10 Best Movies Like Migration

Summary

• Migration’s success on Netflix has sparked interest in similar heartwarming family stories in other movies.
• Potential movies like The Lorax, The Secret Life of Pets, and The Mitchells vs. the Machines offer humor and emotion like Migration.
• Films like Mr. Peabody & Sherman and Madagascar share themes of overcoming fear and the importance of family, similar to Migration.

Illumination Studios’ Migration has gotten a new life since being added to Netflix, and some viewers may want more of its heartwarming family story in other movies. Migration was recently added to Netflix, and a whole slew of new viewers got a chance to experience its family-friendly story. Migration is great on its own – it features a talented voice acting cast, a timeless story, and some hilarious jokes and gags – and there are 10 other movies that keep that good time rolling.

Migration was made by Illumination Studios, the production company behind a few animated hits like the Despicable Me and Minions movies, as well as the wildly successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Illumination has also made some lesser-known movies that perfectly compliment Migration, and some other animation studios have also taken a crack at the same timeless story. All 10 movies like Migration offer their own blend of humor and emotion, and all of them are worth watching.

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Related Migration Ending Explained

Illumination’s Migration is a sweet story about a family of ducks on a life-changing journey. Here’s what the movie’s heartwarming ending means.

10 The Lorax

Danny DeVito Tries To Protect The Forest & Share An Important Lesson

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Uncle Dan was a hilarious part of Migration, and the perfect movie for viewers looking for more of Danny DeVito’s family-friendly comedy is easily The Lorax. In the film based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, DeVito plays the titular Lorax, a mythical guardian of the forest and the trees. The Lorax follows Ted (Zac Efron) as he tries to plant a tree to impress Audrey (Taylor Swift), as there are no trees in Thneedville. During his search, Ted meets the Once-ler, who tells him the tale of how it happened, and how he met the Lorax.

Like Migration, there’s a heavy emphasis on nature and a focus on woodland creatures in The Lorax. Fans of Migration‘s animation style will also enjoy The Lorax, since both films were created by Illumination Studios. The most significant similarity between The Lorax and Migration is Danny DeVito, though. In both films, Devito brought his trademark brand of humor in a family-friendly way, and he also had more than enough jokes to keep parents just as entertained as kids.

The Lorax 3.5 PGAnimationFamilyComedyFantasyMusical Where to Watch

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The Lorax is an animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s beloved book. Directed by Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda, the film stars Zac Efron as Ted, a young boy who seeks out the reclusive Once-ler to learn the story of the Lorax, voiced by Danny DeVito. The Lorax serves as a guardian of the forest, advocating for the preservation of the environment against industrial greed.

Director Chris Renaud , Kyle Balda Release Date March 2, 2012 Studio(s) Illumination Entertainment Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Cinco Paul , Ken Daurio Cast Danny DeVito , Ed Helms , Zac Efron , Taylor Swift , Betty White , Rob Riggle , Jenny Slate Character(s) The Lorax , The Once-ler , Ted Wiggins , Audrey , Grammy Norma , Mr. Aloysius O’Hare , Mrs. Wiggins Runtime 86 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand

9 The Secret Life of Pets

Household Pets Learn About The World Beyond Their Doors & Owners

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The Secret Life of Pets is probably the most similar movie to Migration in many ways. The Secret Life of Pets follows Max (Louis C.K.), a dog with a comfortable life in his New York apartment. Max’s life changes when his owner brings home another dog, Duke (Eric Stonestreet), and the two accidentally escape from the apartment. From there, Max and Duke’s friends try to find them in the big city, and all the pets go on a wild adventure.

Both Migration and The Secret Life of Pets feature animal characters trying to find their way through New York City, and they even both have those characters encounter gangs of wild animals on the streets. They’re also both Illumination Studios projects, and they both feature notable celbrities as voice actors. Probably the biggest similarity between The Secret Life of Pets and Migration, however, is their main characters. Both Mack and Max are scared of the outside world, and their respective adventures give them the courage to see what else life has in store for them.

The Secret Life of Pets 3.5 PGFamilyAnimationComedy Where to Watch

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The Secret Life of Pets is an animated comedy film from Illumination Entertainment and follows a Jack Russell Terrier named Max. Max’s life as a favorite pet is turned upside down when his owner, Katie, brings home a new dog named Duke. Max, jealous, treat Duke poorly enough until the two are caught by animal control. Though at odds with each other, the two discover that they’ll have to band together to stop a rabbit named Snowball, who is building an army of abandoned pets to take revenge on happy pets and their owners.

Director Chris Renaud , Yarrow Cheney Release Date July 8, 2016 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Cinco Paul , Brian Lynch , Ken Daurio Cast Albert Brooks , Jenny Slate , Hannibal Buress , Bobby Moynihan , Louis C.K. , Kevin Hart , Eric Stonestreet , Ellie Kemper , Lake Bell Runtime 90minutes Sequel(s) The Secret Life of Pets 2 Budget $75 million Expand

8 The Mitchells vs. The Machines

A Family Road Trip Turns Into A Battle For Survival & A Chance To Reconnect

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Migration is, essentially, a very unique take on the classic road trip movie. For viewers who want another novel entry into that type of film, The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a perfect choice. The Mitchells vs. the Machines begins with a road trip so that Rick (Danny McBride) can take his daughter, Katie (Abbi Jacobson) to college. That trip quickly becomes a cross-country fight for survival, though, as evil robots threaten to take over the world.

While The Mitchells vs. the Machines is definitely a different kind of family road trip movie, it also has some key similarities to Migration. Both families start on their trip with a single goal in mind, only to grow to realize that they have the power to help others. The family dynamics in both films are also quite similar, as the Mallards and the Mitchells are both dysfunctional in their own ways, and they both learn how to manage everyone’s eccentricities. There’s also quite a bit of familial bonding in both films, particularly between Mack and Dax and Rick and Katie.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines 4.0 PGAnimationAdventureComedy Where to Watch

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The Mitchells vs. The Machines is an animated action-comedy that sees creative outsider Katie Mitchell  as she is accepted into the film school of her dreams and is eager to leave home and find “her people.” However, when her nature-loving dad insists on having the whole family drive her to school and bond during one last family road trip, the family suddenly finds itself in the middle of the robot apocalypse. Katie and her father will need to find common ground to stand a chance against the armies of smartphones, fridges, and whatever other sentient machines are out to capture humanity.

Director Mike Rianda Release Date April 30, 2021 Studio(s) Netflix Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Jeff Rowe , Mike Rianda Cast Eric Andre , Maya Rudolph , Abbi Jacobson , Beck Bennett , Mike Rianda , Fred Armisen , Conan O’Brien , Olivia Colman , Danny McBride , Sasheer Zamata , Charlyne Yi Runtime 117 minutes Budget $50–100 million Expand

7 Mr. Peabody & Sherman

An Odd Father-Son Pair Learn To Trust Each Other On An Adventure Through Time

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Mack and Dax’s relationship took center stage towards the ending of Migration, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman essentially extends their relationship dynamic into an entire film. Mr. Peabody & Sherman follows its titular heroes, the anthropomorphic dog Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell) and his adoptive son, Sherman (Max Charles). After Sherman gets into a fight with his classmate, Penny (Ariel Winter), he accidentally goes on an adventure through the past with her and Mr. Peabody using his father’s time machine. By the end of the film, Mr. Peabody learns to trust Sherman learn to trust each other and express their emotions to one another.

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Though the journey in Mr. Peabody & Sherman is through time instead of to Jamaica, it’s still quite similar to Migration. Mr. Peabody faces the same challenges as Mack, of learning to let his kid grow and address his fear of losing him, and Sherman faces the same challenge as Dax, of learning to trust his father and see what bravery looks like. While Mr. Peabody & Sherman‘s family isn’t as large as Migration‘s, it has just as much heart, and it’s just as touching of a story.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman 3.0 PGAnimationAdventureFamily Where to Watch

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Mr. Peabody and Sherman is an animated film directed by Rob Minkoff. The plot centers around Mr. Peabody, a highly intelligent dog, and his adopted human son, Sherman, as they use their time-traveling device, the WABAC, to embark on various historical adventures. Ty Burrell voices Mr. Peabody, and Max Charles voices Sherman. The pair must navigate the challenges of parenting and the consequences of tampering with history.

Director Rob Minkoff Release Date February 7, 2014 Studio(s) Pacific Data Images , DreamWorks Animation , Bullwinkle Studios Writers Craig Wright Cast Ty Burrell , Max Charles , Ariel Winter , Allison Janney , Stephen Colbert Runtime 92 Minutes Budget 145000000.0 Main Genre Animation Expand

6 Madagascar

Zoo Animals Learn To Balance Their Old & New Lives In The Wild

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Another movie that uses animals to tell the story of its main characters learning to get out of their comfort zone and experience the outside world like Migration is Madagascar. In Madagascar, four zoo animals – Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) – accidentally wind up far from their New York homes in the wilds of Madagascar. Though they all miss their home zoo in their own ways, all four animals eventually learn to balance Marty’s desire for adventure with the rest of the group’s desire for home.

Madagascar has quite a bit in common with Migration. Both the zoo animals and the Mallards wind up very far from their original homes, as the Mallards were headed to Jamaica. Both groups also learn some valuable lessons about what the outside world has to offer and how a group of loved ones can start to listen to each other more and see eye to eye despite their differences. Beyond the movies’ themes, both Migration and Madagascar see their groups interact with animals with very colorful personalities: the herons and pigeons in Migration, and the lemurs in Madagascar.

Madagascar (2005) PGAnimationAdventureComedyFamily Where to Watch

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Four zoo animals from New York City unexpectedly find themselves stranded on the island of Madagascar. Unaccustomed to the wild, the lion, zebra, giraffe, and hippo embark on a hilarious adventure as they adapt to their new surroundings and the quirky lemurs who call the island home.

Director Eric Darnell , Tom McGrath Release Date May 27, 2005 Studio(s) DreamWorks Animation Distributor(s) DreamWorks Distribution Writers Mark Burton , Billy Frolick , Eric Darnell , Tom McGrath Cast Ben Stiller , Chris Rock , David Schwimmer , Jada Pinkett Smith , Sacha Baron Cohen , Cedric the Entertainer , Andy Richter Runtime 86 minutes Franchise(s) Madagascar Budget $75 million Main Genre Animation Expand

5 Up

An Old Man Finds A New Family & Learns To Live Without Fear

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If Migration‘s Mack Mallard took a human form, he would probably be a lot like Up‘s Carl Fredrickson (Ed Asner). Up follows Carl as he meets a young Wilderness Explorer scout named Russell (Jordan Nagai). Shortly after, Carl begins the lifelong dream of moving his house via balloon to a scenic cliff in South America that he started with his late wife, and Russell inadvertently tags along. In their adventure for the cliff, the mismatched pair meet Dug the dog (Bob Peterson) and a curious bird that Russell names Kevin.

Both Up and Migration are heartwarming (and heartbreaking, in the opening montage of Up‘s case) stories about the power of family. Both films have a clear theme: that families have to choose to stick together, and that they have to work on getting along, even if Carl, Russell, and Dug are more of a found family. Up also shares Migration‘s main theme, of learning to not be afraid of the world, but it conveys it in a more powerful and human way.

Up 5.0 pgAdventureFamily Where to Watch

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Pixar’s Up follows widower Carl (Ed Asner) who travels to South America with young wilderness explorer Russell (Jordan Nagai) by attaching thousands of balloons to his home after the bank threatens to foreclose on it. Discovering the legendary Paradise Falls, Carl meets his childhood hero, explorer Charles Muntz. However, Muntz isn’t the kind-hearted man Carl hoped he would be, and the grieving widower finds himself pitted against his former idol.

Director Pete Docter Release Date June 11, 2009 Studio(s) Disney Distributor(s) Disney Writers Pete Docter Cast Ed Asner , Bob Peterson Runtime 96minutes Budget 175 million Expand

4 Open Season

Domesticated Animals Learn How To Live On Their Own In The Woods

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For Migration fans who particularly enjoyed the idea of acceptance and finding a new home as told through animal characters, Open Season is a great follow-up. Open Season follows Boog the bear (Martin Lawrence) and Elliot the one-antlered deer (Ashton Kutcher) as they are forced to leave their comfortable life and live in the woods. Unfortunately, Boog and Elliot are introduced to the woods just days before the hunting season begins, and a nasty hunter named Shaw (Gary Sinise) is gunning for them both. By the end of Open Season, Boog overcomes his fear of the wild and realizes he belongs in the woods.

Open Season
is available to stream on History Vault, and is available to rent or purchase on Amazon, Apple TV, and Microsoft.

While Open Season doesn’t have the same visually appealing animation or visual gags as Migration, it does feature a similar brand of humor. Migration leans fairly heavily on Kumail Nanjiani for many of its jokes, and Open Season does the same with Martin Lawrence. Both Nanjiani and Lawrence are great as lead voice actors, and they both have a particularly keen talent for making their dialogue hilarious. Open Season also doesn’t have a particularly strong focus on family dynamics, but it is still a story about two characters compromising and growing closer.

Open Season PGAnimationAdventureComedyFamily Where to Watch

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*Availability in US Director Roger Allers , Jill Culton , Anthony Stacchi Release Date September 29, 2006 Cast Martin Lawrence , Ashton Kutcher , Gary Sinise , Debra Messing , Billy Connolly , Georgia Engel Runtime 87 minutes Main Genre Animation

3 Orion and the Dark

An Anxious Boy Learns To Not Be Afraid Of The Dark & Passes The Lesson On

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Overcoming fear is a major theme of Migration, and Orion and the Dark is a great way to really drive that point home. Orion and the Dark follows Orion (Jacob Tremblay), a child who is deathly afraid of the dark. One night, he’s given a chance to overcome his fears after meeting the physical embodiment of darkness (Paul Walter Hauser) and his fellow nighttime helpers: Sweet Dreams, Sleep, Unexplained Noises, Quiet, and Insomnia. By the end of Orion and the Dark, Orion gets a chance to pass his story of overcoming his fear onto his own daughter, Hypatia.

While they certainly deal with similar subjects and the bonds between parents and children, Orion and the Dark takes a much more novel approach to them than Migration did. Orion and the Dark‘s plot gets rather confusing, as it grows to involve time travel, generational storytelling, and more. That plot is also told in a much less linear fashion than Migration‘s is, and though that can mean Orion and the Dark can be a bit complex, it was also done astonishingly well.

Orion and the Dark 4.5 Not RatedAnimationComedyFamily Where to Watch

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Orion and the Dark is an animated family comedy film by director Sean Charmatz, released in 2024, based on the book by Emma Yarlett. Orion, a boy with a powerful imagination, is thrown into a gauntlet of all his fears when he is dragged along by his greatest fear, the Dark, to discover that his fears of the night may be unfounded.

Director Sean Charmatz Release Date February 2, 2024 Studio(s) DreamWorks Animation , Mikros Animation Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Charlie Kaufman , Lloyd Taylor , Emma Yarlett Cast Jacob Tremblay , Paul Walter Hauser , Werner Herzog , Angela Bassett , Colin Hanks , Ike Barinholtz , Natasia Demetriou Runtime 92 Minutes Where To Stream Netflix Expand

2 Hotel Transylvania

A Protective Father Lets His Child Live Their Own Life

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While most of the movies that are like Migration tell stories about overcoming fear, Hotel Transylvania hits on a more specific aspect of that fear: a parent’s desire to protect their children and the fear of losing them. In Hotel Transylvania, widower vampire Drac (Adam Sandler) runs a hotel for monsters, which is where he tries to protect his daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez) from a new arrival and love interest: a human named Johnny (Andy Samberg). By the end of Hotel Transylvania, Drac learns to let Mavis express herself, and the newly expanded family learns to live together.

Drac and Mack are very similar fathers in Hotel Transylvania and Migration, but the similarities between the movies don’t end there. Both films have a very similar brand of slapstick humor that should be very appealing to younger viewers, but with jokes sprinkled in for adults as well. They also both feature casts of colorful characters, in one case birds and the other monsters. As an added bonus, there are already four Hotel Transylvania movies, meaning Migration fans will have plenty of entertainment ready to go.

Hotel Transylvania 3.0 PGAnimationComedyFamilyFantasy Where to Watch

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The first installment in the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Hotel Transylvania follows Johnny (Andy Samberg), a human who unwittingly wanders into the castle of Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) where he meets and falls in love with the Count’s daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez). Hotel Transylvania also features comedic reimaginings of various movie monsters including Frankenstein (Kevin James), the Wolfman (Steve Buscemi), the Invisible Man (David Spade), and the Mummy (CeeLo Green), in a family-friendly animated adventure.

Director Genndy Tartakovsky Release Date September 28, 2012 Studio(s) Sony Distributor(s) Sony Writers Peter Baynham , Robert Smigel Cast Steve Buscemi , Fran Drescher , David Spade , Andy Samberg , Kevin James , Selena Gomez , Adam Sandler , Molly Shannon , CeeLo Green Runtime 91 minutes Sequel(s) Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation , Hotel Transylvania 2 , Hotel Transylvania: Transformania Budget $85 million Expand

1 Fantastic Mr. Fox

A Dysfunctional Family Learns To Manage Each Others’ Eccentricities

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One movie that shares a similar theme to Migration but probably appeals to adults and older children more is Fantastic Mr. Fox. This stop-motion film bears all the style and humor of director Wes Anderson’s other work, but it delivers it in a much more family-friendly way. Fantastic Mr. Fox follows the Fox family: former thief turned father experiencing a midlife crisis, Mr. Fox (George Clooney), the more stable and protective mother Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep), their misfit son, Ash (Jason Schwartzman), and the family’s overachieving cousin, Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson).

Fantastic Mr. Fox definitely has a different brand of humor from Migration – the former prefers dry, easy to miss quips over the latter’s slapstick and visual gags. Though they differ in their jokes, the films are very similar. Both Mr. Fox and Mack have their personal issues, and their respective films are all about the fathers trying to change for the sake of their families. Beyond the family patriarchs, both Fantastic Mr. Fox and Migration have ample room for the rest of the family to join in on the adventure and personal growth, and both families learn to accept each other a bit better by the end.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox 3.5 PGFamilyComedy Where to Watch

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Based on the Roald Dahl children’s book, Fantastic Mr. Fox tells the story of the titular fox, his thieving spree, and the three farmers who seek revenge on him for the thefts.

Director Wes Anderson Release Date November 13, 2009 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Wes Anderson , Noah Baumbach Cast George Clooney , Meryl Streep , Jason Schwartzman , Bill Murray , Willem Dafoe , Owen Wilson Runtime 87minutes Budget $40 million Expand

One of the minor critiques of Migration was that it’s plot wasn’t entirely original. While that is true, as stories about families coming together aren’t hard to find, it does make it easy to find new movies that tug on the same heart strings. Migration also doesn’t suffer from its central story – it actually benefits greatly, as it adds just the right humor and emotion to truly stand out. Stories about overcoming fear and the value of family never go out of style, which is great for fans of Migration.

Migration 3.5 PGAnimationAdventureComedy Where to Watch

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Migration is an animated adventure-comedy from Illumination and features an ensemble cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key. The cast takes on the role of a family of mallards who has lived in the safety of their pond all their lives and decide to migrate for a vacation. However, when the family discovers they migrated the wrong way, they end up in New York City, forcing them to find a way out and down to the Caribbean.

Director Benjamin Renner Release Date December 22, 2023 Studio(s) Illumination Entertainment Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Mike White Cast Kumail Nanjiani , Elizabeth Banks , Keegan-Michael Key , David Mitchell , Carol Kane , Danny DeVito , Casper Jennings , Tresi Gazal Expand

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