10 Best Animated Movies Of 2023 (2024)

Animated movies have grown to be an essential part of cinema. While they were once seen as being geared for children, animated films have evolved tremendously over time. Some of cinema's most effective and well-crafted movies happen to be animated. Each year there are exciting advancements in animation and storytelling that reflect incredible imagination on the screen. 2023 has been no different.

2023 has featured a wide array of animated movies that range from fun franchise sequels, like Trolls Band Together, to hard-hitting fantasy quasi-autobiographies, like The Boy and the Heron. A long list of animated titles can be daunting to go through in order to figure out which ones are worth the watch and those that are skippable. Thankfully, some gems prove to shine brighter than the rest and rank as 2023's best animated movies.

10 Merry Little Batman Brings Family Fun To Gotham

Merry Little Batman (2023)

Comedy

Family

8

10

Little Damian Wayne confronts enemies in his city after finding himself alone at Wayne Manor.

Release Date

December 8, 2023

Director

Mike Roth

Cast

Luke Wilson , Yonas Kibreab , James Cromwell

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

Morgan Evans , Jase Ricci , Etan Cohen

Producer

Rebecca Palatnik

Production Company

Amazon MGM Studios, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation.

Amazon Prime's Merry Little Batmanfollows the young Damian Wayne, the Caped Crusader's son, as he tries to save Christmas in Gotham and prove himself in the process. The movie was a hit with critics and DC fans alike, especially for its novel approach to typically dark and over-serious characters. The December release limited the movie's charm to 2023's final day, but it's still left a great impact.

Merry Little Batman transforms the terrifying streets of Gotham into a place of family fun. It sets the hilarious superhero storyline against a holiday backdrop. The film has something for everyone, whether it's the many hidden Easter eggs for hardcore DC fans or the cruder toilet humor that appeals to kids. Most importantly, the superhero movie has a memorable animation style which blends the comic book vibe with early 2000s superhero cartoons. Merry Little Batman is full of charm and family-friendly content, which makes it an animated treat for all.

9 Wish Merges Nostalgia With Novelty

Wish

PG

Adventure

Comedy

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A young girl named Asha wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her.

Release Date

November 22, 2023

Director

Fawn Veerasunthorn , Chris Buck

Cast

Chris Pine , Alan Tudyk , Ariana DeBose , Evan Peters

Runtime

1 Hour 35 Minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

Jennifer Lee , Allison Moore , Chris Buck

Production Company

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Disney's 100th year means that there were high expectations for the studio's anticipated 2023 release, Wish. Wish has unfortunately earned mixed reviews upon release, but the film still proves to be enjoyable when stripped away from these set higher standards.

For instance, Wish is an inclusive delight, which showcases characters from various backgrounds, ages, and abilities. The film's narrative is predictable, yet somewhat redeems itself by being reminiscent of Disney classics like Sleeping Beauty through its magic-based story.

The film's animation style is its biggest selling point. Wish modern technology with classic designs to create a feel that is both nostalgic and new - a fitting trait for Disney's 100th anniversary. Wish plays the anniversary card a bit too strongly at times with subtle nods. However, the end credits scenes are the perfect journey through Disney's beloved history. Wish is by no means a perfect film, but it's a stunning and fitting tribute to the studio's epic legacy in animation.

8 Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget Was Worth The Wait

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

PG

Animation

Adventure

Comedy

Release Date

December 15, 2023

Director

Sam Fell

Cast

Bella Ramsey , Zachary Levi , Thandiwe Newton , David Bradley

Main Genre

Animation

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget succeeds by balancing fan-favorite elements of the first film with creative new additions. Ginger navigates a new family life and motherhood with her friends and Rocky, but ultimately faces her old nemesis, Mrs. Tweedy. The hen's saga is full of fun callbacks that old fans will appreciate, along with a new buddy adventure (with Molly and Frizzle) that appeals to new audiences.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget's strongest element is that it retains the essence of its predecessor, both through its delightful stop-motion animation style and through its suspenseful storyline. The film loses out on some redundant plots, but the overall switch from an escape film to a break-in movie makes it a fun, familiar watch. With 23 years between the two films, audiences were skeptical if Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget could live up to the original's hype. Aardman Animations thankfully rises to the occasion.

7 Leo Cherishes Life

Leo

PG

Animation

Comedy

Family

A 74-year-old lizard named Leo and his turtle friend decide to escape from the terrarium of a Florida school classroom where they have been living for decades.

Release Date

November 1, 2023

Director

Robert Smigel , Robert Marianetti , David Wachtenheim

Cast

Adam Sandler , Bill Burr , Cecily Strong , Jason Alexander

Runtime

102 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

Robert Smigel , Adam Sandler , Paul Sado

Adam Sandler has always been a chameleon-like actor, but the star becomes a literal lizard in 2023's Leo. Sandler voices the titular character, a 74-year-old tuatara that goes from class pet to life coach for a class of elementary school students. Leo has been generally praised for its voice acting and animation, but faced some minor criticism for its less-than-impressive musical numbers.

However, Leo's musical spin really adds to its lighthearted charm as hilarious antics accompany the songs, which contribute towards the film's satirical nature.

Leo has tons of humor, but it also has lots of heart as it showcases themes of empathy, kindness, and friendship. Leo's very human fear of death brings unexpected maturity to the film and makes the narrative a powerful watch for audiences of all ages. Leo's wholesome nature and powerful message gives Disney films a run for their money and will have viewers looking for their own real-life Leo.

6 Elemental Is A New Spin On A Classic Tale

Elemental

PG

Adventure

Comedy

7

10

Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, earth- and air-residents live together.

Release Date

June 16, 2023

Director

Peter Sohn

Cast

Leah Lewis , Mamoudou Athie , Ronnie del Carmen

Runtime

1 hour 41 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

John Hoberg , Kat Likkel , Brenda Hsueh

Producer

Denise Ream

Production Company

Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios

Disney's Elemental provides an entertaining spin to the popular opposites-attract trope when a young fire element named Ember teams up with water element, Wade, to save her father's shop. The film does a great job with its world-building, plus crisp animation and stunning cinematography pull audiences into Wish's unique landscapes.

Elemental also explores social issues more extensively than the standard Disney movie. Wish looks at the struggles of first generation immigrants and classism within its Element City. However, this more political departure from Disney Pixar norms has not been well-received by everyone. It's proven to be a detriment to the film's critical and box office success. Elemental's visual mastery and social focus still make it an incredibly engaging and worthwhile watch, especially for older audiences who can appreciate its nuances.

5 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Saved The Franchise

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Animation

Adventure

Action

9

10

The film follows the Turtle brothers as they work to earn the love of New York City while facing down an army of mutants.

Release Date

August 2, 2023

Director

Jeff Rowe , Kyle Spears

Cast

Rose Byrne , Seth Rogen , Jackie Chan , Giancarlo Esposito , Paul Rudd

Main Genre

Animation

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was slowly fading as a franchise after years of lackluster feature films. Luckily, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem successfully brings the turtles back in an epic return to form. This animated reboot has won over critics and led to a resurgence of appreciation for the turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem takes the ninja turtles back to their experimental and entertaining roots. The film doesn't shy away from the awkwardness of adolescence and how it's difficult to find yourself at this age. It's a superhero theme that deeply resonates with the mutant heroes. The movie's animation is its strongest superpower and the sketchbook style brings unique visuals that help set the film apart from other 2023 releases. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, through its lighthearted approach and bold animation, has become one of 2023's best animated films.

4 The Super Mario Bros. Movie Beats All Odds

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

PG

Animation

Adventure

Comedy

8

10

While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers and brothers Mario and Luigi are transported through a mysterious pipe to a magical new world. But when the siblings are separated, an epic adventure begins.

Release Date

April 5, 2023

Director

Aaron Horvath , Michael Jelenic

Cast

Chris Pratt , Jack Black , Anya Taylor-Joy , Charlie Day

Runtime

92 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

The Internet was heavy in negative comments nd low expectations ever since Illumination Studios announced that they were producingThe Super Marios Bros. Movie. However, all these assumptions were proven to be misguided once The Super Marios Bros. Movie smashed box office collections. The film has received slight criticism for its thin plot and cheesy dialogue, but overall it's proven to be a surprise hit.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels like a film that's made for fans. There are countless Easter eggs that warrant multiple viewings in order to spot everything. The film also captures the Mario-Verse's universal appeal and inserts characters from multiple generations of Super Mario games. The movie's bright colors and true-to-source designs make the animation all the more enjoyable, especially when it's paired with the film's lively soundtrack ("Peaches" emerges as a Grammy-worthy performance). The Super Mario Bros. Movie proves that sometimes simple and fun goes a long way, particularly in animation.

3 Nimona Is A Heartwarming Treat

Nimona

PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

When a knight in a futuristic medieval world is framed for a crime he didn't commit, the only one who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona -- a mischievous teen who happens to be a shapeshifting creature he's sworn to destroy.

Release Date

June 30, 2023

Director

Nick Bruno , Troy Quane

Cast

Chloe Grace Moretz , Riz Ahmed , Eugene Lee Yang , Frances Conroy

Runtime

1 hour 41 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Netflix's Nimona is an underrated animated gem of 2023. The adaptation's direct-to-streaming release has made it less popular than its theatrical counterparts. However, Nimona proves to be a creative masterpiece, not only through its beautifully-crafted fantasy world, but also its expert storytelling and lovable characters. There's the rare instance when the film's plot becomes predictable, but its LGBTQ+ representation and discussion of important, heavier themes like mental health more than makes up for its shortcomings.

Nimona's greatest strength is its titular character, a shape-shifting "monster" who has centuries' worth of pain and lore for audiences to experience. Ballister, the wrongly-accused knight who befriends Nimona, is equally compelling. The film's brilliant voice casting (particularly Chloë Grace Moretz) further adds to its appeal and further brings these animated characters to life. Nimona combines the best parts of old fairy tale structures and modern cyberpunk to create an animated film that is inclusive, heartbreaking, and inspirational all at once.

2 The Boy & The Heron Is A Masterpiece

The Boy and the Heron

PG-13

Animation

Adventure

Drama

10

10

A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Release Date

December 8, 2023

Director

Hayao Miyazaki

Cast

Soma Santoki , Masaki Suda , Takuya Kimura , Aimyon

Runtime

2 hours 4 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

Hayao Miyazaki

Production Company

Studio Ghibli, Toho Company

Animation can be as meaningful as it is entertaining. Studio Ghibli productions consistently stand as a testament to this philosophy. The studio's 2023 release, The Boy and the Heron, continues this trend to great effect. The young Mahito grieves over his mother's recent death, only to be led by a Heron into a mystery realm where life and death are intertwined. He embarks on the mystical and haunting adventure of a lifetime.

The Boy and the Heron's animation is meticulously and beautifully crafted. It somehow goes beyond its predecessors to create a world that is both inspiring and intimidating. However, the film's success comes from the themes at its core, as the narrative explores everything from grief and healing to the complexities of relationships and introspection. The Boy and the Heron's layered message is not immediately obvious, which is sometimes a trademark of Hayao Miyazaki's movies. It still poses a limitation on the film's ability to be universally enjoyed. Older audiences who can grasp the film's deeper meaning will consider The Boy and the Heron to be an unbridled masterpeice and the quintessential Miyazaki film.

1 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Is Animation At Its Finest

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

PG

Superhero

Animation

Action

Adventure

9

10

Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

Release Date

June 2, 2023

Director

Joaquim Dos Santos , Kemp Powers , Justin K. Thompson

Cast

Shameik Moore , Hailee Steinfeld , Oscar Isaac , Jake Johnson

Runtime

140 minutes

Main Genre

Superhero

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse quickly comes to mind in any discussion on 2023's best animated movie. The first Spider-Verse movie broke the animation mold, but its critically acclaimed sequel further experiments with animation to create a stunning masterpiece that's full of vibrancy, diversity, and imagination.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse pairs its exceptional artistry with a story that is equally engaging. Miles Morales' adventures are full of emotion and suspense without ever falling prey to predictable clichés. Even the villains, whether it be The Spot or even Miguel, promote self-reflection as they blur the line between morality and villainy. All the film's elements come together to form an epic animated adventure that's unlike any other. Its exceptional cliffhanger also leaves fans eager for more. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has raised animated film standards to an unprecedented level through its brilliance and flawless execution. It's the best animated film of 2023, but also the best animated movie of most years.