The 3 best Netflix family movies of 2025—and one's an instant fan favorite

Every year, Netflix somehow manages to become the ultimate destination for families seeking laughter, adventure, and heartwarming stories that everyone can enjoy together. In 2025, the streaming giant has once again delivered a lineup of family movies that not only entertain but also bring smiles to viewers of all ages.

Below, we've put together a list of three of the most entertaining family movies that Netflix released this year, including one that instantly became a fan favorite. We strongly recommend adding these films to your watchlist if you're looking for stories that will delight kids and adults alike.

Plankton: The Movie

• Voice cast: Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Carolyn Lawrence

Who doesn't love SpongeBob SquarePants? The endlessly optimistic sea sponge has been delighting fans of all ages for decades with his infectious laughter and wacky adventures alongside his friends in Bikini Bottom. Now, in Plankton: The Movie, audiences get to dive deeper into this beloved underwater world as Plankton takes center stage in a hilarious, action-packed adventure.

In SpongeBob SquarePants, Plankton is portrayed as a tiny, scheming villain whose sole mission is to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula from Mr. Krabs. But in Plankton: The Movie, things quickly take an unexpected turn when his computer wife, Karen, goes rogue and sets out on her own mission for world domination. Suddenly, Plankton finds himself facing chaos on a scale he’s never encountered before, forcing him to team up with SpongeBob, Patrick, and other familiar faces from Bikini Bottom.

KPop Demon Hunters

• Voice cast: Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, Lee Byung-hun

Even if animated movies aren't your go-to, there's just no way you haven't heard of KPop Demon Hunters. The film premiered on Netflix back in June 2025 and quickly rose up the charts to become the platform's most-watched movie title. You can pretty much ask anyone what their favorite Netflix animated movie from this year is, and I'm sure they'll say KPop Demon Hunters.

I watched the movie myself, and I totally get the hype. From the stunning, vibrant animation to the high-energy songs, KPop Demon Hunters is a visual and auditory feast. The plot is interesting enough to grab your attention as well.

The film revolves around Huntrix, a world-famous K-pop girl group that leads double lives as powerful demon hunters. When a rival boy band, whose members are secretly demons, threatens to unleash chaos on the world, Huntrix must step up and use their unique powers to fight back and save countless lives. Luckily, a sequel is in the works as well.

In Your Dreams

• Voice cast: Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Omid Djalili, Gia Carides

Last but certainly not least is In Your Dreams. What’s so great about this animated family movie is how it throws you right into a wild, imaginative adventure while still hitting you right in the feels. While watching, it'll easily take you back to your own childhood when your imagination ran wild and even the simplest things felt magical.

12-year-old Stevie and her younger brother Elliot are just two kids trying to navigate the chaos of their family life. Their parents are on the verge of divorce, and they're desperate to find a way to fix things and keep their family together. When they stumble upon a mysterious book called The Legend of the Sandman, they discover that the legendary Sandman can grant their ultimate wish. That's if they can find him in the dream world.

What then follows is a wild and magical adventure, as the siblings journey through surreal dreamscapes and encounter strange and hilarious creatures, all in an effort to save their family from falling apart.