One of the last truly fantastic Disney films was release back in 2012 in the form of Wreck-It Ralph. A modern take on the Disney Princess trope, the film is full of fantastic and top-notch humor that any adult could easily get behind, while the setting, a selection of arcade games all connected by "Game Central Station," is actually rather genius.
The film has been loved and lauded by many since it first released and has continued to see great success and consistent love since then, but we need more! We’ve put together a list of ten films with similarities to Wreck-It Ralph.
Ralph Breaks The Internet
Arguably the most obvious film to watch as soon as you’re finished with Wreck-It Ralph is Ralph Breaks The Internet. It is a sequel to the original film, set a few years after the events of the first and centered on the introduction of the internet to the arcade. In it, Ralph and Penelope are taken into a physical manifestation of the internet full of references to various media and Disney-owned brands. Definitely check this out if you liked the first film.
Despicable Me
Despicable Me is one of the clearest parallels to Wreck-It Ralph in terms of characterization. Both main characters are supposed to be bad guys but don’t really want to be, while they both end up taking on a caring role, looking after young children. The two films also overlap in their portrayal of excitable, comedic children. Watch if you liked the characters of Wreck-It Ralph.
Inside Out
While Wreck-It Ralph is set inside an arcade game, Inside Out is set inside the head of a little girl. Both of the films create a physical version of a world that isn’t really there, allowing us to see the fictional inner workings and relationships inside a brain in much the same way that we are able to see the fictional inner workings of a selection of games. Watch if you like incredible fictional worlds.!
Ready Player One
Ready Player One is arguably more suited to fans of Ralph Breaks The Internet than the first film, but, as the two go hand in hand and there are still major similarities, this film still makes it into the list.
Set inside a VR world full of references to various other franchises—a major link to Ralph Breaks The Internet—Ready Player One allows us to experience yet another of those crazy inner worlds full of unique characters we’d never get access to in the real world.
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle was an unexpected hit. Combining Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan was a stroke of comedic genius that meant a classic, well-loved film was able to be modernized and adapted to an overwhelmingly positive response. Watch if you like films set in video games.
Jumanji
The original Jumanji film, released in 1995, was a hit that saw Robin Williams play the adult version of Alan Parrish, who has been stuck inside a board game for 26 years.
It isn’t necessarily as grand as its sequel, but it has been considered one of the greatest fantasy films ever made, and for good reason. Fans will find that Wreck-It Ralph takes a lot of influence from the premise.
The Lego Movie
The Lego Movie was a 90-minute-long advertisement for a product. We all knew that, but we all saw it, anyway. Against every natural reaction, it was a brilliant piece of cinematic mastery that combined fantastic animation with humor accessible to all, meta-jokes from every angle, and one of the finest twists ever in a children’s film. Watch if you like love hilarious, campy flicks with tons of references to other properties.
Monster’s University
The reason Monster’s University makes it onto this list isn’t down to the use of a similar animation style and humor, similar characterization, or a fictional world that isn’t a million miles away—even though Wreck-It Ralph and Monster’s University do share those things.
Instead, it all comes down to the viewing experience. For the most part, the two films share a bright, uplifting color pallet that simply makes for a positive association. Watch if you can't get enough of the visual stylings of Disney's Pixar, Dreamworks, or Illumination Entertainment.
Zootopia
Zootopia makes its way onto this list thanks to its directorial line-up. Byron Howard has been a co-director at Disney for many years, but his Zootopia co-director Rich Moore was at the helm of both Wreck-It Ralph films. This means that there are distinct similarities in the filmmaking approach that can be picked up on between the films. Watch if you like the directorial techniques of Rich Moore.
Assassins Creed
The final entry onto this list is the film adaptation of Assassins Creed. As a game, it is known as a successful masterpiece loved by millions of fans. But, unfortunately, it is remembered almost universally negatively in the film world. Despite the poor response, there are certain audiences that could find something to love in Assassins Creed. Check this one out if you're a sucker for admittedly shlocky video game film adaptations.