Top 5 Comics Turned Films to Watch on Children's Day

I have been wanting to watch more movies for children, but that hasn't materialized. I remember the last one I watched was "If" starring Ryan Reynolds. But tomorrow, being Children's Day, I have decided to watch a movie with my daughter, if we have time at all. So, I planned to list a few films, particularly the ones adapted from Comics. Neither of us is a fan of superhero movies, so I would intentionally exclude them from my list. Let's begin creating a list now. It's going to be hard and time-consuming, but we will do it.

1. Dennis the Menace: I watched this film way back and enjoyed it thoroughly. The seemingly innocent mess that little Dennis got himself and others into, driven by his curiosity and restlessness, is presented in a hilariously amusing way. Although one can sometimes wonder how insensitive Mr Wilson can be around kids, we cannot deny the fact that he had every reason to do so. The scenario, where he invites guests to witness a rare miracle of nature—a wonder plant that he had been nurturing for years, just for this day—and then everything is spoiled, is a case of blaming it on Dennis. 

This 1993 film, directed by Nick Castle, is enjoyable and features some genuinely humorous moments. It can be a great addition to my Children's Day watchlist. 

2. Popeye: I am not going to lie, I like watching non-animated films, the only exception is Shrek, though. I enjoy watching cartoons, but not as a movie. So, yes, as much as I was a fan of Popeye cartoon clips as a child, I always wanted to watch the 1980 movie, with Robin Williams an Shelly Duvall in lead roles. Directed by Robert Altman, this film has a 5.6 rating on IMDB and 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. That gives me the feeling that it might not be as entertaining as the cartoons. But hey, I am not the one to be misled by Ratings. 

I wanted to go through the trailers, but when I searched on YouTube, what came up were some Fan-Made, very realistic trailers of a few 2026 Popeye movies. There were at least three adaptations, one starring Tom Hardy as Popeye, one with Will Smith and Jessica Alba in lead roles, but the best was the one featuring Jason Statham as Popeye, Anne Hathaway as Olive Oyl, and Dwayne Johnson as Bluto. It would be a great casting.  

3. Scooby Doo: I am not sure if I had watched this part or the second part of the Scooby Doo movie franchise, but I would choose to watch this first part, just to get my daughter introduced to Scooby Doo, the character.  This 2002 film features some popular stars of that time, including Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Isla Fisher, Mathew Lillard, and Rowan Atkinson. 

I can see a rating of 5.4 on IMDB and 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the fact that I cannot even recall anything about the film is probably a signal for me that I can actually give it a thumbs down....but still include it in my list, just as a backup of sorts. 

4. Asterix and Obelix: Wow, this search has fetched me so many films that I was unaware of. I recall watching one with the famous French actor Gérard Depardieu playing Obelix, but I don't remember which one it was. He has seemingly played the same role in many films. So, rather than getting into any sort of drama to find the best, I am selecting the latest 2023 release, featuring brand-new castings. 

This one is Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, directed by Guillaume Canet, who also plays Asterix, and starring Marion Cotillard (the only familiar name to me).

5. Richie Rich: I wanted to watch this film, but could never. Every time I started watching, something else would come up. So, although I don't recall much about it, other than Richie Rich being an atrociously rich, spoiled boy, I would like to watch the full movie this time. 

This 1994 film stars the then-famous child actor Macaulay Culkin, but has a poor rating everywhere. Still, I would watch it. 

Please recommend some more Comics turned films here. One was Brenda Starr with Brooke Shields playing the lead, but that was not really for kids, as far as I remember. Why do all comic characters have to be superheroes? That's a mystery to me. Filmmakers should seriously consider making a Tintin film with real human actors, and even Archie.