Summary
As the title suggests,Warcraftdepictstwo opposing sides of an impending war set in a fantasy world,and if one enjoys the movie and seeks more, several other films have similar themes, genres, characters, and everything in between. The 2016 action fantasy film, directed by Duncan Jones and written by Jones and Charles Leavitt, is based on the popular video game series of the same name. Blizzard Entertainment’sWarcraftwas launched in 1994, and since then, all the games in the series have taken place in and around the world of Azeroth, featuring humans and orcs.
After earning $439 million at the worldwide box office,Warcraftbecame the highest-grossing film based on a video game in 2016. However,Pokémon Detective PikachusurpassedWarcraft’s record in 2019 with $450 million, andThe Super Mario Bros. Movietook the top spot in 2023 with $1.36 billion.
The cast ofWarcraftworked hard to bring the video game series to life in 2016, but the movie still received negative reviews from critics and failed to break even at the box office (despite its record-breaking worldwide gross). Nevertheless, the action fantasy film was a hit among viewers, withWarcraft’s Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoessitting at 76 percent. A plannedWarcraftsequel was still scrapped, though, meaning thatfans must look elsewhere to get their fix of the fantasy genre after watching and finishingWarcraft.
AfterWarcraft’s ending, one might be interested inWillow,a 1988 epic dark fantasy adventure film set in a fantasy world (Andowyne). The movie centers aroundWillow, an aspiring sorcerer, and Madmartigan, a mercenary, who come together to protect a baby from the evil sorceressQueen Bavmorda of Nockmaar. Queen Bavmorda learns of a prophecy that states the baby will be her downfall, so, she seeks to destroy the newborn.
Willowwas nominated for Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989 but lost in both categories toWho Framed Roger Rabbit.
Although it opened to mixed reviews,Willowbecame a fantasy cult classicandDisney+ even debuted aWillowsequel TV showin 2022 (which has since been removed from the streaming platform). Its world is similar to the one inWarcraft,and whileWillowdoesn’t feature an all-out war, it features high stakes that keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
The Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Ringsis undoubtedly one of the best film series to watch followingWarcraft,given its fantasy setting of Middle-earth and high acclaim (and endless amount of media to consume in the entire franchise). Peter Jackson’s threeLord of the Ringsmoviesare based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s book series of the same name, which was published in the mid-1950s.Lord of the Ringschronicles Frodo Baggins', a hobbit, and his friends' pursuit to destroy the One Ringand defeat the Dark Lord Sauron.
Lord of the RingsMovie
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
June 02, 2025
Lord of the Ringsis one of the highest-grossing film series of all time,accumulating almost $3 billion over the course of its three movies. Its reputation speaks for itself andLord of the Ringsis a pinnacle franchise in the fantasy genre. Thankfully, the series has continued afterThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingwithThe Hobbitfilms,an upcoming anime movieThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,and more live-action films in development.
Harry Potter
TheHarry Pottermovie series, which consists of eight films, might not be as high fantasy asWarcraftas it partly takes place in the real world. However, in this version of the real world, there is alsoa hidden wizarding world featuring numerous fantastical creatures.The popular franchise is based on J.K. Rowling’s book series of the same name and features Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, a young wizard who is destined to be the one to defeat Lord Voldemort.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
July 15, 2025
Similar toLord of the Rings,theHarry Potterfranchise (or the Wizarding World franchise) is among the highest-grossing film series ever. With eightHarry Pottermovies and threeFantastic Beastsfilms (a prequel trilogy) under its belt,the Wizarding World franchise has earned over $9.6 billion.Its success will continue as anHBOHarry PotterTV showis in development, and it will serve as a reboot of the franchise, with a new cast playing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and other iconic characters.
The Golden Compass
Cast
The Golden Compass is a fantasy adventure film based on Philip Pullman’s novel. Released in 2007, the film stars Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua, who embarks on a journey to the Arctic to rescue her kidnapped friend and uncover a secret involving a substance called Dust. Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig play pivotal roles in this visually captivating adaptation directed by Chris Weitz.
Like other options on this list (andWarcraft), Chris Weitz’sThe Golden Compassis an adaptation of a previous work. The 2007 fantasy adventure film is based on Philip Pullman’s 1995 novelNorthern Lightsand depicts the journey of a tribe of seafarers, seeking to rescue a group of children.The Golden Compassis set in a world where each person’s soul exists outside of their body as a dæmon,an animal companion that is a physical manifestation of someone’s inner being. Unfortunately, a planned sequel was canceled, butthe unfinished movie franchise is still worth watchingfor those who enjoyedWarcraft.
His Dark Materials,Philip Pullman’s book trilogy which includesNorthern Lights,was later adapted into an HBO TV series that lasted for three seasons.
While many of the movies on this list are linked toWarcraftbecause they fall under the fantasy genre label, some are similar to Duncan Jones' 2016 movie because of their action (and monster elements), including the 2014 filmGodzilla. Of course,theGodzillamovie seriescontains several different flicks that can be watched afterWarcraft.However,Godzilla(2014) is perhaps the best option as it debuted only two years beforeWarcraft,meaning it has similar visual effects techniques. Plus, it serves as a reboot, making it the ideal introduction to the franchise for new fans.
Godzilla(2014) was the first installment in Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise, which has since produced four sequels with another one on the way.
TheGodzilla(2014) castfeatures Aaron Taylor-Johnson as U.S. Navy Lieutenant Ford Brody, a soldier who seeks to reunite with his family aftera recently awakened Godzilla seeks revenge against MUTOs.Gareth Edwards' movie received mostly positive reviews and grossed over $529 million against a budget of $160 million.Godzilla(2014) was the first installment in Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise, which has since produced four sequels with another one on the way.
The 2010 action fantasy filmClash of the Titansis a remake of the 1981 movie of the same name, which isloosely based on Perseus in Greek mythology. It falls under the same genres asWarcraftand, similar to the 2016 film,Clash of the Titanscontains an equal balance of war and fantasy.
AClash of the Titanssequel,Wrath of the Titans,was released in 2012.
Clash of the Titansfollows Sam Worthington as Perseus,the son of Zeus who finds himself in the middle of a civil war amongst the gods. Perseus then leads an army to the underworld to defeat Hades. For those intrigued by Greek mythology and who likedWarcraft,Clash of the Godsis the perfect movie to watch next (despite its unfavorable reviews as the action is worth the watch).
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis probably one of the most underrated movies of 2023,and it deserves its flowers. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics, the fantasy heist action comedy film severely underperformed at the box office, grossing only $208 million against a budget of $150 million. Nevertheless,Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis a must-watch for those who thoroughly enjoyedWarcraftbecause it contains similar high fantasy themes and mythical creatures. Plus, it’s also based on a game.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis an adaptation of the mega-popular tabletop role-playing gameDungeons & Dragons.The 2023 movie is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and follows Chris Pine as Edgin Davis, a bard and a thief, who leads a ragtag group of different beings on a quest to find a relic and reunite with his daughter. Of course,Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’story and its endingare much more complicated than that, and one must watch it to learn more.
Mortal Engines,based on Philip Reeve’s 2001 book of the same name, isa steampunk film set more than 1,000 years in the future in an apocalyptic world, decimated by a cataclysmic event.So, likeWarcraft, the 2018movieMortal Enginesis also a depiction of a fantasy world. However, inMortal Engines,the future features motorized cities on wheels, which are called “Traction Cities,” and the world practices Darwinism by having the larger cities colonize the weaker settlements.
Mortal Enginesdoesn’t contain the same mythical creatures asWarcraft,but its futuristic setting and action scenes are akin to Duncan Jones' 2016 film.
Hera Hilmar stars as Hester Shaw intheMortal Enginescast, and Hester lives in Salzhaken, a small Bavarian mining town. Unfortunately, London, as one of the larger cities, absorbs Salzhaken, and Hester seeks to put an end to this heinous practice.Mortal Enginesdoesn’t contain the same mythical creatures asWarcraft,but its futuristic setting and action scenes are akin to Duncan Jones' 2016 film.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) is a fantasy film directed by Andrew Adamson. It follows the story of four siblings who discover a magical wardrobe that leads to the enchanted land of Narnia. They join forces with Aslan, the majestic lion, to battle against the evil White Witch. The film features Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, and Anna Popplewell in the leading roles.
Chronicles of Narniais another successful fantasy film franchise that fans ofWarcraftwill likely also enjoy.TheChronicles of Narniamovie seriesis based on C.S. Lewis' book series of the same name, depicting the Pevensie children discovering the magical world of Narnia that they can enter through their wardrobe.Narnia features a countless number of mythical creatures and wondrous sights,and the children are immediately enraptured by the world.
Chronicles of NarniaMovies
Release Date
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
August 21, 2025
When the Pevensie children enter Narnia, they learn from a lion named Aslan that the White Witch has forced an endless winter on its inhabitants. Together, they join forces to defeat her. More than a decade after the original film series' success,Greta Gerwig is set to direct newChronicles of Narniamoviesfor Netflix. Unfortunately, not much is known about the future films, but given Gerwig’s impressive track record, the franchise is in good hands.
The final best movie to watch afterWarcraftisRampage, which stars Dwayne Johnson as Davis Okoye, a primatologist and the head of an anti-poaching unit.The 2018 science fiction monster film is a loose adaptation of Midway Games' video game series of the same name,which features players taking on a human-turned-monster role and destroying cities, trying not to get caught along the way. However, the movieRampageis nothing like the game(but still contains various references to its inspiration).
InRampage,Johnson’s Davis teams up with a gorilla named George, who continuously grows due to an after-effect from an experiment gone wrong. Together,they attempt to stop other mutated creatures like George from destroying Chicago.Rampageis more grounded in the real world thanWarcraft,but it contains elements of war and strange creatures, making it an ideal watch for those who loved the 2016 action fantasy film.
