Best Animated Movies Of 2024 So Far
Every year brings with it a fresh crop of animated offerings, and 2024 looks set to be another stellar 12 months. Unbound by the same restrictions as live-action films, the only things holding animated movies back can be those pesky budgets and the limits of the imaginations of the incredibly talented artists tasked with bringing them to life. Whether hand-drawn, computer-animated, stop-motion or a hybrid blend, animation is arguably the most exciting medium in film. And no, it isn't just for kids, so take that, Jimmy Kimmel (the late-night host hinted as much while hosting the 2024 Oscars).
The newest films from Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and Illumination will always bring in the crowds, but there are plenty of lesser-known offerings hiding among the plethora of streaming options and films from smaller studios that are well worth your time.
Whether it's further installments in beloved franchises, hotly anticipated sequels, ambitious anime offerings, or new original stories set to become future favorites, 2024 is looking bright for animated movies so far. We're here to keep track of the year's best animated movies, so keep checking back as we'll be adding more as the year goes along.
Orion and the Dark
From the writer of cozy, accessible films such as "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "I'm Thinking of Ending Things," "Orion and the Dark" explores childhood fears in a truly imaginative and interesting way. Given that writer Charlie Kaufman's last foray into animation was an R-rated stop-motion movie about a man suffering from Fregoli delusion, it is perhaps surprising to see him tackle much more family-friendly fare.
That's not to say "Orion and the Dark" isn't without Kaufman's trademarks, as it tackles weighty themes such as existentialism, crippling anxiety, and the importance of facing your fears so they're not passed on to the next generation. It is hugely ambitious, and embodying the "Night Entities" — as they're known in the film — as tangible "Inside Out"-esque colorful characters should spark interesting conversation between parents and kids when it comes to talking about the things they're scared of.
The film is pretty accessible at its core, particularly in the way it tackles Orion's (Jacob Tremblay) fear of the Dark (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser). Though his adventures with Dark are a made-up story for the benefit of Orion's daughter Hypatia (Mia Akemi Brown), there is still an easy-to-understand takeaway for kids about confronting and overcoming fears that should resonate. "Orion and the Dark" is proof that animated films can be challenging and introspective as well as fun and exciting, and this has certainly set the bar for the rest of the animated movies of 2024.
The Tiger's Apprentice
Tackling Chinese folklore and mythology in an accessible and kid-friendly package, "The Tiger's Apprentice" doesn't have a groundbreaking premise, but contains plenty of elements that elevate it over similar offerings. It focuses on a kid called Tom Lee (voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo) who learns he is related to a legendary warrior and must embark on a journey of self-discovery to become the hero he was always meant to be, under the tutelage of a talking tiger, Mr. Hu (Henry Golding).
Interestingly, you could transpose the plot of this film with a certain panda-centered movie on this list and both would still make total sense, but what it lacks in originality it makes up for with its desire to be respectful to the source material — not just the novel by Laurence Yep, but also the mythology behind it. The cast is also one of the major selling points, featuring the vocal talents of Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, and Greta Lee.
While critics were a little lukewarm on "The Tiger's Apprentice," calling it generic and uninspired, audiences have been much more favorable, giving it a rating of more than 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is certainly a film that is much more skewed toward younger viewers, but that doesn't mean there isn't something for everyone to enjoy.
Kung Fu Panda 4
"Kung Fu Panda" is one of the few animated franchises that seems to develop and add something new with each entry, rather than feeling like a rehash of the fun we had before. The third and fourth installments don't quite reach the heady heights of the first two, but they provide something that is often lacking the further into a franchise you get: character development and growth.
Loveable panda Po (voiced by Jack Black) is faced with a new challenge this time around as he grapples with the idea of no longer being the Dragon Warrior and instead becoming the guardian of the Valley of Peace. Of course, there's still plenty of kung fu action — the dynamism of these sequences is among the highlights of the film's exquisite animation — and some great comedic moments courtesy of Po and newcomer Zhen (Awkwafina).
There are some truly poetic and heartfelt moments in "Kung Fu Panda 4" that catch you off guard. We see Po battling himself — literally at one point — as he tackles his insecurities and fears of passing the Dragon Warrior mantle on. There are also some wonderful moments with Po's two dads, Mr. Ping (James Hong) and Li Shan (Bryan Cranston), now in a hilarious co-parenting role. Crucially, "Kung Fu Panda 4" feels like the ending of one era and the possible beginning of another. Whether we'll get another film with Zhen now front and center or the return of Po and the Furious Five remains to be seen, but if this is the end, it's a fitting one.
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1
Away from the tumult of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) — now replaced with James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC Universe (DCU) — the animation branch of DC continues to knock it out of the park, and "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1" is no exception. Based on the popular DC Comics storyline — elements of which cropped up in 2023's "The Flash," and one of the Arrowverse crossover events — "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1" effectively establishes the key players for the main event.
As this is the first part of a trilogy, it is worth noting that much of the spectacle is still to come in the remaining installments. But that doesn't mean that this film short-changes anyone. "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1" is very much Barry Allen/The Flash's (voiced by Matt Bomer) film, and chronicles his integration into the Justice League and the part his time-traveling and multiverse-hopping antics play in breaking everything.
Along with the beautifully crisp animation, the voice cast of "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1" is another highlight, with Jensen Ackles, Meg Donnelly, and Zachary Quinto among the star-studded line-up. It may be the first piece in the puzzle, but this trilogy is poised to be something very special indeed — particularly as the third part is set to feature a posthumous Batman performance from Kevin Conroy, reuniting with Mark Hamill's Joker for one last time.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
"Mobile Suit Gundam" has been a beloved anime franchise for more than four decades, amassing fans around the globe since premiering in 1979. Slotting into the mecha (or robot anime) subgenre alongside series like "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Ghost in the Shell," the expansive franchise extends into TV series, movies, manga, and video games.
Trying to work out the correct order to watch the "Gundam" franchise is a bit of a minefield, but brushing up on the "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" spin-offs should put you in a good position to enjoy the latest big-screen adventure, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom." Further exploring events in the Cosmic Era timeline, "Freedom" is a direct sequel to the previous series and picks up where "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" left off. Lacus Clyne (Rie Tanaka) is now the president of the peacekeeping organization, Compass, working alongside friend and pilot Kira Yamato (Sōichirō Hoshi), as they negotiate new threats and the ongoing tensions between the Naturals and the Coordinators.
Even for those unfamiliar with the overarching franchise, "Freedom" is a thrilling and beautifully animated movie. It effortlessly blends its exploration of the inhumanity of war and the frustration of negotiating through bureaucracy with really cool space fights and deliberately melodramatic relationship theatrics, meaning it has something for everyone. Of course, this long-awaited movie (it has been in development since 2006) will resonate even more with hardcore fans, but there is still fun to be had for more casual viewers.
Dragonkeeper
This Spanish-Chinese animated fantasy brings together directors Salvador Simó and Jianping Li in a charming adaptation of Carole Wilkinson's book of the same name, focusing on a girl named Ping (Mayalinee Griffiths) and her journey to become a Dragonkeeper. It is hard not to make immediate comparisons with "How to Train Your Dragon" — both are based on novels and both feature magical creatures prominently. "Dragonkeeper" may not be the best animated dragon film you'll ever see, but it is bolstered by its focus on Chinese mythology and its effortlessly loveable protagonist.
"Dragonkeeper" has been a long time coming, starting production in 2016 and then delayed due to the global pandemic. However, the care and attention to detail are clear to see in the stunningly simple animation and heartfelt storytelling. The filmmakers' decision to pare things back to better serve the story was a deliberate one. Speaking to Animation magazine, producer Larry Levene said, "There are no secrets in the tools used, but the artistic approach was more simple and realistic than the classical Disney or Pixar animation, which in this case was perfect for the film ... our mantra was 'less is more.'"