The Walt Disney Company has released over 100 films throughout its 100-year history, and now fans have a consensus on the ten best Disney movies yet.
The following is a list of the highest-rated animated and live-action Disney films according to IMDb - the online entertainment information site offering ratings and reviews.
IMDB's Top 10 Disney Movies
In evaluating IMDb's ten highest-ranked Disney movies, there are a few things to note.
First of all, Walt Disney Pictures encompasses live-action films from Walt Disney Studios, as well as animated films from both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios.
Walt Disney Pictures operates alongside Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and more, all of which fall under the banner of Walt Disney Studios.
Secondly, only registered IMDb users can vote on registered titles within the IMDb database. Scores range from one to ten and are combined and presented as a single rating.
Here are the ten highest-rated Disney movies of all time according to IMDb:
10.) Inside Out - 8.1
The 2015 Pixar film directed by Peter Docter starring Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, and Mindy Kaling creatively personified five major emotions located in the mind of a young girl named Riley.
The film's relatable themes and poignant portrayal of growing up strongly resonated with audiences as well as critics. As a result, Inside Out was nominated for Best Original Screenplay and won Best Animated Feature at the 88th Academy Awards. Inside Out 2 is currently in the works, as well as a potential television spin-off series.
9.) Ratatouille - 8.1
Another Pixar animated film, Ratatouille told the tale of Remy, a rat who dreams of becoming a chef at a Paris restaurant and who teams up with a kitchen worker to prove that anyone can cook.
Written and directed by The Incredibles' Brad Bird, Ratatouille premiered in 2007 where it was praised for its story and visuals. The film received five nominations at the 80th Academy Awards, tieing with Up and Toy Story 3 for the second-most Oscar animations for an animated film. Ratatouille ultimately took home Best Animated Feature.
8.) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - 8.1
Based on the classic Disney theme park attraction, 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl starred Johnny Depp as the now-iconic Captain Jack Sparrow, as well as Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley.
This swashbuckling pursuit of cursed Aztec treasure struck box office gold back in 2003, defying expectations given its dated genre and theme park inspirations. In addition to making Depp's Captain Jack one of cinema's most famous characters and launching a franchise, the film was nominated for five Oscars at the 76th Academy Awards.
7.) Finding Nemo - 8.2
Another 2003 film, Pixar's Finding Nemo followed the journey of an overprotective clownfish father who stops at nothing to find his missing son, Nemo. Along the way, he teams up with Dory, a blue tang with a memory problem, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres.
Upon its release, Finding Nemo won over critics and audiences with its stunning underwater visuals, coupled with its creative, heartfelt story. The film still stands as one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time and was voted as the tenth-best animated film by the AFI.
6.) Toy Story 3 - 8.3
Eleven years after Toy Story 2, Disney and Pixar finally released Toy Story 3 in 2010 where Andy's toys set out to find a new life at a daycare center ahead of Andy leaving for college.
Upon its release, Toy Story 3 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, earning mass praise for recapturing the magic of its prior films while also successfully completing the trilogy.
The film won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song and the 83rd Academy Awards, also becoming one of the few animated movies to ever be nominated for the coveted Best Picture.
Toy Story 5 is currently in development.
5.) Up - 8.3
Another Pete Docter film, Disney released Pixar's Up in 2009 as the story of the elderly, grieving Carl Fredricksen who seeks to fulfill a promise to his late wife. He's joined by a young wilderness explorer named Russell and eventually crosses paths with a talking dog, a giant bird, and his childhood hero.
While Up's box office numbers weren't quite on par with its fellow Pixar films, it was still deemed a huge success, winning praise for its balance of humor and heart and particularly its silent montage of Carl and Ellie's relationship.
At the 82nd Academy Awards, Up won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.
4.) Toy Story - 8.3
Toy Story isn't just Pixar's first feature film; upon its release in 1995, it was the first fully computer-animated feature film in history. Directed by John Lasseter and starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, Toy Story explored the trappings of toy society and what happens when a child's favorite toy is suddenly replaced.
Not only was the film hailed for its visual innovation but also for its smart yet sensitive storytelling, fully-developed characters, and mass appeal, earning the film three Academy Award nominations.
In addition to its box office success, Toy Story became a pop culture phenomenon, launching a franchise that continues to this day. It was also chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
3.) WALL-E - 8.4
Directed by Finding Nemo's Andrew Stanton, the 2008 Pixar film followed a waste-collecting robot who falls in love and plays a pivotal role in the future of Earth and mankind.
Despite its minimal use of dialogue, WALL-E had a lot to say in terms of consumerism, the environment, and technology. The film earned Best Animated Feature at the 81st Academy Awards with five additional Oscar nominations.
In 2021, WALL-E became the second Pixar film to be chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
2.) Coco - 8.4
One of Disney and Pixar's more recent successes, Coco is the story of twelve-year wannabe musician, Miguel, who finds himself in the Land of the Dead and in the company of his late family, all while trying to reverse his living family's ban on music.
Upon its debut in 2017, Coco was celebrated for its visuals, original songs and compositions, and its touching narrative on family, culture, and legacy. The film received Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 90th Academy Awards.
1.) The Lion King - 8.5
According to IMDb, the highest-rated Disney movie of all time is the 1994 animated feature, The Lion King, the tale of an African lion cub born to be a king who must face his past to save his father's kingdom.
Described as Bambi meets Hamlet, The Lion King was a box office juggernaut, a pop culture phenom, and the highest-grossing animated film of all time until Finding Nemo in 2003.
In addition to its well-crafted story and memorable characters, The Lion King's music was incredibly popular thanks to Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer. The film took home Best Original Score and Best Original Song at the 67th Academy Awards.
These top-ranked Disney and Pixar films are available to stream on Disney+.
Also, four of the ten movies on this list, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story, The Lion King, and Coco are set to return to theaters for Disney's 100-year-anniversary celebration.
