Everyone can remember imaginary characters that they grew up thinking were real, from Santa Claus to the Tooth Fairy. Oftentimes, some of us have a fun story of when we ultimately discovered they were not real. No matter the case, we had fun pretending they were and made some great memories with those characters as toys or on TV during our childhood. Unicorns have been gaining some attention as of late, with two films in the last year possibly leading to that (both made it onto our list). Here are our picks for the top five unicorn films of all time.
Unicorn Store (2017)
If you like unique movies like Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Juno, and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (besides Michael Cera being the common denominator), then you’ll definitely enjoy Unicorn Store. Brie Larson stars in and makes her directorial debut in the coming of age tale that follows a young girl named Kit who struggles to find her place in the grown-up world. While working as a temp, she receives a colorful letter that leads her to meet the Salesman, played by Samuel L. Jackson (hard to ignore the Captain Marvel thoughts). He offers to sell her what she needs, and the one thing she has longed for her whole life is a unicorn. The movie was released on Netflix after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival and shows how Larson has great potential if she chooses to get behind the camera more often (some disagree though). While it can be seen as child-like and whimsical, it’s a fun watch if you find yourself bored home alone on a Saturday night as it is a fantasy comedy that is sure to entertain you.
Thelma the Unicorn (2024)
Thelma the Unicorn is an animated film based on the best selling books that tells the story of a young pony (voiced by Brittany Howard) that dreams of being a big singer one day. After an accident changes her appearance, she looks more like a unicorn and gains instant fame. Excited by the many people finally listening to her music, she finds herself unsure if her new found stardom is truly the life she wants to live. As she struggles to find her identity in the midst of everything going on, she creates an enemy that is jealous and sees her as competition. It’s a cute movie for children with a message that adults might find themselves identifying with too: always be proud to be yourself.
The Last Unicorn (1982)
The Last Unicorn is an animated musical that follows King Haggard (Christopher Lee) as he plans to destroy every unicorn in the world. When a younger unicorn (voiced by Mia Farrow) finds out that she is in danger of becoming the last of her kind, she ventures off to find help, ultimately leaving her safe home behind. She then embarks on a journey to defeat Haggard to prevent the extinction of unicorns. Released in 1982, and based on the book of the same name by Peter S. Beagle, this is the first animated film to feature unicorns and is directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass. This is monumental considering how many children grew up to cartoons and toys of unicorns, with this film being the one that paved the way for it all.
Unicorn Wars (2023)
Unicorn Wars, written and directed by Alberto Vazquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children), is an animated film that depicts the drama between teddy bears and unicorns. When two bears are sent to the military to find a magical forest full of wild unicorns, they find a sacred book that leads them to form their own civilization. After some time, the bears become multicolored and begin cultivating the forest, but encounter unicorns that oppose them, ultimately exiling the bears. This causes a war between them but the bears believe it can be ended by a chosen one who drinks the blood of the last unicorn and becomes a beautiful and eternal being. It’s slightly dark and not the light-hearted film you’d initially think of when you hear there are unicorns involved. It has a deeper meaning and vividly explores topics such as fascism, relationships, and history with a “Care Bears meets Full Metal Jacket” type of vibe.
Death of a Unicorn (2025)
Set to hit theaters March 28, 2025, Death of a Unicorn was an absolute crowd favorite when it premiered at Austin’s 2025 SXSW Film and TV festival. Black Girl Nerds was in attendance and got to check it out with a packed and entertained sold out crowd. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega lead a stand out cast that also includes Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, and Anthony Carrigan. Things get wild when Elliot (Rudd) and his daughter (Ortega) accidentally hit a unicorn on their way to a weekend retreat. Upon discovering the creature’s blood has healing powers, Elliot’s boss tries to extort the unicorn, leading the series of chaotic events. While the film is far from cheerful and doesn’t paint the unicorn in the light that we’ve come to know it, Death of a Unicorn is an absolute blast of a film, with Poulter being a massive comedic relief (literally, almost every line that comes out of his mouth was full blown comedy).