Fans of fantasy films are likely familiar with the genre’s most celebrated works, such as “The Wizard of Oz,” the epic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and the beloved “Harry Potter” series. Die-hard enthusiasts may have also enjoyed cult favorites like “Time Bandits,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” and “The Princess Bride.” However, for those hungry for more, the world of fantasy cinema holds a treasure trove of underrated gems awaiting discovery. Prepare for an adventure through magical and whimsical narratives with our list of the 15 most overlooked fantasy films. These range from box office flops that deserved greater recognition to critically misunderstood works that merit a second look.

During the Age of Reason, as the Ottoman forces besiege a European city, an elderly man claiming to be the legendary Baron Munchausen, played by John Neville, disrupts a stage play about his exploits. With the threat of Turkish troops at the gates and the Angel of Death looming, Baron Munchausen embarks on a new quest with his young companion, Sally Salt, portrayed by Sarah Polley. Whether he’s swallowed by a giant whale, embarking on a lunar journey, or wooing a deity’s spouse, played by Uma Thurman, the Baron remains ever-spirited and full of charm.

Set against the backdrop of World War II in Britain, “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” features Angela Lansbury as Miss Eglantine Price, a novice witch who takes in three children orphaned by the Blitz. Determined to use her budding magical abilities to thwart the Nazis, Miss Eglantine embarks on a journey aboard a flying bed, accompanied by the children and her instructor, Professor Emelius Browne, played by David Tomlinson. Their adventures lead them to an enchanted world teeming with animated animals, where Miss Eglantine hones the skills necessary to contribute to the war effort.

As per usual with director Terry Gilliam, 1988’s “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” is a feast for the eyes, and every dollar of its budget can be seen in its dazzling costumes, makeup, and visual effects (all of which earned Oscar nominations). Unfortunately, that opulence caused the budget to balloon from $23.5 million to a reported $46 million, which wouldn’t have been a problem had it managed to gross more than $8 million at the domestic box office. Yet time is the ultimate arbiter of taste, and “Baron Munchausen” has been widely hailed as one of Gilliam’s most delightful creations despite its famously troubled production.

As World War II rages in Britain, witch-in-training Miss Eglantine Price (Angela Lansbury) takes charge of three young children who have been orphaned in the Blitz. Hoping to use her magical powers to defeat the Nazis, Miss Eglantine travels aboard a flying bed with the kids and her teacher, Professor Emelius Browne (David Tomlinson). While traveling through an enchanted land filled with talking cartoon animals, Miss Eglantine gains the skills she needs to help bring an end to the war.

For better and for worse, 1971’s “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” draws comparisons to one of the best Disney movies of all time, 1964’s “Mary Poppins.” After all, it was made by many of the same artists behind that Oscar-winning classic, including director Robert Stevenson, songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman, and Mr. Banks himself, David Tomlinson. And like “Poppins,” it features excursions to an animated realm of talking animals and centers on a magical singing nanny. While it might not be a “Poppins”-level masterpiece, the film does create movie magic thanks to some dazzling, Oscar-winning special effects. It’s also worth watching for Angela Lansbury’s performance, which plays like a mix of her kindly Mrs. Potts from “Beauty and the Beast” and her mystery-penning sleuth Jessica Fletcher in “Murder, She Wrote,” with just a dash of the deranged Mrs. Lovett from “Sweeney Todd.”

In a mythical land called Prydain, noble pig-keeper Taran (Grant Bardsley) hopes to become a brave warrior one day. One of his pigs, Hen Wen, possesses magical powers that the evil Horned King (John Hurt) wants to use in order to find the Black Cauldron, which will help him rule the world. When the Horned King kidnaps Hen Wen, Taran sets out to find him and destroy the cauldron with the help of the forest creature Gurgi (John Byner), the brave Princess Eilonwy (Susan Sheridan), and the lyre-playing bard Fflewddur Fflam (Nigel Hawthorne).

When it was released in 1985, “The Black Cauldron” gained notoriety as the first Disney animated fantasy to receive a PG rating. Indeed, some scenes were deemed too scary for children, and they were cut at the behest of then-Disney chair Jeffrey Katzenberg after test screenings. A box office bomb upon its release, the movie has stuck around in the years since as a dark precursor to the mature stories the House of Mouse would explore during their late ’80s-90s renaissance, which found the studio taking animated musicals into uncharted narrative territory. (And if there’s any Disney animated film we want a live-action remake of, it’s this one.)

In the sixth century, the kingdom of Urland is terrorized by an ancient dragon known as Vermithrax Pejorative. To appease the 400-year-old beast, King Casiodorus (Peter Eyre) has been offering it virgins chosen by lottery, and up next is his own daughter, Princess Elspeth (Chloe Salaman), who bravely submitted her name to save someone else. Desperate to save the princess, a brave sorcerer’s apprentice, Galen Brandwardyn (Peter MacNicol), sets out to slay the dragon before it can consume its latest sacrifice.

Released in 1981, “Dragonslayer” was a surprisingly dark and mature venture for Walt Disney Productions, which just a few years earlier made the warm and cuddly musical “Pete’s Dragon” (1977). The dragon created here by an Oscar-nominated effects team isn’t animated, and it’s far from cuddly, which perhaps accounted for its poor box office performance. Reviews at the time were good, however, and it’s retained a passionate fan base among fantasy gurus like Guillermo del Toro and George R. R. Martin, both of whom have cited it as an influence on their own work.

In the Dark Ages, Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) is declared King of England after receiving the magical sword Excalibur from the sorcerer Merlin (Nicol Williamson). Before he dies, Uther thrusts Excalibur into a stone and entrusts his newborn son Arthur to Merlin’s care. When he grows into adulthood, Arthur (Nigel Terry) works with Merlin to unify England by gathering the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and finding the Holy Grail. Yet he faces opposition from his half-sister, the sorceress Morgana (Helen Mirren).

The Arthurian legend has been portrayed on film countless times, but rarely has it been depicted as strangely and eccentrically as it was in 1981’s “Excalibur.” Directed by John Boorman, it features dazzling, Oscar-nominated cinematography that brings the legend to life in ways that are hypnotic, surreal, and visceral. A modest box office and critical success, its influence can be felt on such modern medieval epics as “Game of Thrones” and “The Green Knight,” which recreate Arthurian times with all the grit and grunge that’s missing from candy-colored musicals like “Camelot.” Yet even those esteemed titles can’t match the surreal, dreamlike magic Boorman captures here.

In Los Angeles in 1915, stuntman Roy Walker (Lee Pace) is recovering in a hospital after jumping off a bridge. Bedridden and in constant pain, Roy befriends a young girl with a broken arm (Catinca Untaru) and regales her with fantastical tales of The Black Bandit (Pace) and his gang of heroes. As his story goes on, the line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly muddled, as the truth of his fall comes into focus.

After making his feature debut with 2000’s “The Cell,” Tarsem Singh set his sights upon an ambitious follow-up. Using the money he had made from directing commercials and music videos, Singh shot “The Fall” over the course of four years across 24 countries. Few knew what to make of the film by the time it premiered at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival before opening in a few theaters in 2008. Widely unavailable for years, it grew a quiet cult of fans who were stunned by its striking images and eccentric storytelling. It was given a proper 4K restoration in 2024 ahead of a theatrical re-release and premiere on Mubi, giving new audiences a chance to discover it.

Over the course of 1000 years, three different men seek an end to death. In the 16th century, Conquistador Tomás Creo (Hugh Jackman) searches for the Fountain of Youth at the behest of Isabella I of Castile (Rachel Weisz). In the present day, Dr. Tommy Creo (Jackman) tries to save his dying wife (Weisz) with a miracle cure thought to be contained in a South American tree. And in the 26th century, Tom (Jackman) travels through space towards a dying star with a tree thought to contain life-extending properties.

Production on “The Fountain” was famously fraught, with Darren Aronofsky originally planning to shoot the film in 2002 with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The plug was pulled on the $100 million endeavor when Pitt walked away before cameras rolled, and $18 million of the budget was wasted. The film was eventually made with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz on a budget of $35 million, of which it only grossed $16 million. Although it was deemed a flop and received mixed reviews, it has a passionate fan base that has grown over time and is often cited as Darren Aronofsky’s best movie.

In the Dark Ages, Dennis Cooper (Michael Palin) sets off on his own after the death of his father. Hoping to marry the disinterested Griselda Fishfinger (Annette Badland), Dennis tries to make his fortune in a medieval city that’s besieged by a terrifying monster called the Jabberwocky, which even the bravest of knights have been unable to defeat. That’s bad news for poor Dennis, who suddenly finds himself face to face with the dreaded Jabberwocky after the Black Knight fails to conquer it.

“Jabberwocky” was the first solo directorial effort for Terry Gilliam, who had previously co-directed 1975’s “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” with fellow Python alum Terry Jones. Existing in a sort of transitional period between Gilliam’s Python days and the imaginative comedies he would later create, the 1977 film doesn’t often get the same level of praise as his masterworks “Brazil,” “The Fisher King,” and “12 Monkeys.” Yet it’s just as visually dazzling and whimsically funny as anything he’s ever made, and stands as one of the best fantasy movies of the 1970s.

After freeing himself from a dungeon, young thief Gaston (Matthew Broderick) befriends Etienne of Navarre (Rutger Hauer). A former captain of the guard, Etienne has been cursed to be a wolf by night by the evil Bishop of Aquila (John Wood). The Bishop desires Etienne’s lover, Isabeau of Anjou (Michelle Pfeiffer) for himself, and has cursed her to be a hawk by day, thus forcing her to only see her beloved in the twilight. Etienne enlists Gaston to break the enchantment and reunite him with Isabeau.

Released in 1985, “Ladyhawke” was a box office disappointment for director Richard Donner, who had scored big time with 1976’s “The Omen” and 1978’s “Superman.” Though not quite on their level, “Ladyhawke” does feature the same meticulous attention to special effects detail that made them both ahead of their time. It’s also surprisingly touching and romantic, as many critics stated at the time.

In a mythical land of fairies and goblins, the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry) plans to plunge the world into eternal night by sending his goblins to kill the unicorns. To lure the sacred beasts, the goblins kidnap the embodiment of Innocence, Princess Lili (Mia Sara). The brave young forest dweller Jack (Tom Cruise) embarks on a journey to save the princess and defeat Darkness before the lord can follow through with his evil plan.

Released in 1985, “Legend” was a change of pace for Ridley Scott, who had established himself as a top visual stylist with the sci-fi films “Alien” (1979) and “Blade Runner” (1982). Like those films, this one creates a fully realized world, yet many critics at the time found it narratively lacking and surprisingly dark. As per usual with Scott, there’s a director’s cut that has significantly improved its status, bumping the runtime up to 114 minutes and replacing Tangerine Dream’s techno-pop score with a more orchestral one by Jerry Goldsmith.

In the 1990s, dorky high schooler Dave (Tobey Maguire) and his popular twin sister, Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon), get zapped into their television set and find themselves trapped in the 1950s sitcom “Pleasantville.” Stuck in a black-and-white world where everything is cozy and warm, Dave and Jennifer start messing things up with their modern attitudes, bringing in surprising bursts of color. Soon, it’s more than just technicolor that’s changing the lives of these small-town Americans.

It might not feature any witches, wizards, or magic, but Gary Ross’ “Pleasantville” is as much a fantasy film as any other. Like the best fantasy movies, the 1998 release uses the genre as a means of exploring real-world problems. In this case, it’s the resistance to change that persists throughout American society, and how change doesn’t come without struggle. Although a box office failure, “Pleasantville” was hailed by critics and earned Oscar nominations for its art direction, costume design, and score.

After escaping a sanitarium, Dorothy Gale (Fairuza Balk) finds herself back in the land of Oz, which has been reduced to rubble by the evil Nome King (Nicol Williamson) and Princess Mombi (Jean Marsh). Worse, Dorothy discovers the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion are all being held captive. With the help of new friends Billina, Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, and the Gump, Dorothy travels down the destroyed yellow brick road to help restore order to the Emerald City.

There is perhaps no more beloved fantasy film than 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,” so when it was announced that Walt Disney Studios was planning a sequel, expectations were bound to be high. But, released in 1985, “Return to Oz” was far bleaker than its predecessor and was a box office disappointment as a result, deemed too dark for children. Yet there’s an eerie magic to director Walter Murch’s grim interpretation of L. Frank Baum’s world.

In the small midwestern town of Green Town, Illinois, the charming and enigmatic Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) arrives with his traveling circus filled with oddities and curiosities. Mr. Dark promises the townspeople he can grant them every wish their heart desires… at a price. It’s up to two young boys (Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson) to stop the literal devil from working his magic on their town.

Based on a short story by Ray Bradbury, 1983’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes” was part of Disney’s attempt to shake up its family-friendly reputation with more mature entertainment. The long-in-development project had a famously troubled production, which started all the way back in 1958 with director-star Gene Kelly and included aborted attempts by Steven Spielberg, Sam Peckinpah, and Mark Rydell. By the time cameras finally started rolling with director Jack Clayton, creative disputes resulted in costly reshoots. A box office dud in its day, it’s survived as a curio from a transitional period in the studio’s history when they took fantasy in a darker — at times even creepier — direction.

In a mythical land, Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) promises to retrieve a fallen star for his beloved Victoria (Sienna Miller). What he finds instead is a young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes) whose magic powers are sought by the king’s sons to obtain the throne. Tristan must also protect Yvaine from an evil witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) who wants to use her powers to achieve eternal beauty.

Released in 2007, “Stardust” is a magical anomaly for director Matthew Vaughn, best known for the super-violent “Kingsman” movies. That’s not to say the film is all fairy dust and sunshine. Adapted from Neil Gaiman’s novel, it takes an adult view of fantasy that’s equal parts mature and whimsical, sexy and sincere. Action-packed, romantic, and humorous, “Stardust” was a modest box office success that received star-struck reviews from critics thirsting for original entertainment. In an age of seemingly endless live-action remakes of Disney animated films, a bit of originality goes a long way.

Centuries in the future, advanced, immortal beings known as Eternals rule over the mortal humans, now called Brutals. The Brutals grow food to please the god Zardoz, a stone-faced monument that orders Brutal Exterminators to kill their fellow mortals in exchange for weapons. One Brutal Exterminator, Zed (Sean Connery in one of his best movies), is taken prisoner by an Eternal (Charlotte Rampling) while hiding out in Zardoz, where he discovers it’s all been created as a means to keep the Brutals subjugated.

Having tried and failed to mount an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” in the 1970s, John Boorman turned his attention towards crafting his own fantasy epic: “Zardoz.” When it was released in 1974, it was largely seen as a visually ambitious but narratively inept failure. Yet it’s gained a cult following in the decades since, as modern audiences have tapped into Boorman’s quirky vision of a future in which the gift of immortality leads to murder.