Upcoming Family Films to Get Excited About

All signs suggest 2016 will be a great year for family films, as titles new and old offer up something for all ages to enjoy. Some of our favourite heroes will return, while new ones will be made and there are even some retro classics making a comeback to the big screen – giving the whole family plenty of reason to get excited about trips to the cinema next year.

Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them
Word has it production has finally begun on the first film in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series. Filming reportedly started on August 17 at Warner Bros. Studios, under the direction of David Yates, who directed the last four films in the Harry Potter franchise. Sadly, you’ll have to wait until November next year to see part one of the Fantastic Beasts trilogy and, judging by the queues of fans that still flock to see the sets of the original films, it can’t arrive quickly enough.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Okay, so second sequels typically leave a lot to be desired, but DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda series is one of the few that could pull it off. You’ll hear familiar voices galore with Jack Black returning as unfortunate hero Po, accompanied once again by Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie and Seth Rogan in their respective roles.

Finding Dory
There has to be a spot for Pixar on any given list of family films to get excited about, of course, and here it is. The aptly named Finding Dory is a sequel to the 2003 animation Finding Nemo and, as you probably guessed, it’s Dory who takes the centre stage this time, in search of her family. Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy and Kaitlin Olson are among the high-profile stars who join Ellen DeGeneres in her return as the forgetful blue fish.

The Jungle Book
Disney’s classic adaptation of The Jungle Book gets a 3D upgrade and a new cast for next April’s release. Director Jon Favreau revealed that the live action remake was animated first and then shot live before the two versions were “melded together”. While Disney’s president of production, Sean Bailey, has described the film as “one of the most technologically advanced movies ever made.”

Other nostalgic remakes next year will include Jumanji, Space Jam 2 and The BFG – ideal for us millennial parents who can’t quite let go of those childhood years.

The Secret Life of Pets
The team behind Minions and the Despicable Me series will be back next year with an animated look at The Secret Life of Pets. Think Toy Story with a more cuddly cast and you’ll pretty much get the gist: a family dog gets rubbed the wrong way by the arrival of a new pet and, of course, they clash until their differences are put aside to defeat a far greater common enemy. Classic formula.

So there you have it, plenty of reason to get excited about the family films ahead for 2016 and there are many more you could add to the list. Luckily for us parents it seems making kids films isn’t profitable enough for the big guns in Hollywood and they make every effort to appeal to every age group in one storyline—which is great, because now it’s okay to like watching cartoons in your 30s and beyond.

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