dragon and undertakes his quest in that form. Peter's only option to win the day comes by combining what he knows of science with what he's experienced via magic.

The film is beautifully animated by Rankin-Bass, and features a ton of talent, including John Ritter, Harry Morgan, and James Earl Jones. It premiered on ABC and was released to video, where it's garnered a significant following as a cult classic (via Tor), and as one of the best animated films featuring dragons.

Though the focus of "Mulan" is squarely on the eponymous heroine, there's also a significant dragon presence in the film. Of course, Mushu is so small and un-dragon-like that fans can be forgiven for forgetting he's a proper (if diminutive) red dragon. In the film, Mulan leaves home to represent the Fa family in the Imperial Chinese Army, sparing her father from certain death at the hands of the Huns.

She's aided by Mushu, a disgraced former family guardian who was demoted by the Fa ancestors following an accidental beheading. Mushu takes up the task by tricking the ancestors and helps Mulan find her place in the army, though she must pretend to be a man to do so. Mushu plays a significant role in Mulan's development in her training and on the road to war with the Huns.

He ultimately helps her win by igniting a rocket that shoots the villainous Shan Yu into a tower filled with fireworks, killing him. Mulan is honored by the Emperor for her bravery in securing the Empire, while Mushu is redeemed and reinstated as the Fa family guardian.

There are many dragons featured throughout the "Harry Potter" franchise, but they aren't all equal in importance. That's not to say Hagrid's dragon Norberta from "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" isn't important. However, she pales in comparison to the Hungarian Horntail Harry must face as part of the Triwizard Tournament in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." 

Harry learns of the challenge in advance, giving him time to prepare the summoning charm that will give him the ability to call items to him. His strategy: summoning his broom as soon as the challenge begins. It takes a minute, but the broom zooms in, saving Harry from what promises to be a scalding experience.

Harry then zips around the arena, avoiding the Hungarian Horntail as it desperately attempts to burn the young wizard. With his broom, Harry's able to capture the egg guarded by the dragon and win the challenge, ensuring he takes a lead in the tournament. Everything takes a dark turn when it's revealed that the Triwizard Tournament has been rigged to bring about the rebirth of Voldemort, and the dragon was an integral part of the plan.

"How to Train Your Dragon 2" is set five years after its predecessor, picking up with Hiccup and his friends as young adults. His father wants Hiccup to succeed him as Chieftain, but Hiccup doesn't feel he's ready to be a leader. It doesn't take long for his mettle to be tested when Drago Bludvist and his minions embark on their plan to capture and enslave all the dragons in the world.

Soon, Hiccup discovers his long-lost mother, who spent the last 20 years saving dragons from Bludvist. Both have a Bewilderbeast, a massive dragon capable of controlling the others. In a fight, Bludvist's Bewilderbeast kills the other, becoming the dragon Alpha. He commands Toothless to kill Hiccup, and his father steps in, sacrificing himself to save his son.

With his dragon and his father both lost to him, Hiccup is left stranded on an island with his mother. She tells him he's the only one who can fully unite humans and dragons, and he rallies his forces and returns to Berk to challenge Bludvist. Hiccup defeats the Bewilderbeast's control, freeing the dragons and forcing Bludvist and his Bewilderbeast to flee. The film closes with Hiccup taking the role of Chieftain, setting up the trilogy for the rousing conclusion to come.

As the second film in Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" trilogy, "The Desolation of Smaug" isn't the only movie to feature the great beast. Still, it's arguably the best and most important, as it depicts Smaug in all his glory in a one-on-one confrontation with Bilbo Baggins. The fantastic creature is lovingly created from the words of J.R.R. Tolkien in incredible detail, brought to life via motion capture, making it possible for Benedict Cumberbatch to not just voice the character, but embody his every movement (per The Hollywood Reporter).

Smaug is one of the best-known and most beloved dragons in all of fiction, and he was brought to the screen masterfully by Cumberbatch, Jackson, and the skilled team of visual effects artists and animators at WETA. Smaug, in part, helped the second film in the trilogy earn a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014.

"Shrek" is loosely based on a picture book of the same name and features the titular ogre with a Scottish accent and a love for his swamp. After inadvertently rescuing Donkey, Shrek finds numerous fairy tale creatures and characters occupying his home. This forces him on a quest with Donkey to find Lord Farquaad so he can have the magical creatures relocated.

He's then compelled to undertake a new quest to rescue a princess from "the highest room in the tallest tower." This takes them across the land to a volcano filled with molten lava surrounding a dilapidated castle reachable only by a rickety wooden footbridge. Soon after rescuing the princess, the dragon appears, and it goes about doing what dragons do: breathing fire and attempting to eat the heroes.

Along the way, Donkey and Dragon form an attachment, which proves helpful by the film's end. The antagonist turns to the other side, aiding Shrek and Donkey in their fight against Lord Farquaad by eating the man alive. The film turned the dragon from a plot device to a beloved character featured throughout the franchise, thanks to the incredible success of "Shrek."

"Die Nibelungen" is an Austrian film from the silent era consisting of two parts: "Die Nibelungen: Sigfried" and "Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge." The first part follows the titular character, a master swordsman who vows to marry Kriemhild, the princess of Burgundy. He's told the way to Burgundy by a rival who tricks him into entering the Wood of Woden, which is filled with deadly monsters.

Soon after entering the woods, he encounters a great dragon. He faces off against the beast and manages to slay it but must stray off the path to do so. Once he touches its blood, he instantly understands the language of the birds, who tell him to bathe in the beast's blood. This will render him invincible, save for a small spot on his shoulder blade. Siegfried continues on his journey and faces many challenges, ultimately dying, which leads to the second part: revenge.

Based on a medieval epic poem and directed by Fritz Lang of "Metropolis" fame, most modern audiences who don't particularly seek out silent films (particularly lengthy two-part sagas) probably haven't seen "Die Niebelungen." Still, it's a fantastic movie Leonard Maltin called an "epic masterpiece of German mythology." Maltin makes particular note of the exceptional special effects used to create the dragon, calling it a "landmark scene in the silent era."

While "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" features a dragon in a critical scene, but the one in the final film in the series is even more prominent. In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two," Harry, Ron, and Hermoine seek the help of the goblin Griphook so they can break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts bank, where they believe they will find one of the Horcruxes that are key to defeating Voldemort. It's not an easy thing to do, as the vault is guarded by a dragon. The great beast is a Ukranian Ironbelly, and it blocks access to the deepest vaults in Gringotts, making it an impenetrable obstacle the children must overcome to find what they seek.

They manage to free the dragon and jump onto its back. As it escapes the bank that held it captive, the dragon aids in the children's escape. When they finally emerge from the depths of Gringotts, Harry and company continue to ride the dragon as it flies off into the sky. They finally jump off into a lake as the dragon takes a drink, releasing it as they continue on their own adventure.

"How to Train Your Dragon" is loosely based on Cressida Cowell's book series of the same name, and though it's only the first in a trilogy of films, it's widely considered the best. The film tells the story of Hiccup, a teenager who doesn't fit in with his fellow Vikings. He's weak and clumsy, while everyone else espouses the standard Viking traits of strength and fortitude as they hunt down and capture dragons.

When Hiccup finally catches his first dragon, it turns out to be a Night Fury, the rarest and most enigmatic of all dragon species. In his attempt to gain acceptance with his people, Hiccup finds what proves to be a lifelong friend he names "Toothless." Instead of killing the dragon, he learns they can learn from one another, which sets Hiccup on the path of proving this to the rest of the village, transforming everyone from dragon hunters into dragon riders.

The movie was a massive success upon release, and it managed to earn more than twice its budget at the box office, announcing the arrival of a new family film franchise that's sure to stand the test of time.

"Spirited Away" is widely considered Hayao Miyazaki's most beautiful animated movie, and that's saying something. The film tells the story of a young girl, Chihiro Ogino, who moves to a new neighborhood with her parents. Before they get there, they wind up in a world filled with spirits from Japanese folklore. Her parents are soon transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba, who changes Chihiro's name to Sen. She's then forced into a job at a bathhouse as she works to free herself and her parents.

She meets a boy named Haku, who helps her along the way. Haku isn't an ordinary boy, as he is also a dragon. The two work together and eventually find a way to break Sen from the curse that binds her to the spirit world. Haku is revealed to be the spirit of the Kohaku River, and he helps Sen escape to the real world, where she finds her parents transformed back and oblivious to everything that happened.

"Spirited Away" was awarded the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, and that's hardly the only recognition it received. The New York Times ranked it second on its list of "The Best Films of the 21st Century ... So Far" in 2017.