50 Movies Like The Emperor's New Groove (2000) You Need to Watch Next
Updated August 2026
View The Emperor's New Groove details →Mark Dindal's 2000 animated comedy sends the vain, self-absorbed Emperor Kuzco on an unlikely adventure after he's accidentally turned into a llama. Stranded far from his palace, he must depend on a humble villager to survive the jungle and reclaim his throne. Fast, irreverent and gleefully silly, it trades sweeping fairy-tale grandeur for buddy-comedy timing and cartoon slapstick, following a spoiled ruler forced to learn humility. It's a breezy watch for families and anyone in the mood for something light, with quotable one-liners and broad physical gags. Great for younger viewers, though the comic energy and wit reward adults too.
If you loved The Emperor's New Groove (2000) by Mark Dindal, here are 50 movies that share its content DNA. iRankMovies measures real similarity using cosine similarity across eight weighted dimensions — genre (50%), tone (12%), pace (10%), structure (8%), era (7%), theme (6%), audience (4%) and narrative perspective (3%) — not just the rating. The closest matches according to our analysis are Luck, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, Shrek the Third. Every title is ranked by how closely it matches and backed by the iRank Score, a composite of IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDb across 12,000+ analysed titles.
The Best Movies Similar to The Emperor's New Groove
Selected for their real similarity in content, these are the movies that share the most with The Emperor's New Groove in terms of theme, narrative tone, and cinematic style. Every recommendation goes beyond genre — we evaluate the type of conflict, pacing, dramatic context, and the experience they create for viewers.
Luck
2022 · Peggy Holmes
Suddenly finding herself in the never-before-seen Land of Luck, the unluckiest person in the world must unite with the magical creatures there to turn her luck around.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
2022 · Derek Drymon
When Van Helsing's mysterious invention, the "Monsterfication Ray," goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny becomes a monster. In their new mismatched bodie
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Shrek the Third
2007 · Chris Miller
The King of Far Far Away has died and Shrek and Fiona are to become King & Queen. However, Shrek wants to return to his cozy swamp and live in peace and quiet, so when he finds out there is another he
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Shrek Forever After
2010 · Mike Mitchell
A midlife-crisis burdened Shrek, longing for the days when he felt like a real ogre, makes a pact with magic deal-maker Rumpelstiltskin. But when he's duped and sent to a twisted version of Far Far Aw
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
2004 · Stephen Hillenburg
There's trouble brewing in Bikini Bottom. Someone has stolen King Neptune's crown, and it looks like Mr. Krab, SpongeBob's boss, is the culprit. Though he's just been passed over for the promotion of
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The Road to El Dorado
2000 · Bibo Bergeron
Stowing away after a failed con, a pair of swindlers end up on El Dorado, the fabled "city of gold", where they quickly get in over their heads when they are mistaken as gods by the inhabitants.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The Croods: A New Age
2020 · Joel Crawford
Searching for a safer habitat, the prehistoric Crood family discovers an idyllic, walled-in paradise that meets all of its needs. Unfortunately, they must also learn to live with the Bettermans -- a f
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
2020 · Tim Hill
When his best friend Gary is suddenly snatched away, SpongeBob takes Patrick on a madcap mission far beyond Bikini Bottom to save their pink-shelled pal.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
2015 · Paul Tibbitt
Evil pirate Burger Beard is in search of the final page of a magical book that makes any evil plan he writes in it come true, but the final page happens to be the Krabby Patty secret formula. When Bur
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Horton Hears a Who!
2008 · Jimmy Hayward
An imaginative elephant named Horton hears a faint cry for help coming from a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. Horton suspects there may be life on that speck and despite a surrounding com
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Sausage Party
2016 · Conrad Vernon
Hot dog Frank leads a group of supermarket products on a quest to discover the truth about their existence and what really happens when they're chosen to leave the grocery store.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The Smurfs
2011 · Raja Gosnell
When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours -- in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apple
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Onward
2020 · Dan Scanlon
In a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Smallfoot
2018 · Karey Kirkpatrick
A bright young yeti finds something he thought didn't exist—a human. News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Abominable
2019 · Jill Culton
A group of misfits encounter a young Yeti named Everest, and they set off to reunite the magical creature with his family on the mountain of his namesake.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The Ant Bully
2006 · John A. Davis
Fed up with being targeted by the neighborhood bully, 10-year-old Lucas Nickle vents his frustrations on the anthill in his front yard ... until the insects shrink him to the size of a bug with a magi
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp
1990 · Bob Hathcock
With his nephews and niece, everyone's favorite rich uncle, Scrooge McDuck, treks from his mansion home in Duckburg in search of the long-lost loot of the thief Collie Baba. But finding the goods isn'
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
2023 · Michael Jelenic
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers—and brothers—Mario and Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are sepa
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Frozen II
2019 · Jennifer Lee
Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf head far into the forest to learn the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Orion and the Dark
2024 · Sean Charmatz
A boy with an active imagination faces his fears on an unforgettable journey through the night with his new friend: a giant, smiling creature named Dark.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Moana 2
2024 · David G. Derrick Jr.
After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana journeys alongside Maui and a new crew to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike a
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Hercules
1997 · Ron Clements
Bestowed with superhuman strength, a young mortal named Hercules sets out to prove himself a hero in the eyes of his father, the great god Zeus. Along with his friends Pegasus, a flying horse, and Phi
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Trolls World Tour
2020 · Walt Dohrn
Queen Poppy and Branch make a surprising discovery — there are other Troll worlds beyond their own, and their distinct differences create big clashes between these various tribes. When a mysterious th
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Trolls
2016 · Mike Mitchell
After the monstrous Bergens invade Troll Village, Princess Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and overly-cautious, curmudgeonly outcast Branch set off on a journey to rescue her friends. Their missi
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Wish Dragon
2021 · Chris Appelhans
Determined teen Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Trolls Band Together
2023 · Walt Dohrn
When Branch's brother, Floyd, is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains, Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs
2019 · Hong Sung-ho
Princes who have been turned into Dwarfs seek the red shoes of a lady in order to break the spell, although it will not be easy.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life
2003 · Jan de Bont
Off the coast of the volcanic island of Santorini, the intrepid archaeologist Lara Croft makes the unexpected discovery of a pulsating golden orb able to guide its holder to the mythical Pandora's Box
In common: Adventure · Fantasy
Shrek
2001 · Andrew Adamson
It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
2022 · Joel Crawford
Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: He has burned through eight of his nine lives, leaving him with only one life left. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
The Lego Movie
2014 · Phil Lord
An ordinary Lego mini-figure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil Lego tyrant from conquering the universe.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
2018 · Genndy Tartakovsky
Dracula, Mavis, Johnny and the rest of the Drac Pack take a vacation on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship, where Dracula falls in love with the ship’s captain, Ericka, who’s secretly a descendant of Abraha
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Alvin and the Chipmunks
2007 · Tim Hill
A struggling songwriter named Dave Seville finds success when he comes across a trio of singing chipmunks: mischievous leader Alvin, brainy Simon, and chubby, impressionable Theodore.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Hotel Transylvania 2
2015 · Genndy Tartakovsky
When the old-old-old-fashioned vampire Vlad arrives at the hotel for an impromptu family get-together, Hotel Transylvania is in for a collision of supernatural old-school and modern day cool.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Monster House
2006 · Gil Kenan
Monsters under the bed are scary enough, but what happens when an entire house is out to get you? Three teens aim to find out when they go up against a decrepit neighboring home and unlock its frighte
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
2023 · Kirk DeMicco
Ruby Gillman, a sweet and awkward high school student, discovers she's a direct descendant of the warrior kraken queens. The kraken are sworn to protect the oceans of the world against the vain, power
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
The Smurfs 2
2013 · Raja Gosnell
The evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers tha
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
The Boxtrolls
2014 · Graham Annable
An orphaned boy raised by underground creatures called Boxtrolls comes up from the sewers and out of his box to save his family and the town from the evil exterminator, Archibald Snatcher.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Monsters, Inc.
2001 · Pete Docter
Lovable Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their worl
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Ratatouille
2007 · Brad Bird
Remy, a rat, possesses a palate far more refined than that of his fellow comrades. He dreams of becoming a chef, one who creates rather than scavenges. When fate deposits him in the sewers beneath one
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Turning Red
2022 · Domee Shi
Thirteen-year-old Mei is experiencing the awkwardness of being a teenager with a twist – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Hotel Transylvania
2012 · Genndy Tartakovsky
Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up and no humans are allowed. One special weekend, Dracula has invited all his best fri
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
The Grinch
2018 · Yarrow Cheney
The Grinch hatches a scheme to ruin Christmas when the residents of Whoville plan their annual holiday celebration. But a certain little who might change things.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Family
Alice in Wonderland
1951 · Clyde Geronimi
On a golden afternoon, wildly curious young Alice tumbles into the burrow and enters the merry, madcap world of Wonderland full of whimsical escapades.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Family
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
2014 · Shawn Levy
When the magic powers of The Tablet of Ahkmenrah begin to die out, Larry Daley spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone
In common: Adventure · Comedy · Family
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2024 · Gil Kenan
When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
In common: Adventure · Comedy · Fantasy
Dolittle
2020 · Stephen Gaghan
After losing his wife seven years earlier, the eccentric Dr. John Dolittle, famed doctor and veterinarian of Queen Victoria’s England, hermits himself away behind the high walls of Dolittle Manor with
In common: Adventure · Comedy · Family
Fantastic Mr. Fox
2009 · Wes Anderson
The Fantastic Mr. Fox, bored with his current life, plans a heist against the three local farmers. The farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with the sly fox, seek revenge against him and his famil
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Epic
2013 · Chris Wedge
A teenager finds herself transported to a deep forest setting where a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil is taking place. She bands together with a rag-tag group characters in or
In common: Adventure · Animation · Family
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
2021 · Mike Rianda
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
In common: Adventure · Animation · Comedy
Popular series
Breaking Bad
2008 · Michelle MacLaren
Walter White, a New Mexico chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of only two years left to live. He becomes filled with a sense of fearlessness and an unrelenting
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
2023 · Kazutaka Yamanaka
After the party of heroes defeated the Demon King, they restored peace to the land and returned to lives of solitude. Generations pass, and the elven mage Frieren comes face to face with humanity’s m
Avatar: The Last Airbender
2005 · Michael Dante DiMartino
In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.
