When it comes to animation, DreamWorks is by far one of the top names in the game. Established in 1994, the production company wasn’t strictly an animation studio, having produced live-action films since 1997, and still doing so to this day. However, animation quickly became their bread-and-butter, especially as they were early proprietors of computer-generated animation over traditional animation.
Bursting onto the scene with Antz in 1998, they quickly became a major competitor of Pixar, which was the first animation company to use computer-generated animation, and had produced a similar film, A Bug’s Life, earlier that year. Despite comparisons constantly being drawn between the two companies, DreamWorks soon formed its own identity and found plenty of success in their own right.
Since 1998, DreamWorks has produced 37 feature films, with four successful franchises under their belt. And they’re on their way to adding even more franchises to their plate, with three sequels currently in the works for release over the next few years. While each of their films had varying degrees of success, many of their characters have become some of the most recognizable names in modern animation.
To coincide with the company’s latest production, Abominable, here’s a look back at ten of DreamWorks’ best films.
10) Megamind
Honestly, if Megamind had a stronger plot, it probably would have ranked much higher on this list. Because, in terms of everything else, it certainly sticks the landing quite well. The film is incredibly funny, and part of what makes it just so enjoyable to watch is the talents of its excellent voice cast, including Will Ferrell, Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, and a rare comedic turn for Brad Pitt. The film is a fun, sometimes on-the-nose spoof of Superman, which certainly was a much better subversive take on the character than this year’s “evil Superman” movie Brightburn. And while the film didn’t live up to the success of DreamWorks’ other major animated film released in 2010 (more on that in a moment), it’s still an overall solid, underrated entry into the company’s filmography.
9) Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
Who would have thought, of all things, Captain Underpants would get his own movie? And one that was actually a success? This is an extremely high energy movie with plenty of rapid fire visual gags, especially in the way in which the titular superhero, voiced by Ed Helms, is forced to constantly shift back and forth between his superhero identity and alter ego by the two main protagonists, voiced by Kevin Hart and Thomas Middleditch. Plus, Nick Kroll as the villain, named Professor Poopypants, is by far one of the film’s highlights. It’s a well-intentioned movie with a nice message about friendship that will resonate with younger audiences as well as have something that older audiences will certainly appreciate.
8) Kung Fu Panda
By far one of the most beloved of DreamWorks’ franchises, one of Kung Fu Panda’s biggest selling points is its message. This has a bigger heart than most other entries in DreamWorks’ filmography, with its emphasis on family values and stand-up morals. And this was something that was further emulated in the film’s two sequels. The film also contains one of the most impressive voice casts in any of DreamWorks’ films, including Jack Black in the title role, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie, among many others. So why ranked so low? Well, some of the jokes don’t stick as well as they should, with Black doing a lot of the same schtick he does in his live-action films to sometimes mixed results. That’s not to say the film is by no means bad, or even mediocre - otherwise it wouldn’t even be on this list - but its faults are fairly obvious. Still, some issues aside, this is one of the most entertaining in all of DreamWorks’ filmography, and one that will certainly teach a valuable lesson.
7) How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Unlike their other films that spawned sequels, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise is the only one of DreamWorks’ where every entry wasn’t even just good - they were fantastic. If you had to pick what was technically the “weakest” - and I’m using that term loosely - of the three, the final film would have to be the one, mainly due to the fact that it has a “more of the same” feel in terms of having a dragon-hunting antagonist whose looking to either kill or capture all the dragons, similar to the second film. While it recycles a couple of elements from the second film, it’s still a thrilling visual spectacle, with plenty of heart and plenty of laughs that make for a fitting end to DreamWorks’ excellent trilogy.
6) Trolls
If there was one film that was one of DreamWorks’ bigger surprises, it was Trolls. It’s a film that’s definitely geared a bit more for younger audiences than adults, with a fairly predictable premise. But it is a lot of fun. This movie has a lot going for it that make up for its familiar feel. In addition to a talented voice cast - with Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake leading the charge - that are clearly having a blast with the film, it’s also a visual treat, with eye-popping animation that will easily keep the audience engaged. Plus, unlike many of DreamWorks’ other films, this is a rare musical for the company, and the songs are all a pure joy to listen to, especially the breakout hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” With a sequel on the way in 2020 that is sure to delight, Trolls will soon become known as another enjoyable franchise in DreamWorks’ growing filmography.
5) How to Train Your Dragon 2
The first sequel to How to Train Your Dragon is just a tad weaker than its predecessor, but it is still another phenomenal entry in the franchise. Like the first film, as well as its sequel, the second entry in the trilogy is a visually stunning, emotionally engaging thrill-ride. It’s packed with plenty of laughs, with nearly every character getting their time to shine in one way or another. And it has an excellent voice cast, with everyone from the first film returning, as well as welcome additions that include Kit Harington, Djimon Hounsou, and the franchise’ best addition, Cate Blanchett. Like the other films in the trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon 2 soars.
4) Chicken Run
Alright, so this is technically not a pure DreamWorks films, as they actually just handled financing and distributing this one. However, it’s technically considered an official DreamWorks film, so it’s on the list. This is really the brain child of Aardman Animations, the British production company that gave us Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, and who used DreamWorks as a way to help get their first three films off the ground (similar to how Disney and Pixar worked before Disney eventually bought the latter). And while it’s not pure DreamWorks, it’s still another wonderful entry into their filmography nonetheless. Essentially playing as a family-friendly version of The Great Escape, except with chickens, the film is one hell of a ride. Its characters are incredibly developed and each of its sequences as the chickens attempt their escape are extremely thrilling. You really feel the life-or-death nature of each scene, and while it can be very funny, it’s surprisingly also incredibly emotionally engaging.
3) Shrek 2
The first Shrek was a massive success for DreamWorks in 2001 (feel old yet?), so it only made sense to develop a sequel. And lightning struck twice for DreamWorks, being the first successful sequel the company had to offer. Some of Shrek 2 is a bit more-of-the-same from first film, once again using the first film’s signature blending of adult-oriented gags as well as jokes that appealed to children. And while some similar jokes did make their way into this sequel, this was still an extremely charming (no pun intended), laugh-out-loud hilarious sequel that found its voice cast at the top of their game, and the writing to be both risqué and heartwarming. While the Shrek series never recaptured the same critical or commercial success that both this film and its predecessor had (though a revival is on the way, so we’ll see), the series will always have two excellent entries to its name that can’t be taken away.
2) Shrek
While the second film went on to become the highest grossing animated movie of all-time (until Toy Story 3 was released in 2010), the first Shrek film is still the superior of the two. The film was groundbreaking, as it was rare for an animated film to blend humor that appealed to both adults and kids, with plenty of jokes pushing the boundaries as to what was acceptable for a kids movie. While it’s mostly a parody of all fairy-tale stories and films - with many of the characters it’s mocking appearing in supporting roles - it still has plenty of memorable scenes and quotes that are now iconic today. Still as funny today as it was when it was first released, Shrek is a cultural sensation that still remains one of the best animated films of all-time.
1) How to Train Your Dragon
This movie evokes a ton of emotions. It’s funny. It’s heartwarming. It’s sad. It’s thrilling. And what’s great is how many times it evokes all these emotions without even saying a word sometimes. How to Train Your Dragon was a visually mesmerizing, emotionally engaging feat that continues to tug at the heartstrings no matter how many times you watch it. While DreamWorks was already around for well over ten years by the time of its release, this was a film that helped put them back at the top of the animation game, after more middle-of-the-road releases over the last few years before that. The film received near unanimous praise, and back in 2010, was neck-and-neck with the widely anticipated, and equally critically praised, Toy Story 3 as best animated movie of that year. It’s unknown if DreamWorks knew how much of a hit they had on their hands going into this movie, but the result ended up being what is ultimately their finest achievement.