School holiday watchlist: fun family movies to stream and enjoy this Easter

The holidays are a great time to spend some quality time with family and friends. The Easter holiday is around the corner and some families will be traveling while others will be getting some much-needed relaxation at home.

Movie nights are always a good idea and here are movie options that are worth watching this school holiday.

“David” | Ages 6+

Box Office | Stream now

A young shepherd. A towering giant. And a local animation studio that surprised the world.

Directed by Zimbabwe-born, Cape Town-based filmmakers Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, “David” was created by more than 400 artists across 32 countries, with production led from Sunrise’s studio in Noordhoek.

Grammy nominee Phil Wickham leads the cast in the musical adaptation, which features an original score by Joseph Trapanese. In a David vs Goliath story of its own, the biblical epic became one of the 10 biggest animated hits globally last year – and the top-performing local film in South African cinemas.

Zootropolis 2 | Ages 6+

Box Office | Stream from Tuesday, March 24

If you haven't watched “Zootropolis 2” yet, it's a must-add to your watch list and if you have watched it, repeating it for the 20th time won’t hurt.

Kids’ Choice winners Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman return as Judy and Nick in this sequel to the Oscar-winning buddy-cop comedy. Emmy winners Quinta Brunson and Andy Samberg join the cast, alongside Danny Trejo and Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan.

With a 91% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Zootropolis 2 was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar and won the Best Animated Film BAFTA this year. 

Fun fact: While the film title is “Zootopia 2” in the US, Disney was unable to trademark the title in parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, because of a Danish zoo having registered the name in 2010.

"How To Train Your Dragon" | Ages 6+

M-Net Movies 1 (DStv Channel 104) | 11.45am on Thursday, March 26

The eighth-biggest box office hit of 2025 globally, “How To Train Your Dragon” reimagines the Oscar-nominated franchise as a live-action epic.

Mason Thames stars as Hiccup, with Nico Parker as Astrid, Nick Frost as Gobber, and Gerard Butler back as Chief Stoick. 

Oscar nominee Dean deBlois, who helmed the animated franchise, writes, directs and produces the film, which boasts BAFTA-nominated VFX and a Grammy-nominated score by John Powell (Wicked).

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. 

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. 

“The Bad Guys” 2 | Ages 6+

M-Net (DStv Channel 101) | 8.05pm on Sunday, March 29

The now-reformed Bad Guys are trying to be good but instead find themselves hijacked into a globe-trotting heist masterminded by a new team of criminals: the Bad Girls.

Oscar winner Sam Rockwell, Emmy winner Awkwafina, Grammy winner Anthony Ramos, Emmy nominee Craig Robinson and comedian Marc Maron return to voice the Bad Guys. Oscar nominees Danielle Brooks and Maria Bakalova join Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne as the Bad Girls.

“The Bad Guys 2” was nominated for Best Animated Film at the 2026 Annie Awards and holds an 87% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

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