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Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web

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200697 minGMidcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Director
Gary Winick
Starring
Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese

Wilbur the pig is scared of the end of the season, because he knows that come that time, he will end up on the dinner table. He hatches a plan with Charlotte, a spider that lives in his pen, to ensure that this will never happen.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Charlotte's Web?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Charlotte's Web to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Charlotte's Web?

Charlotte's Web earns 8 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Star-studded.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Charlotte's Web worth watching?

Charlotte's Web's Midcredits score is the 55th percentile of all films, from 184K ratings across 6 sources. 49% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

55th percentile

Better received than 55% of films

63rd percentile among Adventure52nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)51st

64 /100

57th percentile of all films

66th percentile among Adventure57th percentile among 2000s

Critics 68 · Audience 63

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

49% liked it

51st percentile of all films

59th percentile among Adventure48th percentile among 2000s
49% rated it 7–1051% rated it 1–6

Critics 79% · Audience 62%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 11 noms overall

97th percentile

184K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Adventure95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$85M
Opening weekend$11M
Domestic gross$83M
Worldwide gross$149M

Returned 1.8× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sincere, family-friendly adaptation of E.B. White's classic children's book about a pig saved by a spider's web.

Fans praised

  • faithful adaptation retaining book's warmth and vocabulary
  • Steve Buscemi perfectly cast as Templeton the rat
  • CGI seamlessly blends talking animals with live-action farm

Detractors panned

  • Julia Roberts gives a flat, unemotional vocal performance as Charlotte
  • insipid script full of sitcom sarcasm and jarring bodily-function humor
  • overly slick, soulless production that lacks the original's magic

What stands out

Effects and spectacle78

seamless blend of live-action and CG; hyperreal spider off-putting to some

AtmosphereDivisive72

timeless, storybook feel praised; but detractors call the world overly sanitized

Emotional impactDivisive70

ending still brings tears; but detractors find it manipulative

ActingDivisive68

Dakota Fanning praised as endearing; Steve Buscemi's rat universally loved; Julia Roberts sharply divisive

Plot and storyDivisive65

follows book very faithfully; called straightforward and unsurprising by detractors

CharactersDivisive58

Charlotte widely seen as underwritten or flat; Templeton and Wilbur well-drawn but some find Fern too snotty

DialogueDivisive52

adult sarcasm and flat reading of Charlotte's lines cited; fart jokes criticized

Originality35

deemed a needless, uninspired adaptation that adds nothing new

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 18 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 15 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Charlotte's Web like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its gentle farm story straight, with warmth and sincerity, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe mood is mostly warm and gentle, with the bittersweet weight settling in the final stretch as Charlotte's fate becomes clear.
StructureThe narrative follows a straightforward linear timeline from Wilbur's birth to his being saved and his reunion with Charlotte's children.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers with a warm feeling about friendship and sacrifice, despite Charlotte's death giving it a bittersweet edge.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeWilbur, a spring pig, learns he will be slaughtered and is saved by the friendship and cleverness of Charlotte the spider, who spins words in her web to make him famous and secure his life.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of filmsMortality · 2% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the transformative power of friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte, her selfless sacrifice, and the gentle acceptance of life's cycles.
StanceThe film celebrates friendship and selfless love as forces that can overcome even mortality, set in the intimate world of a barnyard.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Danny Elfman
Settinga family farm in a quiet American town
MusicDanny Elfman's score balances whimsy and warmth, underscoring both the barnyard play and the story's emotional weight.

Content guide

Is Charlotte's Web okay for kids?

G

Charlotte's Web is rated G. As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (25/100), sexual content at mild (18/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (7/100) and frightening material at moderate (42/100). Overall it is heavier than 46% of G-rated films.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UKU
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • IrelandG
  • JapanPG12
  • DenmarkA
  • HungaryKN
  • NetherlandsAL
  • PolandAL
  • ROAP
  • SK7
  • Switzerland0
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 8% of all filmsHeavier than 46% of G-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 30%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 55%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 64%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 15%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 62%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 62% of G-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Charlotte's Web have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Charlotte's Web?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Dakota Fanning
as Fern Arable
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Julia Roberts
as Charlotte the Spider
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steve Buscemi
as Templeton the Rat
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Cleese
as Samuel the Sheep
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Oprah Winfrey
as Gussy the Female Goose
Cedric The Entertainer
as Golly The Male Goose
Reba McEntire
as Betsy the Cow
Kathy Bates
as Bitsy the Cow
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Robert Redford
as Ike the Horse
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Thomas Haden Church
as Brooks the Crow

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Charlotte's Web?

Movies like Charlotte's Web include Charlotte's Web (1973), James and the Giant Peach (1996) and Stuart Little 2 (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by E.B. White, and several are stories about mentors and protégés.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: friendship. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Charlotte's Web?

827 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.