Movies like Derby Dogs (2012)
The best movies like Derby Dogs (2012) are Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018), Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980) and Where the Red Fern Grows (1974). If Derby Dogs hooked you with its family, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedLittle Lord Fauntleroy (1980)7.3/10 from 326 votes
- NewestThe Signs of Nature (2026)Released 2026
Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018)
A plover chick has not learned to fly when his family migrates in the fall. He must survive the arctic winter, vicious enemies and himself in order to be reunited with his beloved one next spring.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLittle Lord Fauntleroy (1980)
Young Cedric Errol and his widowed mother live in genteel poverty in 1880s Brooklyn after the death of his father. Cedric's grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, has long ago disowned his son for marrying an American. But after the death of the Earl's remaining son, he decides to accept Cedric as his heir.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWhere the Red Fern Grows (1974)
Billy Coleman works hard and saves his earnings for two years to achieve his dream of buying two red-bone coonhound pups. He develops a new trust in life as he faces overwhelming challenges in adventure and tragedy roaming the river bottoms of Cherokee country with his dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDennis the Menace (1993)
Mr. Wilson's ever-present annoyance comes in the form of one mischievous kid named Dennis. But he'll need Dennis's tricks to uncover a collection of gold coins that go missing when a shady drifter named Switchblade Sam comes to town.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Great Gilly Hopkins (2015)
Young and feisty Gilly Hopkins devises a scheme to escape from her new foster home and reunite with her birth mother.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Boy in the Dress (2014)
Dennis feels different - an ordinary boy in an ordinary house in an ordinary street, playing football with his mates and living with his dad and brother, but frustrated by the boring grey world he inhabits. Life has never really been the same since his mum left. However, transformation can happen in the most unexpected places. Aided by Lisa, the coolest girl in school, Dennis creates a whole new persona and puts it to the ultimate test - but can a boy wear a dress, and what will the headmaster, his dad and his friends on the football team think if they find out?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue (2020)
A royal relative steals a gem with the power to make things fly, the Paw Patrol takes to the skies to stop him and save Barkingburg.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters (2020)
It’s high time the Justice League took notice of Shazam, but joining the world’s greatest team of superheroes is a lot harder when they’ve all been turned into kids.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (2011)
Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents Papi and Chloe upside down when their rambunctious, mischievous puppies present one challenge after another. But when their human owners end up in trouble, the tiny pups will stop at nothing to save them - because in good times and hard times, the family always sticks together. So Papi, Chloe and the puppies embark on a heroic adventure, proving once again that big heroes come in small packages.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisChang Can Dunk (2023)
Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American, bets the high school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads 5' 8" Chang on a quest to learn to dunk—not only to impress his crush, Kristy, but to gain the respect of his high school peers too. But before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he'll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships and his family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSneakerella (2022)
When El, an aspiring sneaker designer from Queens, meets Kira King, the fiercely independent daughter of legendary basketball star and sneaker tycoon Darius King, sparks fly as the two bond over their mutual affinity for sneakers. With a little nudge from his best friend and a sprinkle of Fairy Godfather magic, El finds the courage to use his talent to pursue his dream of becoming a ‘legit’ sneaker designer in the industry.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisHow to Eat Fried Worms (2006)
During the first day of his new school year, a fifth grade boy squares off against a bully and winds up accepting a dare that could change the balance of power within the class.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisClifford's Really Big Movie (2004)
Fearing that he costs too much to feed, Clifford decides to join a traveling carnival so he can enter a talent contest in hopes of winning a lifetime supply of Tummy Yummies treats. Joined by his friends Cleo and T-Bone, Clifford meets up with Shackleford the High-Flying Ferret and Rodrigo Chihuahua of Steel, as they work together to turn a broken-down act into a record-breaking show.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBenji (2018)
Two school kids strike up a friendship with an orphaned puppy named Benji. When danger befalls them and they end up kidnapped by robbers who are in over their heads, Benji and his scruffy sidekick come to the rescue.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
Lizzie McGuire has graduated from middle school and takes a trip to Rome, Italy with her class. And what was supposed to be only a normal trip, becomes a teenager's dream come true.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDeparture (2016)
An English mother and her teenage son spend a week preparing the sale of their remote holiday house in the South of France. Fifteen-year-old Elliot struggles with his dawning sexuality and an increasing alienation from his mother, Beatrice. She in turn is confronted by the realisation that her marriage to his father, Philip, has grown loveless and the life she knows is coming to an end. When an enigmatic local teenager, Clément, quietly enters their lives, both mother and son are compelled to confront their desires and, finally, each other.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like this3 Men and a Little Lady (1990)
Sylvia's work increasingly takes her away from the three men who help bring up Mary, her daughter. When she decides to move to England and take Mary with her, the three men are heartbroken at losing the two most important women in their lives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisPlaying with Fire (2019)
A crew of rugged firefighters meet their match when attempting to rescue three rambunctious kids.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Happiest Millionaire (1967)
A happy and unbelievably lucky young Irish immigrant, John Lawless, lands a job as the butler of an unconventional millionaire, Biddle. His daughter, Cordelia Drexel Biddle, tires of the unusual antics of her father--especially since the nice young men around town all fear him. Wouldn't you fear a father-in-law that keeps alligators for pets and teaches boxing at his daily Bible classes?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFlicka: Country Pride (2012)
Flicka and Toby help out a struggling stable owner and her teenage daughter.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWhale Rider (2003)
A contemporary story of love, rejection, and triumph as a young Māori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe End of the Golden Weather (1991)
Family drama set in New Zealand about Geoff Crome, a young boy (Fulford) who immerses himself in his own private fantasy world where he meets Firpo (Papps), a strange being who dreams of being an Olympic athlete. Together, the two begin a close friendship as Geoff attempts to help Firpo realise his dream. However, it is not long until the adult world begins to impinge on his fantasy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
The Monster's Christmas (1981)
On Christmas Eve, a nameless little girl reads 'The Monster's Christmas' storybook to her teddy bear, as something sneaks around in the trees outside her window. She hears a noise in the other room, and thinking that it's Father Christmas, she goes to investigate. She finds one of the monsters, who has come seeking help to defeat an evil witch that has stolen all the monsters' voices.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
A Morning with Aroha (2022)
Aroha wants to share her creativity with her neighbours. Her imaginations come to life for everyone to enjoy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
The Haunting of Barney Palmer (1987)
The Haunting of Barney Palmer is a fantasy film for children about a young boy who is haunted by his great uncle. Young Barney fears that he has inherited the Scholar family curse; a suite of 80s-era effects ramp up the supernatural suspense. The film was a co-production between PBS (United States) and Wellington's Gibson Group, which resulted in Ned Beatty (Deliverance, Network) being cast. It was written by Margaret Mahy, based on her Carnegie Award-winning novel The Haunting, and an early fruitful collaboration between her and director Yvonne Mackay.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
The Topp Twins TV Special (1986)
The Topp Twins TV Special is a critically acclaimed 1986 television broadcast featuring New Zealand comedic and musical duo Jools and Lynda Topp. The special showcases their signature blend of country music, yodeling, and satirical character comedy, ultimately helping them win Best Entertainment Programme at the 1986 New Zealand Listener Television Awards.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
The Signs of Nature (2026)
Composer Jeremy Mayall's Ngā Tohu o te Taiao is a journey into the wonders of the natural world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Wild Blue (2000)
A touching story about the relationship of an American pilot named Ray Walker with a boy and his family on a ranch in New Zealand. Bill, the grandfather of the family, knows that only Ray can teach flying to his grandson.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Teddy Show: A Lockdown Story (2025)
After New Zealand goes into lockdown, eight-year-old Meiling stays with her grandfather Richard, and together they turn a simple bear hunt game into heartwarming Teddy Shows that rekindle joy and connection within their isolated community.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Chasing Redemption (2025)
A man's son becomes involved in drug use and criminal activity in rural New Zealand. The man embarks on a journey to seek assistance from others in an effort to get his son back before it's too late.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Like Derby Dogs and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Derby Dogs?
The closest matches to Derby Dogs are Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018), Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980) and Where the Red Fern Grows (1974). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Derby Dogs?
Start with Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018), the closest match to Derby Dogs.
What is the highest-rated movie like Derby Dogs?
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980), rated 7.3/10 by 326 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Derby Dogs?
The Signs of Nature (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Derby Dogs?
Yes: Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018), Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980) and Where the Red Fern Grows (1974).
How are movies similar to Derby Dogs chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Derby Dogs, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.