All the Disney+ Originals You’ll Want to Watch with Your Kids

‘Eternals’

Release Date: January 12

With an ensemble cast that includes Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry and more, Marvel’s Eternals packs a punch when it comes to on-screen talent. A great choice to watch with your teens, Eternals features a group of mystical heroes who, after standing by for far too long, step in to save our world. 

‘Encanto’

Release Date: December 23

If you missed it in the theaters, then don’t worry. Encanto arrived on Disney+ just in time for the holidays! This gorgeous animated feature is all about finding the magic that’s always been inside of you. Each of Maribel’s family members have incredible abilities and powers. The Encanto, where Mirabel and her family live in Colombia, has blessed every member of the family with a special ability — except for Mirabel. But when the magic of Encanto is threatened, it’s up to Mirabel to save the day. With stunning visuals, a timeless story, and music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Encanto is the perfect pick for your next family movie night. 

‘Jungle Cruise’

Release Date: July 30

All aboard for one incredible journey! Starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Emily Blunt, Jungle Cruise follows Dr. Lily Houghton and Frank Wolff as they search for an ancient tree with the ability to heal. The two characters must maneuver obstacles, villains, and more in this adventurous take on the classic disney ride. 

‘Luca’

Release Date: June 18

If you’re looking to be transported to a whole new world on land and sea, then Luca is absolutely ideal! Following the title character during an unforgettable summer on the Italian Riviera, Luca and his new friend Alberto explore everything the land has to offer — which is mostly gelato and scooter rides. But the friends, who are both sea monsters, are worried their secret might also surface. What will happen during the friends’ summer? 

‘folklore: the long pond studio sessions’

Release Date: November 25

Surprise, surprise! Taylor Swift had one more 2020 treat in store for her fans this year with the release of original film folklore: the long pond studio sessions showing an intimate look at the recording of Swift’s most stripped-down album yet. 

“You haven’t seen this film before,” the star teased on Twitter. “folklore: the long pond studio sessions will be out tonight at midnight PST.”

‘Black Beauty’

Release Date: November 27

Get ready to have your heart broken all over again. Director Ashley Avis’ Disney+ adaptation of the classic book will focus on one girl (Mackenzie Foy) and her lifechanging bond with Black Beauty (voiced by Kate Winslet). This enduring look inside the life of a horse and the capacity they have to feel has been recreated for nearly 150 years for a reason — it works. 

‘Godmothered’

Release Date: December 4

It’s a crisis for hopeful fairy godmothers everywhere: the profession is dying out! But trainee Eleanor (Jillian Bell) isn’t giving up that easy. She tracks down the sender of a 30-year-old letter to her fairy godmother and finds widow and single mom Mackenzie (Isla Fisher), who’s in serious need of a dash of magic. Eleanor does what she can to prove fairy godmothers are still a vital addition to society — and to prove to Mackenzie that her happiest days aren’t over.

‘Soul’

Release Date: December 25

Due out December 25, Pixar/Disney collaboration Soul plucks musician Joe (Jamie Foxx) out of his life just when he’s snagged the opportunity of his dreams, taking him to the Great Before where souls are created before being sent out to live on earth. When Joe meets young soul 22 (Tina Fey), he enlists her help in getting back to earth in exchange for explaining what it is that makes life so important.

‘Mulan’

As a fearless young woman, Mulan disguises herself as a man to battle in order to save her father — Disney’s highly anticipated live-action reboot starring Liu Yifei, Donnie Yen, and Li Gong is available to watch Sep 4.

‘The One and Only Ivan’

Angelina Jolie, Bryan Cranston, Sam Rockwell, Brooklynn Prince, Danny DeVito, and more stars shine in this heartwarming tale of gorilla Ivan, based on a real story of a gorilla who grew up as a shopping mall attraction. When baby elephant Ruby joins the other animals at the mall, Ivan begins a daring mission to secure her freedom.

‘Diary of a Future President’

Cuban-American Elena is a bright young girl determined to one day become President of the United States — but first, she has to survive middle school. Played by Gina Rodriguez as an adult, young Elena’s journey through school is shown alongside flash-forwards to her future campaign.

‘Hamilton’

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical comes alive in this taped stage performance starring Daveed Diggs, Anthony Ramos, Phillipa Soo, and more breakout stars. Don’t watch unless you’re prepared to be humming Hamilton tunes for weeks.

‘Black Is King’

Beyoncé’s new visual albumBlack Is King tells the story of a young Black king finding his destiny with the help of his ancestors.

Based on the music of Disney’s 2019 The Lion King, the album celebrates Black culture and Black excellence — and daughter Blue Ivy makes quite the cameo!

‘Be Our Chef’

‘The Office’ alum Angela Kinsey takes over hosting on this family fun cooking show, where five families compete for the chance to introduce a dish to the Disney Parks menu. Each week, they compete in cooking challenges where they get to showcase their family traditions and fight for the win.

‘Encore!’

ABC series Encore! is a new reality series hosted by Kristen Bell. Episodes will be released weekly after the streaming platform’s launch, and each episode will show Bell getting together the cast of a high school musical to recreate their performance. 

The description promises lots of drama as “former students face faded friendships, former flames, self-doubt, and killer choreography.” Musicals like The Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, and more will all be featured.

‘Whispers: An Elephant’s Tale’

The newly released Disney+ original is the story of an adorable baby elephant who finds himself separated from his mother and with the help of an unlikely friend find themselves on an incredible journey. 

‘Forky Asks a Question’

Forky, the beloved character from Toy Story 4, is getting his own short film series from Pixar. Starring Tony Hale as the voice of Forky, Disney describes the show like this: “[Forky] has important questions about how the world works, such as: What is love? What is time? And of course, the deepest question of all, What is cheese? He explores all of these questions and more in a collection of 10 shorts.”

‘Disney Family Sundays’

Get your craft on as DIY expert Amber Kemp-Gerstel shares lots of fun projects in a series of Disney-inspired DIY projects fun for the whole family.

‘Lady and the Tramp’

It’s another Disney live-action remake: this time, with a cast of adorable dogs acting out Lady and the Tramp. The canine stars aren’t the only attraction, with stars like Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, and Janelle Monáe voicing their characters.

If it’s anything like The Jungle Book, we’re seriously excited to see this version of Lady and the Tramp (and bet your kids will be too).

‘The World According to Jeff Goldblum’

Seriously, does anyone not love Jeff Goldblum? This new docuseries by National Geographic shows Goldblum exploring everyday beloved objects and exploring their history.

Per Disney: “Each episode is centered around something we all love – like sneakers or ice cream – as Jeff pulls the thread on these deceptively familiar objects and unravels a wonderful world of astonishing connections, fascinating science and history, amazing people, and a whole lot of surprising big ideas and insights.”

‘Noelle’

This Christmas comedy starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader follows Kris Kringle’s two kids — one of whom (Hader) is tasked with taking over as Santa. But when Hader spooks and runs for the hills, Kendrick has to step in, venturing outside the North Pole for the first time in her life.

Also joining this incredible cast: Shirley MacLaine, Billy Eichner, and Julie Hagerty. Noelle looks like a key addition to 2019’s slate of holiday movies — but of course, you’ll need Disney+ to see it.

‘Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made’

Based on the Timmy Failure book series, this upcoming Disney movie stars Winslow Fegley, Ophelia Lovibond, and Craig Robinson. Directed by Spotlight‘s Tom McCarthy, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made will follow 11-year-old Timmy, who believes he’s a great detective and runs agency Total Failure Inc.

The movie will also feature his his imaginary 1200-pound polar bear and his sidekick: Rollo Tookus. 

‘Dolphin Reef’

This nature documentary, narrated by Natalie Portman, gets into the mind of our favorite water-bound mammals. Disney describes the doc like this: “Dolphin Reef will follow a young Pacific bottlenose dolphin named Echo who can’t decide if he’s quite ready to grow up and take on new responsibilities. (Same, Echo. Same.)”

The film will show the wonders of dolphins’ natural habitat, as well as how these majestic creatures live their lives.

‘Weird But True!’ (Season 2)

Produced by National Geographic Kids, the second season of Weird But True! is back by popular demand. This kid-friendly show will explore the science behind everyday fascinations, traveling all over to get at the backstory of little mysteries. 

Don’t lie — it’s not just your kids who could learn a little (and love a lot) from this show.

‘Stargirl’

Based on Jerry Spinelli’s beloved novel Stargirl, this Disney movie will follow Leo Borlock, a student at Mica High School in Arizona, whose life changes forever when new girl Stargirl Caraway comes along. Shunned by the other students for her odd mannerisms, Stargirl captivates Leo from the start — and teaches him an important lesson about following your heart.

The film is directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen,Twilight) and stars Grace VanderWaal and Graham Verchere.

‘Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe’

In addition to all 127 episodes of Phineas and Ferb, Disney+ is rolling out a new Phineas and Ferb movie. Phineas and Ferb must travel across the galaxy to rescue sister Candace (voiced by Ashley Tisdale), who has been abducted by aliens — but is rather enjoying her time without her brothers. 

‘Monsters at Work’

Monsters, Inc. fans, rejoice! This animated TV series will pick up six months after the 2001 Pixar movie left off, when the city of Monstropolis has switched over to using laughter as fuel instead of screams. Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal) have a huge fan in Tylor Tuskmon (Ben Feldman), a mechanic who dreams of working with his heroes.

‘Peter Pan’ (reboot)

David Lowry will be taking on a live-action Peter Pan for Disney+, following in the footsteps of live-action hits like Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland. There are limited details available about this remake, but this timeless story has lots of potential for live-action fun, from Nana the dog to Tinkerbell. Now, if only we could get someone to confirm those years-old rumors that Reese Witherspoon would be taking on the fairy role…

‘Disney Fam Jam’

This Disney Channel reality series will feature two families competing in three rounds of dance battles in each episode. The winner will get the “Disney Fam Jam” Champs crown. Mentors will be assigned to each round, and the show will play out in front of a live studio audience.

Per Nancy Kanter, EVP of Disney Channels Worldwide Original Programming: “Disney Fam Jam will take diverse, awe-inspiring families out of their living rooms and into the spotlight for a celebration of dance, family and fun.”

‘Magic Camp’

When magician Andy (Adam Devine) doesn’t know where to turn, former mentor and Magic Camp owner Roy (Jeffrey Tambor) convinces him to come serve as a counselor at the magic camp he attended when he was young. Andy finds new inspiration in teaching magic to aspiring young magicians.

The film also stars Gillian Jacobs and Aldis Hodge, and is directed by Mean Girls‘ Mark Waters.