Dragons have been an important part of mythology spread across cultures in the east and the west for centuries, so it’s no wonder that they continue to fascinate movie audiences today. While the quality of what computers are able to do has helped to create winged creatures that feel like they could exist alongside us, CGI hasn’t necessarily created dragons more memorable than the ones that came before.
In honor of “Game of Thrones” christening its sixth season on April 24 on HBO, we scoured through both new and classic films to pick the 10 Best Movies About Dragons. Some of them are live action, some are animated. Some of these dragons are practical models while others are state-of-the-art CG, but they all create an indelible impression on all who behold them.
Check out all 10 movies about dragons in the gallery below, and be sure to let us know in the comments below which ones are your own personal favorites!
Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, the hit Emmy-winning fantasy series Game of Thrones chronicles an epic struggle for power in a vast and violent kingdom. The ensemble cast for the fifth season included Emmy and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Diana Rigg, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner. Former “Deadwood” star Ian McShane is also set to guest star in Game of Thrones season six.
10 Best Movies About Dragons
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How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Based on Cressida Cowell's book series, DreamWorks Animation made this fantastic ode to friendship and not-killing-cute-things. It tells the story of young Viking warrior Hiccup and the dragon Toothless as they both gain the respect of the tribe. It was followed by a successful sequel in 2014, with a third one on the way for 2018.
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Beowulf (2007)
Robert Zemeckis used motion capture to retell the epic poem that has been the bane of every English student's existence for centuries. Luckily he adapted it in the most energetic, exciting manner, breathing new life into Grendel, his mother and this badass golden dragon through motion capture technology.
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
In this fourth film in the Harry Potter saga, the Boy Who Lived almost becomes the Boy Who Died as he navigates the trecherous gauntlet of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, which includes going mano-a-mano with a particularly nasty dragon to capture a golden egg.
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Spirited Away (2001)
In a Hayao Miyazaki filmography overstuffed with masterpieces, this may be the master animator's finest work. A kind of Alice in Wonderland-style fable set in the spirit world, it concerns a young girl named Chihiro who crosses paths with many strange creatures in her journey there. The most prominent is a young boy named Haku, who is also a river spirit/dragon.
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Dragonheart (1996)
As originally conceived by screenwriters Charles Edward Pogue and Patrick Read Johnson, this rollicking adventure would have had less of a B-movie edge, but despite poor direction it still features a great double act in Dennis Quaid's Knight/dragonslayer Bowen and his con act partner Draco, as brilliantly voiced by Sean Connery.
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Q – The Winged Serpent (1982)
Larry Cohen's drive-in flick was never destined to win any awards, but it does feature the then-outrageous concept of a dragon loose in New York City, essentially picking folks off one by one, horror movie style. Also, if you ever wondered what it would be like if Caine from "Kung-Fu" and Shaft teamed up to kill a dinosaur, David Carradine and Richard Roundtree do play detectives in this...
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Dragonslayer (1981)
Many fans and filmmakers consider Vermithrax, the dragon from this film, to be the best one ever put on the screen. It was the result of a convincing 40-foot puppet and stop-motion animation courtesy of Star Wars legend Phil Tippet. It also features a top-notch Obi-Wan-like performance from Sir Ralph Richardson as a wizard.
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Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
This film not only marked the first of many appearances of King Ghidorah in Kaiju cinema, it also marked the first time Godzilla made the transition from general menace to Japanese national hero/defender. The design of the three-headed dragon is a wonder to behold, visible strings and all!
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Reptilicus (1961)
Make no mistake, this is a pretty terrible movie that acts as one part Godzilla rip-off and one part Copenhagen travelogue. So why is it on this list? There's something charming in the awfulness of the special effects, which look like something that might have been made for a middle school diorama. They're so primitive they take on a childlike whimsey, which makes them far more memorable than any of the boringly-arranged pixels in something like Reign of Fire or The Hobbit.
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Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Although the version presented in the recent live-action Maleficent was pretty standard, that character's dragon form in the original animated version taps into the psyche with much more effectiveness. Why? Perhaps its the minimalist linework of its design, the fact that so much of it is straight black with only a hint of outline to show detail, thus making your mind do more of the work.
