Disney+ Movies That Are Great For Adults — No Kids Required

This live-action remake of the classic Disney film stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, the unforgettable mermaid who longs to live on land. Featuring classic songs like "Part of Your World" and "Under the Sea" as well as supporting cast members like Melissa McCarthy, Daveed Diggs, and Jonah Hauer-King, this deep-sea story is perfect for adults to enjoy with or without kids.

Watch "The Little Mermaid" on Disney+.

The biographical Broadway musical smash tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury, soundtracked to blends of hip-hop, jazz, and R&B. Go back in time with music and lyrics by the show's Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and prepare to be blown away by performances from Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, and more.

Watch "Hamilton" on Disney+.

Steven Spielberg's award-winning remake of the classic musical romance explores the story of star-crossed lovers Tony and María. Starring Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, and Ariana DeBose, the film takes place in Manhattan's Upper West Side in 1957, where a whirlwind romance breaks out amid a gang turf war. The movie features musical numbers from the cast as well as an appearance from original "West Side Story" star Rita Moreno.

Watch "West Side Story" on Disney+ now.

"Holes" is one of those movies you're better off watching as an adult. The dramatic coming-of-age story follows a wrongfully convicted boy (played by Shia LaBeouf) who's sent to a boot camp in the middle of the desert, where he and other children are forced to dig mysterious holes all day long. However, something sinister gets uncovered as they investigate the truth behind their brutal tasks.

Watch "Holes" on Disney+ now.

If you're a fan of fun musicals, you'll love being swept up by the magic of "The Cheetah Girls." The Disney original follows the titular high school girl group as they set out to become music's next big stars. Though egos and drama sometimes get in the way, the cheetahlicious power of their friendship always brings them together for some amazing performances. They even take their singing talents across the globe to Barcelona and India for the movie's two sequels, "The Cheetah Girls 2" and "The Cheetah Girls: One World."

Watch "The Cheetah Girls" on Disney+ now.

BTS fans, this documentary follows the band's group member as he travels across the globe in search of musical inspiration for his "D-Day" album, which was released back in April. Watch as he sets out to tell his story through music and meets fans around the world, from Seoul and Tokyo to Las Vegas and beyond.

Watch "Suga: Road to D-Day" on Disney+ now.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" brings the titular heroes' trilogy to a close. In the film, viewers learn the tragic backstory of Rocket Raccoon as the other Guardians journey across the galaxy to try to save him. It's an emotional ending to these characters' stories — with, of course, another killer soundtrack.

Watch "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" on Disney+ now.

"Avatar: The Way of the Water" picks up the story from 2009's "Avatar." The Oscar-nominated film was praised for its groundbreaking visuals and environmental message.

Watch "Avatar: The Way of the Water" on Disney+ now.

"Flamin' Hot" is based on the "true" story of a Cheetos janitor who invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Directed by Eva Longoria, the movie is set in 1966 and follows Richard Montañez and his family as he comes up with the idea for a spicier, more flavourful Cheeto. It's a fun, feel-good story.

Watch "Flamin' Hot" on Disney+ now.

Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley star in 2002's "Bend It Like Beckham," which is about an ascendant girls' football team in London. Nagra's Jessn is supremely talented at football, but her Indian parents don't approve. The coming-of-age story blends sports, friendship, and family for a very satisfying ride.

Watch "Bend It Like Beckham" on Disney+ now.

Yes, there are over 30 MCU movies but years later, 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" remains one of the best. The story finds Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in a spy thriller that ultimately shakes the US government to its core. Joining him are Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow and Sebastian Stan as Bucky (aka the titular Winter Soldier). Anthony Mackie also debuted as Sam Wilson in the movie. Also on board is legendary actor Robert Redford as a S.H.I.E.L.D. head with a lot to hide.

Watch "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" on Disney+ now.

"The Incredible Hulk" has always had a strange place in the Marvel canon. Released in 2008, it was meant to bring Edward Norton's Hulk into the newly forming MCU but the movie was poorly reviewed, and Mark Ruffalo took on the role as the Hulk going forward. However, in recent years, characters from this movie (and the actors who've portrayed them) have started to pop up in the MCU, and this hidden gem is finally streaming.

Watch "The Incredible Hulk" on Disney+ now.

"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is the first film of Marvel's Phase 5, and it sees Paul Rudd's Ant-Man return for a universe-bending adventure. He's joined by Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang.

Watch "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" on Disney+ now.

Harrison Ford's iconic turn as Indiana Jones helped make him one of the biggest stars in the world. Now, you can stream all the Indiana Jones films on Disney+. Start with "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark," released in 1981.

Watch "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" on Disney+ now.

Peter Parker fans, Disney+ is home to Spider-Man movies starring Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland as everyone's favourite web slinger. Take a chance to revisit "Spider-Man 2," released in 2004. It features Alfred Molina's legendary turn as Doc Ock.

Watch "Spider-Man 2" on Disney+ now.

"National Treasure" sees Nicolas Cage star as Benjamin Franklin Gates, who uses a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence to find a secret, hidden treasure. Though the premise is a little goofy, Cage really sells the story, which is full of thrills.

Watch "National Treasure" on Disney+ now.

Howard Ashman wrote music for "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," and "Beauty and the Beast," and in the process, he transformed Disney animated films forever. The documentary "Howard" chronicles his life before his death from HIV/AIDS in 1991.

Watch "Howard" on Disney+ now.

Janelle Monae, Taraji P. Henson, and Octavia Spencer are perfection in this 2017 film about the Black women behind NASA's early launches. The movie was nominated for three Oscars and two Golden Globes.

Watch "Hidden Figures" on Disney+ now.

In 1952, a ship splits apart off the coast of New England during a terrible storm. It's up to the nearby Coast Guard to rescue the entire surviving crew — while the storm still rages.

Watch "The Finest Hours" on Disney+.

It might be a movie about teens, but adults will appreciate the satire and humour of this movie. When a city girl with Broadway dreams has to move to the suburbs, she gets knocked down a few pegs. But with the help of her friends, she gets back up again and is determined to make a splash as the lead role in the school's rock-inspired musical.

Watch "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" on Disney+.

On the brink of retirement, Santa Claus is on the lookout for a suitable replacement, and cab driver Ernest P. Worrell needs to help him. Santa has plans to give children's show host Joe Carruthers the job, but while he is travelling to Florida to do so, he encounters a few bumps in the road. Ernest, along with a runaway teenager named Harmony Starr, must jump through hoops to help Santa pass the torch onto the newest Kris Kringle before Christmas is threatened for good.

Watch "Ernest Saves Christmas" on Disney+.

Yes, Wes Anderson is on Disney+. The director's 2018 animated film features a lineup of his usual onscreen collaborators — this time voicing dogs.

Watch "Isle of Dogs" on Disney+ now.

This 1997 classic is finally available to stream to your heart's content. Starring Brandy Norwood, Whitney Houston, Whoopi Goldberg, and Victor Garber, this is an iconic adaptation of the fairytale.

Watch "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" on Disney+ now.

Free solo rock climber Alex Honnold attempts to achieve his biggest dream: scaling Yosemite's 3200-foot El Capitan — without a rope. This NatGeo documentary follows Honnold as he prepares for and attempts the climb of his life.

Watch "Free Solo" on Disney+.

Thirty-year-old football fan Vince Papale thought his chances of playing his favourite sport were long gone. After getting the chance to try out for the Philadelphia Eagles, he winds up as the oldest rookie in the NFL who didn't even play college ball, but that's only the beginning of his story.

Watch "Invincible" on Disney+.

Starring Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, and John Candy, the 1984 classic follows workaholic Allen Bauer (Hanks) who is convinced he can't fall in love — that is, until he meets a mermaid named Madison (Hannah). Get ready to get swept away by their romance in this rom-com.

Watch "Splash" on Disney+.

A low-key race car driver and his mechanic best friend end up owning a quirky VW Beetle that seems to have a personality of its own. The duo and their new car, named "Herbie," soar to the top of their sport, which puts them squarely in the crosshairs of an unscrupulous car dealer. It's a sweetly cheesy throwback movie with '60s retro flair.

Watch "The Love Bug" on Disney+.

6-year-old Susan Walker has plenty to believe in, but when it comes to Santa Claus, the only thing that she believes is that he isn't real. When Susan meets Kris Kringle, a department-store Santa who tells her he is the real Santa, her love for Christmas is ignited. The only problem Santa faces is a city that is convinced he isn't real after being wrongfully arrested. Susan, along with her mother's boyfriend, lawyer Bryan Bedford, must help the biggest sceptic believe in Santa before Christmas is ruined.

Watch "Miracle on 34th Street" on Disney+.

A new coach is hired to pull together the US men's hockey team in the lead up to the 1980 Winter Olympics. As he assembles a team and sets the lofty goal of defeating the heavily favoured Soviet team, the athletes' struggle becomes a touchstone for Cold War politics.

Watch "Miracle" on Disney+.

If you remember the old "Wonderful World of Disney" movies, you might remember this historical drama that debuted as part of the TV movie series in the late 1990s. When a Danish doctor and his family learn of the upcoming mass arrests of Danish Jews by the occupying Nazis, they work with resistance fighters to transport thousands of people to safety in Sweden, even at the risk of their own lives.

Watch "Miracle at Midnight" on Disney+.

Even (and especially) adults loved the first entry in the Pirates franchise, a sharp-tongued adventure story that's both a loving homage to pirate lore and a smart skewering of it. Before the franchise became a lengthy, occasionally unwieldy epic, it was a straightforward adventure tale: a blacksmith teams up with a rogue pirate to rescue his childhood friend from a cursed pirate ship.

Watch "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" on Disney+.

After injuries derail his promising baseball career, a man spends years coaching a low-ranked high school baseball team. When the chance to try out for the majors comes around, his players make him a deal: they win the championships, and he'll try out one last time.

Watch "The Rookie" on Disney+.

Don't let the Mary Poppins title fool you. While it's not exactly unsuitable for kids, adults are likely to get much more out of this movie, based loosely on the true story of the behind-the-scenes drama of the classic movie. As prickly author P.L. Travers clashes with Walt Disney's genial commercialism over the fate of her story, she recalls her difficult, devastating upbringing with the alcoholic but charming father she adored.

Watch "Saving Mr. Banks" on Disney+.

It may be animated, but it's certainly not for kids! When the Simpsons get blamed for polluting the water supply in a way that threatens the entire world, their family is sharply divided. Homer has to set out to not only save the world, but also to earn his family's forgiveness.

Watch "The Simpsons Movie" on Disney+.

Following its November 2022 release, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" has finally arrived on Disney+. Starring Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, and Tenoch Huerta, the "Black Panther" sequel sees Wakanda and its inhabitants dealing with new threats and the loss of their leader King T'Challa.

Watch "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" on Disney+.

A nightclub singer with a big voice and a bigger personality accidentally witnesses her mobster boyfriend commit murder. For her safety, she's whisked away by the authorities and placed in witness protection among the nuns of a California convent. When she takes over their choir, she introduces her own brand of soulfulness into their music.

Watch "Sister Act" on Disney+.

Finn Baxter just moved from California to Maine with his parents and younger sister. While getting settled in the house, Finn starts to believe that his new home is haunted and sets up traps in hopes of capturing the ghosts that haunt the place. When his parents leave the house to go to a Christmas party, a trio of thieves break in and attempt to steal a number of valuable paintings, and it's now up to Finn to protect himself and his sister from the thieves and stop them from causing havoc in his house.

Watch "Home Alone: The Holiday Heist" on Disney+.

The teen comedy with adult humour might feel a little out of place among cheery animated kids' movies, but we're not complaining! In this update of "The Taming of the Shrew", a nerd falls in love with Bianca, a popular girl whose overprotective father won't let her date until her acid-tongued, independent sister Kat does — so he hires the school's resident bad boy to woo Kat. Shenanigans, naturally, ensue.

Watch "10 Things I Hate About You" on Disney+.

Everyone's favourite fake nun Deloris is called back into action in this sequel. Her friends from the convent need her help to teach music to teenagers at a struggling school. It will take all her patience and musical know-how to make them into a star choir and save the school from closure at the hands of a cold-hearted administrator.

Watch "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" on Disney+.

The iconic 1980s sci-fi movie follows a computer game programmer who gets pulled into the actual world of the computer. As he tries to escape, he interacts with the programs inside the computer, which are a lot more threatening than just strings of code should be.

Watch "Tron" on Disney+.

Three single men with successful careers find themselves caring for an infant left on their doorstep. Their babysitting nightmare gradually changes as they grow attached to the child.

Watch "Three Men and a Baby" on Disney+ now.

In "Avatar," humans attempt to access the world of Pandora inhabited by the Na'vi. Former Marine Jake Sully falls in love with a Na'vi woman and finds himself fighting to survive in her world while also fulfiling his orders from Earth.

Watch "Avatar" on Disney+ now.

After their divorce, each parent takes one of their identical twin daughters and raises them separately. The two girls run into each other at a summer camp more than a decade later and attempt to reunite their family.

Watch "The Parent Trap" on Disney+ now.

After eight years of being Santa, Scott discovers a second clause in his contract: he needs to find a wife. Luckily for him, "Lost"'s Elizabeth Mitchell is his son's new principal.

Watch "The Santa Clause 2" on Disney+.

Sandra Bullock plays Lucy Eleanor Moderatz, a lonely transit worker who rescues her longtime crush from the path of an oncoming train. While he lies comatose in the hospital, a misunderstood comment from Lucy causes his family to believe she's his fiancée.

Watch "While You Were Sleeping" on Disney+ now.

This rom-com follows the journey of Rebecca, a New York City shopaholic who runs into trouble when she accumulates debt. To pay it off, she seeks to land her dream job at a fashion magazine but instead starts writing a personal-finance column for a sister publication. The column unexpectedly becomes a hit, but her secret threatens her love life and newfound success.

Watch "Confessions of a Shopaholic" on Disney+ now.

After he fails to prevent scientist Howard Plummer from being assassinated, an elite Navy SEAL strives to redeem himself when he gets assigned to protect Plummer's children.

Watch "The Dummy" on Disney+ now.

A bachelor American football star must learn to balance the demands of his career with his personal life when he discovers he has a young daughter from a previous relationship.

Watch "The Game Plan" on Disney+ now.

This American musical by Beyoncé reimagines the story of Disney's "The Lion King" for today's generation, depicting the voyage of Black families.

Watch "Black Is King" on Disney+ now.

This historic film is based on the true story of a newly appointed Black coach and his high-school team, who navigate their first racially-integrated season together.

Watch "Remember the Titans" on Disney+ now.

This 2019 musical film retells the iconic coming-of-age story of Simba, a young lion prince who flees his kingdom only to learn lessons of courage and responsibility.

Watch "The Lion King" on Disney+ now.

In this sequel to the original "The Princess Diaries," Mia returns to Genovia after graduating from Princeton only to learn that she can't become queen unless she's married within 30 days.

Watch "The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement" on Disney+ now.

After receiving cryptic fortunes at a Chinese restaurant, a mother-daughter duo wake up the next day to find that they've switched bodies. They're forced to play each other's roles until they find a solution.

Watch "Freaky Friday" on Disney+ now.

Shy San Francisco teenager Mia must readjust to life when she discovers that she is a real-life princess, heir to the crown of Genovia. With the help of her grandmother, Queen Clarisse, she learns what true royalty looks like while maintaining her own independence.

Watch "The Princess Diaries" on Disney+ now.

Tom Hanks plays a dignified US Marshall who solves crimes with the help of a junkyard dog, Hooch.

Watch "Turner & Hooch" on Disney+ now.

Have all the tissues ready for this 1985 film about a young mother who loses her faith in Christmas. It's only through the help of her daughter and a guardian angel that she rediscovers the joys of the season.

Watch "One Magic Christmas" on Disney+.

Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy return for this followup to the iconic "Hocus Pocus." The movie even met the approval of some real witches, and while it's perfect for Halloween, it'll add some eerie fun any time of year — no matter your age.

Watch "Hocus Pocus 2" on Disney+ now.

"Rise" chronicles the true story of a trio of brothers who all became NBA champions. Basketball players Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo all went pro, and their amazing story touches on migration, family ties, sports, and much more.

Watch "Rise" on Disney+ now.

Two young girls in Los Angeles stumble across Santa Claus's weather-making machine and use it to create a snow day in Los Angeles. What they don't realise is that their snow day comes with a Christmas-sized cost.

Watch "The Ultimate Christmas Present" on Disney+.

Considered one of the darkest Marvel films, 2022's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" is definitely not targeted at kids — and its mind-bending storyline has confused many an adult. With plenty of horror and gore and wild dream sequences, this one will require all of your attention.

Watch "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" on Disney+ now.

If you can get past the creepy dolls, the 1961 version of "Babes in Toyland" is a fun, musical spectacular. It's also on overall odd film — Mother Goose plays a surprisingly large role — but there's a saving Christmas subplot, so it all evens out.

Watch "Babes in Toyland" on Disney+.