Disney+ is known as the home of all things Marvel, Star Wars and (obviously) Disney — some of the best, and most entertaining movie titles around. Now that the streaming service has been around for a couple of years it’s chock full of new and exclusive content to entertain you for months of movie nights to come.
Here are some of the best movies you can find on Disney+ right now from all your favourite pop-culture universes.
The best movies on Disney+
The Menu
We’re living in a renaissance of content that pokes fun at the classes of society, particularly the rich. The Menu is another example of that as it follows a group of diners to a prestigious off-shore restaurant where the head chef has assembled a very unusual tasting menu.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther is possibly the most important movie Marvel Studios has ever released, leaving Wakanda Forever big shoes to fill. Somehow the film managed to live up to that high bar with an impactful sequel that thoughtfully explores grief, family and political tensions in the nation of Wakanda after their King, T’Challa, is lost.
Watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever here.
Prey
The Predator has seen a muddled reception over the years, but it remains one of the most iconic sci-fi creatures in pop culture. Prey is the latest instalment in the franchise that managed to win over both fans and critics. Set hundreds of years ago, a Comanche warrior fights to defend her tribe from an alien predator that is hunting them for sport.
West Side Story
Steven Spielberg’s take on the classic musical West Side Story saw plenty of awards attention this year, with Ariana DeBose even taking home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
If you’re wondering what the fuss is all about, the Oscar-winning movie has now made its way to Disney+. If you’re unfamiliar, West Side Story follows the romance between Tony and Maria who are on opposing sides of a street gang war in New York’s Upper West Side.
Turning Red
The latest movie from Pixar is another direct to Disney+ release, which is good news because after watching it you’ll instantly want to watch it again and again.
Turning Red is a massive step forward for diversity and representation in animation, particularly for teenage girls. The story follows Mei, a straight-A student who splits her time between fangirling over her favourite boy band with helping her parents run their family’s temple in Toronto.
But as Mei enters that tricky time called puberty she unlocks a family tradition that has her turning into a giant red panda every time her emotions get out of control.
Encanto
Encanto was another stunner at the Oscars in 2022, taking home Best Animated Picture. But even before all that, it was a must-watch.
The delightful animated musical takes place in Colombia where the magical Madrigal family reside. Each family member is blessed with a special gift, except Mirabel, who ends up becoming her family’s last hope.
Nomadland
Thanks to Star on Disney+ we Aussie have access to an epic catalogue of critically acclaimed and blockbuster movies. One of those is 2021’s Best Picture winner Nomadland.
Directed by Chloe Zhao, who is only the second woman to win Best Director at the Oscars, Nomadland stars Francis McDormand as a van-dwelling nomad who travels America doing interesting jobs and meeting even more interesting people.
Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV)
The entire Star Wars catalogue is available on Disney+, but if you want to go back to where it all began you can’t go past A New Hope.
The epic heroes tale introduces us to Luke Skywalker who teams up with Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi on a galaxy-hopping adventure to save Princess Leia and put a stop to Darth Vader and the Empire.
Watch Star Wars: A New Hope here.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi was delayed in cinemas far too many times but it was definitely worth the wait and now you can re-watch it as many times as you like on Disney+.
Marvel’s first Asian-led superhero movie certainly did not disappoint. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is full of epic fight sequences, awesome mythology and a bunch of new characters you’ll absolutely love. Shang-Chi has a big future ahead of him in the MCU so don’t miss his origin story.
Watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings here.
Luca
Want to take a summer European vacation even though you can’t travel? Look no further than Luca.
Pixar’s latest heartwarming tale takes place in the beautiful Italian Riviera where two young sea monsters dream of living life as humans. As Luca starts to get attached to his new human life his identity as a sea monster is put in jeopardy.
Cruella
Disney has a history of famous villains but we hardly ever get to hear their side of the story. Cruella gives us insight into how Estella went from a young aspiring fashion designer to the notorious Cruella de Vil of 101 Dalmations fame.
Emma Stone is unbeatable in the role and there’s a sequel coming down the pipe so make sure you catch up on Cruella first.
Jojo Rabbit
Another Oscar-winner on Disney+ you can’t miss is Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit.
A young German boy whose imaginary best friend is Hitler has to re-evaluate his thinking after he learns a Jewish girl is hiding in his house. Jojo Rabbit will have you crying both tears of sadness and of laughter.
Free Solo
Disney+ is also home to National Geographic and one of the best films from the brand is undoubtedly Free Solo.
The movie follows the incredible white-knuckle journey of professional rock climber Alex Honnold who attempts to be the first to climb El Capitan’s 900-metre rock face without a rope.
Hamilton
Hamilton is easily one of the biggest musicals to break through on Broadway in recent memory. The show launched itself into the cultural conversation, made stars out of its cast and remains almost impossible to get tickets to.
For years the only way to see Hamilton was to fork out hundreds of dollars on both tickets and airfares to catch the show live on Broadway or the West End but thanks to the official recording hitting Disney+, you no longer need to be in the room where it happens.
You’ll come away with new knowledge of America’s founding fathers plus a bunch of hit songs you’ll never get out of your head.
Free Guy
Another new movie you may have missed in cinemas is Free Guy. Ryan Reynolds stars in the film as Guy, a bank teller who learns he’s a background character in an open-world video game and decides to become the hero of his story.
Free Guy is full of video game easter eggs and plenty of comedy thanks to its stellar cast which also includes Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi and Joe Keery.
The Rescue
Adding to Disney+’s repertoire of excellent documentaries is The Rescue, which catalogues the unbelievable true story behind the rescue of 12 young Thai boys who are trapped inside a rapidly flooding cave system.
The documentary takes you deep into the cave with the divers who undertook a crazy yet effective plan to get the boys home safely. It’s an inspiring and nail-biting watch.
The French Dispatch
Wes Anderson’s newest film is a quirky ode to journalism, in particular The New Yorker.
Set out like a series of features or vignettes in a magazine, The French Dispatch tells a series of odd tales with an all-star cast including Timothee Chalamet, Francis McDormand, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Adrien Brody and more.
Watch The French Dispatch here.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
If you’re looking for a younger, bloodier and more insane take on the spy genre, look no further than Kingsman: The Secret Service.
The film stars Taron Edgerton as Eggsy, a street kid who is picked up by the mysterious Kingsman organisation, a group of secret gentleman spies, and helps to take down world-ending threats. Kingsman is known for its insane action, wild characters and dark jokes, which have attracted stars like Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Channing Tatum.
The third film The King’s Man, which is a prequel about the origins of the group, is also on Disney+.
Toy Story 3
You can’t go wrong with any of the Toy Story films, they are essential animated movies from many of our childhoods. But something about Toy Story 3 hits different.
The third movie sees Buzz, Woody and the rest of Andy’s toys reckon with their kid growing up, and they must learn to adapt to their new home, which also involves going to preschool, the land of the damned for toys. I’m convinced if you don’t cry in this movie you don’t have a heart.
The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada is a must-watch for anyone who thinks their boss is bad. Wait until you meet Miranda Priestley.
The movie stars Anne Hathaway as Andy, a young aspiring journalist who scores a job as an assistant to the editor of Runway, a fashion magazine run with an iron fist by Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).
Watch The Devil Wears Prada here.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the great titles you can watch on Disney+.
If you want to check it out for yourself you can sign up to Disney+ here and while you’re at it, check out our list of the best TV series on the service.
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