The Best Easter-Themed Family Films To Stream

How many Christmas movies are there? We could all name dozens. How many Easter movies are there? Ummm. It’s a genre that’s still waiting to hatch, but that’s not to say we can’t find anything seasonal to stream.

Father Christmas clearly has a better agent than the Easter Bunny, judging by who gets the most films. But you can see both supernatural beings in the 2012 DreamWorks film Rise of the Guardians. Messrs Claus and Bunny team up with the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost to take on a bogeyman. It’s currently streaming on UK Netflix. 

The Easter Bunny’s greatest role to date, however, is probably in the 2011 film Hop. The plot revolves around the famous bunny getting run over by an out-of-work slacker, who then has to take on the responsibilities of the sweet-toothed lagomorph. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s essentially the same plot as a half dozen famous Christmas movies. Hop is, however, from the same burrow as the Despicable Me films, and so you can rest assured it’ll be worth watching.

The best rabbit movie, for my money, has to be 2018’s Peter Rabbit. Don’t expect the gentle tone of the original books, nor the wholesome worthiness of the TV show. This is full-on brash. The cartoon violence and cheeky one-liners might be a bit much for smaller children, but school kids and parents will love it. Plus, two great turns from Daisy Ridley and Domhnall Gleeson, reunited from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  

Finally, the 1988 classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit is available on Disney Plus. The film was a landmark in its day for the innovative combination of live action and animation, and it’s aged surprisingly well. It’s not particularly Easter-y, however. Likewise, Disney’s Zootopia is an absolute hoot for both kids and adults, if having a rabbit as the protagonist is enough of an Easter link for you. 

If you’re looking for a film to accompany all those chocolate eggs, then a good starting point would be Wonka. The 1971 original, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, is an utter classic. Packed with singalong songs, deliciously sinister twists and an unforgettable performance from Gene Wilder, it’s one of those rare kids films that’s truly stood the test of time. The updated 2005 version (called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) was also well received and, with Tim Burton at the helm, is inevitably creepier. Both films are currently available on UK Netflix and other streaming platforms (and I hear that a prequel, called Wonka, is in the works).

When was the first ever Easter egg hunt? Tens of thousands of years ago, if 2016’s Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade is to be believed. The Ice Age films follow the law of diminishing returns, and this latter-day jolly is hardly the series’s finest hour - but it’s certainly a diverting 25 minutes for fans of the franchise. Catch it on Disney Plus. 

Baby chick alert! Netflix subscribers with under-5s should take a look at the Korean animation Pat a Pat Como. This short series follows the adventures of the titular Como, as he hatches from his egg and then explores the world around him. It’s all done with gestures and a lot of “Oooos” and “Ahhhs”, so is perfect for children who can’t yet understand language (let alone Korean). 

More animated fun over on Disney Plus, where the various Winnie the Pooh adventures include the seasonal Springtime With Roo. At over an hour long, it’s practically a movie.

Of course, you’re quite within your rights to settle down and watch a film that doesn’t have some kind of Easter theme. We’ve previously compiled lists of our favourite movies in the following articles:

All Time 10 Best Movies For Preschoolers

Best Of Netflix For The Under-12s

25 Best Classic Family Movies

The Top Disney Movies

15 Best Movies For Teens

The Best Sky Movies For Families

The Best Coming-of-Age Movies