Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
It’s never been a better time to be a family that loves new kids’ movies. The proliferation of streaming services like Netflix, Peacock, Disney+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and HBO Max means there are plenty of studios out clamoring for new and interesting films to entertain families — and streaming them at home means they’re even easier to watch. Or, if you’re a family that values the cinematic experience, 2022 looks like it’ll be even better than 2021 when it comes to the number of movies hitting theaters. The best kids’ movies of 2022, listed here in order of release date, are set to stun you with their animation, thrill you with their grand adventures, make you dance to their original songs and, of course, laugh at all their silly jokes. And we can’t wait!
One note: Because the situation around the pandemic is still in flux, movie studios are still apt to change things at the last minute, putting more movies in theaters when COVID numbers are good, and sending them straight to streaming services when they’re bad. It’s worth it to check your local listings, because release dates and platforms are likely to change up until the last minute. But one thing’s for sure: No matter where or how you watch, movie fans are in for a big treat this year. (And don’t forget to catch up on the best kids’ movies from 2021!)
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Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
Release Date: January 14, 2022
Pushed back from last Halloween, the newest Hotel Transylvania film really flips things around: Dr. Van Helsig invents a machine that turns the monsters into people, and turns Johnny into a monster! They have to figure out a way to switch back before they get stuck that way. It’ll stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Release Date: January 21, 2022
This family adventure movie has everything: secret princesses, mermaids and … King Louis XIV? The King wants the mermaid’s life force to achieve immortality, but a young woman, who has familial ties to the king, wants to save the creature.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild
Release Date: January 28, 2022
It’s been half a decade since we checked in on the Ice Age universe, so we’re due for another Paleolithic adventure. This one centers on the weasel Buck Wild, who teams up with possums Crash and Eddie to stave off dinosaur domination.
Release Date: January 28, 2022
Kevin James returns! In this movie, he plays an NFL coach who gets suspeded from the sport, so he goes back to his hometown and winds up coaching the local Pop Warner team. Taylor Lautner co-stars.
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Kanna is a tween who loves to run, but never expected where her hobby would take her. After the death of her mother, Kanna must run to the annual gathering of gods in the sacred land of Izumo, hoping she could reunite with her mom there. Along the way, she meets fantastical creatures and learns more about her family.
Release Date: March 11, 2022
The first Disney movie of the year comes courtesy of Pixar. It follows a 13-year-old, Mei Lee, who has a rare affliction: Whenever she gets too excited or emotional, she turns into a giant red panda. (So. Awkward.)
Release Date: March 18, 2022
Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff in a remake of the classic comedy. When a blended family equals 10 kids, two parents and no extra help, chaos (but the heartwarming kind) ensues.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Release Date: April 1, 2022
This Netflix movie tells the story of the moon landing through two points of view: an astronaut’s, and a 10-year-old boy watching from Earth. Director Richard Linklater uses his own childhood as inspiration.
Release Date: April 1, 2022
Nate is just your average seventh grader — except with a burning dream to be a Broadway star. He goes on an adventure to achieve his dream when he finds information about an open audition in New York City.
Release Date: April 8, 2022
Fans of the 2020 Sonic the Hedgehog already know who appears in the second film: Tails and Knuckles! In it, Sonic and Tails must team up to help stop Doctor Eggman from taking the Master Emerald — and Eggman has Knuckles on his side.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Release Date: April 15, 2022
The third Fantastic Beasts movie sees some changes — Mads Mikkelson replaces Johnny Depp as the villain Gellert Grindelwald — but Newt Scamandar is still the same Newt. In this film, Dumbledore sends him and his friends on a mission that leads them into the path of Grindelwald’s army.
Release Date: April 22, 2022
This Dreamworks movie follows some classic bad guys: Mr. Wolf, Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake and Mr. Piranha. Only they’re tired of being bad, so they try to live life on the up-and-up for a change. The voice cast includes Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina Anthony Ramos, Marc Maron and Craig Robinson, so there’s lots of comedic talent in there.
Release Date: April 28, 2022
For anime fans, this Netflix film is sure to be a visual delight. It takes place in an alternate version of Tokyo, where bubbles have appeared that bend the laws of gravity. As a result, the city is a battlefield for young players of parkour-like competitions. When one player falls, he’s saved by a girl with mysterious powers
Release Date: May 6, 2022
Marmaduke is known for one thing: his insatiable appetite. Can the world’s best dog trainer tame him? Pete Davidson provides the Great Dane’s voice.
Release Date: May 13, 2022
Yeah, yeah, Disney’s done “Cinderella’ stories before — but never like this! This pop/hip-hop musical takes the fairy tale and sets it in New York City, where El dreams of becoming a sneaker designer. Things change for him when he meets Kira, whose dad happens to work for a big-deal sneaker company.
Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers
Release Date: May 20, 2022
Those two famed chipmunks are back — but not like you’ve ever seen them before. In this Disney+ film, Chip and Dale live among humans and other cartoons in Los Angeles. Chip has retired from acting, but Dale has gotten “the CGI surgery” and continues to be a Hollywood presence. When one of their former castmates goes missing, they have to learn how to work together again. Oh, and did we mention their voices are done by John Mulaney and Andy Samberg?
Release Date: May 27, 2022
The Belchers are headed for the big screen! And, even better, they’re in a musical! During the San Diego Comic-Con, creator Loren Bouchard described it as “a musical, comedy, mystery, adventure and a kind of coming-of-age story,” and assured fans it would be in movie theaters. (Note: This is PG-13 and better for your older ones.)
Release Date: June 3, 2022
The sequel to the 2020 Disney+ live-action Stargirl, this movie picks up the story of quirky, free-spirit Stargirl Caraway. When her mom is called to do costumes for a movie, she heads to Los Angeles, where she meets a new set of friends and neighbors.
Release Date: June 17, 2022
No, not that Buzz Lightyear — except kind of. This movie follows the adventures of the real Space Ranger character who inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy in Toy Story. “In the Toy Story universe, it would be like a movie that maybe Andy would have seen, that would have made him want a Buzz Lightyear figure,” director Angus MacLane explains to Deadline. It comes out in theaters Father’s Day weekend, for all the Toy Story dads out there.
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Release Date: June 24, 2022
Audiences were introduced to the can-do attitude of Marcel the Shell, and his signature footware, through a stop-motion animated short that debuted way back in 2010. Now, Marcel’s adventures are full-length, and his movie is a mockumentary about him trying to find his lost family. Just like in the short, comedian Jenny Slate provides the voice of Marcel.
Release Date: July 1, 2022
Poor Minions fans: This movie was scheduled to be released in July, 2020 and has been pushed back two years so far. When finally comes out, it’ll follow Gru in the ’70s, when he’s starting on his rise to villainy, and how he crosses paths with the Minions.
Release Date: July 8, 2022
As its name suggests, The Sea Beast is a seafaring tale that takes place in a world where ocean monsters reign. Jacob Holland is a famed monster hunter setting sail for a new adventure, but he gets more than he bargained for when he discovers he has a stowaway, a young girl named Maisie.
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Release Date: July 15, 2022
The bitter rivalry of cats and dogs, the fun tradition of Kung Fu movies — Paws of Fury has everything. Michael Cera is the voice of Hank, a hound dog ready to train to be a samurai and save a town from a ruthless villain determined to destroy a village. The problem? The whole town — including his teacher — is cats! Parents might recognize this as an homage to Blazing Saddles, with animals.
Release Date: July 15, 2022
Fans of the Disney Channel’s Zombies franchise will thrill to a third entry, coming straight to Disney+. This time, the students of Seabrook have a new threat to contend with — aliens.
Release Date: July 29, 2022
Uh-oh — the Justice League is in trouble! It’s up to Krypto, Superman’s dog, to convince other super-charged pets to help. He reaches out to Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel to form their own heroic squad. Dwayne Johnson stars as the voice of Krypto.
Release Date: August 5, 2022
This Apple TV+ movie follows Sam, the “unluckiest person in the world,” who somehow gets transported to the Land of Luck. Can the magical creatures there help her turn her bad juju around?
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation
Release Date: August 5, 2022
For those who love the zany, mash-’em-up humor of the LEGO Star Wars series, this 48-minute special comes just at the right time. In it, Finn arranges a vacation on the Galactic Starcruiser called the Halcyon (IYKYK, theme park fans), but of course things don’t go as planned.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
Release Date: August 5, 2022
To long-time Turtles fans, the plot of this Netflix movie will sound familiar: A person from the future — named Casey Jones — returns to warn the TMNT that the Krang are coming. New fans will recognize the designs from the Nickelodeon series.
Release Date: August 12, 2022
Owen Wilson stars in this film, about a superhero who has a hidden lair beneath the house he lives in with his son. When it gets attacked, the kid and his friends must go on the defense themselves. It’s based on an original script by The Mandalorian‘s Christopher Yost — it’s not from a comic, or a YA novel or TV show, so the plot should be a surprise. It’ll come out directly on Paramount+.
Release Date: August 12, 2022
Based on the Broadway show by Jason Robert Brown, know for musicals like The Last Five Years, 13: The Musical follows young Evan as he moves from New York City to small-town Indiana. All he wants is for people to come to his bar mitzvah, but, as with all things middle school, there are lots of social complications. This is a good one to watch with tweens.
Release Date: September 8, 2022
This year brings us not one, but two new takes on the Pinocchio story. The first, coming to Disney+, features Tom Hanks as Geppetto, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy and Keegan-Michael Key as Honest John.
Release Date: September 16, 2022
This Netflix anime centers around an abandoned apartment complex. When two childhood friends, Kosuke and Natsume, set out to explore it (it was important to them when they were younger), something magical and mysterious happens the sets the building a drift in the middle of an ocean. Kosuke and Natsume have to work together to survive and make it back to their world.
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Wait, director Rob Zombie made a movie about monsters — and it’s only rated PG? Believe it! His Netflix movie delves into the origin of the family we know and love from 1313 Mockingbird Lane, and how a vampire came to marry a creature.
Release Date: September 30, 2022
Okay, fess up: Who lit the black flame candle? The Sanderson Sisters are returning — as are stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy — for a sequel to their 1993 classic heading to Disney+.
Release Date: October 7, 2022
Everyone remembers the charming kids’ book by Bernard Waber. Now, Lyle is on his way to theaters — and it’ll be a musical. Constance Wu, Javier Bardem and Winslow Fegley are set to star, and Shawn Mendes is the voice of Lyle.
Monster High fans new and old are thrilled at the return of the fashion dolls — but they can delve deeper into the world with this all-new movie. In it, Clawdeen Wolf, a new student at the school, has to team up with friends like Draculaura and Frankie Stein to keep the school from ruin.
The Curse of Bridge Hollow
Release Date: October 14, 2022
Around Halloweentime, it always seems like small towns are being menaced by one supernatural being or another. This time, an evil spirit makes all the Halloween decorations in one town come to life, and a father (Marlon Wayans) and daughter (Priah Ferguson) have to team up and stop them.
The School for Good and Evil
Release Date: October 19, 2022
Based on the acclaimed book series by Soman Chainani, the film is about a school where fairy tale characters learn about everything from princess etiquette to henchmen training. Two best friends, Agatha and Sophie, star together, only one is sent to the School for Good and the other is sent to the School for Evil. Can their friendship survive?
Release Date: October 28, 2022
This stop-motion movie is a collaboration between Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, and writer/producer Jordan Peele, the mastermind behind scary movies for adults like Nope and Get Out. It has horror chops! It follows a 13-year-old girl, Kat, who makes a bargain with demons who want to enter the land of the living.
Release Date: November 4, 2022
Based on the YA book series by Nancy Springer, the Enola Holmes franchises follows the younger sister of the famed Sherlock. In this one, Enola, now a detective-for-hire, is asked by a penniless match girl to find her sister. Once Enola starts investigating, though, she realizes the case isn’t as cut-and-dried as it seemed.
Release Date: November 11, 2022
Feeling some discord in your house? Your kids might relate to Elian, who is caught in the middle of her kingdom’s opposing powers of light and dark. In this animated musical, which is in talks to go straight to Apple TV+, Elian must use her magical powers to unite the kingdom again.
Release Date: November 18, 2022
Enter into the world of dreams! Nemo is a kid who, after the disappearance of her dad, is sent to live with her uncle. While she finds it hard to fit in at her new school by day, at night she enters the world of Slumberland and explores dreams and nightmares, and might hopefully be reunited with her father. Her Slumberland guide is Flip, an outlaw played by Jason Momoa.
Release Date: November 23, 2022
Disney’s newest animated offering promises to be full of adventure. “Strange World centers on the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threatened to topple their latest and most crucial mission,” Variety reports. In addition, the Disney Instagram says “the movie journeys deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await.”
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
Release Date: December 2, 2022
Just when you think you’ve seen every possible interpretation of A Christmas Carol, out comes another one. This one is a musical, with songs by Oscar- and Grammy-winner Leslie Bricusse, and features the voice of Luke Evans, Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Jonathan Pryce and others.
Release Date: December 9, 2022
And here’s our second Pinocchio: Guillermo del Toro, director of Nightmare Alley and the Best Picture Winning The Shape of Water, directs a stop-motion animated version of the classic tale of the puppet who wants to be a real boy. Ewan McGregor is the voice of the cricket.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Release Date: December 21, 2022
It’s been more than a decade since we checked in on Puss in Boots, but he’s still up for adventure. In this, the well-shod feline has torn through most of his nine lives, so he goes on a mission to find a wish that can replenish them.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: The Musical
Release Date: December 25, 2022
For families who didn’t get a chance to see Matilda when it was on Broadway, this Netflix movie brings the songs and staging to your home screen. The cast includes Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull, Stephen Graham as Mr. Wormwood and Andrea as Mrs. Wormwood.
Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother.
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