Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
The Lion King is undoubtedly one of the best movies on Disney Plus
Movies The 30 best movies on Disney Plus to watch right now
Mabel and King George in Pixar's Hoppers
Animated Movies Hoppers director Daniel Chong says his "chaotic, unhinged" Pixar movie took inspiration from Avatar and Studio Ghibli
Best anime movies: Chihiro and No-Face sitting in a train carriage during Spirited Away.
Anime Movies The 30 best anime movies to watch right now
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
Sam Rockwell as The Man From the Future in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die
Sci-Fi Movies Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die got me in the mood for more time-travelling fun and these 6 sci-fi comedies fit the bill
Hoppers
Animated Movies Bonkers beaver comedy Hoppers earns Pixar's highest Rotten Tomatoes score in almost 10 years
Rumi, Mira, and Zoey in KPop Demon Hunters
Fantasy Movies The 10 best fantasy movies on Netflix to watch right now
Jacob Elordi as the Creature in Frankenstein
Horror Movies The 25 best Netflix horror movies to watch right now
Morfydd Clark as Katie floating in the air during the horror movie, Saint Maud.
Amazon Prime Video The 10 best Prime Video horror movies to watch right now
The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time: pictures of Alien, Arrival, Terminator, Brazil and 2001.
Sci-Fi Movies The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time
Superman kisses Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman
Movies The 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now
Best games like Animal Crossing: A group of villagers on a stone bridge during New Horizons.
Animal Crossing 15 Best games like Animal Crossing that are so wholesome it hurts
Catherine Laga'aia in the live-action Moana movie
Animated Movies New Disney movies 2026 and beyond
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

30 Scene-Stealing Movie Animals

Features
By Total Film published 5 May 2011

Shameless limelight hoggers

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Joes Apartment (1996)

Joes Apartment (1996)

The Animal: Insects, if we’re going to get technical, these cockroaches live in a filthy toilet and pride themselves on their mucky lifestyle.

Cutest/Best Moment: Definitely not cutest, but this group’s standout moment comes when they hit up their own song and dance routine using the sounds of the toilet as percussion.

If It Was Your Pet: You might start to worry about your home's hygiene.

Page 1 of 30
Page 1 of 30
Jaws (1975)

Jaws (1975)

The Animal: A great white shark who terrorises the coast of Amity Island, New England. He’s nicknamed Bruce.

Cutest/Best Moment: Those razor-sharp teeth eradicate any chance of Bruce being considered cute. His finest moment comes, though, when he chomps his way through the Orca, Quint’s boat, and gets Quint as a bonus.

If It Was Your Pet: You may want to seriously reconsider actually having him as a pet. Though he could be useful if you’re planning on becoming a Bond villain at some point in the future.

Page 2 of 30
Page 2 of 30
Finding Nemo (2003)

Finding Nemo (2003)

The Animal: Dory, a friendly Regal tang who suffers from a crippling short-term memory.

Cutest/Best Moment: After encountering a group of sharks who live by the mantra “fish are friends, not food”, Dory takes the stand to confess that she doesn’t eat fish either.

If It Was Your Pet: You could tell her all your secrets – she’d never remember them to spread them around.

Page 3 of 30
Page 3 of 30
Meet The Parents (2000)

Meet The Parents (2000)

The Animal: Mr Jinx, a Himalayan feline.

Cutest/Best Moment: Though Mr Jinx has a fair few tricks up his furry sleeve, it’s his ability to use a human toilet that makes him a cut above his moggy comrades.

If It Was Your Pet: You’d want to train him to do other things. Like make breakfast and fetch the TV remote.

Page 4 of 30
Page 4 of 30
King Kong (2005)

King Kong (2005)

The Animal: A giant – no, really, GIANT – ape known as Kong who lives in the jungles of Skull Island.

Cutest/Best Moment: So many it’s hard to pick just one. If you’re looking for cute, just watch Kong’s expression of delight as Ann Darrow entertains him with circus tricks. For brutal fighting, witness Kong’s smackdown with not one, but two T-Rexs.

If It Was Your Pet: He could be a living sofa, bed and blanket – no need for expensive heating bills during the winter. Quid’s in.

Page 5 of 30
Page 5 of 30
Babe (1995)

Babe (1995)

The Animal: A pig who thinks he’s a sheepdog, thanks to being raised by dog Fly as one of her pups.

Cutest/Best Moment: Babe discovers the trick to getting sheep to do exactly what you want – just ask them politely. “I asked them and they did it. I just asked them nicely,” the porcine wonder tells his disbelieving mother.

If It Was Your Pet:
You’d never want for another pet for the rest of your live. He’s just that adorable.

Page 6 of 30
Page 6 of 30
Gorillas In The Mist (1988)

Gorillas In The Mist (1988)

The Animal: A group of mountain gorillas living the Rwandan jungle.

Cutest/Best Moment: A baby gorilla gets up close and personal with Dian Fossey, dancing around near her before climbing onto her back and contentedly sitting there.

If It Was Your Pet:
You could get out your action figures and pretend that your mountain gorilla is really King Kong.

Page 7 of 30
Page 7 of 30
Cujo (1983)

Cujo (1983)

The Animal: A St. Bernard named Cujo who’s the pet of the Trenton family. When he’s bitten by a rabies-carrying bat, he goes a little mad.

Cutest/Best Moment: Cujo and a battered, beaten Donna Trenton face off outside the house, the latter armed with a baseball bat...

If It Was Your Pet:
A trip to the vets for a little, harmless lethal injection would probably be the safest bet.

Page 8 of 30
Page 8 of 30
Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park (1993)

The Animal: A tyrannosaurus rex, brought back to life through the magic of science by John Hammond, the creator of Jurassic Park.

Cutest/Best Moment: The T-Rex escapes its confinement and wreaks havoc on the scrawny humans who are treating him as a theme park attraction. Cue one of the finest set pieces in cinema history, as Sam Neill attempts to save Hammond’s grandchildren from giant, gnashing jaws.

If It Was Your Pet: It’d probably eat all of your friend’s pets. And it’d be a nightmare finding a leash long enough.

Page 9 of 30
Page 9 of 30
Turner And Hooch (1989)

Turner And Hooch (1989)

The Animal: A slimy but friendly Dogue de Bordeaux called Hooch, who cop Scott Turner gets lumbered with when Hooch’s owner is murdered.

Cutest/Best Moment: Turner attempts to give a very reluctant Hooch a bath .

If It Was Your Pet: You’d need to clean the sofa every ten minutes. Ick.

Page 10 of 30
Page 10 of 30
Free Willy (1993)

Free Willy (1993)

The Animal: Willy, an orca who’s kept at a theme park as its star attraction.

Cutest/Best Moment: Willy bonds with troubled 13 year old Jesse as the boy attempts to clean up the damage he’s done to the park.

If It Was Your Pet: You might want to consider super-sizing the bathtub. Or, actually, super-super-sizing.

Page 11 of 30
Page 11 of 30
Doctor Dolittle (1998)

Doctor Dolittle (1998)

The Animal: Rodney, a guinea pig.

Cutest/Best Moment: Despite appearing in a film stuffed with talking animals, Rodney’s whiny, jive-y voice always ring out loud and clear. Not least when he’s strapped to the roof of Dolittle’s car and starts singing ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’...

If It Was Your Pet:
You’d be tempted to flush it down the loo. Does he never shut up?

Page 12 of 30
Page 12 of 30
The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King (1994)

The Animal: Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog respectively.

Cutest/Best Moment: Nothing beats the pair’s rendition of ‘Hakuna Matata’, as the duo explain how they get through life – by not worrying. Simples.

If It Was Your Pet: You'd have to keep fresh bugs in the fridge for them.

Page 13 of 30
Page 13 of 30
Aladdin (1992)

Aladdin (1992)

The Animal: Iago, a supremely foul-mouthed parrot and henchbird to evil Vizier Jafar.

Cutest/Best Moment: After enduring endless days of having his beak stuffed with disgusting crackers by The Sultan, Iago gets his own back when Jafar takes the throne. With the former Sultan all strung up, Iago shoves crackers down his throat with palpable pleasure.

If It Was Your Pet: An elastic band around the beak would be a life-saver.

Page 14 of 30
Page 14 of 30
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

The Animal: The cat of businessman Robert Scott Carey.

Cutest/Best Moment: When Carey’s shrunk by radioactive mist, ending up just 36 and a half inches tall, the cat decides he makes for easy prey...

If It Was Your Pet: You’d better teach it not to eat people, no matter how small they are.

Page 15 of 30
Page 15 of 30
The Birds (1963)

The Birds (1963)

The Animal: A flock of mean, eye-gouging birds who’ve gotten a taste for human flesh in Bodega Bay.

Cutest/Best Moment: That terrifying scene in which Tippi Hedren is attacked by an unruly mass of killer peckers. Shiver.

If It Was Your Pet: They’d be perfect for getting one up on your enemies – though you’ll have to figure out a way to train them first.

Page 16 of 30
Page 16 of 30
Up (2009)

Up (2009)

The Animal: Dug, a Golden Retriever who wears a special collar that means he can talk with humans.

Cutest/Best Moment: “I was hiding under your porch because I love you.” Dug sounds exactly like we all expect a dog would sound like – adorable and full of love and stuff. That, and "Squirrel!"

If It Was Your Pet: Your social life would die a swift death - you'll want to spend every second with Dug. And rightly so.

Page 17 of 30
Page 17 of 30
The Return Of The Pink Panther (1975)

The Return Of The Pink Panther (1975)

The Animal: Just your run of the mill ordinary parrot. (Not pictured, but that’s a fair likeness.)

Cutest/Best Moment: He only appears in one scene, but he provides a big laugh as he poops in a drink. Attaboy.

If It Was Your Pet: You should get it a nappy. And teach it some more sanitary tricks.

Page 18 of 30
Page 18 of 30
Breakfast At Tiffanys (1961)

Breakfast At Tiffanys (1961)

The Animal: Cat, who has no name, and is the pet of wacky Holly Golightly.

Cutest/Best Moment: Poor Cat’s turfed out of a taxi by Holly at the film’s climax, and acts as a, hum, cat -alyst for Holly’s epiphany. Realising that she’s made a mistake ditching her potential new boyfriend, she reunites with him. And Cat.

If It Was Your Pet: Everyone knows babies are the ultimate chick magnet. But considering Cat’s history of uniting couples, you could use him as a substitute baby in your quest for love.

Page 19 of 30
Page 19 of 30
The Jungle Book (1967)

The Jungle Book (1967)

The Animal: Kaa, an Indian python who’s on a mission to eat young boy Mowgli before tiger Shere Khan gets to him.

Cutest/Best Moment: Kaa croons ‘Trust In Me’ as he attempts to calm Mowgli - before he swallows him whole.

If It Was Your Pet: You’d better sleep with one eye open. Just in case.

Page 20 of 30
Page 20 of 30
Misery (1990)

Misery (1990)

The Animal: Misery, the pet pig of psycho Annie Wilkes.

Cutest/Best Moment: While Annie absorbs writer Paul Sheldon’s latest masterpiece, Misery rests her head on the nutjobs stomach, enjoying a good scratch.

If It Was Your Pet: It’d be an act of kindness to save her from Annie.

Page 21 of 30
Page 21 of 30
Kes (1969)

Kes (1969)

The Animal: Kes, a wild kestrel who becomes the only friend of bullied young thing Billy.

Cutest/Best Moment: Billy gets out in the open countryside and trains Kes to play games with him. We all get jealous that we don’t have our own wild kestrel.

If It Was Your Pet: You shouldn't leave him unattended. Horrible accidents can happen.

Page 22 of 30
Page 22 of 30
Jumanji (1995)

Jumanji (1995)

The Animal: A rabble of monkeys who delight in destruction. They come out of a mystical game board.

Cutest/Best Moment: The hairy nuisances completely trash the kitchen – not to mention attempt to kill Kirsten Dunst by hurling butcher knives at her. Even better, later on they steal a police motorbike. Rock on!

If It Was Your Pet: Good luck to you!

Page 23 of 30
Page 23 of 30
Enchanted (2007)

Enchanted (2007)

The Animal: A collection of Manhattan sewer rats.

Cutest/Best Moment: During Princess Giselle’s ‘Happy Working Song’ the rats get busy scrubbing toilets and the bathroom floor. Who knew rodents could be so good at cleaning with a little encouragement?

If It Was Your Pet: You should probably handle them while wearing rubber gloves – God knows what they’ve picked up down in the sewers.

Page 24 of 30
Page 24 of 30
Cats & Dogs (2001)

Cats & Dogs (2001)

The Animal: Mr Tinkles, the evilest cat you ever met. He wants to take over the world.

Cutest/Best Moment: Mr Tinkles gets his comeuppance after failing to successfully take over the world. He ends up living with young Sophie, who delights in dressing him up in the most preposterous of outfits.

If It Was Your Pet: You should enter him into a cat pageant. Just to humiliate him even further.

Page 25 of 30
Page 25 of 30
Bell, Book And Candle (1958)

Bell, Book And Candle (1958)

The Animal: Siamese cat Pyewacket, who not only has an awesome name, but is also the familiar of witch Gillain.

Cutest/Best Moment: “Hasn’t this cat got anything better to do?” Pyewacket gets acquainted with James Stewart, setting up shop on his shoulder. Stewart’s none-too-pleased about it.

If It Was Your Pet: Hopefully some of its familiar magic would rub off on you.

Page 26 of 30
Page 26 of 30
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The Animal: Baxter, the indispensable pet/best friend of the titular news reader.

Cutest/Best Moment: Having miraculously survived being shoved off a bridge, Baxter follows his master to the zoo and saves him from a very hungry bear.

If It Was Your Pet: He’d make for the perfect guard dog – cute and cuddly on the outside, but possessed of a knack for diplomacy.

Page 27 of 30
Page 27 of 30
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

The Animal: Scary flying monkeys, the henchbeasts of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Cutest/Best Moment: Dispatched by the Wicked Witch to bring back pain-in-the-neck Dorothy, the flying monkeys swoop Dorothy from the ground and carry her screaming towards her fate.

If It Was Your Pet: You’d never have to get the Tube again! Downside, they might drop you mid-journey and paint the pavement with you.

Page 28 of 30
Page 28 of 30
George Of The Jungle (1997)

George Of The Jungle (1997)

The Animal: Ape, the talking gorilla who’s a buddy to the titular jungle resident.

Cutest/Best Moment: Pretty much anything Ape says is rendered comedy genius thanks to the snappy tones of John Cleese, who lends the character his pipes. “George's Secrets. There's the shortest book ever written,” is one of his better quips

If It Was Your Pet: You could have intellectual conversations for hours.

Page 29 of 30
Page 29 of 30
Chicken Run (2000)

Chicken Run (2000)

The Animal: Babs, a chicken who’s a few nuggets short of a full KFC meal, if you catch our drift.

Cutest/Best Moment: “I don't want to be a pie. I don't like gravy.” Babs fails to grasp the gravity of the hens’ dire situation when Ginger discovers they’re all to be mashed into chicken pies.

If It Was Your Pet: She’d be handy for knitting you accessories, though her incessant clucking might get a bit trying.

Page 30 of 30
Page 30 of 30
Total Film

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Whatsapp
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
GamesRadar+
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
The Lion King is undoubtedly one of the best movies on Disney Plus
The 30 best movies on Disney Plus to watch right now
 
 
Julian, a light blue horse with a unicorn-like horn, in Animal Crossing: New Horizon poses in front of the mayor's office, with the GamesRadar+ On The Radar frame
The best Animal Crossing: New Horizons villagers have been our faves since day one
 
 
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
 
 
Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later
The 25 best zombie movies of all time
 
 
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3
The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now
 
 
Best Christmas movies: A close-up of Jim Carrey as the Grinch wearing a Santa hat during How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
The 10 best Christmas movies to watch right now
 
 
Latest in Movies
M3GAN post dog attack in M3GAN 2023
After being pulled from the release schedule, M3GAN spin-off SOULM8TE sparks back to life with an R-rating by the MPAA
 
 
Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott in Scream 7
Scream 7 takes franchise over $1 billion, joining the likes of The Conjuring, Alien, and Resident Evil
 
 
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho
Christian Bale says it's a "bold choice" to remake American Psycho: "Whoever wants to give it a shot, give it a pop!"
 
 
Jessie Buckley as Ida/Penny in The Bride
The Bride's violence was "pulled back" after test screenings, but director Maggie Gyllenhaal stands by what was kept in
 
 
Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher in Scream
Matthew Lillard has addressed his rather confusing Scream 2 cameo, all but confirming that it's not Stu Macher
 
 
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Adam Driver accidentally "invented this thing that changed animation forever" as Kylo Ren: the Adam Driver bar
 
 
Latest in Features
Lucy Boynton as Marie Antoinette in Chevalier
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 officially adds Lucy Boynton as Dunk's unconventional love interest
 
 
Pokemon Winds and Waves
Pokemon Winds and Waves continues a sentimental tradition I've had for 27 years, and it still sets the RPG series apart
 
 
Crimson Desert
I played 6 hours of Crimson Desert, but it feels like I've barely scratched the surface of this RPG's open world
 
 
Hand placing custom face plate on Steam Machine mini PC.
From GTA 6 to the rise of AI, here are the biggest trends to watch out for at GDC 2026
 
 
Official art of Pikachu from Pokemon Yellow in front of a blurred background
Coming back to Pokemon Yellow 30 years later is like coming home – and playing it in 2026 is even better than when I was a kid
 
 
The GamesRadar+ On The Radar header for Resident Evil Requiem, showing Grace looking over her shoulder against the branded background
On the Radar with Resident Evil Requiem – surviving 30 years of horror with this action-packed series celebration
 
 
  1. Lego Eevee on a wooden table in front of shelves filled with board games
    1
    I'm calling it now, I think Lego Eevee is the best of the Pokemon sets
  2. 2
    Scott Pilgrim EX review: "Fantastically crunchy pixel combat is let down by an obsession with repetitive backtracking"
  3. 3
    Pokemon Pokopia review: "A brilliantly bizarre blend of Pokemon and Animal Crossing"
  4. 4
    Lego Pikachu is in pole-position for one of the biggest releases this year, but a fragile build can be pain in the butt
  5. 5
    Resident Evil Requiem review: "A soaring piece of survival horror theater"
  1. Ghostface in Scream 7
    1
    Scream 7 review: "Never as sharp or as smart as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve"
  2. 2
    Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
  4. 4
    Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
  5. 5
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  1. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.
    1
    Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"
  2. 2
    Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"
  3. 3
    A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a surprisingly heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
  4. 4
    Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
  5. 5
    Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...