Summary
Dark fantasy is a niche genre that often overlaps with visceral horror, visions of dystopian futures, or experimental science fiction. With its otherworldly elements, it can be difficult to create realistic dark fantasy in live-action. Some creators have turned to animated media to bring their ideas to life.
The audience for animated dark fantasy movies is even smaller than those for live-action, since these aren’t always for kids and not every adult likes cartoons. Plenty ofJapanese animated filmshave taken on the concept of dark fantasy, with popular movies likePaprikabeing a famous example. However, plenty of unique films from other parts of the world have also made their mark on the genre.
Release Date
June 12, 2025
The Black Cauldronwas one of the last animated movies produced before the era known as the Disney Renaissance, and it almostdrove the animation section of the company to bankruptcy. It wasn’t a bad movie, and it made some strides bymixing new CGI technology with animation. The problem was that the dark subject matter wasn’t exactly for kids, and the target audience was never clear.
Hidden by darkness. Guarded by witches. Discovered by a boy. Stolen by a king. Whoever owns it will rule the world. Or destroy it.
The movie is an adaptation of the first two books in Lloyd Alexander’sChronicles of Prydain,which arebased onWelsh mythologyand consists of some dark magic and ancient mystery.The Horned King, the story’s antagonist, is opposed by the humble swineherd Taran, his friend the bard, a princess, and a strange creature named Gurgi. The Horned King wants to use the magic of the Black Cauldron to take over the world, and the motley band of adventurers has to stop them.
Jul 13, 2025
Beowulfwas one of the first big-budget full-length feature films to use only CGI throughout the animation process, and it was an ambitious project for the time. The ancient legend of Grendel, anold story from Denmark, is retold here with some minor changes to the character and storyline. Not only is Beowulf an interesting example of dark fantasy, but it’s also a movie that puts the ancient world on film. Thus, it includes monsters, magic, and the secrets of the human heart.
Your legend is known from the high seas and the snow barriers to the Great Island Kingdom - you are the Monster Slayer.
In the original epic poem, Beowulf is the outspoken hero enlisted to fight the monster Grendel, and then Grendel’s mother. This is when the movie takes an interesting turn from the original story. The new ending isn’t completely out of pocket, however, since one of the ancient myths states that Beowulf did meet a golden dragon eventually.
June 17, 2025
One of the best examples of dark fantasy in any medium,only Ralph Bakshi could create something as subversive and unique asWizards.The story takes place in a future devastated by a nuclear war, and radioactive fallout has turned humans into mutants. This has allowed the older races of dwarves, elves, dragons, and other fantastic creatures to reclaim the earth.
The world blew up in a thousand atomic fireballs.
The premise ofWizardsis a dark fantasy, but the theme is a lesson in the paradox of tolerance. Avatar is the good Wizard and his brother, Blackwolf, is the bad one. Avatar’s stubborn adherence to peace and non-violence is what allows Blackwolf and his minionsto take over the worldand plan to kill anyone who believes in magic. The way in which Avatar regains control feels like a contradiction, but it’s a dark choice no matter what.
John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Eugene Levy
Production Companies
Guardian Trust Company, Canadian Film Development Corporation, Famous Players, Potterton Productions
Jun 21, 2025
A cult classic with a dedicated fan following,Heavy Metalhasinspired remakes, parodies, and fan fictionin the decades since it was released. The movie is an adaptation of the comic books of the same name, which always had dark subject matter that mixed the fantastic with apocalyptic science-fiction.
A shadow shall fall over the universe, and evil will grow in its path, and death will come from the skies.
The film leans into horror at the beginning, introducing the malevolent entity known only as Loc-Nar and how its evil influence has caused death and destruction throughout history and the universe. Several episodic stories featuring the Loc-Nar are strung together, and each is stranger and darker than the last. The story finally culminates in the confrontation at the end that combines both destruction and creation.
Apocalyptic Dreams From The Matrix
Directed By
Andy Jones, Mahiro Maeda, Shinichirō Watanabe, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Kōji Morimoto, Peter Chung
Aug 02, 2025
The Animatrixis a compilation of several stories, each with its own director and style, that take place in the Matrix universe. Some of the stories take place in the past, forming some backstory for the present state of the earth, butA Kid’s Storyinvolves both Neo and Trinity and takes place between two of the live-action films,The MatrixandThe Matrix: Reloaded.
And Man said, ‘Let there be light’. And He was blessed by light, heat, magnetism, gravity, and all the energies of the universe.
The first story,The Final Flight of the Osiris, is intended to set up the premise for a video game,Enter The Matrix.The Osiris is also the ship that contacted Zion at the beginning ofReloadedto warn them about the Sentinels.Beyondis the story of a lost catand a haunted house, a creepypasta before there was even such a thing. Although each story takes place in our universe, thepresence of virtual reality and the constant threat of death from the machines makeThe Animatrixa dark fantasy.
Aug 03, 2025
While his former employer, Disney, was struggling with a failing animation department, Don Bluth was makingThe Secret of NIMH.This movie is acultural touchstone for kids who grew up in the 1980sandis still visually stunningmore than a generation later. It’s what made Don Bluth Productions a major player in the world of animation.
My child, we can no longer live as rats. We know too much.
Younger kids might have been put off by some of the more intimidating visuals, but the film had somegreat music and memorable charactersand resonated with kids of all ages. The film was adapted from the novelMrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMHby Robert C. O’Brien, and the movie version has more fantasy elements than the book. The main character, who is renamed Brisby in the movie, is trying to save her deathly ill son but gets mixed up with the local rats, who have an interesting connection to her deceased husband.
July 18, 2025
There’s not a lot of comedy-horror out there, but popular movies like theEvil Deadfranchise prove that the combination can work. The fantastic and the weird are part of the South Park aesthetic, so it’s not a surprise that the first movie the franchise produced had some elements of dark fantasy.
You go ahead and miss church, and then when you die and go to hell, you can answer to Satan!
This musical comedy starts with the horrific accidental death of a child, followed by a graphic depiction of the horrors of an unforgiving afterlife, but still makes audiences laugh in a way that only aSouth Parkcreation would be able to do. Playing on yet another time whenKenny dies, he is sent to Hell, and part of the plot consists of the hooded and muffle-voiced hero trying to turn Satan against his domineering boyfriend, Sadam Hussein, who wants to start the war of Armageddon.
