Movies like Paperman (2012)
The best movies like Paperman (2012) are Wish Dragon (2021), Day & Night (2010) and Party Central (2014). If Paperman hooked you with its animation and family, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWish Dragon (2021)7.8/10 from 1,584 votes
- NewestSketch (2025)Released 2025
Wish Dragon (2021)
Determined teen Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDay & Night (2010)
When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other's unique qualities--and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world-the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisParty Central (2014)
Mike and Sulley are back at Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come up with a plan to make sure “Party Central” is the most epic party the school has ever seen.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny" (2020)
When Maggie Simpson is rescued by a cute young baby from playground peril, it's girl meets boy, girl loses boy, guess what happens next?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLou (2017)
A lost-and-found box holds a mysterious and unseen monster within.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPuppy! (2017)
The residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside-down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Loud House Movie (2021)
The Loud family travel to Scotland and discover they are descendants of Scottish royalty as they move into their giant ancestral castle.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCarl's Date (2023)
Carl Fredricksen reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a lady friend—but admittedly has no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl's pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends—if you're a dog.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Matter of Loaf and Death (2008)
Wallace and Gromit open a bakery, accidentally getting tied up with a murder mystery in the process. But when Wallace falls in love, Gromit is left to solve the case by himself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRevolting Rhymes (2017)
Two half-hour animated films based on the much-loved rhymes written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSing: Thriller (2024)
Buster Moon dreams up a star-studded spectacle set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in this animated short featuring characters from the hit "Sing" films.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRugrats Go Wild (2003)
When the Rugrats find themselves stranded on a deserted island, they meet the Thornberrys, a family who agrees to help them escape.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDragons: Dawn of the Dragon Racers (2014)
A hunt for a lost sheep turns into a competition between Hiccup and friends as they compete to become the first Dragon Racing champion of Berk.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Willoughbys (2020)
When the four Willoughby children are abandoned by their selfish parents, they must learn how to adapt their Old-Fashioned values to the contemporary world in order to create something new: The Modern Family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCars Toon Mater's Tall Tales (2008)
Mater the tow truck travels from country to country as he retells his infamous but unbelievable stories.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPanic in the Mailroom (2013)
Two Minions are busy at work in the mailroom. One of them, bored, decides to throw a box of expired PX-41 samples into its designated chute.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMinions & More Volume 1 (2022)
This collection of 10 short films produced by Illumination includes: From the "Despicable Me" franchise: Puppy (2013); Minion Scouts (2019); Training Wheels (2013); The Secret Life of Kyle (2017); Santa's Little Helpers (2019). From the "Grinch" franchise: The Dog Days of Winter (2019). From the "Secret Life of Pets" franchise: Norman Television (2016); Weenie (2016). From the "Sing" franchise: Love at First Sight (2017). From the "Lorax" franchise: Forces of Nature (2012).
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSnoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin (2024)
Franklin is new to town and hoping to make friends, but his usual tactics don't work on the Peanuts gang. When the Soap Box Derby arrives, he's sure it's a chance to impress new pals and teams up with the only other unpartnered kid: Charlie Brown.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSketch (2025)
When a young girl’s sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life—chaotic, real, and on the loose. As the town descends into chaos, her family must reunite and stop the monsters they never meant to unleash.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisScrat's Continental Crack-Up: Part 2 (2011)
This short film continues the adventures of the title character as he tries to retrieve his elusive acorn.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSchool Safari (2005)
In this film, we meet Jack who is inspired by his Uncle Bob - who he believes to be an explorer in Africa. Jack starts to see the world around him and all those in it, just as if he were out on safari in the Serengeti!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
A Night On The Tiles (2005)
The film follows the shenanigans of the goings on in the male and female toilets of a local nightclub. We meet the two young toilet attendants who have more interest in each other than the events of the evening.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
The Wages of Tin (1925)
aka Billy, the Ford Buster
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
The House That Jack Built (1976)
Story about the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
STRIKE (An Epic Superhero Short Film) (2013)
John Eckert just broke up with his dream girl, and feels like his life isn't amounting to anything. But all of this is about to change when a freak lightning storm gives him the ability to control electricity. When the town becomes the target of a super villain, he must hone his abilities and save the day.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Child Support (2018)
Monica, a middle school student, is forced to play survival of the fittest with bullies at school and compete with her younger sister for emotional support at home.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Bearpuncher (2022)
Bearpuncher, a mountaineer with a monstrous curse, aims her ursine fist towards all that may threaten the safety of the Smoky Mountains. But when she discovers a destroyed lab while tracking a mysterious wildfire, she stumbles into a conflict she can’t punch her way out of.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Suppietij (1991)
The extremities of a middle-class being ramble on, reflecting poetically on the wretchedness of moderation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Paperman?
The closest matches to Paperman are Wish Dragon (2021), Day & Night (2010) and Party Central (2014). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Paperman?
Start with Wish Dragon (2021), the closest match to Paperman.
What is the highest-rated movie like Paperman?
Wish Dragon (2021), rated 7.8/10 by 1,584 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Paperman?
Sketch (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Paperman?
Yes: Wish Dragon (2021), Day & Night (2010) and Party Central (2014).
How are movies similar to Paperman chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Paperman, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.