Love, fantasy, and maidens turned into princesses - what’s not to like about the Cinderella story! And, if you're just as crazy about this story as we are, you’re very much in luck. We gathered a list of films that are all based on this fairy tale and are presenting our list of the best Cinderella movies to date!
These princess movies will enchant you, and although the story is essentially the same, each of them delivers a slightly different retelling. So, even if you watch them all, you'll always find something surprising! Take, for example, Crazy Rich Asians - a less obvious adaptation of the story that'll entertain you for hours on end. Or the new Cinderella movie that is to be released in October 2023 - it sure promises a whole new twist on this age-old story! However, if you're more into the classic Cinderella setting, you'll find such movies on our list too. And, if you prefer your Cinderella animated - there's also plenty to choose from!
So, put on your fanciest dress and get ready for some bewitching movies! They are, as usual, just a little bit further down. Although you know how the Cinderella story movies go and end, you'll find short descriptions for the first top 20 films to make your choice a bit easier.
Vote for the fantasy movies that you've loved the most, and share this article with anyone in love with fairy tales!
#1 Cinderella
2015 | 1 hour 45 minutes | Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Starring Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden
Cinderella is a romantic fantasy film and the second ecranization of the Rapunzel fairy tale on our list. Here, Ella (Cinderella) is the girl with the purest heart in the whole world. Sadly, after her father's untimely death, she's to live with her scheming stepsisters and evil stepmother. However, after meeting a dashing stranger, Ella's fortunes begin to change. It's a fresh take on the ancient fairy tale with stunning costumes, great acting, and a story that's never too romantic or too fantastic.
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61points
#2 Ever After
1998 | 2 hours 1 minute | Directed by Andy Tennant
Starring Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott
Ever After: A Cinderella Story is a romantic drama inspired by the Cinderella fairy tale. This time, though, the story is less fantastical and more historical fiction, giving us the chance to meet such figures as the Brothers Grimm themselves and even the inventor-artist Leonardo Da Vinci. Ever After is often seen as the only modern, post-feminism interpretation of this ancient fable. The movie is full of surprises, stellar acting, and plot twists that you definitely wouldn't expect from a fairy tale!
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60points
#3 Ella Enchanted
2004 | 1 hour 36 minutes | Directed by Tommy O'Haver
Starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes
Ella Enchanted is a fantasy romantic comedy loosely based on Gail Carson Levine's 1997 novel of the same name. The movie tells the story of Ella - a girl that has been given a 'gift' from a fairy to be always and forever obedient. After her mother dies, she's left with her greedy father, who remarries a loathsome woman with two abominable daughters. Ella Enchanted is a fresh take on the Cinderella story, making our protagonist dependent only on her wit and strengths to break the spell and save her from all the trouble she encounters. Well, okay, there's a prince Charmont, too, but what's a good princess story without one?
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58points
Cinderella - A Story As Old As The World
Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper is, as you might know, a folk tale with many variants throughout the world. It always goes like this - a female protagonist is oppressed by some forces (usually a villainous stepmother and stepsisters), and all that suddenly changes once she ascends to a throne via marriage. The throne isn't always a literal one, especially so in the more recent Cinderella movies.
However, the fact that you might not have heard is that the first known variant of this enchanting story dates back to around 7 BC and AD 23 Greece! Of course, there our Cinderella is appropriately named Rhodopis, and she marries an Egyptian prince. Still, the basis of the story is, was, and probably will always be the same in Cinderella's case!
#4 The Princess Diaries
2001 | 1 hour 55 minutes | Directed by Garry Marshall
Starring Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo
How do you amp up a regular Ugly Duckling story? Why, by making said duckling an heiress to a European kingdom! And that's precisely what we get to see in The Princess Diaries - a regular, clumsy, and unkempt American teenager transforming into a beautiful princess, fit to rule a country. Besides having the most iconic makeover sequence (which Anne Hathaway later repeated in several other movies), The Princess Diaries also gave us love, enjoyable humor, and awesomely played characters.
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57points
#5 Cinderella (1950)
1950 | 1 hour 14 minutes | Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Voiced by Ilene Woods, James MacDonald, Eleanor Audley
Cinderella is an animated musical fantasy film based on the fairy tale of the same name by Charles Perrault. We all know the story - Cinderella is a good-hearted girl living with her mean stepmother and three stepsisters. A ball for the prince to meet his wife is announced, but Cinderella has no way of going as her stepmom won't let her. However, the loveable mice Gus and Jaq and her fairy godmother help Cinderella with a makeover and a ticket for the ball. And although the original story then has the three stepsisters chopping off their toes to fit in Cinderella's lost glass slipper, Disney's version is far more beautiful, kid-friendly, and enchanting!
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56points
#6 Enchanted
2007 | 1 hour 47 minutes | Directed by Kevin Lima
Starring Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden
Enchanted is a live-action/animated musical fantasy romantic comedy film that's both a homage and a parody of a typical Disney princess movie. The story goes like this - an archetypal Disney princess, Giselle, is forced from her animated world straight into the streets of New York City. It's the doing of an evil witch who doesn't want our princess to get happily married, but little did she know! Giselle falls in love with a New York lawyer in this real world, and her dreams of a happily ever after might not be gone as of yet. Enchanted is truly a new take on the old fairy tale - one that's sure to engage both the younger and the older audiences.
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52points
The History Of Cinderella Movies
It’s pretty common to think that the first Cinderella movie adaptation was made by Disney way back in 1922; however, that is not entirely true! In fact, the oldest Cinderella movie was made in 1899! The Cinderella original movie was created by French director George Méliès, and you can watch it all on YouTube. That said, the earliest Cinderella was considered a fluke and didn’t impress either critics or the audiences.
The one after it, the 1922 Cinderella Disney movie, though, was a huge hit. Although it was only a short animated movie, audiences applauded it, and thus Cinderella established her decades-long presence on our screens.
In fact, it was 1950s Cinderella that saved Disney from perishing! See, after World War II and several box office bombs, the studios were in no good shape financially. Then, the decision was made to release a full-length animated film retelling the legendary Cinderella story, and fortunes have changed significantly for Disney. One might even say that the popularity of this film saved Disney!
#7 A Cinderella Story
2004 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Directed by Mark Rosman
Starring Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge
As the name dictates, A Cinderella Story is a modernized version of the ancient fable. This time, it follows Samantha - a teenager with big aspirations, stuck under the tyrannic rule of her stepmother. There's most definitely the Prince line, too - now, he's a pen pal, hoping to meet our protagonist at a high school Halloween dance. Just like in a fairy tale, Sam's dreams come true, the awful stepmother is put in her place, and love conquers all. A sweet movie for a cozy evening!
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51points
#8 The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
2004 | 1 hour 53 minutes | Directed by Gary Marshall
Starring Anne Hathaway, Callum Blue, Julie Andrews
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is a romantic comedy and a sequel to 2001's The Princess Diaries. Unlike the first film, this one isn't based on Meg Cabot's books and is an original story. Now, our princess Mia is settled in her home country of Genovia - life seems pretty perfect! However, she soon finds out that she's being primed for an arranged marriage with an English suitor. Sadly, this second The Princess Diaries installment did not turn out to be as amazing as its predecessor, but it is still a nice choice for a light entertainment session!
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49points
#9 Another Cinderella Story
2008 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Directed by Damon Santostefano
Starring Selena Gomez, Drew Seeley, Jane Lynch
Another Cinderella Story is a teen musical comedy that's a sequel to 2004's Cinderella Story and the second installment in the series. While the basis of the story is known to us even before watching the film, who could argue that the charming Selena Gomez isn't the most charming Cinderella ever? Or, in this case, Mary. Of course, there's the stepmother and stepsisters, but this time our Cinderella/Mary doesn't lose her shoe after a ball, but rather her Zune. Now, prince charming has to find the right girl based on the playlist on this lost Zune - an interesting twist to the story!
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46points
As of today, Cinderella’s reign over our screens is nowhere near its end. And if you’ve ever wondered how many Cinderella movies are there in total, it’s 74 direct and indirect adaptations! Also, probably as many, if not more, theater productions and musicals, making Cinderella one of the most famous heroines in movies and theater.
From adaptations deriving from the olden times to completely modern takes, such as A Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits or Cinderella And Her Four Knights, and from lesser-known versions to the most popular 1950s Disney’s Cinderella - we love all Cinderella movies the same!
#10 Cinderella (1997)
1997 | 1 hour 28 minutes | Directed by Robert Iscove
Starring Brandy Norwood, Whitney Houston, Whoopi Goldberg
Cinderella is a musical fantasy television film that follows the good old story to the letter. However, what makes this movie stand out in the crowd of Cinderellas is that our protagonist is black this time. She's played by none other than Brandy, her fairy godmother is, in fact, Whitney Houston, and the prince charming's mom is Whoopi Goldberg. Some cast, we should say! Also, just listen to its soundtrack - a modern R&B take on the original musical used here is pretty darn cool, too. So, if you're looking for an original take on the Cinderella story, give this movie a try.
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46points
#11 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song
2011 | 1 hour 28 minutes | Directed by Damon Santostefano
Starring Lucy Hale, Freddie Stroma, Missi Pyle
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song is a teen musical comedy film that's a sequel to 2008's Another Cinderella Story and the third installment in this series. Here, our protagonist, Katie, dreams of being a singer. She's talented, kind-hearted, and beautiful inside and out, yet her mean stepmother and stepsister do everything so she'd fail. In the end, our Katie gets all that she wishes for, and more! It's a sweet film and a pretty good modernization of this old story, especially if you like musical movies.
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43points
#12 The Prince And Me
2004 | 1 hour 51 minutes | Directed by Martha Coolidge
Starring Julia Stiles, Luke Mably, Miranda Richardson
The Prince And Me is a romantic comedy film following the story of Paige - your regular pre-med college student in Wisconsin. Here she meets Eddie, whom she dislikes at first but grows to love. The twist here is that Eddie is actually the Crown Prince of Denmark, so it is, albeit in disguise, a real Cinderella story. It's quite an appealing film that has secured itself a couple of sequels. So, if you like this one, the story of Paige and Eddie continues on in three more movies!
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42points
#13 Crazy Rich Asians
2018 | 2 hours | Directed by Jon M. Chu
Starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh
Crazy Rich Asians is a romantic comedy-drama film based on the bestseller novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan. The story goes like this - Rachel, an American-born Chinese NYU professor, travels with her boyfriend to his hometown Singapore. There, she learns that her Nick is from a crazy rich family and the most wanted bachelor in the country. Every girl is jealous of Rachel and tries to bring her down however they can. Crazy Rich Asians is a lavish movie that's very engaging, entertaining, and memorable. Also, if you're missing the Cinderella part, just watch the movie, and you'll see it!
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42points
#14 A Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits
2016 | 1 hour 32 minutes | Directed by Michelle Johnston
Starring Sofia Carson, Jennifer Tilly, Thomas Law
A Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits is a teen comedy musical film and the fourth installment in the Cinderella Story series. This time our Cinderella is Tessa - a talented singer and dancer working at her late father's garage as a mechanic. She's hoping to win a musical competition, and with a fairy godmother-like makeup artist, she changes her persona and gives her best shot. Unlike the other Cinderella ecranizations, this one can boast about having some hilarious slapstick moments - so this movie is both a classy retelling and a great piece of comedic entertainment.
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38points
#15 Ice Princess
2005 | 1 hour 38 minutes | Directed by Tim Fywell
Starring Michelle Trachtenberg, Kim Cattrall, Trevor Blumas
Ice Princess is a teen sports comedy-drama that centers around Casey - just your normal teenager chasing a dream of becoming a professional figure skater. Her mom is against it, but she finds an ally in her main competitor's brother, who is, coincidentally, a Zamboni driver at the skating rink. And, although you already know how this movie will end, Ice Princess is one of those rare guilty pleasure movies that you will not feel the tiniest bit guilty after watching.
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38points
#16 Not Cinderella's Type
2018 | 1 hour 37 minutes | Directed by Brian Brough
Starring Paris Warner, Tim Flynn, Tanner Gillman
Not Cinderella's Type is a drama romance film based on the novel of the same name by Jenni James. Here our Cinderella is Indy, who's living a serene life with her aunt and uncle up until an unexpected event brings a new guy into the picture. This movie tries to capture the awkward beauty of teenage love while also touching the subject of emotional abuse. So, one of the slightly more serious, although still highly entertaining, Cinderella interpretations.
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37points
#17 Cinderella III: A Twist In Time
20017 | 1 hour 17 minutes | Directed by Frank Nissen
Voiced by Jennifer Hale, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Susanne Blakeslee
Cinderella III: A Twist In Time is a direct-to-video fantasy adventure film that's the third and final installment in Disney's Cinderella trilogy. This is how it goes - Lady Tremaine gets her hands on the fairy godmother's wand and changes history. Now, Prince Charming has no memories of Cinderella, and it is her who has to fix the timeline. Will she or won't she? That's a question you can answer after watching it!
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37points
#19 What A Girl Wants
2003 | 1 hour 45 minutes | Directed by Dennie Gordon
Starring Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston
What A Girl Wants is a teen comedy film based on the 1955 play The Reluctant Debutante by William Douglas-Home. Here our Cinderella is Daphne - a seventeen-year-old American girl living with her musician mom. Now, Daphne learns that her father is a wealthy British politician and runs to London in hopes of meeting him. However, she soon realizes that their meeting could jeopardize her father's career and cause a scandal. What A Girl Wants will cater to the taste of the younger audiences, as the older viewers might find this story a bit too predictable.
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34points
