DreamWorks Movies Tier List: Every Film Ranked
DreamWorks Animation has been messing with Pixar's lunch money since 1998, mixing pop culture jokes, genuine heart, and the occasional fart gag into something that became its own whole lane of animation. We put all 35 feature films here, from the swamp-dwelling ogre that started it all to the latest dragon reboot.
This ranking leans on what fans and critics keep saying in reviews, forums, and best-of debates, with our own tiebreakers where the internet can't agree (looking at you, Shrek the Third defenders). Think we got one wrong? That's what the comments are for.
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SS Tier: The best DreamWorks has ever made
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The rare sequel that actually deepens the story instead of just repeating it. Valka's introduction and that gut-punch of a scene in the final act still get people in the comments years later.
About How to Train Your Dragon 2
The second installment in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, set five years after the first film, where Hiccup discovers his mother Valka and confronts the dragon-hunting warlord Drago Bludvist. Directed by Dean DeBlois, it expanded the franchise's world and deepened its emotional stakes.
- Released
- 2014
- Director
- Dean DeBlois
Shrek
The one that changed the whole formula. Pop songs, fairy tale parody, and a love story that didn't need a prince. Still funny, still weirdly sincere under the layers of irony.
About Shrek
A 2001 DreamWorks film about an ogre who reluctantly rescues a princess to get his swamp back. Based loosely on William Steig's picture book, it won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Released
- 2001
- Director
- Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
How to Train Your Dragon
Toothless is basically a cat crossed with a dragon and it works perfectly. The flying sequences set a bar DreamWorks rarely hits elsewhere, and John Powell's score carries half the emotion.
About How to Train Your Dragon
A 2010 film about a young Viking who befriends a dragon instead of killing it. Based on Cressida Cowell's book series, it launched one of DreamWorks' most critically acclaimed trilogies.
- Released
- 2010
- Director
- Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
The Prince of Egypt
DreamWorks' most ambitious swing and it landed. The Red Sea sequence remains one of the most stunning things the studio has ever put on screen, and the voice cast (Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes) never phones it in.
About The Prince of Egypt
A 1998 animated retelling of the Exodus story, following Moses and Ramses as brothers divided by faith and power. Notable for its traditional animation craftsmanship and an original song score.
- Released
- 1998
- Director
- Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells
AA Tier: Excellent, no asterisks needed
Shrek 2
Puss in Boots shows up and steals the entire franchise in one scene. Funnier and more quotable than the original for a lot of fans, even if it trades some of that film's sincerity for jokes.
About Shrek 2
The sequel to Shrek, in which Shrek and Fiona travel to the kingdom of Far Far Away to meet Fiona's parents, leading to encounters with the Fairy Godmother and the suave Puss in Boots, who joins the cast of recurring characters.
- Released
- 2004
- Introduced
- Puss in Boots
Kung Fu Panda
Jack Black as a kung fu obsessed panda sounds like a dumb pitch until you watch it. The animation during the fight scenes holds up against anything live action, and the 'there is no secret ingredient' bit still lands.
About Kung Fu Panda
The first film in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, following Po, an unlikely panda who is chosen as the prophesied Dragon Warrior and trained by Master Shifu to defeat the villainous snow leopard Tai Lung. It launched one of DreamWorks' most successful animated franchises.
- Released
- 2008
- Voice of Po
- Jack Black
The Wild Robot
A late addition that reminded everyone DreamWorks can still make something gorgeous and genuinely moving. The painterly visual style and Lupita Nyong'o's voice work got it talked about as the studio's best in years.
About The Wild Robot
A 2024 film about a shipwrecked robot who learns to survive and raise an orphaned gosling on a remote island. Based on Peter Brown's novel, praised for its painterly animation style.
- Released
- 2024
- Director
- Chris Sanders
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Nobody expected a Puss in Boots sequel to be this good. The Death subplot is darker than almost anything else on this list and the animation style borrows from Spider-Verse in a way that actually pays off.
About Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
A 2022 animated film and sequel to 'Puss in Boots,' in which the swashbuckling cat discovers he has lost eight of his nine lives and sets out to find a magical wish-granting star. It was widely praised for its animation style and story.
- Released
- 2022
- Voice cast
- Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh
- Recognition
- Academy Award nominee, Best Animated Feature
Megamind
Underrated by box office numbers, loved by everyone who actually watched it. Will Ferrell's supervillain with nothing left to fight for is a smarter twist on the superhero genre than most live action attempts.
About Megamind
A 2010 animated superhero comedy about a supervillain who finally defeats his nemesis, only to find himself without purpose and needing to create a new hero to fight. It stars Will Ferrell in the title role.
- Released
- 2010
- Voice cast
- Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill
Kung Fu Panda 2
Darker and more emotionally loaded than the first, with Po's origin story hitting harder than expected. Critics generally rank this as the series peak.
About Kung Fu Panda 2
The sequel to Kung Fu Panda, in which Po the panda learns about his mysterious origins while battling Lord Shen, a peacock warlord seeking to conquer China with a powerful weapon. It continued the story of Po and the Furious Five.
- Released
- 2011
- Voice of Po
- Jack Black
BB Tier: Solid, dependable, worth your time
The Croods
A prehistoric family road trip movie that's sweeter than it had any right to be. Nicolas Cage as an overprotective caveman dad is weirdly perfect casting.
About The Croods
A 2013 animated adventure comedy about a prehistoric family who must navigate a dangerous new world after their cave is destroyed, encountering a more evolved boy named Guy along the way. It was followed by a 2020 sequel.
- Released
- 2013
- Voice cast
- Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds
- Sequel
- The Croods: A New Age (2020)
Madagascar
Four zoo animals wash up on an island and chaos follows. 'I like to move it move it' became inescapable for a reason, and the penguins quietly became the franchise's real stars.
About Madagascar
The original film in the Madagascar franchise, about four pampered Central Park Zoo animals, Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo, who end up stranded on the island of Madagascar after escaping New York.
- Released
- 2005
The Bad Guys
A heist movie with a slick, comic-book visual style that feels different from anything else DreamWorks was making at the time. Sam Rockwell's Mr. Wolf carries the charm offensive single-handedly.
About The Bad Guys
A 2022 animated heist comedy following a crew of reformed animal criminals, led by Mr. Wolf, trying to go straight. It is based on the illustrated book series by Aaron Blabey.
- Released
- 2022
- Based on
- Book series by Aaron Blabey
- Voice cast
- Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina
Trolls
Loud, candy-colored, and packed with needle-drop pop songs. Critics shrugged but it found a real audience with kids, and 'Can't Stop the Feeling' was genuinely everywhere for a year.
About Trolls
A 2016 animated musical comedy inspired by the Troll dolls, following the relentlessly optimistic Princess Poppy and the grumpy Branch as they go on a mission to save their friends. It spawned a franchise known for its pop soundtrack.
- Released
- 2016
- Voice cast
- Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
- Notable for
- Soundtrack featuring the hit song "Can't Stop the Feeling!"
Antz
DreamWorks' very first animated feature, and it's a weirder, more existential movie than most people remember. Woody Allen voicing an anxious ant in a totalitarian colony is a strange swing that mostly works.
About Antz
A 1998 computer-animated film, DreamWorks' first fully CGI feature, about a neurotic worker ant named Z who struggles against the colony's rigid order. It was released the same year as Pixar's similarly themed 'A Bug's Life.'
- Released
- 1998
- Voice cast
- Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman
- Notable for
- DreamWorks Animation's first feature film
Over the Hedge
A animal heist comedy that's funnier than its premise suggests, mostly thanks to Bruce Willis's raccoon and a genuinely good running gag about suburban excess.
About Over the Hedge
A 2006 animated comedy based on the comic strip of the same name, about a group of forest animals who wake from hibernation to find a suburban neighborhood built over their habitat. The animals, led by a raccoon named RJ, learn to navigate human civilization.
- Released
- 2006
- Based on
- Comic strip by Michael Fry and T. Lewis
- Voice cast
- Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell
Kung Fu Panda 4
Fun enough but noticeably coasts compared to the first two, swapping out most of the original cast's supporting characters. Fans online were split, some enjoyed the lighter tone, others missed the Furious Five.
About Kung Fu Panda 4
The fourth entry in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, following Po as he trains a successor to become the new Dragon Warrior while facing a shapeshifting sorceress called the Chameleon. It continues the series' blend of martial arts action and comedy centered on the panda warrior voiced by Jack Black.
- Released
- 2024
- Voice of Po
- Jack Black
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Takes the gang to the actual African savanna and gives Alex some real emotional stakes with his parents. Generally considered a step up from the first by people who grew up on these.
About Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
The sequel to Madagascar, in which the animal friends crash land in Africa and reconnect with their origins, with Alex meeting his long lost parents and the pride of lions he was separated from as a cub.
- Released
- 2008
CC Tier: Fine, but forgettable
How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
A live-action remake of a movie that was already visually stunning animated, which raises the obvious question of why.
About How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
A live-action remake of DreamWorks' 2010 animated film, following the young Viking Hiccup as he befriends a dragon named Toothless, challenging his tribe's traditions of dragon slaying.
- Release
- 2025
- Based on
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010 animated film)
The Road to El Dorado
Didn't do great in theaters but picked up a cult following on home video, largely for the chemistry between Kevin Kline and Kenneth Branagh's conman duo. The music by Elton John is more memorable than the plot.
About The Road to El Dorado
A 2000 animated musical comedy about two con men, Tulio and Miguel, who travel to the Americas and are mistaken for gods by the inhabitants of the legendary city of El Dorado. It features songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
- Released
- 2000
- Voice cast
- Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh
- Music
- Songs by Elton John and Tim Rice
Flushed Away
A CG-animated oddity made to look like claymation, with a cast of sewer rats voiced by a very British lineup including Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet. Charming in a scrappy way but largely forgotten next to the studio's bigger hits.
About Flushed Away
A 2006 animated comedy, made using CGI to mimic stop-motion claymation, about a pampered pet rat named Roddy who is flushed down the toilet into London's sewer city. It was produced by DreamWorks in collaboration with Aardman Animations.
- Released
- 2006
- Studio
- DreamWorks and Aardman Animations
- Voice cast
- Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen
Rise of the Guardians
Visually inventive, turning Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and Jack Frost into an action team, but it never found its audience and underperformed badly at the box office. Deserves more love than it got.
About Rise of the Guardians
A 2012 animated fantasy film in which Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman and Jack Frost team up as the Guardians to protect children's belief and innocence from the evil spirit Pitch Black. It is based on William Joyce's book series.
- Released
- 2012
- Based on
- "The Guardians of Childhood" by William Joyce
- Voice cast
- Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
The circus train heist sequence is a genuine highlight, but by the third go-round the jokes about Alex missing New York feel like they're running on fumes.
About Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
The third film in the Madagascar franchise, following Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo as they try to make their way back to New York by joining a traveling circus across Europe.
- Released
- 2012
Shrek Forever After
An alternate-universe twist that feels more like a contractual obligation than a story anyone was asking for. Has its moments but mostly exists to close out the franchise, not elevate it.
About Shrek Forever After
The fourth and final film in the original Shrek franchise, in which Shrek, tricked by Rumpelstiltskin into signing a deal, finds himself in an alternate version of Far Far Away where he was never born, and must set things right.
- Released
- 2010
- Billed as
- The Final Chapter
Puss in Boots
A spinoff that leans hard on Antonio Banderas's charm to carry a fairly thin plot about magic beans and a giant. Fine as a one-off, mostly forgotten until The Last Wish reminded everyone the character could do more.
About Puss in Boots
A 2011 animated film spin-off from the Shrek franchise, serving as an origin story for the charming feline outlaw Puss in Boots. It features the character's adventures prior to meeting Shrek.
- Released
- 2011
- Voice cast
- Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis
- Franchise
- Shrek spin-off
Home
Jim Parsons voicing an alien hiding out with Rihanna's character has a few genuinely sweet moments, but it's one of the more formulaic entries in the DreamWorks catalog.
About Home
A 2015 animated science fiction comedy based on the book 'The True Meaning of Smekday,' about an alien named Oh who befriends a human girl named Tip after his species, the Boov, invade Earth. It stars the voices of Jim Parsons and Rihanna.
- Released
- 2015
- Voice cast
- Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin
- Based on
- "The True Meaning of Smekday" by Adam Rex
Monsters vs. Aliens
A solid cast (Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen) and a fun B-movie homage concept, but it never quite breaks out of being pleasant background viewing.
About Monsters vs. Aliens
A 2009 animated science fiction comedy about a woman named Susan who turns into a giant after being struck by a meteorite and is recruited into a government monster task force to battle an alien invasion. It was one of the first DreamWorks films released in 3D.
- Released
- 2009
- Voice cast
- Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie
- Notable for
- Released in 3D
DD Tier: Didn't age well or never worked
The Boss Baby
Alec Baldwin as a suit-wearing infant businessman is a joke that works for about ten minutes before the plot has to actually happen. Became a surprising franchise anyway, which says more about marketing than quality.
About The Boss Baby
A 2017 animated comedy about a baby who acts like a corporate executive, upending the life of his seven-year-old brother. It is loosely based on the picture book by Marla Frazee and spawned a franchise including a sequel and TV series.
- Released
- 2017
- Based on
- Picture book by Marla Frazee
- Voice cast
- Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Lisa Kudrow
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
About Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
A 2003 animated adventure film from DreamWorks following the sailor Sinbad as he journeys to recover the stolen Book of Peace and clear his name. It features the voices of Brad Pitt and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and blends traditional and computer animation.
- Released
- 2003
- Voice cast
- Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michelle Pfeiffer
- Notable for
- One of DreamWorks' last traditionally animated films
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Gorgeous traditional animation and a genuinely good Bryan Adams soundtrack can't fully make up for a wordless lead horse and a pretty thin plot. Beautiful to look at, hard to really connect with.
About Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
A 2002 animated film telling the story of a wild mustang in the American West during the late 1800s, narrated largely through the horse's perspective without traditional dialogue. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Released
- 2002
- Narrator
- Matt Damon
- Recognition
- Academy Award nominee, Best Animated Feature
Shark Tale
A Will Smith vehicle that tries to do for ocean life what Shrek did for fairy tales and mostly just feels like a cash-in on celebrity voice casting. The hip-hop soundtrack dates it hard.
About Shark Tale
A 2004 animated comedy set in an underwater world, following a small fish named Oscar who pretends to be a 'shark slayer' after a shark is accidentally killed. The film parodies mob movies and features an ensemble voice cast.
- Released
- 2004
- Voice cast
- Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black
Shrek the Third
The point where the franchise's jokes started feeling tired and the plot started feeling like filler. Even fans who love the first two tend to agree this one's a drop-off.
About Shrek the Third
The third film in the Shrek franchise, following Shrek as he becomes reluctant heir to the throne of Far Far Away and sets out to find an alternative successor, Arthur, while Fiona and friends defend the kingdom from Prince Charming.
- Released
- 2007
FF Tier: Skip it
Bee Movie
Famous now mostly as an internet meme rather than an actual movie people watch and enjoy. Jerry Seinfeld voicing a bee who sues the human race for stealing honey is exactly as strange as it sounds, and not in a good way.
About Bee Movie
A 2007 animated comedy co-written by and starring Jerry Seinfeld as a bee named Barry B. Benson who sues the human race for stealing honey. It marked Seinfeld's first major film project after his sitcom ended.
- Released
- 2007
- Voice cast
- Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger
The Bad Guys 2
We'll revisit this placement as more reviews come in.
About The Bad Guys 2
An animated sequel to 'The Bad Guys,' continuing the story of the reformed criminal animal gang as they face new challenges while trying to stay on the right side of the law.
- Studio
- DreamWorks Animation
- Based on
- The book series by Aaron Blabey
How we ranked them
We weighed critical reception, how well each film has aged, box office and cultural footprint, and what fans actually say when these movies come up in conversation. Sequels were judged on their own merits, not just riding the original's coattails. Where critics and fans split hard, we called it ourselves and said so.
Think we got it wrong?
Drag all 35 dreamworks animation movies into your own tier list, then download the image or share a link.
Rank these yourselfFAQ
What is the best DreamWorks movie of all time?
By critical and fan consensus, it's a toss-up between How to Train Your Dragon 2, the original Shrek, and The Prince of Egypt. All three land in our S tier.
What is considered the worst DreamWorks movie?
Bee Movie gets the most mockery online, though it's more remembered as a meme than genuinely hated. Shrek the Third is the most commonly cited disappointment within a beloved franchise.
Is How to Train Your Dragon the best DreamWorks franchise?
A lot of fans and critics think so. All three original trilogy entries land in our S or B tier, with How to Train Your Dragon 2 widely seen as the series and studio peak.
Why isn't the How to Train Your Dragon 2025 remake ranked higher?
It's a competent live-action retelling, but most reviews and fan reactions point out it rarely does anything the 2010 animated original didn't already do better.
How many Shrek movies are there?
Four mainline films: Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After, plus the Puss in Boots spinoffs which we ranked separately.
More rankings
Image credits
- How to Train Your Dragon 2Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- ShrekCover: Wikipedia · Source
- How to Train Your DragonCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Prince of EgyptCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Shrek 2Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kung Fu PandaCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Wild RobotCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Puss in Boots: The Last WishCover: Wikipedia · Source
- MegamindCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kung Fu Panda 2Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden WorldCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The CroodsCover: Wikipedia · Source
- MadagascarCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Bad GuysCover: Wikipedia · Source
- TrollsCover: Wikipedia · Source
- AntzCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Over the HedgeCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kung Fu Panda 4Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaCover: Wikipedia · Source
- How to Train Your Dragon (2025)Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Road to El DoradoCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Flushed AwayCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Rise of the GuardiansCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Madagascar 3: Europe's Most WantedCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Shrek Forever AfterCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Puss in BootsCover: Wikipedia · Source
- HomeCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Monsters vs. AliensCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Boss BabyCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Sinbad: Legend of the Seven SeasCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Spirit: Stallion of the CimarronCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Shark TaleCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Shrek the ThirdCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Bee MovieCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Bad Guys 2Cover: Wikipedia · Source