Magic comes in many forms, and the best magic movies explore them all. Magic, sorcery, and illusion pop up most often in fairy tales and family movies, but it's hardly confined to these genres, as magic pertains to much more than just Mary Poppins. From the awe of Studio Ghibli productions to the sinister wonder of Pan's Labyrinth, magic is a broad concept that can open several creative avenues. Whether set in a high-fantasy otherworld or a secretive castle in the near-modern day, movies featuring magic and illusion remain fascinating.

Magic has been a key storytelling component since fiction first formed millennia ago. The concepts of witches, wizards, spells, and sorcerers will likely appear in movies for the remainder of the medium's relevance. Be it Mickey Mouse charming a bunch of brooms or a bold quest to document the existence of the Blair Witch, magic crops up in many forms across every genre. While most immediately jump to movies or Hocus Pocus, there's much more to magic than that, and many great movies of the current day include plenty of magical elements.

30 The Sword In The Stone (1963)

Disney's Retelling Of The Adventures Of King Arthur And Merlin

Merlin is one of the most legendary wizards in pop culture history with myriad movies and shows showcasing his story. However, one of the best and most beloved adventures in which he is included is in the underrated Disney movie The Sword in the Stone. This is a family-friendly retelling of the legend of King Arthur, focusing on the young boy who is about to remove the mythical sword from the stone and set out on his journey to become one of the greatest knights in history.

As in many iterations of the King Arthur story, Merlin serves as the mentor to the young hero in this animated adventure. However, it is a unique take on the character, with Merlin being a humorous and somewhat bumbling wizard whose grasp on magic is not what it once was. However, the movie features one of the most entertaining magic battles in cinematic history with Merlin taking on the nefarious Madam Mim in a shapeshifting showdown.

29 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

A Band Of Heroes Take On An Ancient Evil

Fans of magic, sorcery, and spells have long gravitated to the beloved table-top game Dungeons & Dragons. After a lot of failed attempts to bring it to the big screen in a successful way, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves delivered a hugely entertaining, action-packed, and funny fantasy adventure that brought the magic of the game to life. The movie stars the likes of Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez in the story of a band of misfit thieves who accidentally unleash an ancient evil and must undo the damage they have caused.

The Dungeons & Dragons cast adds a lot to the movie, crafting fun and exciting characters with great performances. However, the film is also very clever with its use of magic in the story, with several sequences that take existing aspects of the fantasy genre and use them in inspired ways. From shape-shifters to magic mirrors to battles with dragons, Honor Among Thieves proves there is still plenty of new ground to explore in magic movies.

28 Mary Poppins (1964)

Julie Andrew's Magical Nanny

The combination of magic and the real world can often make those fantasy elements all the more special in movies. Such is the case with the classic Disney live-action family movie Mary Poppins. The story focuses on a dysfunctional family in London in need of a nanny to help with the misbehaving children. They find the help they need with the arrival of Mary Poppins, a magical young woman who brings whimsy and a sense of joy into the household.

The magic aspects of Mary Poppins as a character are never really explained and that is part of the charm. The other characters in the movie are amazed by the things she can do, but they simply accept them with joy. However, from the iconic first image of her floating out of the sky with an umbrella, the magic in her is clear, and she proves it many times over, with tea parties on the ceiling and even a trip inside an animated world.

27 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Ian McKellen's Gandalf Is A Magic Highlight

Bringing fantasy novels to the big screen is always a daunting task, but it has perhaps never been achieved as effectively as with the Lord of the Rings movies. J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga of Middle-earth is a legendary story in the genre and Peter Jackson managed to do it justice with his epic trilogy of movies which begins with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, kickstarting the journey of Frodo and the other heroes to destroy the One Ring.

As with most movies set in fantasy worlds, there are a lot of magic elements to speak of. However, the highlight of the movie is the character of Gandalf with Ian McKellen's Oscar-nominated performance bringing one of the most beloved pop culture wizards to life. Gandalf's magic is shown to be fun, as with the fireworks he displays, and heroic, as with his last stand against Balrog.

26 Pinocchio (1940)

The Blue Fairy Brings A Wooden Puppet To Life

So many Disney movies have dealt with magic in a big way, from fairy godmothers giving poor girls the chance to find happiness to a genie granting wishes. However, perhaps the most iconic magic moment from all of the Disney animated movies is when the Blue Fairy allows the wooden puppet Pinocchio to come to life and get his chance to prove himself a real boy.

The famous tale of Pinocchio and his surrogate father Geppetto has been told many times, but the classic Disney animated version still captures the hearts of fans decades later. The song "When You Wish Upon a Star" highlights the magic not only at the center of this story but also of the entire Disney catalog. Along with the Disney version, Guillermo del Toro's stop-motion take on the tale is a darker yet also beautiful version.

25 The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

A Girl & Her Friends Battle A Wicked Witch

Magic movies have existed since the early days of the silent era, and new editing techniques have allowed them to showcase magicians and parlor tricks. There were also several movies about demonic magic, like The Student of Prague and Faust. However, one of the most magical movies of the golden era came in 1939 with The Wizard of Oz. The film sees a farm girl named Dorothy sent to a magical land where she meets a "good witch" and battles a Wicked Witch to return home.

The movie version of Wicked, which tells the story from the Wicked Witch's point of view, will be released in 2024.

The movie is full of magic, with the Wicked Witch sending her flying monkeys to stop Dorothy, while the Wizard himself is a perfect example of a magician using parlor tricks to get what he wants. The film has become one of the most beloved classics ever made, watched more than any other movie in apparent history (via AFI). It was also one of the first movies entered into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. There's an air of magical wonder that has allowed it to remain timeless.

24 The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

A Live-Action Version Of The Classic Disney Animated Classic

In 1940, Disney Animation released Fantasia, which shocked audiences with imagery that some believed was too frightening for young children. 70 years later, Disney adapted parts of that story into the live-action movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which was mostly based on the Mickey Mouse magic storyline from that earlier movie. Jay Baruchel stars as Dave, a college student who becomes the hapless apprentice to the millennia-old sorcerer Balthazar (Nicolas Cage).

Nicolas Cage's Balthazar Blake is based on Yen Sid from Fantasia.

Dave is clearly over his head and struggles throughout to control his magical powers. Balthazar is barely any help, with Cage in top form as the exasperated master wizard. The movie didn't receive great reviews when it was released, sitting at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes and only a slightly higher 53% from the audience score. However, most of the praise went to the cast. The movie also did well at the box office, but it didn't make enough to become profitable thanks to the bloated budget ($150 million).

23 Doctor Strange (2016)

The Marvel Wizard Makes His Way Into The MCU

In Marvel Comics, Doctor Strange is known as the Sorcerer Supreme and is the main source of magic in the heroes' community. In 2016, he made his way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his origin story in Doctor Strange.

In this movie, Stephen Strange is a brilliant neurosurgeon who lost the use of his hands in a terrible auto accident and decides to seek out magic to regain those abilities. However, along the way, he becomes the Earth's most powerful sorcerer and one of its greatest heroes. The movie goes deep into the magic of the Marvel Universe, with evil sorcerers on Earth and from other dimensions vying for control.

The MCU also went all out with the visual appearance of the magical moments, earning an Oscar nomination for the effects crew's work. Doctor Strange was really the MCU's first venture into horror on the big screen, with legendary horror director Sam Raimi at the helm for the sequel. This introduced one of the MCU's most important characters and created a world of magic for future movies.

22 Constantine (2005)

A DC Universe Magical Thriller Starring Keanu Reeves

In 2005, the DC Universe antihero John Constantine got a film of his own. It was a critical flop but has been reappraised as a misunderstood cult classic. The movie cast Keanu Reeves as Constantine, a cynical exorcist who can communicate with angels and demons and realizes that neither Heaven nor Hell wants him. The biggest downfall to the movie at the time of its release is that Reeves' version is not the character from the Hellblazer comics.

While a better adaptation arrived with Matt Ryan as a more loyal version of the character in the NBC TV series that ended up transitioning to Legends of Tomorrow on The CW, fans have since looked back on Reeves' movie in a more favorable light. The movie picked up a cult following, and there have been hints that a sequel could happen, even with the TV version remaining popular. Reeves will return if the Constantine sequel ends up getting a green light.

21 Matilda (1996)

The Roald Dahl Story Of A Young Girl With Magical Powers

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, Matilda tells the story of a young, intelligent six-year-old girl who lives with emotionally abusive parents and ends up in a school with a physically and mentally abusive principal.

However, when she finds an ally in her teacher, Miss Honey, and soon discovers she possesses magical powers that can make anything possible, she finally has a way to stand up to her victimizers and defend not only herself but also her classmates and her beloved teacher.

The movie was a huge success when it came out, with a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score but only a small box office take. Despite the box office, it became a hit on home video. It is a magical film similar to Harry Potter in that it shows a child in a bad situation who finds that magic can help them rise above the pain and despair. Matilda has remained a beloved magical children's movie and received a remake as Matilda the Musical in 2022, which had a limited release before hitting Netflix.