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Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang

The magic's back, warts and all.

2010109 minPGMidcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Director
Susanna White
Starring
Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Asa Butterfield, Oscar Steer

Nanny McPhee appears at the door of a harried young mother who is trying to run the family farm while her husband is away at war. But once she’s arrived, Nanny discovers that the children are fighting a war of their own against two spoiled city cousins who have just moved in. Relying on everything from a flying motorcycle and a statue that comes to life to a tree-climbing piglet and a baby elephant, Nanny uses her magic to teach her mischievous charges five new lessons.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang streaming on Cinemax via Prime Video and HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang?

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang earns 10 badges, led by Standout acting and Family friendly.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang worth watching?

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang's Midcredits score is the 49th percentile of all films, from 160K ratings across 6 sources. 45% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

49th percentile

Better received than 49% of films

55th percentile among Comedy49th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)45th

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

60th percentile among Comedy52nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 52 · Audience 63

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

45% liked it

45th percentile of all films

50th percentile among Comedy44th percentile among 2010s
45% rated it 7–1055% rated it 1–6

Critics 76% · Audience 55%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

97th percentile

160K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$35M
Opening weekend$8.4M
Domestic gross$29M
Worldwide gross$93M

Returned 2.7× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film features Emma Thompson's strong central performance and a family-friendly story with moral lessons, but they differ on whether the execution feels magical or tired.

Fans praised

  • Emma Thompson's performance and writing
  • warmth and wit in the adaptation
  • well-crafted lessons with heart

Detractors panned

  • shrill comedy and overused CGI
  • lacks magic of the first film
  • weak plot and repetitive formula

What stands out

Acting80

Emma Thompson's expressive performance under prosthetics, Maggie Gyllenhaal's charm

Characters70

Memorable supporting turns from Rhys Ifans and Maggie Smith

Emotional impactDivisive70

Heartfelt lessons and touching moments

DialogueDivisive65

Witty lines and comical exchanges

Atmosphere65

WWII farm setting adds charm but lacks magic

Humor60

Some great comical moments but shrill at times

Effects and spectacle55

CGI effects used with restraint but sometimes overdone

Plot and storyDivisive50

Formulaic sequel structure with farm and war backdrop

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 11 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulWarmJoyful
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
Register
WarmTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with genuine warmth and gentle magic, never undercutting its earnest family message.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently light, heartwarming mood with a brief uptick in stress when the brother-in-law's scheme threatens the farm.
StructureConventional beginning-middle-end storytelling with no structural experimentation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a warm, optimistic feeling about the family's resilience and the power of kindness.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a family under strain who learn to cooperate and grow through the intervention of a magical nanny, a classic healing arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the strained family unit of a mother and her children, with Nanny McPhee's magic helping them reconnect and persevere.
StanceThe film celebrates family bonds and community resilience, affirming that with help and love a family can overcome hardship.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticMagical realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · James Newton Howard
Settinga farm in the English countryside during World War II
MusicJames Newton Howard's score adds a classic, warm orchestral backdrop to the magical and pastoral setting.

Content guide

Is Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang okay for kids?

PG

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang is rated PG: “Rated PG for rude humor, some language and mild thematic elements” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (12/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at minimal (15/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at mild (25/100). Overall it is heavier than 6% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UKU
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • IrelandG
  • JapanPG12
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • AustriaAA
  • CzechiaU
  • DenmarkA
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands6
  • NorwayA
  • PolandAL
  • PortugalM/6
  • ROAP
  • SKU
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 1% of all filmsHeavier than 6% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 11%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 48%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 24%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 1%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 24%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 24% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Emma Thompson
as Nanny McPhee
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
as Isabel Green
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Asa Butterfield
as Norman Green
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Oscar Steer
as Vincent Green
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rosie Taylor-Ritson
as Celia Gray
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Eros V
as Cyril Gray
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lil Woods
as Megsie Green
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Rhys Ifans
as Phil Green
Maggie Smith
as Mrs Docherty
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Bill Bailey
as Farmer Macreadie

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang?

Movies like Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang include Nanny McPhee (2005), The Secret Garden (2020) and The Borrowers (1997). Of the 12 closest matches, all are family adventures, and several are fantasy films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its world: magical realism. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang?

4.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: family adventure. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.