Lovers of fantasy and romance will want to check out this ultimate list of the best fantasy romance movies of all time.
These are the best movies that blend romance with the added element of fantasy where love can conquer anything in its path.
Why settle for a simple romance movie when you can have one where love is able to conquer pirates, beasts, time travel, magical spells, and other evils vying to keep lovers apart?
When your nose isn’t stuck in a fantasy romance book, dive into these must-watch fantasy romance movies because life is better with a love story…
Do you have a favorite fantasy romance movie that missed my list? Be sure to share it in the comments below!
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Best Fantasy Romance Movies of All Time
The Princess Bride
This popular fairy tale adventure follows Westley who must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to reunite with his one true love, Buttercup, before she marries the dreadful Prince Humperdinck.
It’s just inconceivable if you haven’t yet watched this iconic fantasy romance movie!
This tale of true love, high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts is an unforgettable classic and one of the all-time best fantasy romance movies starring Fred Savage, Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, and Chris Sarandon. Based on the William Goldman novel The Princess Bride.
Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke is an enchanting tale of a beauty, a knight, and a pickpocket known as the Mouse.
Once the knight and the lady were lovers. Now the curse of an evil bishop keeps them “always together, eternally apart.” By day she is a hawk, by night he is a wolf.
To end the evil spell, the knight vows to break into the bishop’s stronghold, with help from the Mouse.
This is one of my most favorite fantasy romance books that inspired my book list of the best werewolf romance books! 😊
I loved the shapeshifting element to this fantasy movie but it was the beautiful love story between Navarre and Isabeau that has me rewatching this movie time and time again. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer, Matthew Broderick, and John Wood.
Ghost
After renovating their expensive loft in the TriBeCa section of Manhattan, Molly and Sam, a young successful yuppie couple, are walking home one evening when Sam is tragically gunned down by a street mugger.
Molly goes into a deep depression, but, unknown to her, Sam has come back as a ghost in order to protect her from danger-although he isn’t yet aware who or what means her harm, and he has a lot of learning to do in order to make himself known to her.
He teams up with an unwilling psychic, Oda Mae Brown and together they try to convince a very skeptical Molly that Sam was actually murdered and has returned spectrally to complete some unfinished business.
I totally agree that this fantasy romance movie is one of the most iconic romance movies of our time. Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze are phenomenal and Whoopi Goldberg’s performance earned her an Oscar.
Stardust
In hopes of wooing a beautiful girl, Tristan promises to bring her a falling star. But he’s in for the adventure of his life when he discovers the star is actually a celestial beauty named Yvaine.
When an old witch Lamia attempts to steal Yvaine’s youth, Tristan must protect her at all costs.
This magical fairytale with scheming princes, wicked witches, flying pirates, and a pure-hearted hero will make you laugh out loud and believe in love again.
It’s an epic adventure and one of the best fantasy romance movies starring Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert de Niro. Based on the book, Stardust, by Neil Gaiman.
The Time Traveler’s Wife
What if you suddenly, unpredictably, and uncontrollably traveled through time? Life can be harrowing for a time traveler, but in this romance about the victory of love over age and time, life is even more challenging for the time traveler’s wife.
Clare has been in love with Henry her entire life. She believes they are destined to be together, even though she never knows when they will be separated as Henry is a time traveler–cursed with a rare genetic anomaly that causes him to live his life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through the years with no control.
Despite the fact that Henry’s travels force them apart with no warning, and never knowing when they will be reunited, Clare desperately tries to build a life with her one true love.
Based on the book, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, this sweeping fantasy romance movie stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams.
This book not only inspired this fantasy movie but also a TV series on HBO and my list of time travel romance books.
The Lake House
A lonely doctor, who once occupied an unusual lakeside house, begins exchanging love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late.
Sandra Bullock is the queen of romance movies and I loved her turn with Keanu Reeves in this fantasy romance movie that bends time to bring two people together.
Twilight
Isabella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn.
Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear.
Two hearts, two fates, and two worlds – human and vampire – collide when Bella and Edward fall in love.
There’s no denying that this fantasy romance movie took the world by storm as did the following movies in the franchise based on the Twilight book series by Stephanie Meyer.
If you love vampires and vampire romance books, then Twilight is a movie not to miss starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.
The Age of Adaline
Adaline ceases to age following an accident one icy night, but keeps her condition a closely-guarded secret while embarking on a number of incredible adventures throughout the 20th Century. After years of a solitary life, she finds the love and courage that enable her to fully begin living.
I loved this story about a 29-year-old woman who stops aging. While living forever may sound wonderful, I cannot imagine the heartache that goes along with it when everyone else around you ages.
This is a beautiful fantasy romance movie starring Blake Lively and Harrison Ford.
Meet Joe Black
Death with a capital D is enjoying some time on Earth by inhabiting the body of a young man who passed in a shockingly sudden pedestrian-auto impact. Before long, Death has ingratiated himself with a wealthy industrialist and pursues romance with the man’s beautiful daughter whom he’d briefly encountered while still an earthbound human.
Under the assumed identity of “Joe Black,” he samples all the pleasures that corporeal life has to offer–power, romance, intimacy, and such enticing pleasures as peanut butter by the spoonful.
But Death has a job to do, and Meet Joe Black addresses the heart-wrenching dilemma that arises when either father or daughter must confront his or her inevitable demise.
I never turn down three hours of watching Brad Pitt even if he is playing death in this fantasy romance movie!
It’s a movie that keeps you on your toes wondering how it will end while also exploring romance in such an unusual way. Starring alongside Brad Pitt are Anthony Hopkins and Claire Forlani.
Passengers
This fantasy romance movie features two passengers, Jim and Aurora, onboard a spaceship transporting them to a new life on another planet.
The trip takes a dangerous turn when their hibernation pods mysteriously wake them 90 years before they reach their destination. As they try to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction, they begin to fall for each other only to discover that the ship itself is in grave danger.
With the lives of 5000 sleeping passengers at stake, only Jim and Aurora can save them all.
While I may first associate Christ Pratt with comedies or Marvel movies, I adore him in this fantasy romance movie with Jennifer Lawrence. I love that it takes place in space with the only scenery being their spaceship.
Palm Springs
At her sister’s wedding in the California desert, maid of honor Sarah meets disaffected Nyles where they both get stuck in a time loop leaving them to seize the day over and over again while falling for each other.
I became an instant fan of this fantasy romance movie which is the perfect blend of sci-fi and romantic comedy about two millennial nihilists.
Check out this Hulu original starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Peter Gallagher, and June Squibb. You won’t be disappointed.
Just Like Heaven
Elizabeth Masterson, a dedicated doctor in San Francisco, has no time for anything including a relationship. But when she has a car accident and goes into a coma, landscape architect David moves into her apartment.
Though David just wants to be left alone, the spirit of Elizabeth shows up and insists the apartment is hers. He agrees to help her find out who she was as they start to fall in love.
Can you fall in love with a spirit? Mark Ruffalo’s character sure does in this fantasy romance movie also starring Reese Witherspoon.
City of Angels
Dr. Maggie Rice is a heart surgeon who is grieving over a lost patient when an angel named Seth appears to comfort her. She can see him despite the “rule” that angels are invisible, and Seth’s love for Maggie forces him to choose between angelic immortality and a normal human existence on earth with her.
This fantasy romance movie will definitely tug on all your heartstrings with its heavy themes and plot twists starring Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage.
About Time
The night after another unsatisfactory New Year party, Tim’s father tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time.
Tim can’t change history, but he can change what happens and has happened in his own life—so he decides to make his world a better place…by getting a girlfriend.
But as his unusual life progresses, Tim finds out that his unique gift can’t save him from the sorrows and ups and downs that affect all families, everywhere.
I adored the time travel element to this fantasy romance movie but it was the ultimate message about how you really can’t control life or love that got me most. It stars Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, and Rachel McAdams.
Mannequin
Jonathan Switcher has certainly been living up to his name. A frustrated artist, he switches from one job to another, never managing to hold on to any of them. But all of that changes when a mannequin he created for a department store window comes magically to life!
Gorgeous and statuesque, this fiberglass femme fatale helps Jonathan turn his career around, inspiring him to be the best window dresser in town. But she soon discovers that the real world isn’t so easy, when they run into competitors who want to put them out of business for good!
I can remember watching this 1980s classic over and over again because I thought it was so cool that a mannequin could come to life.
Ah, I was such a sucker for romance in my youth, but I highly recommend Mannequin as one of the best fantasy romance movies to watch starring Andrew McCarthy, Kim Cattrall, Meshach Taylor, Estelle Getty, and James Spader.
Splash
Allen Bauer is a workaholic who’s convinced he can’t fall in love. That is, until he’s mysteriously rescued at sea by the mermaid of his dreams! Soon Allen and Madison are swept away by hilarious and heartwarming romance.
This is another classic fantasy romance movie from the 1980s that made such a splash in theaters.
You can’t go wrong with a romance movie starring Tom Hanks and this one also includes Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, and John Candy.
Penelope
Born with the snout of a pig, young Penelope Wilhern spends life a virtual prisoner in her home. Believing that the only way to break the curse is to marry one of her own kind, she meets a number of suitors, but all reject her.
Two devious men, one with a grudge against the family, hire a man to pose as a suitor, but complications arise when he begins to fall in love with Penelope, and she makes a bid for freedom.
I adore fantasy romance movies that sway more toward the unusual and Penelope is just that. I love that it centers on a love story that showcases there’s more to a person than their outside appearance.
This must-watch fantasy romance movie stars both Christina Ricci and James McAvoy.
Yesterday
In Lowestoft UK, Jack Malik is a frustrated musician whose musical career is going nowhere despite the faith that his friend/manager Ellie Appleton has in him. However, on the night Jack decides to give up, the whole world is momentarily hit with a massive blackout during which Jack is hit by a bus.
Upon regaining consciousness, Jack learns to his astonishment that he is apparently now the only one who knows the music of the Beatles.
Realizing this improbable opportunity, Jack begins playing the music of one of the world’s greatest rock bands, being forced to claim it as his own. It pays off quickly and Jack becomes a worldwide musical sensation.
However, Jack finds himself drifting away from Ellie, only realizing his love for her when she has become intimidated by his success, which depends on a blatant plagiarization that no one could find out.
Now, Jack must make a fundamental moral decision about his music to satisfy his conscience as he decides what he truly needs.
Who wouldn’t love a fantasy romance movie based on the music of the Beatles? Despite society’s apparent amnesia when it comes to the popular band’s music, this movie looks at how one can get caught up in fame and fortune at the risk of losing love.
Ella Enchanted
Ella is a young girl bound by an obedience spell to do whatever she’s told. When her mother passes away, she winds up with a malicious stepmom who tries to control her every move.
Now, Ella must set out on a daring quest to find her fairy godmother, the only person who can lift the curse.
This fantasy romance movie is based on Gail Carson Levine’s young adult romance series, Trophy Newbery, and I’m all about book-to-movie adaptations!
This is such a sweet romance movie for teens and adults alike starring Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy, Vivica A. Fox and Minnie Driver.
Snow White and the Huntsman
The evil Queen Ravenna will rule forever if she can take the life of Snow White, so she dispatches the Huntsman to track her down.
But the wicked ruler never imagined that the Huntsman would train the girl to become a brave warrior, skilled in the art of war.
I liked how this fantasy romance movie reimagined the Snow White story, making it full of action with romance starring Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, and Chris Hemsworth.
Kate & Leopold
Stuart, a physicist, accidentally pulls his great‑great‑grandfather, Leopold through a time portal from 19th‑century New York to the present, where Leopold falls in mutual love with Stuart’s ex‑girlfriend, Kate, a thoroughly 21st century woman.
This fantasy romance movie features two star-crossed lovers who demonstrate that love can overcome any obstacle. It stars the romance movie star Meg Ryan along with Hugh Jackman, Breckin Meyer, and Liev Schreiber.
The Shape of Water
In the hidden government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of silence and isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment.
I love that this movie has the fantastical element of an amphibious being that a lonely janitor falls in love with.
This fantasy romance movie is also a historical romance in that it takes place during the Cold War era in America circa 1962, starring Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer.
Be sure to also check out the book, The Shape of Water by Guillermo Del Toro and Daniel Kraus.
Avatar
Set in the future on a distant planet, a paraplegic Marine named Jake acts through a 9-foot-tall avatar that allows him to roam the planet and pass as one of the Na’vi, the blue-skinned, large-eyed native people who would very much like to live their peaceful lives without the interference of the visitors.
Although he’s supposed to be gathering intel for the general who’d like to lay waste to the planet and its inhabitants, Jake naturally begins to take a liking to the Na’vi, especially the feisty Neytiri.
While the romance between Jake and Neytiri is beautiful, there is so much more to this fantasy romance movie. Themes of love, colonization, deforestation, and greed all come together in this epic movie starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana.
The Pirate Movie
Mabel Stanley attends a local pirate festival featuring a swordplay demonstration led by a young instructor who invites her for a ride on his boat. When she misses the ride and takes to sea by herself, a sudden storm throws her overboard where she’s washed ashore and dreams of a wild adventure.
In her dream that takes place a century before, a young man, Frederic, refuses an invitation from the Pirate King to become a full pirate, so he is cast off the boat and swims ashore to where he meets Mabel and quickly falls for her.
Fredric and Mabel however will have to fight off pirates and recover a treasure if they wish to have their happy ending.
This will forever be one of my favorite fantasy romance movies as I loved the comedy, the adventure, the singing, and of course the romance!
The Pirate Movie is such a unique musical comedy pirate adventure starring Kristy McNichol, Christopher Atkins, Ted Hamilton and Bill Kerr.
Enchanted
For princess-to-be Giselle, life is a fairy tale until she’s banished from the animated land of Andalasia and thrust into the very unmagical, live-action world of modern-day Manhattan.
When a cynical, no-nonsense divorce lawyer comes to her aid, little does he realize that this joyful, wide-eyed innocent is about to enchant him.
Enchanted is another fantasy romance movie that is also a musical comedy that only Disney could do. Filled with fairy tale elements and beautiful singing from Amy Adams this is a movie for lovers of Disney films, also starring James Mardsden, Patrick Dempsey, and Idina Menzel.
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