11 Best Netflix Animated Movies to Watch Right Now (March 2026): ‘Dog Man’ and More

Animation may be primarily viewed as something for kids, but animated movies can be for people of all ages.

Head to Netflix if you’re looking for a fantastic movie for people both young and old — from kid-friendly fare like The Mitchells vs. The Machines and Rio to movies that have universal appeal, like Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Nimona.

In March 2026, the Watch With Us team added two movies to its master list of the best animated movies on Netflix.

Our first pick is Dog Man, a funny family movie adapted from Dav Pilkey‘s novel series of the same name.

Need more recommendations? Then check out the Best New Movies on Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and More, the Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now, the Best Movies on Hulu Right Now and the Must-See Movies on Netflix Right Now.

‘Dog Man’ (2025)

Beloved cop Officer Knight (Peter Hastings) and his faithful sidekick dog Greg chase down a notoriously villainous cat, but both Knight and Greg are gravely injured in the line of duty. To save both their lives, Knight’s head is transplanted onto Greg’s body, and together they become the crime-fighting Dog Man (also Hastings). While adjusting to his new identity and missing his former life, Dog Man must contend with nemesis Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson) and his plot to clone himself.

Dog Man is an easy delight for kids from start to finish, but it doesn’t leave parents in the lurch — there’s plenty of gags and humor that will tickle a more mature funnybone, too. The relentless, frenzied pacing keeps you entertained at all times, and the lighthearted, silly tone is deliriously infectious. Overall, Dog Man is the pick of the litter.

‘The Wild Robot’ (2024)

When service robot ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz” (Lupita Nyong’o), is shipwrecked onto a deserted island, she is forced to adapt to her harsh surroundings to survive. While initially ill-prepared for what nature has in store for her, she ends up befriending an orphaned baby goose (Kit Connor), along with a red fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal) and an opossum named Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara). With her transmitter broken, Roz slowly acclimates to the island and her inhabitants, finding herself becoming more attached to her new home.

The Wild Robot is a critical darling, receiving four Golden Globe nominations and three Academy Awards nominations in 2025 — the most of the latter that a DreamWorks film has ever received. The movie is a smash hit with both audiences and critics because it is a simple, family-friendly tale executed with both maturity and artistry. At the end of the day, The Wild Robot is big in emotions that will leave you grabbing a handful of tissues.

‘Rio’ (2011)

Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) is a domesticated macaw bird raised in Minnesota who is flown to Rio de Janeiro to mate with the last of his kind, Jewel (Anne Hathaway). But their mating ritual is disrupted by a gang of bird smugglers who want to sell them on the black market. On the run with nowhere to go, Blu and Jewel have to rely on each other to navigate the dangerous city of Rio to survive.

Rio hails from 20th Century Fox, which has a spotty record when it comes to animated pictures. Fortunately, this 2011 film is one of their more successful efforts, with brightly colored visuals and an engaging story that will appeal to children and adults alike. As the lead birds, Eisenberg and Hathaway are engaging as an odd couple brought together by their own mutual need to be free from their respective cages. If you’re craving more South American animated adventures, Rio 2 is also available right now on Netflix.

‘Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ (2025)

In 1993’s short film The Wrong Trousers, Wallace (Peter Sallis) and his trusty dog Gromit were plagued by a homicidal penguin named Feathers McGraw. More than two decades later, Feathers has escaped from prison and bears a deadly grudge against his captors. When Wallace (now voiced by Ben Whitehead) invents a helpful robot Gnome, Feathers finds a way to get inside its head to devious ends.

The classic stop-motion animated duo return to the big screen in Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which is helmed by their creator and long-time director Nick Park. The delightful movie bears much of the same humor and inventiveness as previous Wallace and Gromit films, and is a warm, charming visual feast for viewers of all ages.

‘Piece by Piece’ (2024)

Why would acclaimed music producer Pharrell Williams choose to tell the story of his life through a Lego-animated documentary? Well — why not? At the beginning of the film, the artist tells documentarian Morgan Neville that he views the world like a Lego set — something that’s constantly being built and rebuilt out of existing materials.

This stunningly creative film allows the singer, rapper, producer and songwriter to tell his story as he remembers it with imagery that’s completely unique. It features the voices of other stars Pharrell has worked with, like Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Jay-Z and more.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ (2025)

KPop Demon Hunters has become a global phenomenon, with sing-along movie screenings and chart-topping hits. We’re not surprised it’s become so huge — the story of Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), KPop singing stars by day who protect the world from demons by night, is wonderfully original. It’s also funny and moving, with beautiful animation that pays homage to Korean culture and universal themes of identity, morality and family.

If you can’t get enough KPop Demon Hunters, you can now watch the Sing-Along version on Netflix as well.

‘Nimona’ (2023)

Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) looks like an ordinary girl, but she has an incredible power — she’s a shapeshifter who can turn into any animal. Rebellious and energetic, Nimona uses her power to cause chaos throughout the medieval-futuristic world in which she lives. When Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) is framed for killing the Queen, Nimona decides he’s an evil genius and demands to become his villainous sidekick. (Ballister, for his part, has no interest in villainy and just wants to prove his innocence.)

As Ballister and Nimona grow closer, more of her dark past is revealed, and with them are secrets about the kingdom and the very nature of their society. You’ll love the character Nimona for her humor, her bravery and her steadfast commitment to being herself. You’ll love the movie Nimona for its unique art style, its fun soundtrack and its profound message about prejudice and acceptance.

‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ (2016)

This animated fantasy film takes place in feudal Japan and comes from Coraline’s production company, Laika Studios. Kubo (Art Parkinson) is a young boy who lives with his mother in a small village and is able to create magic through music. When he is attacked by his mother’s evil sisters, he learns that he is the child of a goddess and a human warrior. With the help of a Monkey (Charlize Theron) and a humanoid stag Beetle (Matthew McConaughey), he must defeat his evil grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes).

The animation in this film is stunningly beautiful, and it’s a moving story of family, love and bravery. Like all Laika films, it’s funny and occasionally spooky, and it takes its story seriously, never talking down to its audience. Kubo intricately weaves traditional Japanese folklore with modern cinematic techniques, creating a captivating story for audiences of all ages.

‘The Mitchells Vs. The Machines’ (2021)

When PAL, a Siri-esque operating system voiced by Olivia Colman, rebels against her creators and turns every machine on earth into an evil robot, the world’s only hope is the Mitchell family. That’s unfortunate, because the Mitchells are weird, chaotic, and currently not getting along very well. Aspiring filmmaker Katie (Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson) is asserting her independence from her dad Rick (Danny McBride), while Rick’s eagerness to hold on tighter to his little girl is keeping him from understanding the woman she’s becoming.

But due to a tech-free enforced family road trip, the Mitchells end up being the only humans who aren’t captured, and it’s up to them to stop PAL before every human is launched into space. This hilarious, heartwarming family film has profound themes of communication and understanding, as well as visual gags that will make you do a spit-take.

‘The Sea Beast’ (2022)

The Sea Beast takes an intriguing concept — the sea monsters that were once depicted on maps in the unknown reaches of the ocean — and builds a whole world out of it, full of swashbuckling fun and poignant relationships. The story follows a young girl named Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator), who stows away on the ship of the legendary monster hunter Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). Together, they embark on a thrilling adventure that makes them look at the sea “monsters” in a whole new way. The breathtaking animation and the inspirational narrative invite the audience to take a look at their own biases and examine what they think they know about “heroes” and “villains.”

Maisie is a lovable protagonist and a great role model for kids. She’s smart, brave and thoughtful, and her determination and commitment to doing what’s right make her a heroine worth imitating. The Sea Beast is an entertaining and heartwarming story that captures the grandeur and excitement of pirate stories and blends that with thoughtful allegories for a modern audience.

‘Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio’

This stop-motion epic is a retelling of the story of the puppet who can’t lie as you’ve never heard it before. It’s de-sanitized, darker and more dramatic than the Disney version (although that version was pretty scary too!), set in fascist Italy during World War II. But the magnetically charming performance of Gregory Mann as the titular puppet gives it a sense of whimsy and fun, and the animation is a stunning sight to behold. The rest of the voice cast is full of well-known actors, including Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket, Pinocchio’s conscience.

This version of Pinocchio has more in common with Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth than with any Disney film, but kids will still enjoy its clever storytelling. In the end, it’s probably the adults who will get the most out of the film. (There’s also a 20-minute documentary film about the making of Pinocchio, and if you’re interested in the animation process, it’s a fascinating watch.)