These movies have gone to the dogs, cats and horses! While human actors often receive top billing when it comes to filmmaking, their adorable animal costars frequently steal the spotlight.
While the likes of Marley and Me, Dr. Dolittle and more flicks are well-known for their animal-friendly stories, avid dog lover Channing Tatum jumped into the canine film game when he starred in and codirected Dog, which was released in February 2022.
“I think Marley and Me scared everyone,” the Magic Mike actor joked during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at the time. “Every single person that I’ve told that I made a dog movie, they’re like, ‘I’m not going to see it unless you tell me if the dog lives.’ It’s a good ending, just so everyone knows. Yeah, yeah, don’t not see the movie just because you’re afraid of the dog [dying].”
In the movie, Tatum plays Army Ranger Briggs as he sets out on a lengthy road trip with the Belgian Malinois pup to attend his late buddy’s military funeral.
Dog is not the only pet-centric film that animal lovers can binge while cuddling their own four-legged friends. In 2020, streaming service Disney+ reinvented the classic novel Black Beauty with leading lady Mackenzie Foy. To play an avid equestrian, Foy had to saddle up and learn how to ride a horse — bareback.
“It was probably like two weeks of training, but I knew that I was going to do this film a couple months earlier,” the Nutcracker and the Four Realms star told The Hollywood Reporter in November 2020. “I actually wanted to start riding anyway once I finished high school, so this movie encouraged me to do it. I probably got ten lessons in on my own before I started filming. Once I got to South Africa, I worked with FilmEquus and they taught me everything I needed to know to do the film.
She noted: “There was a trainer named Cody Rawson-Harris, and he’s essentially a real-life version of the John Manley character [Iain Glen]. He is the horse whisperer. So he showed us how to not necessarily talk to the horses but how to read their emotions.”
Similar to author Anna Sewell’s bestselling novel of the same name, the Disney adaption followed Foy’s character, Jo Green, as she trained the beloved stallion. The Breaking Dawn actress, for her part, was equally enthusiastic about being on horseback as her character.
“[The sunset ride] was actually my last day on set, and it was the coolest last day ever,” Foy recalled to the outlet. “Of course, it’s a sunset shot, but it was a pretty foggy morning, so we were there from sunrise to sunset. I spent the entire day galloping on Black Beauty across a gorgeous beach in South Africa. It was a dream day. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Just stunning.”
Scroll below for some of the best pet movies to watch:
Alongside military dog Lulu, Tatum’s Briggs travels down the Pacific Coast to make it to a fellow soldier’s funeral with his pal’s former canine partner. Throughout the duo’s journey, they drive each other crazy as Briggs attempts to get them to the memorial service on time. Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/SMPSP
Horse Black Beauty is sold to Birtwick Stables where she met spirited teenager Jo Green (Foy). There, the duo form a special bond throughout various adventures and challenges. Disney+
Based on the novel of the same name, race car driver Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia) is passionate about three things in his life: his wife (Amanda Seyfried), their young daughter and his golden retriever, Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). D Gregory/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
Chris Evans plays Frank Adler who is tasked with raising his 7-year-old niece, Mary (McKenna Grace), after her mother (Frank’s sister) died. After taking prodigy Mary in, he hopes to give her a normal upbringing as she attends public school and makes friends. Mary also bonds with an adorable one-eyed cat throughout the film's duration. Wilson Webb/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s life like for animals when their owners leave home? Animals lovers find out just that in this animated flick, and its 2019 sequel, as dogs, cats, birds and more mingle throughout their unsupervised days. Illumination/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Based on the memoir of the same name, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star as a newly married couple who adopt a lovable yet destructive yellow lab puppy. The film sees the onscreen twosome raise Marley through the years until his eventual death, which many heartbroken fans have still not gotten over. Kobal/Shutterstock
After 10-year-old Opal (AnnaSophia Robb) moves in with her estranged father (Jeff Daniels) when her mother takes off, she bonds with a rambunctious pup, named after the local Winn-Dixie market. Suzanne Tenner/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
Inspired by the popular comic strip, this live-action comedy follows the latest adventures of Garfield (voiced by Bill Murray), the lasagna-loving feline. After Garfield’s owner brings home dog Odie, it’s up to Garfield to protect his turf and figure out to get rid of his fellow pet. Rhythm Hues/20th Century Fox/Davis/Kobal/Shutterstock
Eddie Murphy played veterinarian John Doolittle, who suddenly received the supernatural ability to communicate with animals. Soon after, all sorts of monkeys, owls, lions and more show up at his office (and house) door in need of medical attention. The popular comedy later inspired four spinoff films. YouTube
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