This year’s family films have offered everything from chaotic laughter and nostalgic remakes to heartfelt adventures in lush, imaginative worlds.
Across animation, live-action adaptations and video game spin-offs, there has been no shortage of creativity, humour and heart. Whether you are watching with little ones or revisiting beloved stories, these films have captivated audiences, sparked joy, and delivered memorable cinematic moments for all ages. Here is our pick of the standout family releases of the year.
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A Minecraft Movie
Ryan from Head Office
This wild, chaotic ride lands with younger viewers and longtime fans of the game. Jack Black leads the cast with relentless energy and humour, and moments like the chicken jockey had audiences losing their minds in theatres! The Lava Chicken song became a pop-culture moment, charting in the UK Top 40 and US Billboard Hot 100, while the film’s myriad in-game references offer plenty of playful chaos for fans to latch onto. Visual gags, over-the-top set pieces and fast-paced slapstick ensure there’s never a dull moment, and the film’s sheer enthusiasm carries it even when the story takes a backseat. With strong box office numbers, this block-building world clearly struck a chord. For families, gamers or younger audiences, it delivers exactly what it set out to be, loud, silly, fun and crowd-driven.
SHOP NOW
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How To Train Your Dragon
Steven from Head Office
Remaking your own film is a move that could easily backfire spectacularly but Dean DeBlois re-enters the How to Train Your Dragon universe with the poise of a filmmaker who never lost sight of what made it soar. Rather than simply retracing animated footsteps, he retools the Viking world into a richly textured landscape, grounding the spectacle without dulling the wonder. The cast delivers across the board, though it’s Toothless, the scene-stealing fire hazard, that remains the franchise’s true superstar. DeBlois brings heart, humour and firepower to ensure this remake has teeth.
SHOP NOW
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Lilo & Stitch
Adam from Head Office
The latest in Disney’s highly successful run of live-action adaptations of their own classic animated films, this carefully balanced remake of Lilo & Stitch has reinvigorated the franchise, successfully delivering a blast of nostalgia-fuelled fun for fans of the original while also introducing a whole new generation to the Elvis Presley-loving alien Stitch. The driving creative force from the iconic original, Chris Sanders, returns to voice his chaotic alien creation once more, joined by a cast of fresh faces, including newcomer Maia Kealoha, delivering a standout performance as the ever-mischievous Lilo, whose dedication to her family is still the beating heart of the film. After all, Ohana means family.
SHOP NOW
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Paddington in Peru
Ryan from Head Office
Paddington returns to the lush rainforests of Peru on a heartfelt adventure to find Aunt Lucy. The film bursts with warmth, humour and vibrant production design, with jungles and golden ruins that feel like a storybook come to life. Olivia Colman as the Reverend Mother is scene-stealingly charming, while Antonio Banderas brings playful swagger as a riverboat captain. With family, belonging and heritage at its heart, the movie balances laughs and gentle emotion, making it a joyful ride for kids and parents alike.
SHOP NOW
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Adam from Head Office
The blue menace is back and he’s faster and bluer than ever in this latest entry in the highly successful franchise based on Sega’s beloved video game series. Sonic the Hedgehog will need to team up once again with friends Knuckles and Tails against the darker and edgier Shadow, the new villain on the block voiced by an effortlessly cool Keanu Reeves. Consumed with grief due to his mistreatment by humans, Shadow decides to join up with Jim Carrey’s incredibly silly Dr. Robotnik, who has been down in the dumps since the previous film, along with Robotnik’s long-lost Grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, in a fun dual role by Carrey. But to defeat Shadow, Sonic might need to ally with the last person in the world he thought he imagined. Full of ridiculous hijinks, including a show-stopping Robotnik dance routine, Sonic 3 is more of the same but in this case that’s perfect.
SHOP NOW
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The Wild Robot
Ryan From Head Office
The film is a return to what family animation can do best. From the moment Roz washes up on a wild island, the story is soaked in painterly colour and quiet wonder, drawing you into a world that feels alive. Lupita Nyong'o gives the robot real warmth, and her bond with a lonely gosling creates one of the most unlikely and touching found families on screen. The animation often feels like a living painting rather than glossy CGI, giving the island and its wildlife a vivid personality. Full of empathy and quiet strength, it is a heartfelt adventure that will hold the attention of younger viewers while leaving a lasting impression on the whole family.
SHOP NOW
A Minecraft Movie
Ryan from Head Office
This wild, chaotic ride lands with younger viewers and longtime fans of the game. Jack Black leads the cast with relentless energy and humour, and moments like the chicken jockey had audiences losing their minds in theatres! The Lava Chicken song became a pop-culture moment, charting in the UK Top 40 and US Billboard Hot 100, while the film’s myriad in-game references offer plenty of playful chaos for fans to latch onto. Visual gags, over-the-top set pieces and fast-paced slapstick ensure there’s never a dull moment, and the film’s sheer enthusiasm carries it even when the story takes a backseat. With strong box office numbers, this block-building world clearly struck a chord. For families, gamers or younger audiences, it delivers exactly what it set out to be, loud, silly, fun and crowd-driven.
SHOP NOW
How To Train Your Dragon
Steven from Head Office
Remaking your own film is a move that could easily backfire spectacularly but Dean DeBlois re-enters the How to Train Your Dragon universe with the poise of a filmmaker who never lost sight of what made it soar. Rather than simply retracing animated footsteps, he retools the Viking world into a richly textured landscape, grounding the spectacle without dulling the wonder. The cast delivers across the board, though it’s Toothless, the scene-stealing fire hazard, that remains the franchise’s true superstar. DeBlois brings heart, humour and firepower to ensure this remake has teeth.
SHOP NOW
Lilo & Stitch
Adam from Head Office
The latest in Disney’s highly successful run of live-action adaptations of their own classic animated films, this carefully balanced remake of Lilo & Stitch has reinvigorated the franchise, successfully delivering a blast of nostalgia-fuelled fun for fans of the original while also introducing a whole new generation to the Elvis Presley-loving alien Stitch. The driving creative force from the iconic original, Chris Sanders, returns to voice his chaotic alien creation once more, joined by a cast of fresh faces, including newcomer Maia Kealoha, delivering a standout performance as the ever-mischievous Lilo, whose dedication to her family is still the beating heart of the film. After all, Ohana means family.
SHOP NOW
Paddington in Peru
Ryan from Head Office
Paddington returns to the lush rainforests of Peru on a heartfelt adventure to find Aunt Lucy. The film bursts with warmth, humour and vibrant production design, with jungles and golden ruins that feel like a storybook come to life. Olivia Colman as the Reverend Mother is scene-stealingly charming, while Antonio Banderas brings playful swagger as a riverboat captain. With family, belonging and heritage at its heart, the movie balances laughs and gentle emotion, making it a joyful ride for kids and parents alike.
SHOP NOW
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Adam from Head Office
The blue menace is back and he’s faster and bluer than ever in this latest entry in the highly successful franchise based on Sega’s beloved video game series. Sonic the Hedgehog will need to team up once again with friends Knuckles and Tails against the darker and edgier Shadow, the new villain on the block voiced by an effortlessly cool Keanu Reeves. Consumed with grief due to his mistreatment by humans, Shadow decides to join up with Jim Carrey’s incredibly silly Dr. Robotnik, who has been down in the dumps since the previous film, along with Robotnik’s long-lost Grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, in a fun dual role by Carrey. But to defeat Shadow, Sonic might need to ally with the last person in the world he thought he imagined. Full of ridiculous hijinks, including a show-stopping Robotnik dance routine, Sonic 3 is more of the same but in this case that’s perfect.
SHOP NOW
The Wild Robot
Ryan From Head Office
The film is a return to what family animation can do best. From the moment Roz washes up on a wild island, the story is soaked in painterly colour and quiet wonder, drawing you into a world that feels alive. Lupita Nyong'o gives the robot real warmth, and her bond with a lonely gosling creates one of the most unlikely and touching found families on screen. The animation often feels like a living painting rather than glossy CGI, giving the island and its wildlife a vivid personality. Full of empathy and quiet strength, it is a heartfelt adventure that will hold the attention of younger viewers while leaving a lasting impression on the whole family.
SHOP NOW
