Old Yeller
A time-honored family favorite renowned for its tearjerker ending, 1957 Disney production Old Yeller is based on Fred Gipson’s novel of the same name. Set in Texas in the 1860s, the film centers on the heartwarming relationship between a rural family and their faithful Black Mouth Cur. Famously, the film highlights both the highs and lows of dog ownership, including outliving your beloved pet.
Lassie Come Home
Based on Eric Knight’s novel, 1943’s Lassie Come Home sees the titular dog make her own way back to her original owners when they are forced to sell her. The film stars a young Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor, but is of course most famous for its central collie. Eleven more Lassie films and several live action and animated TV shows have been made since.
Beethoven
In Hollywood, bigger is always better – so there’s no way to make a dog movie cuter than to use the biggest dog available. Co-written by 80s comedy icon John Hughes (using pseudonym Edmond Dantes), Beethoven follows the chaos that ensues when a suburban family take in a St. Bernard puppy who grows to a mighty adult dog. Seven sequels and an animated spin-off followed.
Turner & Hooch
In the late 80s, when buddy cop movies were all the rage, Tom Hanks portrayed a highly strung detective who takes an unlikely partner in a slovenly French Mastiff, who is the only witness to a murder. 1989 Disney production Turner & Hooch was a modest hit that helped Hanks on his way to superstardom. A short-lived TV spin-off was produced for Disney+ in 2021.
John Wick
Few recent films feature dogs quite so prominently as 2014’s John Wick, in which Keanu Reeves’ bereaved hitman sets out for revenge when young gangsters steal his car and kill his dog. Director Chad Stahelski’s film and its three sequels have been hailed for revitalizing the action genre, but the original packs a whole lot of heart, thanks in large part to the canine connection.
Cujo
As much as we love our furry friends, it’s chilling to think what might happen should they turn on us. This is explored in 1983 Stephen King adaptation Cujo, in which an affable St. Bernard becomes vicious when it contracts rabies. E.T. star Dee Wallace takes the (human) lead as a mother struggling to protect her child from the monstrous dog.
Marley & Me
Adapted from John Grogan’s autobiographical book, 2008 comedy drama Marley & Me charts the highs and lows of dog ownership, as newlyweds Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston take in an adorable little Labrador who grows up to be a major handful. By turns funny and heartbreaking, some critics have accused director David Frankel’s film of manipulative sentimentality, but it rings true with dog owners everywhere.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
Adapted from Dodie Smith’s novel, 1961’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians became one of the best-loved Disney animated movies, thanks to its adorable ensemble of spotted puppies. Cruella de Vil, the wealthy fashionista who wants to turn the dogs into a fur coat, has become one of the cinema’s most memorable villains, later portrayed by Glenn Close and Emma Stone in Disney’s live-action spin-offs.
Best in Show
One of the best-loved films of actor, writer and director Christopher Guest, 2000 mockumentary Best in Show follows the eccentric contestants in a high profile dog show. A broad parody of pet pageantry, the film’s cast of noted comedy performers includes Eugene Levy (who also co-writes) and Catherine O’Hara, more recently seen on hit sitcom Schitt’s Creek.
Lady and the Tramp
After One Hundred and One Dalmatians proved a hit, Disney wasted no time making another dog-based animated classic with 1955’s Lady and the Tramp. Both a canine comedy and a culture-clash romance, the film sees a pampered cocker spaniel wind up on the streets, where she meets a stray terrier-mix, with whom she famously falls in love over a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
Air Bud
Who would ever think to combine dogs and basketball? Hollywood, that's who. 1997 family comedy Air Bud centers on a boy whose dog joins him in the school basketball team. It was followed by 1998 sequel Air Bud: Golden Receiver plus three straight-to-video sequels, as well as spawning two spin-off movie series: Air Buddies, and Santa Paws.
Scooby-Doo
2002 saw one of TV's best-loved pooches, Scooby-Doo, brought to the big screen in live action. Voiced by actor Neil Fanning, the cowardly, perpetually hungry Great Dane was brought to life via CGI, whilst actors Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linda Cardellini portrayed his human friends Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma. The whole gang reunited on 2004 sequel Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed.
Look Who’s Talking Now
After the first two movies in the Look Who's Talking series allowed us to hear the inner monologue of babies (voiced by Bruce Willis and Roseanne Barr), 1993's Look Who's Talking Now took that same approach with dogs. As the kids are finally old enough to speak for themselves, Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton provide the voices of dogs Rocks and Daphne.
All Dogs Go To Heaven
Back in the 80s, animator Don Bluth made a valiant attempt to compete with Disney with a series of animated movies. One of these was 1989's All Dogs Go to Heaven, a seemingly cute family film with some surprisingly dark, mature themes: the pivotal pooch Charlie returns to Earth from Heaven to avenge his own murder, and one nightmare sequence contains unsettling visions of Hell.
Eight Below
A remake of 1983 Japanese film Antarctica (itself inspired by a real incident from 1956), 2006's Eight Below stars Paul Walker as a research scientist who puts his life on the line to save his beloved sled dogs from perishing in the harsh winter. The film from director Frank Marshall (Arachnophobia, Congo) proved a modest critical and commercial hit.
K-9
Turner & Hooch wasn't the only canine cop buddy movie to hit screens in 1989: we also had K-9, which casts Jim Belushi as San Diego cop Micheal Dooley, who teams up with unruly sniffer dog Jerry Lee to take down a drug baron. It proved popular enough for Belushi to return in two direct-to-video sequels: 1999's K-911, and 2002's K-9: P.I.
Dog
Channing Tatum made his directorial debut (in cahoots with screenwriter Reid Carolin) on 2022's Dog, a comedy drama which casts the leading man as an Army Ranger who is given a special assignment: to accompany the dog of a recently deceased friend to his funeral. The film went down well with audiences and critics, Tatum gaining praise for both his acting and directing.
The Breed
2006's The Breed presented audiences with a far less friendly take on man's best friend. Produced by horror icon Wes Craven, 2006's The Breed is set on a remote island where a group of twentysomethings go for a weekend away - only to discover it's overrun by genetically engineered killer canines. Michelle Rodriguez and Oliver Hudson head up the human ensemble.
Benji
1974's Benji introduced audiences to an adorable golden mongrel stray and his adventures. It proved a big hit, spawning a series of big screen sequels and several TV shows, all of which were overseen by the original film's writer-director-producer Joe Camp. Most recently, a Benji reboot movie was made for Netflix in 2018 by producer Jason Blum.
Frankenweenie
Originally made by Tim Burton as a live action short film back in 1984, 2012's Frankenweenie is a feature length stop-motion animation about a boy who adopts Dr. Frankenstein's techniques to bring his pet dog back to life. The film is shot in black and white in homage to the classic Universal horror movies from which it draws inspiration.
The Wizard of Oz
There is of course a whole lot going on in 1939's musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz, but the love between Judy Garland's Dorothy and her cherished Cairn Terrier Toto is at the heart of the film. After all, no one can ever forget the Wicked Witch of West's blood-curdling threat, "I'll get you my pretty - and your little dog too!"
I Am Legend
Based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend casts Will Smith as seemingly the last man alive after a vampire plague wipes out humanity. His only companion is a doting German Shepherd named Sam. The 2007 movie presents some hope that, even if man falls, his best friend will remain as loyal as ever.
Strays
We'd ordinarily assume that any movie in which we hear dogs talk is one for all the family to enjoy, but this is categorically not the case with 2023's Strays. The R-rated, foul-mouthed comedy features dogs voiced by Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, and centers on a stray dog's quest to take brutal revenge on the human owner who abandoned him.
White Fang
Based on Jack London's novel, 1991 family adventure White Fang stars Ethan Hawke as Jack Conroy, a young man searching for gold in late-19th century Alaska, where he finds companionship in the form of a wolfdog. The title role is taken by Jed, a canine actor best known for his earlier appearance in 1982 sci-fi horror The Thing.
The Plague Dogs
Based on the 1977 novel by Richard Adams, 1982's The Plague Dogs is an animated adventure about two dogs who go on the run in the wilderness after escaping an animal testing laboratory. Like earlier Richard Adams adaptation Watership Down, it's considerably darker and more violent than your standard animal-based animation; the US release cut seven minutes to make it less disturbing for children.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
2008 Disney comedy Beverly Hills Chihuahua is all about the chihuahua of a wealthy businesswoman (Jamie Lee Curtis) who temporarily leaves her beloved pet in the care of her niece (Piper Perabo), only for the dog to be abducted. Drew Barrymore voices the chihuahua herself, whilst other celebrity dog voices include Andy Garcia and George Lopez. Two direct-to-DVD sequels followed.
Megan Leavey
Inspired by real events, 2017 drama Megan Leavey casts Kate Mara in the title role of a real-life US Marine who was deployed in Iraq in 2005, alongside a military dog named Rex. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite's film (released as Rex in some territories) was well-received by critics, although it under-performed at the box office.
DC League of Super-Pets
After teaming up on camera for Central Intelligence and the Jumanji movies, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart reunited to voice Superdog and Bathound - the pets of Superman and Batman - in 2022 animated comedy DC League of Super-Pets. Other super-pets include Natasha Lyonne as The Flash's pet turtle, Thomas Middleditch as Aquaman's guinea pig and Vanessa Bayer as Wonder Woman's pot-bellied pig.
Isle of Dogs
Writer-director Wes Anderson brought his uniquely quirky sensibilities to this 2018 stop-motion animated comedy adventure in which a remote Japanese island has been populated entirely with dogs who have been banished there in the wake of a canine flu pandemic. The dogs are voiced by such big names as Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston and Edward Norton.
Marmaduke
Based on the long-running newspaper comic strip by Brad Anderson, 2010's Marmaduke brought the badly-behaved Great Dane to live action, voiced by Owen Wilson, with George Lopez voicing his best friend Carlos the cat. Widely panned by critics, the film from director Tom Dey wasn't a big hit at the box office, earning only $83.8 million off the back of a $50 million budget.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Based on Norman Bridwell's long-running children's book series, 2021 family comedy Clifford the Big Red Dog sees Darby Camp's middle schooler take in a cute little red puppy, only for the animal to unexpectedly grow into a creature of gargantuan proportions. British comedian and actor Jack Whitehall stars alongside the mighty CGI canine, and a sequel is said to be in the works.
A Dog’s Purpose
Based on W. Bruce Cameron's 2010 novel, director Lasse Hallström's 2017 film A Dog's Purpose takes a more spiritual look at the canine experience, following a good dog across several reincarnations. Josh Gad voices the dog, whose human owners include Dennis Quaid. Though warmly received by critics and a $205 million-grossing hit, A Dog's Purpose proved controversial over allegations of animal abuse on set.
Cats & Dogs
2001 family comedy adventure Cats & Dogs shows audiences what we've always suspected to be true: a secret war is waging between canines and felines for dominance as the world's best-loved pets. Jeff Goldblum and Elizabeth Perkins play the principal humans, whilst the animals are voiced by the likes of Tobey Maguire, Alec Baldwin, Michael Clarke Duncan, Susan Sarandon and Charlton Heston.
The Fox and the Hound
Adapted from Daniel P. Mannix's 1967 novel, 1981 Disney animated movie The Fox and the Hound centers on the unlikely friendship between a hound dog and a red fox, neither of whom realize their breeds are meant to be mortal enemies. Big screen stalwart Mickey Rooney voices the dog Tod, whilst future superstar leading man Kurt Russell is Copper the fox.
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
A remake of 1963's The Incredible Journey (itself an adaptation of Sheila Burnford's novel), 1993 Disney production Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey follows a bulldog, a golden retriever and a Himalayan cat (respectively voiced by Michael J. Fox, Don Ameche and Sally Field) who traverse the Sierra Nevada mountain range to be reunited with their human family. Famed animal actor Bart the Bear makes an appearance.
White God
2014 Hungarian fantasy drama White God presents a hard-edged, non-family friendly tale of dogs turning on humanity in the face of abuse and neglect. Directed and co-written by Kornél Mundruczó, the film makes use of around 250 rescue dogs, and reportedly no digital trickery was used to create its awe-inspiring canine-based set pieces.
The Secret Life of Pets
Every pet owner has imagined the sort of hijinks their beloved domestic animals might get up to when they're left at home all day. This is explored in 2016 CG-animated comedy The Secret Life of Pets, a huge hit which earned a staggering $885.3 million at the box office. It was followed by the more modestly successful The Secret Life of Pets 2 in 2019.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Based on the 2008 novel by Garth Stein, 2019's The Art of Racing in the Rain centers on a golden retriever named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner) and his car-mad owner (Milo Ventimigila). A wistful, heartstring-tugging drama, the film explores the close bond between a dog and his owner and ponders notions of canine afterlife and reincarnation. It flopped at the box office.
Red (2008)
Before there was John Wick, there was Red. Adapted from Jack Ketchum's novel, this hard-edged 2008 thriller from director Lucky McKee casts Brian Cox as an ageing widower whose beloved dog (a gift from his late wife) is killed by youngsters, prompting him to seek revenge. It's a tough watch for dog lovers, but demonstrates how personal the bond between animal and man can be.
Underdog
An update of the 1960s Saturday morning cartoon show, 2007's Underdog sees a Beagle (voiced by Jason Lee) attain superpowers after being exposed to experimental chemicals developed by a mad scientist (Peter Dinklage). Jim Belushi, Patrick Warburton and John Slattery fill out the human cast, while Amy Adams voices Underdog's canine love interest. The fun Disney production didn't have much impact on audiences or critics.
