Skip to content
MovieCove
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Let the mystery unfold.

201899 minPGMidcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Directors
Lasse Hallström, Joe Johnston
Starring
Mackenzie Foy, Jayden Fowora-Knight, Tom Sweet, Keira Knightley

When Clara’s mother leaves her a mysterious gift, she embarks on a journey to four secret realms—where she discovers her greatest strength could change the world.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Nutcracker and the Four Realms?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Nutcracker and the Four Realms streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Nutcracker and the Four Realms?

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms earns 8 badges, led by Star-studded and Family friendly.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Nutcracker and the Four Realms worth watching?

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' Midcredits score is the 27th percentile of all films, from 141K ratings across 6 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

27th percentile

Better received than 27% of films

32nd percentile among Adventure28th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)29th
Approval (how many liked it)27th

55 /100

29th percentile of all films

33rd percentile among Adventure31st percentile among 2010s

Critics 39 · Audience 57

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

33rd percentile among Adventure27th percentile among 2010s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Critics 32% · Audience 36%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 8 noms overall

97th percentile

141K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Adventure97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$120M
Opening weekend$20M
Domestic gross$55M
Worldwide gross$174M

Returned 1.4× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a visually sumptuous but narratively shallow fantasy aimed at children.

Fans praised

  • stunning visuals, costumes, and production design
  • strong female lead Clara as a smart, engineering-minded heroine
  • Keira Knightley's delightfully over-the-top Sugar Plum Fairy

Detractors panned

  • muddled, derivative, and predictable plot
  • flat, one-dimensional characters and poor acting overall
  • boring pacing and lack of emotional heart

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive70

beautiful set design and sweeping shots, but CGI sometimes artificial

AtmosphereDivisive70

immersive, magical holiday tone despite uneven execution

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

dazzling but occasionally unconvincing CGI; lavish world-building

ActingDivisive50

Mackenzie Foy commended as capable lead; Keira Knightley polarizing; Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren wasted in brief roles

CharactersDivisive35

Clara praised as smart and feminine role model but others called one-dimensional and forgettable

Plot and storyDivisive25

thin, predictable, derivative of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland

PacingDivisive25

boring, sluggish middle section; rushed climax

Originality20

heavily borrows from other fantasy films; deviates from ballet but not in a fresh way

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Nutcracker and the Four Realms 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 has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

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

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulThrillingHopeful
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
Whimsical · 2% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its fairy-tale magic and emotional beats straight, with earnest warmth and a sense of wonder.
The rideThe film maintains a cheerful and adventurous tone with a gentle emotional climax in the finale when Clara reconciles with her father.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly from Christmas Eve in Victorian London to Clara's adventure in the Four Realms and her return home.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer uplifted by Clara's reconciliation with her father and the magical adventure's heartwarming resolution.
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).QuestMission
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · 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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeClara enters a magical world to retrieve a key left by her mother, ultimately defeating a corrupt regent to restore peace.

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% (this title) · 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% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsPurpose · 9% 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 themeClara's journey is driven by her desire to honor her late mother's memory and reconnect with her grieving father.
StanceThe film affirms the importance of family bonds and self-discovery, portraying them as sources of strength.

The world

19th centuryUrbanAlternate dimensionFantasy
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score
SettingVictorian-esque London and the magical Four Realms (Land of Sweets, Snowflakes, Flowers, Amusements)
MusicIncludes Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet music reworked into the score.

Content guide

Is The Nutcracker and the Four Realms okay for kids?

PG

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is rated PG: “Rated PG for some mild peril” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (24/100), sexual content at minimal (6/100), language at minimal (13/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (1/100) and frightening material at mild (29/100). Overall it is heavier than 8% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany0
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • South KoreaAll
  • BrazilL
  • AustriaAA
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark7
  • Hong KongI
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/6
  • RO12
  • Russia6+
  • SK7
  • SpainAPTA
  • Sweden11
  • Taiwan普遍級
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 2% of all filmsHeavier than 8% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 24%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 6%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 22%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 1%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 31%

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 31% 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 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Mackenzie Foy
as Clara
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Jayden Fowora-Knight
as Phillip
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tom Sweet
as Fritz
Keira Knightley
as Sugar Plum
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.
Helen Mirren
as Mother Ginger
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.
Morgan Freeman
as Drosselmeyer
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.
Eugenio Derbez
as Hawthorne
Matthew Macfadyen
as Mr. Stahlbaum
Richard E. Grant
as Shiver
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Sergei Polunin
as Sweets Cavalier

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Nutcracker and the Four Realms?

Movies like The Nutcracker and the Four Realms include Strange World (2022), Epic (2013) and The Monkey King (2023). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set in another dimension, and most are family adventures.

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

11 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Nutcracker and the Four Realms?

2.9K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: despot. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.