6 Best Dakota Fanning Movies Ranked

You may know her sister Elle Fanning from The Great or Maleficent, but Dakota Fanning has also starred in several hit feature films. From animated voice-overs to live-action films, Dakota Fanning has a wide repertoire to choose from. If you follow the Fanning’s, check out these six best Dakota Fanning movies ranked by IMDb scores.

6. War of the Worlds (2005)

6 Best Dakota Fanning Movies Ranked — Credit: Paramount Pictures

Based on the best-selling novel, War of the Worlds features Dakota Fanning as Rachel, the daughter of dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise). As Ray tries to connect with his children Rachel and Robbie after his ex-wife drops them off at his house, he thinks it will be another tense weekend. Little does he know an alien invasion is coming, and he will have to protect his children with his life to find safety.

–IMDb score: 6.5

5. Nine Lives (2005)

Our fifth selection is Nine Lives, where Dakota Fanning plays a smaller part in the film. Reflecting the title, the movie follows the lives of nine women as they occasionally overlap while dealing with unfaithfulness, loss, romance, and parenthood. They must learn how to overcome these obstacles with help from those around them, leaving valuable lessons along the way.

–IMDb score: 6.7

4. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)

Dakota Fanning plays Squeaky Fromme in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, set during the ending of Hollywood’s Golden Age in 1969. Television star Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth are trying to navigate an industry they no longer recognize, deciding to achieve one last success while meeting some interesting people along the way.

–IMDb score: 7.6

CHECK OUT: Ranking 15 Famous Old Hollywood Actresses from 1920 to 1960

3. Man on Fire (2004)

Dakota Fanning stars as Lupita Ramos alongside Denzel Washington in our third selection Man on Fire. Ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Washington) is burnt out, giving up on life until he’s hired as a bodyguard for Lupita Ramos. Creasy slowly begins to repair his soul, but when “Pita” is kidnapped, his rage unleashes and Creasy will stop at nothing to save her.

–IMDb score: 7.7

ALSO READ: 18 Best Thriller TV Shows on Apple TV

2. Coraline (2009)

Diving into animation is Coraline, where Dakota Fanning voices Coraline Jones. When Coraline and her family move into an old house, she gets bored and feels neglected by her parents. One night, she finds a hidden door with a bricked-up passage, and when she gets through Coraline discovers a parallel world where everybody has buttons inside of eyes. While the parents may seem caring, there is something darker lurking just beneath the surface.

–IMDb score: 7.7

1. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Dakota and Elle Fanning team up for our last selection My Neighbor Totoro. In the English dub, Dakota and Elle voice sisters Satsuke and Mei, respectively, as they move into an old country house with their father as their mother recovers from illness in the hospital. As they explore their home and the grounds that surround it, they befriend several playful spirits including the massive creature known as Totoro.

–IMDb score: 8.1