Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans
A teenage Roman and a Celtic girl get caught up in Boudica's revolt. Gross-out jokes plus real history, ideal for primary-school kids.
What to watch
Tonight’s movie
In cinemas, new to stream, free to watch, and our all-time family top 10.
Can’t decide? Let the Movie Night Picker choose, then grab your snack trays.
Costs nothing
Free to watch
Legal, free family films on UK services such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4.
Early Man
Aardman's Stone Age caveman challenges the Bronze Age to a football match to save his valley. Clay-animated silliness with a sporty twist.
Shaun the Sheep Movie
Shaun's plan for a day off goes wrong and the flock ends up in the Big City hunting for the Farmer. A perfect warm-up before the new Shaun film.
Back to the Future
Teenager Marty McFly is sent back to 1955 in a time-travelling DeLorean and has to make sure his parents fall in love. A family classic for over-eights.
Paddington 2
Paddington is wrongly jailed and wins over the prison with marmalade while the Browns hunt the real thief. Gentle, funny and very kind.
Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers
A sinister penguin lodger and a pair of robotic trousers lead to one of animation's great train chases. Half an hour long, so good for a short night.
The Gruffalo
A clever mouse uses a made-up monster to outwit the woodland predators, until the monster turns up. Half-hour adaptation of the picture book.
Madagascar
Four pampered New York zoo animals are shipwrecked on Madagascar and have to cope with the wild. Loud, bouncy fun.
Kung Fu Panda 2
Po, now the Dragon Warrior, faces a peacock villain and learns where he really came from. Action-packed with real heart.
Kung Fu Panda 3
Po meets his birth father and must teach a village of clumsy pandas kung fu to stop a spirit warrior. Funny and colourful.
| Film | Year | BBFC | IMDb | Free on | Free until |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans | 2019 | PG | 5.4 | BBC iPlayer | 20 Jul 2028 |
| Early Man | 2018 | PG | 6.1 | BBC iPlayer | 31 Jan 2031 |
| Shaun the Sheep Movie | 2015 | U | 7.3 | BBC iPlayer | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Back to the Future | 1985 | PG | 8.5 | BBC iPlayer | 13 Oct 2026 |
| Paddington 2 | 2017 | PG | 7.8 | BBC iPlayer | 29 Sep 2026 |
| Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers | 1993 | U | 8.3 | BBC iPlayer | 31 Jan 2031 |
| The Gruffalo | 2009 | U | 7.5 | BBC iPlayer | 15 Dec 2029 |
| Madagascar | 2005 | U | 7.0 | ITVX | Ongoing |
| Kung Fu Panda 2 | 2011 | PG | 7.3 | ITVX | Ongoing |
| Kung Fu Panda 3 | 2016 | PG | 7.1 | ITVX | Ongoing |
Big screen
In UK cinemas now
Family films showing or opening this season.
Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom
Aardman's woolly hero gets a Halloween makeover as a monster scare sweeps Mossy Bottom Farm. Silly, gentle spooks that suit even the youngest viewers.
Coyote vs. Acme
Wile E. Coyote takes the company behind all his exploding gadgets to court. Classic Looney Tunes slapstick mixed with live action, fun for kids and nostalgic parents.
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
The pups head to a mysterious island to protect its dinosaurs from Mayor Humdinger's latest scheme. Bright, fast and made for the under-sevens.
Matilda (re-release)
Danny DeVito's much-loved take on Roald Dahl's bookworm with secret powers returns to the big screen for a limited run.
Forgotten Island
DreamWorks' new adventure follows two lifelong best friends who wake on a magical island full of creatures from Filipino folklore, where staying too long makes you forget who you are.
Monster Mia
A rebellious girl expelled from school ends up at Rotwood Academy, where every classmate is a monster. Based on the Monstrous Maud books, pitched squarely at Halloween half term.
Tad and the Magic Lamp
Bumbling explorer Tad accidentally sets loose an ancient spell and has to put things right with his friends. Light, jokey treasure-hunting fun from the Spanish team behind the earlier Tad films.
Ghosts: The Possession of Button House
The ghosts from the BBC sitcom make the jump to the big screen for a feature-length haunting at Button House. Best for tweens and up who already know the characters.
Wildwood
Laika's handmade stop-motion fantasy follows a girl who heads into a forbidden forest to rescue her baby brother. Adapted from Colin Meloy's novel.
Arnie & Barney
Two hopeless ants from the Maya the Bee world try to save their meadow from a drought and bumble into becoming heroes. Short and silly, good for younger children.
| Film | BBFC | UK cinema release | IMDb | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom | U | 18 Sep 2026 | 7.2 | Animation, Comedy |
| Coyote vs. Acme | PG | 21 Aug 2026 | 7.5 | Animation, Live action |
| Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie | U | 7 Aug 2026 | 6.1 | Animation, Adventure |
| Matilda (re-release) | PG | 11 Sep 2026 | 7.0 | Family, Fantasy |
| Forgotten Island | Not yet rated | 16 Oct 2026 | 7.6 | Animation, Adventure |
| Monster Mia | U | 16 Oct 2026 | New | Animation, Comedy |
| Tad and the Magic Lamp | U | 23 Oct 2026 | 6.5 | Animation, Adventure |
| Ghosts: The Possession of Button House | PG | 23 Oct 2026 | New | Comedy, Halloween |
| Wildwood | Not yet rated | 23 Oct 2026 | New | Animation, Fantasy |
| Arnie & Barney | PG | 30 Oct 2026 | New | Animation, Comedy |
Sofa ready
New to stream
Family films new or trending on UK streaming services.
Toy Story 5
Woody, Buzz and the gang face a new rival for Bonnie's attention: a tablet with big opinions about how she should play. A timely screen-time story wrapped in Pixar warmth.
Abominable
A Shanghai teenager finds a young yeti on her roof and sets off across China to get him home. Big landscapes and a gentle heart.
Mummies
Three mummies from an underground Egyptian city end up in modern London chasing a stolen ring. Daft, colourful and a good Halloween-season warm-up.
Bee Movie
A bee fresh out of college discovers humans eat honey and decides to take them to court. Quick-fire jokes for grown-ups, bright visuals for kids.
The Rugrats Movie
Tommy and the babies take a new baby brother on an unplanned trip into the woods. A nostalgic pick parents will remember.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson's stop-motion Roald Dahl adaptation, with a sly fox outwitting three nasty farmers. Witty, stylish and very British in spirit.
Rango
A pet chameleon stranded in the desert bluffs his way into becoming a Wild West town's sheriff. Odd, clever and gorgeous to look at; better for over-sevens.
Mr. Bean's Holiday
Mr Bean wins a trip to the French Riviera and causes chaos at every stop. Almost wordless, so it works across all ages.
Johnny English
Rowan Atkinson plays Britain's most accident-prone secret agent. Silly spy spoof that kids find hilarious.
Wonder Park
A girl discovers that the amusement park she dreamed up is real, and it needs saving. Imaginative, with a few scary moments.
The Bad Guys 2
The reformed animal crooks get pulled back into one last job by a rival gang. Slick, funny heist caper.
Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
Gabby and her cat friends go on a road trip to rescue her beloved dollhouse. Made for preschoolers who love the show.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic, Tails and Knuckles face a powerful new rival, Shadow. Fast, loud and funny, with Jim Carrey on double duty as the villain.
| Film | Year | BBFC | IMDb | Streaming on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toy Story 5 | 2026 | PG | 7.4 | Disney+ |
| Abominable | 2019 | U | 7.0 | Disney+ |
| Mummies | 2023 | U | 5.9 | Netflix |
| Bee Movie | 2007 | U | 6.1 | Netflix (also Disney+) |
| The Rugrats Movie | 1998 | U | 6.0 | Netflix |
| Fantastic Mr. Fox | 2009 | PG | 7.9 | Prime Video |
| Rango | 2011 | PG | 7.3 | Prime Video |
| Mr. Bean's Holiday | 2007 | PG | 6.4 | NOW / Sky Cinema |
| Johnny English | 2003 | PG | 6.3 | NOW / Sky Cinema |
| Wonder Park | 2019 | PG | 5.9 | NOW / Sky Cinema |
| The Bad Guys 2 | 2025 | PG | 7.0 | NOW / Sky Cinema |
| Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie | 2025 | U | 5.4 | NOW / Sky Cinema |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | 2024 | PG | 6.9 | NOW / Sky Cinema (also Paramount+ via Amazon Channels) |
Browse
Pick a genre
🎨
Animation
Bright, funny and full of heart: animated films are the easiest win for a mixed-age movie night.
See the films😂Family comedy
Films that get the grown-ups laughing as much as the kids. Perfect for a Friday night in.
See the films🧭Adventure
Quests, treasure maps and daring escapes for families who like their movie night with a bit of action.
See the films🦄Fantasy
Magic, dragons and other worlds. Grab a blanket and get lost in something completely different.
See the films🎤Musicals
Sing-along favourites. Turn the volume up and hand out the hairbrush microphones.
See the films🎃Spooky (but kid-safe)
A little bit spooky, never too scary. Ideal for Halloween movie nights with younger children.
See the filmsOur list
Top 10 family films of all time
Our favourites for a whole-family movie night. Read the full post.
- 1
Paddington 2 2017
Kind, funny and beautifully made; adults enjoy it as much as kids.
- 2
Toy Story 1995
Changed animation forever and still lands every joke.
- 3
The Wizard of Oz 1939
The original family fantasy, with songs everyone already knows.
- 4
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982
A friendship story that works on every generation.
- 5
Back to the Future 1985
Tightly plotted, very funny, and great for sparking 'what would you change?' chats.
- 6
Spirited Away 2001
The best gateway into Studio Ghibli for curious kids.
- 7
The Lion King 1994
Big music, big feelings and a story kids will quote for years.
- 8
- 9
Finding Nemo 2003
Parents feel it, kids love it, and it rewatches brilliantly.
- 10
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit 2005
Homegrown British charm and just enough spooky fun.
Listings checked 24 September 2026. Films and services change often, so check your cinema or streaming service before you settle in, and always check the BBFC rating suits everyone watching. Trailer, “Where to watch” and Prime Video buttons open a search on YouTube, JustWatch or Amazon UK.
Quick answers
Got questions?
What family films are in UK cinemas right now?
Our “In cinemas now” list shows family-friendly films showing or releasing in UK cinemas this season, each with its BBFC rating where confirmed. Check your local cinema for times.
Where can I watch family films for free in the UK?
Free, legal services such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and My5 regularly carry family films. Our free-to-watch list links to films we checked on those services.
How do I find where a film is streaming?
Tap “Where to watch” on any film. It opens a JustWatch UK search, which shows which UK services currently stream, rent or sell it.
Are these films suitable for young children?
We pick family-friendly films, but every family is different. Always check the official BBFC rating and advice before watching with children.