What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHansel and Gretel
Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm · Book · 1986
If you loved Hansel and Gretel, start with Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Tommy Wirkola, 2013) — a film from the same story. Below: 2 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Hansel and Gretel across media.
You are drawn to stories where vulnerable children navigate dark, supernatural forests to survive against impossible, menacing odds.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Tommy Wirkola · Film · 2013
Adaptation
Gretel & Hansel
Film · 2020
Adaptation
Secret Magic Control Agency
Alexey Tsitsilin · Film · 2021
Films on the same thread
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Tommy Wirkola · Film · 2013
Explores: Witchcraft, Sibling Revenge, Orphanhood.
If the sibling bond in Hansel and Gretel resonated with you, this film offers an aggressive evolution of that dynamic as they hunt the monsters who once threatened them.
Gretel & Hansel
Film · 2020
Shares a thread with Hansel and Gretel: Survival.
This film maintains the unsettling isolation found in Hansel and Gretel, focusing on the primal survival instincts required when children are abandoned in a forest full of dark secrets.
Series on the same thread
The Storyteller
Jim Henson · Series · 1988
Shares a thread with Hansel and Gretel: Fairy Tale.
This anthology captures the same timeless, cautionary atmosphere that defines Hansel and Gretel, grounding its narrative in the rich, oral tradition of classic folklore and moral lesson storytelling.
Over the Garden Wall
Patrick McHale · Series · 2014
Explores: Brotherhood, Lost in the Woods, Nostalgia.
Much like the protagonists of Hansel and Gretel, these brothers must rely on each other to navigate a strange, dangerous wilderness that threatens their safety at every turn.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Barry Sonnenfeld · Series · 2017
Explores: Orphanhood, Good vs Evil, Coded Messages.
The Baudelaire orphans face a series of malicious adults in a way that mirrors the childhood vulnerability and constant threat of entrapment seen in the original Hansel and Gretel.
Supernatural
Eric Kripke · Series · 2005
Explores: Brotherhood, Good vs Evil, Apocalypse.
The Winchester brothers share the same resilience as the protagonists of Hansel and Gretel, growing up in a world where supernatural dangers force them to fight for survival.
Podcasts on the same thread
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Well-being, Behavioral Change, Mindful Living.
If Hansel and Gretel hit, Happier with Gretchen Rubin shares the thread.
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cultural origins, archetypal storytelling, human condition.
If you enjoyed the foundational folk tale elements of Hansel and Gretel, this podcast deepens your understanding of the archetypal stories that have shaped our cultural understanding of fear.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Hansel and Gretel based on a real book?
Yes, Hansel and Gretel is based on the 1986 book written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. The story follows two children who are left in the woods by their parents and must find their way home after encountering a wicked witch.
Should I watch the 2013 Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters movie after reading the book?
If you enjoyed the original Hansel and Gretel story, you can watch the 2013 movie Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. It provides a different take on the characters from the original Grimm source material by focusing on their roles as hunters of the supernatural.
Is the 2020 movie Gretel & Hansel related to the Hansel and Gretel book?
The 2020 film Gretel & Hansel is an adaptation of the classic Hansel and Gretel tale. It reimagines the narrative where the two children are abandoned in the woods and encounter a wicked witch, staying true to the core premise of the original 1986 book.
How does Secret Magic Control Agency relate to Hansel and Gretel?
Secret Magic Control Agency is a 2021 movie adaptation that draws inspiration from the Hansel and Gretel story. It features the familiar characters from the original Hansel and Gretel narrative in a new context, focusing on their experiences as secret agents within a magical organization.