Fairytales aren’t always as innocent as they seem. Long before they became cheerful bedtime stories, they were filled with shadows, curses, and moral warnings. Today’s filmmakers are embracing those darker roots — transforming classic tales into haunting, thought-provoking, and visually striking cinematic experiences. Here are seven films that take familiar fairy tales and give them a bold, unsettling edge.
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
This visually arresting adaptation transforms the traditional story of Snow White into a dark fantasy epic. Gone is the helpless damsel; in her place stands a warrior princess, portrayed by Kristen Stewart. Charlize Theron’s Queen Ravenna adds considerable depth as a villain defined by power, beauty, and vulnerability. The film explores themes of oppression, strength, and renewal, set against a brooding medieval landscape.
The Curse of Sleeping Beauty (2016)
A lesser-known yet visually intriguing take on the Sleeping Beauty myth, this film leans into supernatural horror. Rather than romanticizing the curse, it frames it as a manifestation of something much older and more menacing. The result is an eerie, dreamlike descent into a world of ancient powers, family secrets, and haunting visions.
Gretel & Hansel (2020)
Director Oz Perkins reimagines this well-known tale through a slow-burning, psychologically rich lens. The focus shifts to Gretel, whose internal journey becomes just as important as the physical one through the dark forest. With its haunting cinematography and minimalist storytelling, the film explores power, temptation, and female agency, making it far more than a simple cautionary tale.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
Del Toro brings his signature gothic sensibility to this stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio. Set in 1930s fascist Italy during a time of war and political unrest, the film eschews saccharine sentiment in favor of deeper existential themes — grief, identity, and mortality. Beautifully animated and emotionally profound, this version of the wooden boy’s journey is both haunting and heartwarming, speaking to the complexities of what it means to be human.
Black Swan (2010)
Though not a direct fairytale, Black Swan draws heavily from the mythic structure and psychological duality of Swan Lake. Natalie Portman’s portrayal of Nina, a ballerina losing herself to obsession, ambition, and identity, transforms the film into a dark fairytale of its own. The themes of transformation and descent into madness echo the darker aspects of traditional folklore, framed through an intense psychological lens.
Into the Woods (2014)
This musical weaves together multiple fairy tales — Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, among others — while probing the consequences that follow after “happily ever after.” With wit and melancholy, the film explores the moral ambiguity, loss, and emotional fallout that classic versions often overlook. It’s a reminder that wishes come with a cost, and even in enchanted worlds, life is rarely simple.
The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Terry Gilliam’s fantasy-adventure places the iconic storytellers inside a tale of their own, encountering curses and magical forces drawn from the folklore they helped immortalize. Combining whimsy with darker elements, the film blurs the line between reality and fiction. It’s a self-aware take on fairytale tropes, filled with gothic imagery, mythical creatures, and a playful sense of danger.
[Contributed By Anushka Gaikwad]