The best family movies to watch in 2020

Australian family fantasy adventure The Legend of the Five (PG) a must-see school holiday film

Australian cinema is famous for producing family favourites and it looks like the first release since COVID-19, The Legend of the Five will be no different.

Starring The Conjuring 2’s Lauren Esposito as Zoe, The Legend of the Five follows a group of misfit teenagers who encounter an ancient relic during a school trip. They find themselves caught up in a magical world with elemental powers beyond their belief and the responsibility of stopping an age-old evil from destroying the world.

“My goal was to create a world with fantastical possibilities, while still representing as much of modern Australia as possible,” says director, Joanne Samuel.

“The Legend of the Five is about youth, coming of age, finding your place, and understanding that you are worth so much more than the nay-sayers tell you. It is intended to be an invitation for the youth of Australia, and beyond, to engage their imagination, and find the power within themselves to join and protect the world around them.”

Onward
Release date: Now streaming on Disney+

Inspired by director Dan Scanlon’s relationship with his brother, Onward is set in a suburban fantasy world, with two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world.

Featuring an amazing cast that includes Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, which has been carefully selected to bring the characters to life.

100% Wolf: Rent at home on May 29, 2020

The ‘Made for cinema’ Australian-animated film 100% Wolf is being released straight to Premium Video on Demand, making it available to rent at home from Friday, 29 May 2020.

The story follows Freddy Lupin, heir to the leadership of a proud family line of werewolves. Keen to become the most fearsome werewolf ever, Freddy is in for a shock when on his 14th birthday his first “warfing” turns him into a ferocious… poodle.

The lead role of Freddy the werewolf is voiced by actor and Triple J radio host, Ilai Swindells and the supporting voice cast including Samara Weaving, Jai Courtney, comedian Magda Szubanski, Glee’s Jane Lynch and Australian comedian Akmal Saleh.

Watch 100% Wolf trailer below.

Scoob!
Release date: Streaming May tbc, 2020

SCOOB! reveals how lifelong friends Scooby and Shaggy first met and how they joined with young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to form the famous Mystery Inc.

Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this global “dogpocalypse,” the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.

Artemis Fowl
Release date: Streaming on Disney+, June 12, 2020

Directed by Kenneth Branagh and based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer, “Artemis Fowl” follows 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he finds himself in a battle of strength and cunning against a powerful, hidden race of fairies who may be behind his father’s disappearance.

The film stars Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Tamara Smart, Nonzo Anozie, with Josh Gad, and Judi Dench. Judy Hofflund and Kenneth Branagh are producing with Angus More Gordon and Matthew Jenkins serving as executive producers.

Trolls World Tour
Release date: September, 2020

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return in Trolls World Tour, an all-star sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s 2016 musical hit.

In an adventure that will take them well beyond what they’ve known before, Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake) discover that they are but one of six different Trolls tribes scattered over six different lands and devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder.

Connected
Release date: September 18, 2020

The Mitchells are a dysfunctional but loving family whose road trip is interrupted by a tech uprising that threatens mankind: all around the world, the electronic devices people love–from phones, to self driving cars, to a sleek new line of personal robots–turn on humanity. With the help of two malfunctioning robots and the family’s delightfully overweight pug, the Mitchells will have to get past their problems and work together to save each other and the world!

The One and Only Ivan
Release date: September 24, 2020

The One and Only Ivan is an upcoming American fantasy drama film directed by Thea Sharrock, from a screenplay written by Mike White, and based on the children’s novel of the same name.

Sam Rockwell stars as the voice of the titular Ivan. Angelina Jolie, Bryan Cranston, Ramón Rodríguez, Brooklynn Prince, Ariana Greenblatt, Danny DeVito, and Helen Mirren will also star.

Soul
Release date: November 20, 2020

Directed by two-time Academy Award-winner Pete Docter, co-directed by Kemp Powers and produced by Academy Award-nominee Dana Murray, “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz.

The big-city backdrop proves the perfect place to set a story interwoven with jazz music.

In the film, just when Joe thinks his dream might be in reach, a single unexpected step sends him to a fantastical place where he’s is forced to think again about what it truly means to have soul.

That’s where he meets and ultimately teams up with 22, a soul who doesn’t think life on Earth is all it’s cracked up to be.

Jamie Foxx lends his voice to Joe, while Tina Fey voices 22. The film also features the voices of Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir Questlove Thompson, and Daveed Diggs.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Release date: December 26, 2020

In Peter Rabbit 2, The Runaway, the lovable rogue is back. Bea, Thomas, and the rabbits have created a makeshift family, but despite his best efforts, Peter can’t seem to shake his mischievous reputation. Adventuring out of the garden, Peter finds himself in a world where his mischief is appreciated, but when his family risks everything to come looking for him, Peter must figure out what kind of bunny he wants to be.

Voiced by Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, David Oyelowo, Elizabeth Debicki
with Margot Robbie and James Corden as Peter Rabbit.

The Croods 2
Release date: December 26, 2020

In 2013, the world was introduced to the first family of the prehistoric era, The Croods. The Academy Award®-nominated comedy about a clan dealing with their changing world captivated global audiences, reminding us of the timeless importance of family…and just how little we’ve evolved.

In December 2020, DreamWorks Animation invites you on an all-new adventure back in time with THE CROODS 2. Returning stars Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman and Clark Duke welcome Leslie Mann and Peter Dinklage to the film’s cast as The Croods face their biggest threat since leaving the cave: another family.

Raya and the Last Dragon
Release date: March 25, 2021

Raya and the Last Dragon is an upcoming American animated fantasy film in production by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Directed by Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins, co-directed by John Ripa, from a screenplay written by Adele Lim and stars the voices of Cassie Steele and Awkwafina.

Rumble: In cinemas April, 2021

In a world where monster wrestling is a global sport and monsters are superstar athletes, teenage
Winnie seeks to follow in her father’s footsteps by coaching a loveable underdog monster into a champion.

Starring: Will Arnett, Terry Crews, Geraldine Viswanathan, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, Tony Danza, Becky Lynch, Susan Kelechi Watson, Stephen A. Smith, Jimmy Tatro, Ben Schwartz and Michael Buffer

Minions 2: The Rise of Gru
Release date: July, 2021

This movie continues to explore the backstory of how the Minions teamed up with the villain-turned-nice-guy Gru. Everyone say, “Banana!”

A sequel to the 2015 film, Minions, and spin-off/prequel to the main Despicable Me film series, it will be directed again by Kyle Balda, with Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val as co-directors; alongside Brian Lynch returning as writer.

The Jungle Cruise
Release date: July 29, 2021

Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Disney’s Jungle Cruise is an adventure-filled, Amazon-jungle expedition starring Dwayne Johnson as the charismatic riverboat captain and Emily Blunt as a determined explorer on a research mission.

Also starring in the film are Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, with Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti. Jaume Collet-Serra is the director and John Davis, John Fox, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia and Beau Flynn are the producers, with Doug Merrifield serving as executive producer.

Mulan
Release date: July 23, 2021

When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honoured warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father.

Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honoured warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father.
Mulan features a celebrated international cast that includes: Yifei Liu as Mulan; Donnie Yen as Commander Tung; Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan; Yoson An as Cheng Honghui; with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor.