Disney Movies 2023 Top «Top 10 RECOMMENDED»
Unlike the CGI-heavy spectacles that dominated the year, this film had a heart made of starlight. The story focuses on Rocket Raccoon’s tortured origin. It features the best villain of the year in the High Evolutionary (a terrifying Chukwudi Iwuji) and concludes the arcs of Star-Lord, Drax, and Nebula with perfect grace.
It went directly to Disney+ without a theatrical release, limiting its cultural impact. While critically praised, it lacks the "rewatchability" of other titles. The loss of the "Indian" stereotypes is a welcome update, but the film feels small.
It is the sleeper hit of the year on streaming. For fans of the ride, the Easter eggs (the Hatbox Ghost, the busts in the graveyard) are perfection. 7. Wish The 100th Anniversary Misfire How do you rank the movie meant to be the top Disney movie of 2023 —the one celebrating 100 years of Disney—when it lands at #7? Wish tried to blend classic 2D watercolor backgrounds with 3D characters. The result was gorgeous, but the story was paper-thin. disney movies 2023 top
The villain, Magnifico (Chris Pine), is the best part. His villain song, "This Is the Thanks I Get?!" is a banger. The callbacks to Snow White , Cinderella , and Pinocchio are charming.
It crossed $569 million globally and proved that diverse casting is not a "liability" but a strength when the talent is undeniable. 4. Elemental (Pixar) The Comeback Kid When Elemental opened in June with a paltry $29 million, critics declared it Pixar’s first bomb. Then something magical happened: word of mouth. The film stayed in theaters for four months, slowly crawling to nearly $500 million worldwide. Unlike the CGI-heavy spectacles that dominated the year,
Kids will like the cute goat (Valentino), but adults hoping for a Frozen or Encanto will walk away shrugging. 8. Peter Pan & Wendy The Straight-to-Streaming Charm Directed by David Lowery ( The Green Knight ), this live-action remake eschewed the Broadway glitz of the animated version for a grounded, gritty look at Neverland. It stars Jude Law as a fascinatingly traumatized Captain Hook.
Set in a city where Fire, Water, Land, and Air live (segregated) together, the film is a metaphor for the immigrant experience. It focuses on Ember (Fire) and Wade (Water)—a romance that, on paper, seems destructive but on screen is tender. The third act is a tear-jerker about a father’s sacrifice for his child. It went directly to Disney+ without a theatrical
Yet, amidst the turbulence, 2023 delivered some of the most ambitious, emotional, and visually stunning films in Disney’s recent history. From the gritty streets of mid-90s New York to the highest floors of a haunted hotel, here is the definitive ranking of the . 1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Marvel Studios) The Emotional Gut Punch If there was one film in 2023 that reminded audiences why we go to the movies, it was James Gunn’s swan song for Marvel. While technically a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is pure Disney magic—dark, hilarious, and profoundly sad.