Movies like Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)
The best movies like Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) are The Thief and the Cobbler (1993), The Little Mermaid (2023) and Finian's Rainbow (1968). If Darby O'Gill and the Little People hooked you with its adventure and family, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWolfwalkers (2020)8.2/10 from 1,490 votes
- NewestThe Magic Faraway Tree (2026)Released 2026
The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)
Princess Yum Yum falls in love with Tack and saves him from being executed. Later, when the protective orbs of the palace get stolen, Tack and Yum Yum set out to find them and save the kingdom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Little Mermaid (2023)
The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. With mermaids forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFinian's Rainbow (1968)
An Irishman and his daughter arrive in the American South with a stolen pot of gold, hoping to make their fortune. Pursued by a leprechaun desperate to recover his treasure, they become entangled in a battle over land, love, and prejudice in Rainbow Valley—where the gold’s magic turns wishes, and lives, upside down.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & romance
SnoozefestMovies like thisInkheart (2008)
The adventures of a father and his young daughter, in their search for a long lost book that will help reunite a missing, close relative.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWish Upon a Unicorn (2020)
Two children discover that their mother is gone. The youngest of the pair, adventurer and upcomming singer, Long Johnson forces his older sister, Lily Johnson, to hunt down a unicorn with magical blood.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWolfwalkers (2020)
In a time of superstition and magic, when wolves are seen as demonic and nature an evil to be tamed, a young apprentice hunter comes to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last pack. But when she saves a wild native girl, their friendship leads her to discover the world of the Wolfwalkers and transform her into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & adventure
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Princess and the Goblin (1991)
The story is about the Princess Irene and a young warrior boy named Curty. Irene must use her magic power to fight off goblins and save the kingdom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
SnoozefestMovies like thisPrince Charming (2001)
After an extramarital indiscretion, a fairy-tale prince and his sidekick are turned into frogs for all eternity or until the prince can convince a maiden to kiss and then marry him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPan (2015)
Living a bleak existence at a London orphanage, 12-year-old Peter finds himself whisked away to the fantastical world of Neverland. Adventure awaits as he meets new friend James Hook and the warrior Tiger Lily. They must band together to save Neverland from the ruthless pirate Blackbeard. Along the way, the rebellious and mischievous boy discovers his true destiny, becoming the hero forever known as Peter Pan.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Last Unicorn (1982)
A unicorn learns from a riddle-speaking butterfly that she is supposedly the last of her kind, all the others having been herded away by the monstrous Red Bull. The unicorn sets out to discover the truth behind the butterfly's words. She is eventually joined on her quest by Schmendrick, a second-rate magician, and Molly Grue, a middle-aged woman who dreamed all her life of seeing a unicorn. Their journey leads them far from home, all the way to the castle of King Haggard.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPeter Pan (2003)
In stifling Edwardian London, Wendy Darling mesmerizes her brothers every night with bedtime tales of swordplay, swashbuckling and the fearsome Captain Hook. But the children become the heroes of an even greater story, when Peter Pan flies into their nursery one night and leads them over moonlit rooftops through a galaxy of stars and to the lush jungles of Neverland.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Magic Faraway Tree (2026)
A modern family relocates to the countryside where the children discover a magical tree with eccentric residents. They're transported to fantastical lands, rekindling their family bond through adventures.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
The sailor of legend is framed by the goddess Eris for the theft of the Book of Peace, and must travel to her realm at the end of the world to retrieve it and save the life of his childhood friend Prince Proteus.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSnow Queen (2002)
Since a bitter winter storm stole the life of Gerda's mother, she and her father have sadly continued to run the remote hotel they call home. Lonely and isolated, Gerda's only joy is Kai, the handsome bellboy. A mysterious guest with an icy stare arrives at the hotel one night, wrapped in fur and diamonds. By daybreak, the "Snow Queen" has vanished with Kai! Gerda embarks on a journey of morphing seasons, fantastical creatures, and long-frozen mysteries in a desperate quest to find her stolen love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Legend of Ochi (2025)
In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Blue Bird (1940)
Peasant children Mytyl and Tyltyl are led on a magical quest for the fabulous Blue Bird of Happiness by the fairy Berylune. On their journey, they're accompanied by the anthropomorphized presences of a Dog, a Cat, Light, Fire, and Bread, among other entities.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
SnoozefestMovies like thisSong of the Sea (2014)
The story of the last Seal Child’s journey home. After their mother’s disappearance, Ben and Saoirse are sent to live with Granny in the city. When they resolve to return to their home by the sea, their journey becomes a race against time as they are drawn into a world Ben knows only from his mother’s folktales. But this is no bedtime story; these fairy folk have been in our world far too long. It soon becomes clear to Ben that Saoirse is the key to their survival.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisA Tooth Fairy Tale (2025)
Van, the brave son of a tooth fairy leader, meets the goblins girl Gemma on his first mission. Despite the myths about ancient disputes between fairies and goblins, they share common values. When the greedy Spider Queen threatens both tribes, they must work together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & family
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Big Sky (1952)
Two tough Kentucky mountaineers join a trading expedition from St. Louis up the Missouri River to trade whisky for furs with the Blackfoot Indians. They soon discover that there is much more than the elements to contend with.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Secret of Kells (2009)
Adventure awaits 12 year old Brendan who must fight Vikings and a serpent god to find a crystal and complete the legendary Book of Kells. In order to finish Brother Aiden's book, Brendan must overcome his deepest fears on a secret quest that will take him beyond the abbey walls and into the enchanted forest where dangerous mythical creatures hide. Will Brendan succeed in his quest?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
After losing Captain Jack Sparrow to the locker of Davy Jones, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Captain Barbossa journey to the ends of the earth to rescue him. And as the East India Trading Company tightens its grip on the seas under Lord Cutler Beckett—now in control of Davy Jones—the fate of piracy hangs by a thread. Now, they must unite the pirate lords for one final stand. But as loyalties are tested and alliances shift, each must ultimately choose where they stand in the battle for freedom on the high seas.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPuffer Rhapsody (2022)
By fabricating her biography, Luo Su, a young Chinese white-collar worker from a low-income family, hopes to wed Mr. Win, an alluring bachelor. But when her mother's shocking TV interview exposes her deceit, she loses everything and ends her own life. Left in limbo, she is mystically given one last opportunity to alter her fate within 72 hours - albeit within the body of a man.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance & fantasy
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Cheese-loving eccentric Wallace and his cunning canine pal Gromit run a business ridding the town of garden pests. Using only humane methods, which turns their home into a halfway house for evicted vermin, the pair stumble upon a mystery involving a voracious vegetarian monster that threatens to ruin the annual veggie-growing contest.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
When wily pirate Captain Barbossa seizes Jack Sparrow’s beloved ship, the Black Pearl, and kidnaps the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth Swann, blacksmith Will Turner reluctantly teams up with the unpredictable pirate Jack to rescue her—only to uncover a terrifying curse that turns Barbossa’s crew into the undead.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
A beautiful girl, Snow White, takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen. The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as "the fairest in the land," and Snow White's beauty surpasses her own.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDrop Dead Fred (1991)
An unhappy housewife gets a lift from the return of her imaginary childhood friend, Drop Dead Fred.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy & family
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Iron Giant (1999)
In the small town of Rockwell, Maine in October 1957, a giant metal machine befriends a nine-year-old boy and ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving people from their own fears and prejudices.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & adventure
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisEagle vs Shark (2007)
Love blossoms for Lily over double Meaty Boy burgers at mid-day when uber-computer nerd Jarrod comes in and leaves with free extra large fries. After gatecrashing Jarrod's party and proving her skills on the game console, Lily goes down to Jarrod's home town with him so he can settle an old score with a past school bully.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEverything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois (2025)
After three decades apart, two childhood friends from Aledo, Illinois, reunite for their high school reunion. Rediscovering their forgotten bucket list from senior year, they embark on a riotous adventure to fulfill the wild dreams of their youth – skinny dipping in the community pool, making out with boys, and even a daring shoplifting spree. But there's one small problem: the lubberly sheriff is hot on their trail, determined to catch them in the act. As they hilariously elude his every move or underestimate his tenacity, their friendship is tested by their mischievous escapades and the looming threat of getting caught. A heartfelt comedy where two lifelong friends face off against the hapless sheriff, creating mischief, mayhem and memories that will last a lifetime.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure
The Family Stone (2005)
An uptight, conservative businesswoman accompanies her boyfriend to his eccentric and outgoing family's annual Christmas celebration and finds that she's a fish out of water in their free-spirited way of life.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Darby O'Gill and the Little People?
The closest matches to Darby O'Gill and the Little People are The Thief and the Cobbler (1993), The Little Mermaid (2023) and Finian's Rainbow (1968). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Darby O'Gill and the Little People?
Start with The Thief and the Cobbler (1993), the closest match to Darby O'Gill and the Little People.
What is the highest-rated movie like Darby O'Gill and the Little People?
Wolfwalkers (2020), rated 8.2/10 by 1,490 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Darby O'Gill and the Little People?
The Magic Faraway Tree (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Darby O'Gill and the Little People?
Yes: The Thief and the Cobbler (1993), The Little Mermaid (2023) and Finian's Rainbow (1968).
How are movies similar to Darby O'Gill and the Little People chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Darby O'Gill and the Little People, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.