The Iron Giantis one of the best animated films to ever come out of Warner Bros. Pictures, and while the film’s popularity has dwindled since it was released in 1999,the core and message of the film can be seen in many modern films. In 1999, Disney was at the top of their game when it came to animated movies. By comparison, other studios struggled to compete, and even one of the largest studios in Hollywood, Warner Bros., relied on popular IP’s like Batman and the Looney Tunes to fill seats.
However, at the turn of the century, WB put out a spectacular film that harked back to tensions of the Cold War with a 1957 setting. And on top of this tension, the film adds in a story of friendship between a young teenage boy and a gigantic alien robot. As the boy gets to know his new friend, the pair must work together to avoid being captured by the government, and used for more nefarious means.
10Bumblebee (2018)
Directed By Travis Knight
Perhaps the most similar modern film which resemblesThe Iron Giantis the hidden gem,Bumblebee. Yes, it is part of theTransformersfranchise, and the movie had a massive marketing push, but the film came as the franchise was beginning to take a nose dive in popularity. Despite this, the wonderful story of friendship that plays out whena young woman discovers an alien robot in 1987has a lot in common with the 1999 hit.
Bumblebee
Cast
The sixth installment in the Transformers movie franchise, Bumblebee acts as both a spin-off and prequel to the series. Set in 1987, Bumblebee follows Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) after she discovers the injured Autobot scout, B-127. Nicknaming him Bumblebee, Charlie helps the iconic yellow Transformer to evade both the evil Decepticons and the efforts of Colonel Jack Burns (John Cena) to capture him.
LikeThe Iron Giant, the film examinesthemes of acceptance, friendship, and finding home.Bumblebeeis a live-action film with considerably more action and intended for a more mature audience, but both contain very similar tones. With that in mind, fans of one will most likely enjoy the other, andThe Iron Giant’sincredible emotional journey does make it a stand-out entry in this kind of film.
9Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Directed By Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois
Lilo & Stitchhas some clear differences fromThe Iron Giant, but again, it tells a story ofan alien who finds its way to Earth. While there, they stumble into a human, and over time, this young native to the planet Earth teaches them about home, family, acceptance and friendship. In a similar way, Lilo has a struggle with her older sister, who is her sole guardian after their parents passed away.
Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch, released in 2002, explores the relationship between a young Hawaiian girl, Lilo, and Stitch, a mischievous alien experiment posing as her pet. As Stitch adapts to Earth’s customs, the pair navigate themes of family and friendship, while evading extraterrestrial pursuers.
Hogarth, the main protagonist ofThe Iron Giant, has a strained relationship with his single mother, who works hard to provide for her son, but loses out on valuable time together. However, asHogarth and Lilo learn to embrace their alien companions, they develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for their family, and it brings them all closer together in the end.
8Meet The Robinsons (2007)
Directed By Stephen J. Anderson
Taking yet another step into a different direction,Meet the Robinsonsis a beautiful Disney filmfrom 2007 that is incredibly underappreciated and often forgotten.The story centers on a young orphan boy, named Lewis, who is incredibly intelligent, and hopes to invent something to help him find his mother. One day, after an invention fails spectacularly, Lewis meets a young man named Wilbur, who encourages him to “Keep Moving Forward” beyond the mistakes.
Meet the Robinsons
Meet The Robinsons follows Lewis, a young inventor determined to find his birth mother. His journey takes a turn when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks him away to the future. Together, they face adventures and challenges that ultimately lead Lewis to uncover the significance of family and his place in the world. This animated film explores themes of innovation, belonging, and the importance of moving forward.
Lewis ends up flying to the future with Wilbur when Wilbur reveals that is where he came from, and Lewis finds himself fitting in more than he ever has with Wilbur’s family. The story takes some twists and turns, but at the heart of it all,Lewis' search for family is rewarded, and through unusual and unexpected circumstances, he finds answers that he wasn’t looking for, and peace where he felt uneasy.
7Treasure Planet (2002)
Directed By John Musker & Ron Clements
Once again exploring a futuristic setting, the 2002 Disney film,Treasure Planet, is a reimagined version of the popular novel from 1883,Treasure Islandby Robert Louis Stevenson. The film follows15-year-old Jim Hawkins, as he sets sail into the skies in order to find a legendary treasure. Along the way, he befriends a robot named Ben, and a small shapeshifting alien called Morph.
Both movies are incredibly emotional, and contain beautiful, enriching moral lessons.
However, hot on his heels is a menacing pirate named John Silver who initially attempts to betray Jim. However, when push comes to shove, and lives are threatened, Silver forgets the allure of the treasure, and chooses to help save Jim’s life.
Treasure Planet
Treasure Planet is a 2002 animated adventure and Fantasy film from Walt Disney studios. Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the story follows a young boy named Jim Hawkins as he attempts to find a fabled treasure and mend ways with his father who abandoned him.
This is similar to how General Rogard initially stands out as a menacing threat to young Hogarth and his giant robot friend, before having a change of heart, and recognizing the value of the robot and his young, but incredibly brave friend. Both movies are incredibly emotional, and contain beautiful, enriching moral lessons.
6Big Hero 6 (2014)
Directed By Don Hall & Chris Williams
Big Hero 6is one of the most spectacular and moving filmsto come out of the 2010s. The film was released by Disney and isbased on an original comic book series from Marvel comics. Hiro Hamada looks up to his brother, Tadashi, as his own personal mentor and friend. Though Hiro is arguably more gifted in terms of his talents and creativity for robotics, Tadashi’s a hard worker, who wants to use technology to create a better tomorrow.
Big Hero 6
In Walt Disney Animation Studios' Big Hero 6, the child genius Hiro Hamada works with his brother Tadashi’s inflatable robot, Baymax, to assemble a superhero team in the fictional city of San Fransokyo. The titular group of geeky heroes, composed of Honey Lemon, Go Go Tomago, Wasabi, and Fred, help Hiro and Baymax take down a masked villain powered by nanobots.
However, Hiro’s world is rocked when he loses Tadashi early in the film. This leads him to grow close to the last great invention his brother made, Baymax, a computer whose primary purpose is to help heal and work in medical fields.
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Baymax recognizes the pain, suffering and anguish of young Hiro, and tries to fulfill his purpose and help the young boy heal. The story is beautifully told, unpacks an incredible story of friendship between a boy and his robot, and their adventures together as they encounter danger and trouble that they can only get through by working together.
5Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Directed By Kirk Wise & Gary Trousdale
In 2001, Disney made another spectacular film that explored worlds which only existed in myth and legends.Atlantis: The Lost Empiredives headfirst intoa story about a young explorer, Milo, who has dedicated his life to studying the legendary kingdom of Atlantis. Milo helps to coordinate an expedition to this magical kingdom, and upon arriving, he meets an entire civilization that has been hidden in the depths of the sea for generations.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
The 2D-animated Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire follows a linguist who leads an expedition to find the lost city of Atlantis and unlock its secrets. The 2001 sci-fi movie features an ensemble cast composed of Michael J. Fox as Milo Thatch and Cree Summer as Atlantian Princess Kida, as well as James Garner, Don Novello, Phil Morris, Jacqueline Obradors, Claudia Christian, Florence Stanley, Leonard Nimoy, David Ogden Stiers, John Mahoney, Jim Varney, and Corey Burton in supporting roles.
Milo’s dedicated study means he has learned the language, writings, and legends of these people, and while they long ago lost the ability to read or write, Milo’s arrival grants them access to the world that they once knew. This story of connection across a wide divide, and overcoming challenges to achieve something greater is indicative of bothAtlantisandThe Iron Giant, andmarks an incredible era for animated filmsas they were both released just two years apart.
4My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
My Neighbor Totoroactually came out 11 years beforeThe Iron Giant, under the brand of Studio Ghibli. This remarkable film has long been praised for its emotional narrative,beautiful animation style, unique method of storytelling, and fantastical nature. Like many otherStudio Ghibli films, the movie has elements of fantasy and myth which break into the real world, and help to create a unique aesthethic that sets it apart from the world of Western animation.
However, there is a lot in common between the two stories as they explore family dynamics, a unique friendship betweena young person and a mysterious foreign creature, and everyone in the narrative learns and grows from these relationships. However, whileThe Iron Giantis a clear sci-fi story,My Neighbor Tototorohas a more fantastical approach, but both films deliver similar messages.
3Brother Bear (2003)
Directed By Aaron Blaise & Robert Walker
Continuing on the fantasy-based storytelling,Brother Bearisanother intense and emotional storythat follows a similar narrative to the films mentioned above. The film focuses on a young man named Kenai, whose brother is killed by a bear. In an attempt to take revenge, he tracks down and kills the bear, and finds himself transformed into a bear to teach him a lesson about his anger and bloodlust. Upon transforming, he befriends a young bear named Koda, and Kenai learns how to see the world through different eyes.
Brother Bear
Brother Bear is an animated adventure from Walt Disney Pictures, released in 2003. The film follows Kenai, a young Inuit who is transformed into a bear as punishment for killing one. To regain his human form, Kenai must learn valuable lessons about nature and brotherhood. The voice cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, and Rick Moranis, with the film featuring music by Phil Collins.
The film is deeply emotional, introducesthemes of brotherly love, and learning to expand perspectiveby befriending unlikelycompanions. LikeThe Iron Giant, there is turmoil, struggles, and growth that all come from the change in Kenai, or the discovery of the Iron Giant in either story. It also falls into the category of films that trust a younger audience with deep emotional narratives.
2Megamind (2010)
Directed By Tom McGrath
Megamindcame out in 2010, and the DreamWorks Animation film proved incredibly popular, paving a way for more stories from the studio that looked at characters who were designed as villains, but ended up beingexamples of bravery, goodness, and overcoming adversity.
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While the movie clearly seems like a prototype for themega franchise,Despicable Me, it also follows a similar template toThe Iron Giantin terms of presenting characters that could be threats, and making them relatable. When the Iron Giant first appears, his menacing red eyes and heavy weaponry seem to mark him out as a clear villain.
Megamind
Megamind, released in 2010, explores the tale of an alien supervillain who, after conquering his long-time rival Metro Man, creates a new hero adversary. However, when this creation turns malevolent, Megamind is compelled to protect the city from the threat he inadvertently unleashed.
However, when Hogarth takes a little time to see what’s beneath the surface, he gets to know a scared being separated from everything he knows, struggling to find a place to fit in. Like the Iron Giant, Megamind believes he is one thing, but when given the chance to be a hero,he grows into something greater, and makes friends along the way.
1The Wild Robot (2024)
Directed By Chris Sanders
Blending together sci-fi and fantasy, the 2024 filmThe Wild Robotis the latest in a long line of movies that create thiscomplex and beautiful narrativethat takes an unexpected character, namely a robot, and makes them into something greater.
As with the films mentioned above, the movie explores connection, purpose, and friendship in a beautiful narrative.
InThe Wild Robot, Roz is separated from her kind, and due to having some distinct characteristics, they appear to be very different from the robots that gave them life. However, in a beautiful forest full of wildlife, Roz finds their people. Namely, a small baby goose, who lost its parents.
The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot is an animated drama film based on a series of books by Peter Brown. The adaptation is written and directed by Chris Sanders and stars Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, and Catherine O’Hara. The Wild Robot centers on a robot named Rozzum 7134, who becomes stranded on a deserted island and the guardian of a young orphan.
Roz learns to become more than what they were created to be, and finds a family and purpose in this unexpectedly emotional animated film. As with the films mentioned above, the movie explores connection, purpose, and friendship in a beautiful narrative. All of which are staples ofThe Iron Giant, and part of the reason why that movie was such a success.
The Iron Giant
Set in 1957 Maine against the backdrop of the Cold War, The Iron Giant follows Hogarth Hughes, a young boy who finds an alien robot crashlanded in the woods outside his hometown. Determining that the robot is friendly, Hogarth quickly becomes its protector against forces in the US Army who wish to use the robot for their own means. Eli Marienthal voices Hogarth, with a further cast that includes Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., and Christopher McDonald.
