158 films
158 films in the random movie generator
Every film the wheel can land on is listed here once, under its main genre, with its release year. Many films carry a second genre too, so a filter can hold more films than its group here. Press a genre's button to spin it.
Family & animation35
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
- Cinderella (1950)
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Aladdin (1992)
- Hocus Pocus (1993)
- The Lion King (1994)
- Toy Story (1995)
- Matilda (1996)
- Mulan (1998)
- The Iron Giant (1999)
- Shrek (2001)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- Lilo & Stitch (2002)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- The Incredibles (2004)
- Ratatouille (2007)
- Kung Fu Panda (2008)
- WALL-E (2008)
- Up (2009)
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
- Tangled (2010)
- Frozen (2013)
- Paddington (2014)
- Inside Out (2015)
- Zootopia (2016)
- Moana (2016)
- Coco (2017)
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
- Encanto (2021)
Disney & Pixar filter: the 24 Disney and Pixar films here, plus National Treasure, The Santa Clause, Cool Runnings, Remember the Titans.
Comedy12
- Some Like It Hot (1959)
- Airplane! (1980)
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- Groundhog Day (1993)
- Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- Clueless (1995)
- Legally Blonde (2001)
- School of Rock (2003)
- Mean Girls (2004)
- Barbie (2023)
Action & adventure13
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- The Goonies (1985)
- Top Gun (1986)
- Die Hard (1988)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- Gladiator (2000)
- National Treasure (2004)
- The Dark Knight (2008)
- The Avengers (2012)
- John Wick (2014)
- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
- Black Panther (2018)
- Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Sci-fi & fantasy13
- The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- Star Wars (1977)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Blade Runner (1982)
- Back to the Future (1985)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- The Matrix (1999)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- Inception (2010)
- Interstellar (2014)
- Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Horror13
- Psycho (1960)
- The Exorcist (1973)
- Jaws (1975)
- Halloween (1978)
- Alien (1979)
- The Shining (1980)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Beetlejuice (1988)
- Scream (1996)
- The Sixth Sense (1999)
- The Conjuring (2013)
- Get Out (2017)
- A Quiet Place (2018)
Christmas13
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- White Christmas (1954)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
- Gremlins (1984)
- Home Alone (1990)
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- The Santa Clause (1994)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- Elf (2003)
- Love Actually (2003)
- Klaus (2019)
Drama14
- Citizen Kane (1941)
- 12 Angry Men (1957)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- The Godfather (1972)
- Dead Poets Society (1989)
- Schindler's List (1993)
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- The Truman Show (1998)
- The Green Mile (1999)
- Hidden Figures (2016)
- Parasite (2019)
- Oppenheimer (2023)
Thriller & crime11
- Rear Window (1954)
- North by Northwest (1959)
- Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- The Fugitive (1993)
- Pulp Fiction (1994)
- Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- The Departed (2006)
- No Country for Old Men (2007)
- Gone Girl (2014)
- Knives Out (2019)
Romance9
- Casablanca (1942)
- Roman Holiday (1953)
- Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
- When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
- Titanic (1997)
- Notting Hill (1999)
- The Notebook (2004)
- Pride & Prejudice (2005)
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Musicals7
- Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- West Side Story (1961)
- The Sound of Music (1965)
- Grease (1978)
- La La Land (2016)
- The Greatest Showman (2017)
- Wicked (2024)
Sports7
- Rocky (1976)
- The Karate Kid (1984)
- The Sandlot (1993)
- Cool Runnings (1993)
- Space Jam (1996)
- Remember the Titans (2000)
- Creed (2015)
Westerns5
- High Noon (1952)
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- Unforgiven (1992)
- Rango (2011)
Documentaries6
- March of the Penguins (2005)
- Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
- Free Solo (2018)
- Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
- Apollo 11 (2019)
- My Octopus Teacher (2020)
Titles and years identify the films. Studio and film names belong to their owners, and this site is not linked to any studio, Disney and Pixar included. The list holds no ratings, so check one before a family movie night.
Quick start
How to use the random movie picker
Film titles is the mode the page opens in. The movie picker wheel starts with 12 films from different genres.
Pick a genre
In Movie picker options, press All films or one of 14 genres, such as Horror or Christmas.
Choose how many
Put 12, 20, All matching titles on the wheel. New mix deals a different selection.
Spin
Press Spin, tap the wheel or press Space. A spin takes about 5 seconds, and the popup shows the film, its year and its genres.
Copy and check
Copy sends the title to the group chat. Look up the age rating and where it streams before you press play.
Genre filters
Random movie generator by genre
Each genre filter puts its films on the wheel, from 5 westerns to 60 family and animated films. A film with 2 genres sits in both filters, so Die Hard spins as action and as a Christmas movie.
- 158FilmsEach with its release year
- 14Genre filtersPlus All films
- 1937Oldest filmSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- 2024Newest filmWicked
| Filter | Films | Years | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family & animation | 60 | 1937–2024 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Inside Out (2015), March of the Penguins (2005) |
| Disney & Pixar | 28 | 1937–2021 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), The Incredibles (2004), Remember the Titans (2000) |
| Comedy | 48 | 1952–2023 | Hocus Pocus (1993), Beetlejuice (1988), Rango (2011) |
| Action & adventure | 28 | 1959–2022 | Mulan (1998), The Avengers (2012), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) |
| Sci-fi & fantasy | 27 | 1939–2024 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Wicked (2024) |
| Horror | 15 | 1960–2018 | Psycho (1960), Beetlejuice (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) |
| Christmas | 14 | 1946–2019 | Die Hard (1988), Home Alone (1990), Klaus (2019) |
| Drama | 32 | 1941–2023 | Gladiator (2000), Hidden Figures (2016), Unforgiven (1992) |
| Thriller & crime | 23 | 1954–2019 | Die Hard (1988), Parasite (2019), Knives Out (2019) |
| Romance | 21 | 1942–2018 | Cinderella (1950), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), La La Land (2016) |
| Musicals | 23 | 1937–2024 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Encanto (2021), Wicked (2024) |
| Sports | 8 | 1976–2018 | Rocky (1976), Cool Runnings (1993), Free Solo (2018) |
| Westerns | 5 | 1952–2011 | High Noon (1952), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Rango (2011) |
| Documentaries | 6 | 2005–2020 | March of the Penguins (2005), Free Solo (2018), My Octopus Teacher (2020) |
By decade
Films on the wheel by decade
The film list runs from 1937 to 2024, and the 1990s hold the most titles, 35 of 158. Every decade from the 1930s on has at least one film.
A random movie generator is a good way to watch outside your usual years. Spin All films and you have a 7.6% chance of any one film making a 12-title mix, so older classics turn up as often as recent hits.
Want a set decade instead? Switch to "Genre, decade and mood" and spin the Decade wheel, then pick a title from that era.
- 1930s2
- 1940s4
- 1950s9
- 1960s9
- 1970s10
- 1980s23
- 1990s35
- 2000s27
- 2010s32
- 2020s7
Second mode
Movie picker wheel: genre, decade and mood
The random movie generator's "Genre, decade and mood" mode spins 3 wheels at once and sets a direction, such as "A cozy comedy from the 1990s". The 18 genres, 8 decades and 10 moods make 1,440 combinations, and you choose any title that fits.
| Genre | What to expect | Family night |
|---|---|---|
| Action | Chases, fights and big set pieces | No |
| Adventure | Journeys, quests and treasure | Yes |
| Animation | Hand-drawn, computer or stop-motion stories | Yes |
| Biography | The life story of a real person | No |
| Comedy | Jokes first, plot second | Yes |
| Crime | Heists, detectives and trials | No |
| Documentary | Real people, places and events | Yes |
| Drama | Characters facing hard choices | No |
| Family | Made for kids and adults together | Yes |
| Fantasy | Magic, myths and other worlds | Yes |
| Horror | Dread, jump scares and monsters | No |
| Musical | Songs that move the story on | Yes |
| Mystery | Clues, suspects and a reveal | No |
| Romance | Two people finding their way | No |
| Sci-fi | Space, future tech and time travel | No |
| Sports | Underdogs, training and a big game | Yes |
| Thriller | Tension, chases and twists | No |
| Western | Frontier towns and long rides | No |
Decades and moods
- Decade wheel: Before 1960, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s. If the group always lands on recent releases, delete "2020s" for a month.
- Mood wheel: Feel-good, Laugh-out-loud, Edge-of-your-seat, Cozy, Epic, Nostalgic, Mind-bending, Tear-jerking, Thought-provoking, Spooky. Moods are written as describing words, so the result reads as one phrase.
- Family night list: 8 genres and 6 lighter moods: Feel-good, Laugh-out-loud, Edge-of-your-seat, Cozy, Epic, Nostalgic.
- One part at a time: press Spin again next to Genre, Decade or Mood. Copy sends the line to the group chat.
- Your own lists: press a wheel's name in the wheel tabs, then add or delete lines in the Entries tab.
Our watchlist
Veto a movie night watchlist down to one
Paste your group's shortlist, then press Spin until the wheel has vetoed every title but one. The last title standing is tonight's movie, and your list itself never changes.
Paste the shortlist
In How to pick, press Our watchlist, paste one title per line and press Put on the wheel. List numbers, bullets and repeats are removed, up to 100 titles.
Spin to veto
Each spin vetoes one title, and the popup shows how many are left. Press a title to veto it by hand instead.
Watch the last one
When one title is left, it appears as Tonight’s movie. Undo last veto brings back the most recent title.
Group veto rules that keep movie night fair
- One title per person. Each viewer adds one movie to the shortlist, so every vote is on the wheel.
- One hand veto each. Everyone may strike one title by hand before the spins start.
- No vetoing your own pick. It keeps the shortlist from shrinking to one person's taste.
- The last title stands. Agree that nobody re-spins the final result, or the next veto round settles nothing.
- Rotate the starter. Next time, someone else pastes the list and presses Spin.
Each mode keeps its wheels in this browser, so switching between Film titles, Genre, decade and mood and Our watchlist never loses your list. Between 4 and 12 titles makes a veto round that lasts a few minutes.
Family movie night
A random movie for family night
For a family movie night, press Family & animation for 60 films, or Disney & Pixar for 28. The random movie generator holds no ratings, so a grown-up should check each title before it goes on the wheel.
Family & animation
Animated films and family classics, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Encanto, with no horror tags.
Christmas
Holiday films from It’s a Wonderful Life to Klaus. A few, such as Gremlins and Die Hard, are not for young kids.
House rule reminder
In Our watchlist, tick "Show a family-friendly reminder" and write a rule such as "PG and under tonight". It is added to the copied result.
Check the rating first
A genre is a starting point, not a rating. Plenty of animated films are made for adults, and some dramas suit the whole family. The Horror and Thriller & crime filters include films rated for adults.
Tonight
What movie should I watch tonight?
Spin the random movie generator once, and watch the film it lands on unless someone has a real objection. Give the group 10 minutes to find it on a streaming app or a shelf, so the search never takes longer than the film.
With 12 titles on the wheel, each film has an 8.3% chance per spin. With All 158, each has 0.6%. Every pick, for a title, a genre or a veto, is drawn with your browser's crypto.getRandomValues before the wheel turns. See how the picks stay fair.
Snacks are a separate argument: the what to eat wheel settles that one. Planning a whole evening? The date night ideas page spins an activity, a food and a budget.
When the spin doesn't land
- Everyone has seen it. Press Remove in the popup and spin again.
- It isn't streaming anywhere. Remove it, or switch to a smaller genre.
- 3 people, 3 favorites. Switch to Our watchlist and let the veto round choose.
- Can't agree on a genre. Spin All films, or let the decision wheel pick between 2 plans.
FAQ
Random movie generator FAQ
Does the random movie generator suggest real films?
Yes. Film titles mode spins 158 well-known films with their release years. The other 2 modes spin a genre, decade and mood, or the titles your group pastes.
Is there a random Disney movie generator?
Yes: press Disney & Pixar. It puts 28 Disney and Pixar films on the wheel, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Encanto.
Can it pick a random horror or Christmas movie?
Yes. Horror holds 15 films and Christmas holds 14. Press the genre, then Spin.
Can I add films that are not on the list?
Yes. Open Edit entries & settings and type them in the Entries box, or paste a shortlist in Our watchlist mode.
Can I spin only the genre?
Yes. In Genre, decade and mood mode, press Spin again next to Genre, or press Genre in the wheel tabs and then Spin Genre.
How many titles can a watchlist hold?
The paste box takes up to 100 titles. Undo last veto puts the most recent title back, and New veto round brings every title back.
Is the movie picker wheel free?
Yes. Every mode and feature is free, with no account or download.
Last updated · Written and tested by Melissa T. Brown