Folklore has served as the basisfor so many of the world’s most famous stories. Whether it is pure folklore or fairy tales, many include mystical or mythical creatures that help in world-building and lore, serve as important heroes (or even pesky villains), and add to the overall moral of the story.
Many films and film genres have included these creatures of folklore, whether that is for better or for worse. Most of the time, the fantasy genre includes magical creatures for wonder and awe or a fierce foe for the character to fight. Nevertheless, many of the mystical creatures from folklore happen to be fan favorites—everyone is going to love them!
10‘Leprechaun’ (1993)
Leprechaunis actually a horror comedy film that focuses on the famous creature from Irish folklore, the Leprechaun. The movie tells the story of an evil, terrifying Leprechaun who is freed from a crate by a group of people who move into a rural farmhouse after being imprisoned for 10 years.
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The Leprechaun sets out to reclaim his gold and terrorize anyone or anything that stands in his way. Based on the legend of the imp-like creatures obsessed with their gold and known for making messes,Leprechaunblends humor and horror together in such an appreciated way that there were six sequels after the original.
9‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
Pan’s Labyrinthis a dark fantasy film by the brilliant mind ofGuillermo del Torothat was extremely well-received by critics and audiences alike. The movie is set in 1944 Spain and tells the story of a young girl named Ofelia as she discovers a labyrinth and meets the mythical faun who informs her that she is indeed a princess.
Ofelia must complete three dangerous and terrifying tasks (including pixies and a scary monster) to prove herself and escape the harsh life of living during the Spanish Civil War. The movie portrayed mystical creatures like the Faun with stunning puppetry and special effects, receiving loads of praise.
8‘Krampus’ (2015)
Krampusis a horror film that brings in Central European folklore surrounding the holidays and all that may come with it. The movie follows a dysfunctional family who accidentally summons the legendary demon Krampus (the polar opposite of Santa Claus) who punishes those who have lost their Christmas spirit.
So, the family must fight all night to survive Krampus and his minions as they terrorize the family. The film brings in the terrifying mythical creature and a blend of horror and comedy into avery unique Christmas movie-viewing experience.
7‘Trolls’ (2016)
Trollsis an animated jukebox musical movie that is based on the famous 20th-century Troll Dolls that took over a generation of kids. The film follows two trolls named Poppy and Branch who embark on a journey to save their friends from evil creatures who eat trolls called the Bergens.
The film includes catchy songs that everyone knows set to new orchestration and singers. Additionally, the fun troll characters are a wonderful and fresh adaptation of the original troll dolls.
6‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy (2001-2003)
The Lord of the Ringsis a trilogy of epic fantasy films based on the fantasy novel series of the same name byJ.R.R. Tolkien. The series follows a hobbit named Frodo Baggins who sets out on a quest (along with other allies, including elvesand dwarves) to destroy the powerful One Ring, an artifact that holds great power—and also threatens to destroy the world entirely.
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The movies have tons of fantastical creatures derived from Scottish, British, and other European mythology. The movies are truly remarkable and are a must-watch for any fantasy fan.
5‘The Mummy’ (1999)
The Mummyis a late-90s action-adventure film that brings to life the creepy mummy! The film follows an adventurer named Rick O’Connell as he and his companion Evelyn uncover and ancient Egyptian tomb. However, upon further investigation, they accidentally awaken a mummy named Imhotep, who seeks to resurrect his lost love.
Fueled with anger, he unleashes a series of plagues and other supernatural events to destroy Rick and Evelyn and accomplish his goal. The classic Mummy character is in its fullest form in this film—it’s a true classic.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chestis the second move in thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise andfollows Captain Jack Sparrowas he searches for the chest of his arch-enemy Davy Jones (a cursed pirate who controls the ocean’s depths).
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Along the way, Jack encounters numerous obstacles and enemies—including the legendary oceanic sea octopus, the Kraken. The Kraken is just terrifying, and any viewers with thalassophobia should probably refrain from watching this film. If there’s anything remarkable about this film (besides how wonderful it is in general), the creatives’ attention to detail when recreating an iconic creature is so captivating.
3‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)
How to Train Your Dragonis another animated children’s film that follows a young Viking named Hiccup. He befriends a dragon he named “Toothless” and learns that dragons, which were once seen as treacherous and bloodthirsty, are not as vicious as they seem.
Hiccup begins to train Toothless and convince his village that dragons can coexist with humans. The movie quickly became unbelievably popular, and there have been two sequels,a television series, a holiday special, and more. Who doesn’t love dragons?
2‘Pinocchio’ (1940 and 2022)
Pinocchiois a classic Disney animated film based on the Italian novel “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” The movie follows the story of a wooden puppet who is named Pinocchio. He wishes to be a real boy and is brought to life by none other than a fairy who gives him a chance at being a boy if he can prove that is brave, truthful, and unselfish.
In his journey to prove himself, Pinocchio encounters a Blue Fairy, a giant sea monster that swallows him whole, and a talking cricket (Jiminy Cricket, to be more specific). The film is joyous and adorable and includes a variety of mystical and magic-filled creatures that all Disney fans will enjoy.
1The ‘Harry Potter’ Movie Series (2001-2011)
TheHarry Potterseries is by far the most popular creation of fantasy in the entire world. The movie series is based on a collection of seven fantasy novels byJ.K. Rowling. The story follows a young orphan named Harry Potter who discovers he is a wizard and attends the iconic Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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He also learns (in addition to magic spells and such) that he is the only one that can defeat the rise of a dark wizard. Throughout the series,Harry meets tons of mystical creatures including dragons, unicorns, werewolves, mermaid-like creatures, hippogriffs, goblins, trolls, and more. The series is truly a goldmine of folklore and fantasy. Anyone looking for stimulating their imagination should give this series a try—there’s a reason it is so spectacular.
NEXT:From ‘Game of Thrones to ‘Lord of the Rings’: 10 Iconic Mythical Creatures Seen In Fantasy Films and TV
