12 movies like Hogwarts Legacy you can watch right now

With Hogwarts LegacyIt’s possible that those who grew to love Harry Potter movies and books will long to be back in the Wizarding World this weekend. But with creator J.K. Rowling’s bigoted stances on gender identity souring a once fun premise, many have chosen not to engage with any Harry Potter content, past or present, no matter how much they once loved it. However, magic schools are an interesting genre and one that is not very common.

Many fantasy stories that focus on young characters often have a school setting. This allows them to explore the familiar and create the extraordinary. Many movies have similar themes, whether they are a family-friendly, off-kilter fantasy setting with vivid visuals or magic and witchy vibes. So, if you’re staring at your television screen wishing for something that will scratch that specific itch, here are some movies that fit the bill.

The School for Good and Evil

Gilles Mingasson/Netflix.

This is one of the latest entries to the magic school category. The School for Good and Evil This is an amazing movie, which revels in fairy-tales and the genre it seeks to decode. Two unlikely friends, the perky Sophie and Agatha, are swept off to an unknown school that teaches fairy tale characters. But much to their surprise, Agatha gets tossed into the “good” school with the glamorous princesses and suave princes, while Sophie is chosen for the “evil” school, which is full of the children of storybook villains.

It’s a fun movie that just absolutely loves the world it’s set in, while also not letting old tropes go unchallenged. My review said it all. The School for Good and Evil is exactly the sort of thing I would’ve written in the margins of my notes in middle school — and that’s a good thing. —Petrana Radulovic

The School for Good and Evil Is streaming available on Netflix

Sky High

Buena Vista Pictures

It’s the Superhero version of School for Good and EvilThe superhero comedy of a high school for teenager superheroes. Sky HighIt has gotten a little bit of a following due to its lighthearted humor and cheesy spoofing of superhero movies (right before they became the blockbuster mainstay). Kurt Russell stars in it! There’s Mary Elizabeth Winstead, before she was famous! And it’s one of the only live-action projects to do stretchy powers well. —Pete Volk

Sky HighStreaming is available Disney Plus.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Image courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Tim Burton’s last truly great film might be Sleepy HollowSo, 1999 was a blockbuster that an old visual artist cranking out steam produced. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar ChildrenIt isn’t top-tier. However, in an era where superhero movies are homogeneous it is still a popular choice. Adapted from Ransom Riggs’ popular fantasy novel of the same name, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar ChildrenX-Men: Goths follows a group of superhuman kids who work under the guidance of Eva Green (a formshifting headmistress). The movie is a little too slow, with very few set pieces. However, Burton does a lot of special effects and macabre design and even some stop motion to make the film more interesting. Samuel L. Jackson plays a white-haired, fanged demon and is let go. To. Town. There are little gifts aplenty in this fantastical romp, even if the whole thing doesn’t gel. (We didn’t get a sequel for a reason.) —Matt Patches

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar ChildrenThis is digitally available to rent or buy Amazon, Apple TVGoogle Play Vudu.

The House With A Clock In Its Walls

Universal Pictures

A perfectly spoopy movie that works even when it’s not Halloween, The House With A Clock In Its Walls The magic school has been abandoned and the magic tutor is assigned to one young warlock. Jack Black plays Uncle Jonathan, the proprietor of the titular home. Cate Blanchett plays his next door neighbor, and best friend as a witchy. Right away, that’s a stellar cast, and they fully commit to their roles. This movie is family friendly, but there are some scary scenes! It is not too disturbing for children under the age of five, but it might be for babies Jack Black. —PR

The House with the Clock Within Its Walls Available to Rent Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TVRedbox.

We Can Be Heroes

Photo: Ryan Green/Netflix

Honestly, any of Robert Rodriguez’s kid-tailored movies (Spy Kids, Sharkboy and Lavagirl: The Adventures of Sharkboy & LavagirlHowever, it could be inserted here. We Can Be Heroes (1) The most recent is the closest to fun school settings. Now, the second generation of superheroes trapped in a classroom in this movie don’t get a chance to attend lessons or learn from kooky professors before disaster strikes. However, they bond and discover how to use the powers. The emphasis is on being second-generation heroes. You can also watch a training video! It’s a fun time — Spy KidsIn 2001, made action more approachable and child-friendly. We Can Be HeroesThe same applies to the superhero genre. —PR

We Can Be HeroesNetflix allows streaming.

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals

Image: Disney Plus

Disney’s Descendants trilogy — which follows the children of famous Disney characters like Maleficent, Belle, and Ursula — is an obvious choice for anyone looking for a magical school movie. However, if you’re not a hardcore Disney fan, then your enjoyment of the Disney Channel Original Movie series might not be as strong.

Instead, I’ll offer Secret Society of Second-Born RoyalsIt is a good alternative. While this Disney Plus original may be a little more professional and expensive than DCOM, it still features young protagonists fighting the forces of evil together. It follows a second daughter of a fictional country who learns she — and other second-born royal children — have secret superpowers that they must use to protect the world. —PR

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals Is streaming on Disney Plus.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Image: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Disney’s original vision of the movie “Disney” is recreated. FantasiaIn a short action-fantasy combination, Jay Baruchel & Nicolas Cage face off against the evil forces and awkward adolescence. Jon Turteltaub, director of National Treasure. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice follows a sorcerer named Balthazar (Cage) and his reluctant apprentice, Dave (Baruchel), who’d rather be playing with his Tesla coils and romancing his childhood crush, Becky (Teresa Palmer), than waging war against a bunch of other occult beings. But when things get grim (this is a pun you’ll appreciate more if you take our recommendation), Dave steps up and into the “old man shoes” that are part of his new magical uniform.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is as sweet as it is strange, thanks to Cage’s surprisingly restrained performance — he was the driving force for the movie, so it could easily have gone off the rails — and Baruchel’s hangdog earnestness. Alfred Molina can play the role of antagonist in this film, which balances wonder with reason far better than it initially received. —Danette Chavez

The Sorcerer’s ApprenticeStreaming is available Disney Plus.

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Studio Ghibli/GKIDS Image

Studio Ghibli’s fourth feature film follows the plucky protagonist, Kiki, on a rite-of-passage trip for young witches. Kiki arrives in the city and finds her home when she starts a flight service to a bakery. It weaves magic into urban life by incorporating fantastical themes that make it feel like a slice of everyday life. This film is great for anyone of any age because it features a lovable cast, a wholesome story and has an adult core. In Kiki’s pursuit for a place in the world, Hayao Miyazaki beautifully captures that lonely middle ground between childhood and growing into independence. —Nicole Clark

Kiki’s Delivery ServiceStreaming is available HBO Max.

Halloweentown

Image: Singer White/Ventura Valley Film

The 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie holds its own. It features a little girl and her siblings learning they have a lineage of witches. In Halloweentown, supernatural creatures live in peace and harmony from every plane of existence, this movie is an absolute classic. There are ghosts and ghouls, witches and warlocks, goblins and werewolves, a wisecracking skeleton that drives a taxi cab, a giant jack-o’-lantern in the town square, flying broomsticks, a Willy Wonka-looking mayor pulling a lollipop out of his ear — need I go on?

Since everything thereafter is just a continuation of the same story, Halloweentown’s first movie really stands out. Sure, one wouldn’t necessarily expect that a 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie ages well, but Halloweentown She has stood the test. Debbie Reynolds is wonderful as the kids’ estranged grandmother Aggie, as is Kimberly J. Brown portrays Marnie the apprentice witch. If you’re looking for a fun holiday-themed movie with eccentric characters, colorful sets, and some spooky-but-not-too-spooky thrills, HalloweentownThis is your best bet. —Toussaint Égan

HalloweentownStreaming is available Disney Plus.

Ella Enchanted

Image by Miramax Films

The 2004 Anne Hathaway-led adaptation of the children’s classic tells the story of Ella, who is cursed at birth to follow any order another has given her, and who journeys to find the fairy godmother who might revert the spell. Ella EnchantedThis movie reimagines fairy godmothers as something funny and sinister. The world is filled with magic from talking books to elves and witches. The movie is full of action, adventure and romance. It also features multiple dancing numbers, wicked stepsisters, and even a Heidi Klum appearance. Most importantly, it’s a coming-of-age story about a young woman learning to live for herself. —NC

Ella Enchanted Available to Rent Amazon, AppleGoogle Play Vudu.

The King-King Kid

Twentieth Century Fox Photo

Fans of Joe Cornish’sTake on the Block He did not turn up to his much-awaited sequel, and 20th Century Fox dumped it shortly after the Disney acquisition took effect. But anyone looking for the authentic revival of ’80s adventure movies like The Goonies You should return to this gem. A 12-year-old boy is given Excalibur by his father and leads an army against Morgana’s (Rebecca Ferguson) troops. Cornish understands that a film must entertain all ages. The King-King KidThis fulfills the desire. —MP

The King-King KidStreaming is available Disney Plus.

Mirror Mirror

Relativity Media, Photo

This confectionary take on Snow White was completely overshadowed by 2012’s other Cinderella reimagining, the action-heavy Kristen Stewart vehicleSnow White and Huntsman It stinks. Starring Lily CollinsEmily in ParisJulia Roberts is the Evil Queen and a fair princess, whereas ). Mirror Mirror The storybook-whimsy of Tarsem is the focus. There is whackadoo physical comedy courtesy of the dwarves (rightfully played by a cast of little people), there are Bollywood-style musical sequences, and there are lavish costumes courtesy of the legendary Eiko Ishioka, who was nominated for an Oscar for this eye-popping-but-forgotten film. It was difficult to find a successor. The Princess Bride made after The Princess BrideHowever, it is best to keep your feet on the ground. Mirror Mirror is one of them — but no one ever talks about it. —MP

Mirror MirrorStreaming is available StarzYou can also get a Hoopla library card for free