10 Fantasy Films About Talented Students

Description: This film introduces us to Harry Potter, an orphan who discovers he's a wizard and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here, he learns about his magical heritage and faces his first adventure with friends Ron and Hermione.

Fact: The film was the highest-grossing movie of 2001 and the first of eight Harry Potter films.

Description: Lyra Belacqua, a young girl living in a parallel universe, embarks on a quest to rescue her friend and uncover a sinister plot involving children and their souls, known as daemons.

Fact: The film is the first part of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

Description: John Carter, a Civil War veteran, is transported to Mars where he becomes a hero, learning the ways of the Martian culture and fighting for the planet's freedom.

Fact: The film was based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' "A Princess of Mars."

Description: Percy Jackson, a demigod son of Poseidon, learns about his divine lineage and enrolls in Camp Half-Blood, a training ground for young demigods. He embarks on a quest to prevent a war among the gods.

Fact: The film's title was changed from "The Lightning Thief" to "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" to avoid confusion with another film.

Description: Dave Stutler, a physics student, learns he is the next in line to become a sorcerer under the tutelage of Balthazar Blake, battling an ancient evil in modern-day New York.

Fact: The film is loosely based on the segment of the same name from Disney's "Fantasia."

Description: Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan, moves in with his uncle Jonathan, a warlock, and learns magic while trying to stop a doomsday clock hidden in the walls of his new home.

Fact: The film is based on the book by John Bellairs.

Description: Jake discovers a mysterious orphanage where children with unique abilities, known as Peculiars, live in a time loop to escape the dangers of the outside world. He learns to harness his own peculiarity.

Fact: Tim Burton directed this film, bringing his signature gothic style to the story.

Description: Two best friends are kidnapped and taken to the School for Good and Evil, where they are trained to become fairy tale heroes or villains. Their journey challenges their friendship and their destinies.

Fact: The film is based on a popular book series by Soman Chainani.

Description: Although not a traditional film, this series follows three Gelfling heroes who embark on a quest to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world from the Skeksis' tyranny.

Fact: It serves as a prequel to the 1982 film "The Dark Crystal."

Description: A young girl named Mia Thermopolis discovers she is the princess of a small European country and must attend a princess academy to learn royal etiquette and responsibilities.

Fact: The film is based on the novel "The Princess Diaries" by Meg Cabot.