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Real talk: 2001 was the greatest year for cinema and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. Like, how did we get Harry Potter AND Lord of the Rings in the same year? My tiny 2001 brain literally couldn’t handle the greatness. Now it’s May 2026 and these movies are officially 25 years old. Feel old yet? Because I do. Sach mein, these films basically raised us. Let’s scream about the movies that defined our childhoods.
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the actual GOAT
Look, I’ll be honest — I didn’t expect to love a three-hour movie about walking as much as I did, but here we are. 25 years later and the CGI for the Balrog still looks better than some stuff coming out today. It’s got a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes for a reason! Watching Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn was a spiritual experience for us all. We are still not over Boromir’s sacrifice. Honestly iconic.
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone started the obsession
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The John Williams score? The floating candles? The fact that we all waited for our Hogwarts letters for years? This movie is pure comfort food. It pulled in over $1 billion at the box office because we were all obsessed. Seeing Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint as literal babies is so emotional now. Arrey, the nostalgia is just too much to handle!
3. Shrek is the meme king that never dies
Don’t even lie, you still know every single word to ‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth. Shrek changed the game by making fairy tales actually funny and a little bit edgy. It won the first-ever Best Animated Feature Oscar and honestly, it deserved. Eddie Murphy as Donkey is peak comedy. We’re lowkey obsessed with how well the humor holds up even in 2026.
4. Spirited Away is a literal masterpiece from Studio Ghibli
If you haven’t seen this Hayao Miyazaki gem, what are you even doing? It’s sitting at a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and it’s basically art in motion. The scene with No-Face? Terrifying but also weirdly relatable? The vibes are immaculate. It’s one of those movies that makes you feel like you’re dreaming while you’re awake. Total mood.
5. Monsters, Inc. and the absolute cuteness of Boo
I’m still crying over Sulley saying goodbye to Boo. ‘Kitty!’ No, you’re crying! Pixar really popped off with the fur technology in 2001, and 25 years later, it still looks fluffy as heck. It’s a fantasy-comedy that taught us that laughter is more powerful than fear, which is honestly a lesson we still need today. We can’t handle the feels.
6. The Mummy Returns and the iconic Scorpion King CGI
Okay, so the CGI for The Rock as the Scorpion King was… a choice. But we love it anyway! Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz had the best chemistry in Hollywood history, no cap. It was high-energy, campy, and fun. It made $435 million because we all wanted more ancient Egyptian curses in our lives. It’s a total guilty pleasure.
7. Atlantis: The Lost Empire is the most underrated Disney movie
Why does nobody talk about how cool this movie is? The art style was inspired by Mike Mignola (the Hellboy creator) and it looks so different from every other Disney flick. Kida is a top-tier princess/queen and Milo is the relatable nerd we all stanned. It’s basically Indiana Jones but underwater and with glowing blue crystals. We’re still waiting for the live-action version!
8. A Knight’s Tale gave us Heath Ledger in his prime
A medieval movie featuring Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’? Yes, please! This movie was so ahead of its time with the modern music mashups. Heath Ledger was so charming it actually hurts to watch. It’s a fantasy-adjacent sports movie that just makes you feel good. If you don’t cheer during the jousting scenes, are you even human?
9. The Princess Diaries is the ultimate modern fairy tale
Genovia forever! Anne Hathaway’s makeover scene is the blueprint for every teen movie that followed. Julie Andrews as the Queen? Perfection. It’s the ultimate ‘what if I’m secretly royalty’ fantasy that we all had. 25 years later and we are still quoting ‘The king is dead. Long live the king.’ Honestly, we’re living for the Genovia vibes.
10. Spy Kids and the gadgets we all wanted
The Microwave that made McDonald’s? The jetpacks? The thumb-thumbs? Robert Rodriguez really sat down and said ‘I’m going to make the weirdest, coolest kid movie ever.’ It was a total box office hit because every kid in 2001 wanted to be a secret agent. It’s camp, it’s colorful, and it’s pure 2000s energy. Sach mein, it’s a classic.
11. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a wild fever dream
Here’s the thing about this movie: it was the first time we saw ‘photorealistic’ CGI humans and it kind of freaked everyone out. It was a massive box office flop, but looking back 25 years later, it was actually super ambitious. It’s sci-fi fantasy that tried to do something totally new. It’s weird, it’s beautiful, and it’s definitely worth a rewatch for the tech history alone.
12. Kate & Leopold is the time-travel romance we deserved
Hugh Jackman as a 19th-century Duke who travels to modern-day New York? Sign me up. It’s the perfect ‘fish out of water’ fantasy romance. Meg Ryan was the queen of rom-coms and this was such a cute addition to her career. 25 years later and we still just want a man who writes letters like Leopold. It’s a total mood.
FAQs
Which 2001 fantasy movie made the most money?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the big winner, raking in over $1 billion globally. It was a literal cultural reset that started a massive franchise.
Did Lord of the Rings win any Oscars in 2001?
Yes! Fellowship of the Ring won four Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. It totally changed how people view fantasy movies.
Is Shrek considered a fantasy movie?
Absolutely! It’s a parody of classic fairy tales, featuring ogres, talking donkeys, and dragons. It’s one of the most influential fantasy comedies ever made.
Can you believe it’s been 25 years since these legends dropped? 2001 was truly a year of absolute bangers that we’re still obsessed with in 2026. Whether you’re a Potterhead or a LOTR stan, there’s no denying these movies shaped a generation. Which one is your favorite? Tell us in the comments and share this with your fellow 2000s kids!
