The 40 Best Easter Movies to Get You in the Holiday Spirit

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 95 minutes
• Cast: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria

Easter Bunny (aka E.B.) has always dreamed of moving to California and making a name for himself in music. Unfortunately for him, his dad won’t let him out of the family’s candy business that easily. Will he stick to what he knows or pack his Easter basket and take a chance? Russell Brand voices the fluffy character while James Marsden, Elizabeth Perkins and Kaley Cuoco all make appearances (as humans).

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 108 minutes
• Cast: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, Ann Miller

Easter Parade tells the story of a Broadway star who hires (and ultimately falls in love with) a chorus girl. This classic musical stars our favorites, Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, and features a slew of Ivin Berlin hits. Natch, an actual Easter parade is involved. Oh, and fun fact: Easter Parade was a huge commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing musical film of 1948.

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 55 minutes
• Cast: Vincent Price, Danny Kaye, Casey Kasem, Paul Frees

You might know the song, but there’s also a film (originally aired on CBS) that tells the story of Mr. Cottontail. In this claymation special narrated by Seymour Sassafras, a young Easter bunny must defeat his nemesis, Irontail, before he completely ruins the holiday. (FYI, a computer-animated sequel, called Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie, was released in 2005.)

• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 98 minutes
• Cast: Christina Karis, Jefferson Moore

After her car breaks down, a young Alza Bennett finds herself stranded on the side of the road in an unfamiliar town. With little to no options, she must rely on a quiet farmer, Lincoln, to get her to her estranged family’s house in time for Easter. Did I mention they only have three days to make the journey?

• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 121 minutes
• Cast: Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Lena Olin

In Chocolat, a quaint French village is getting ready for the approaching Lent season. However, depriving themselves of indulgences might prove more difficult this year, considering a mother-daughter duo recently decided to open up a chocolate shop. Is it directly about Easter? Well, not quite, but Easter is celebrated in the film, complete with a festival and a stunning Easter-themed chocolate display.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 87 minutes
• Cast: Mario Lopez, Elisa Donovan, Dean Cain, Catherine Hicks

An Easter movie about a golden retriever? Count me in. Mario Lopez voices Zeus, a Lab who is spending some time at a doggie day care while his family is away for Easter. However, things don’t go according to plan and Zeus and his furry friends must save the facility from evil criminals.

• Rating: G
• Run time: 94 minutes
• Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Peter Kay

If you’re a fan of the popular stop-motion British cartoon, then you’ll love this Academy Award-winning feature. In the flick, the beloved inventor Wallace and his dog Gromit attempt to save their town from a bunny invasion. But things get hare-y (get it?) when they realize these are no ordinary rabbits.

• Rating: G
• Run time: 108 minutes
• Cast: Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen

If you’re looking for something you can sing along to—and something that'll transport you to another decade—this period adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Weber's 1969 musical might be the perfect fit. Directed by Norman Jewison, the movie depicts the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus and features Ted Neeley as the man himself. Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film was a box office success, making a total of $24.5 million.

• Rating: G
• Run time: 143 minutes
• Cast: John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Brandon Victor Dixon, Alice Cooper

If you loved Jesus Christ Superstar, then you'll enjoy NBC's modernized, star-studded version, featuring none other than John Legend as Jesus. The musical received positive reviews from critics and currently holds a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also won a Creative Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 46 minutes
• Cast: Greg Burson, Don Messick, Ed Gilbert

Yogi and his pal Boo Boo are no strangers to getting themselves into shenanigans, but this time, the duo find themselves on a hunt for the Easter Bunny in an attempt to save the town’s annual Jamboree, which they unintentionally wrecked before it even began.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 97 minutes
• Cast: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher

As PureWow’s own Emma Singer wrote, “This family-friendly superhero flick features a cast of familiar little kid heroes—including Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and the Sandman—who come together to fight a villain who intends to extinguish the joyful spirit of childhood. Chock full of action and adventure, this film is nothing short of exciting.”

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 90 minutes
• Cast: Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin

This animated feature tells the kid-friendly story of Moses. Apart from the star-studded voice cast, stunning imagery and historical narrative, the movie has also become well-known for its catchy soundtrack. (Seriously, it’ll be stuck in your head all day.) Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey's iconic track, "When You Believe," went on to win Best Original Song at the 71st Academy Awards, and The Prince of Egypt made history as the first independent animated film to receive this honor.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 95 minutes
• Cast: Daisy Ridley, Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, Elizabeth Debicki, James Corden

Part live-action, part CGI movie, Peter Rabbit is based on the 1902 novel by Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. While James Corden voices the titular character, the movie also features on-screen appearances from Rose Byrne, Margot Robbie and Sia. I promise it’s fun for the whole family. Several critics noted that the movie is quite different from Potter's original material. Still, it grossed a whopping $351 million worldwide.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 93 minutes
• Cast: James Corden, Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, David Oyelowo

In this delightful sequel to the first film, Peter ventures out into the big city and leaves his simple life in the garden behind—and he gets way more than he bargained for. Like the first film, it was met with mixed reviews, and though it wasn't as successful as the first installment, it grossed $154 million.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 108 minutes
• Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence

While this adorable Disney movie isn't about Easter per se, it is about a very clever bunny cop who, along with a con artist fox, tries to solve a mysterious case in the animal metropolis in which they live and vowed to protect. The movie won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and it was named one of the top ten best films of 2016 by the American Film Institute.

• Rating: G
• Run time 220 minutes
• Cast: Charles Heston, Yul Brynner, Edward G. Robinson, Anne Baxter

Fun fact: I've seen this movie at least a dozen times, and it still holds up today—thanks in huge part to Heston's brilliant performance and that epic score. This biblical drama centers around the life of Moses, and Charlton Heston takes on the titular role of the Egyptian prince who discovers the truth about his Hebrew heritage. It’s important to mention, this one is a whopping four hours long, but it's totally worth the time investment. The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and it won a trophy for Best Visual Effects.

• Rating: R
• Run time: 94 minutes
• Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam

If you’re looking for something more comical, look no further than this satirical classic. Life of Brian follows a Jewish man named Brian Cohen who, for as long as he can remember, gets mistaken for Jesus. Written by the Monty Python comedy group, this British comedy from the '70s currently holds a 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 222 minutes
• Cast: Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins

This is another Heston classic that I highly recommend. Not only does it tackle themes of privilege and power, but it also features an incredible redemptive story arc. The three-and-a-half-hour film (yes, you read that correctly) tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur, a member of Jerusalem's Jewish nobility living at the time of Judea's Roman occupation. The movie won 11 Oscars back in 1960—just to give you an idea of how phenomenal the film is.

• Rating: G
• Run time: 30 minutes
• Cast: Todd Barbee, Melanie Kohn, Stephen Shea, Lynn Mortensen

I love spending each and every holiday with the Peanuts gang and Easter is no different. However, this 1957 installment features the Easter Beagle instead of the Great Pumpkin, who takes form in their dog Snoopy. Don’t worry, Lucy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Linus and everyone else make an appearance.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 117 minutes
• Cast: Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah

Featuring a standout cast, Steel Magnolias focuses of the unbreakable friendships of a group of women in a small Southern town. Technically, the 1989 film covers all seasons and holidays, but the Easter egg hunt scene alone qualifies the movie for this list. Warning: You're going to want to keep a box of tissues handy. 

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 49 minutes
• Cast: Dan Anderson, Tim Hodge, Tracy Johnson

As someone who grew up watching her fair share of VeggieTales movies, I can honestly say that these charming, anthropomorphic vegetables will keep the little ones entertained. In this animated short, Mr. Nezzer must face his past, present and future, before he makes the decision to knock down St. Bart's church and replace it with an amusement park. Think of it as the veggie version of A Christmas Carol where, instead of Christmas, everything takes place on Easter.

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 92 minutes
• Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson, Barbara Flynn

Technically, this biopic about Beatrix Potter (the author of the best-selling children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit) has nothing to do with the holiday itself, but since it centers around the cotton-tailed symbol, I opted to include it here. Renée Zellweger even received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy in 2007.

• Rating: G
• Run time: 98 minutes
• Cast: Gene Wilder, Roy Kinnear, Julie Dawn Cole, Leonard Stone

OK, bear with me here—this film features so much chocolate and candy that it’s a definite contender for one of the best Easter movies around. Gene Wilder stars as a magical candy maker who invites a few lucky ticket holders into his factory. There’s also the 2005 remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but I highly recommend the original.

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 106 minutes
• Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jason Segel, Donald Glover, Martin Sheen

The Netflix original is based on the true story of Carlton Pearson, a fundamentalist preacher who was ostracized by his church and excommunicated for preaching that Hell does not exist. Aside from boasting a star-studded cast, the movie expertly tackles themes of doubt, faith, religion and redemption.

• Rating: TV-G
• Run time: 120 minutes
• Cast: Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, Jon Walmsley, Judy Norton

If you’re unfamiliar with the TV series, The Waltons, allow me to introduce you to the Walton family. The drama television series, which ran for nine seasons back in the 1970s, centers around a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. In the television film, the Walton gang returns to their family home to celebrate a major anniversary.

• Rating: G
• Run time: 85 minutes
• Cast: Noah Levi, Senta Berger, Friedrich von Thun

While you might be more familiar with other animated Easter films, don't let Rabbit School: Guardians of the Golden Egg slip under your radar. This 2017 German adventure film follows Max, a young rabbit from the city who gets placed in a rural Easter school where he must help save the holiday from a band of sneaky foxes.

27. Easter Sunday (2022)

• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 96 minutes
• Cast: Jo Koy, Carly Pope, Tia Carrere, Jay Chandrasekhar, Tiffany Haddish

Jo Koy, a stand-up comedian and single dad, returns home for a special celebration with his dysfunctional Filipino family on Easter Sunday. Although it's not the most unique storyline, Easter Sunday gets major points for representation, and it'll be one of the funniest Easter movies you ever see.

28. The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (2017)

• Rating: PG
• Run time: 91 minutes
• Cast: Brett Dalton, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Neil Flynn, Shawn Michaels

Child-star-turned-party-animal Gavin Stone is forced to do community service at a mega-church after trashing his hotel room. But when he discovers that the church is staging a huge Easter production, he pretends to be a Christian and signs on to play the role of Jesus—but things take an interesting turn when he meets the pastor's daughter.

29. The Young Messiah (2016)

• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 111 minutes
• Cast: Adam Greaves-Neal, Sean Bean, David Bradley

Not much is known about the younger years of Jesus, but this fascinating film depicts the historical figure as a 7-year-old boy who eventually discovers his true destiny. The inspiring film features strong performances by a talented cast and raises important questions about faith while exploring Jesus's identity as a young boy.

• Rating: TV-PG
• Run time: 97 minutes
• Cast: Bailee Madison, Kevin Quinn, David Koechner, Sherri Shepherd

This Netflix teen musical tells the story of Will, a down-on-his-luck high schooler who finds himself in legal trouble until a foster mother sends him to a summer camp, where he falls in love with a fellow camper named Avery. This Christian film resonated with audiences and ended up winning the 2021 Dove Award for Inspirational Film of the Year.

31. Jesus Revolution (2023)

• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 120 minutes
• Cast: Joel Courtney, Jonathan Roumie, Kimberly Williams-Paisley

A troubled teen's life takes an unexpected turn when he has a chance encounter with Lonnie Frisbee, a Christian hippie who inspires him to join the growing Jesus movement during the late 1960s. I confess, I had low expectations when I first heard of the film, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't feel preachy or unbearably cheesy. Courtney and Roumie deliver great performances in this heartwarming story and it turned out to be a box office success.

32. Easter Under Wraps (2019)

• Rating: G
• Run time: 83 minutes
• Cast: Fiona Gubelmann, Brendan Penny

Erin Cavendish, a marketing director at her family's chocolate company, goes undercover to investigate why their sales have dropped. In the process, she meets a handsome chocolatier named Bryan—and it turns out he has some exciting new ideas that could save the Easter product line. Sure, it's cheesy, but isn't that what the holidays are all about? 

33. Hodge and the Lost Easter Egg (2021)

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 74 minutes
• Cast: Simon Hill, Aidan Mccreary, Victor Merchan

When Bert the Easter Bunny's baby brother, Hodge, accidentally loses the Magic Easter egg, he embarks on a mission to find a substitute egg before his brother finds out. (P.S., when you finish the film, you can follow it up with the animated series, Turk & Hodge, which follows the duo as they get into a bit of mischief.)

• Rating: TV-G
• Run time: 84 minutes
• Cast: Aimee Teegarden, Benjamin Hollingsworth

This list wouldn't feel complete without a feel-good, Hallmark Easter movie in the mix. An Easter Bloom revolves around Amanda, a young gardener who enters the annual Easter statewide flower arranging competition in hopes of saving her family's flower farm. In the process, she meets Derrick, a kind local pastor who helps her heal from loss and regain her hope.

• Rating: NR
• Run time: 30 minutes
• Cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott

This follow-up flick is a sweet take on how the popular egg-hunt tradition came to be (brought to you by our favorite Ice Age characters, of course). In The Great Egg-Scapade, Sid gets himself into some trouble when he agrees to become an egg nanny (yes, that’s a thing) and discovers keeping track of the egg is harder than he expected.