"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events.

Once upon a time may also refer to:

Film Donkey Skin (film), a 1970 French film also known in English as Once Upon a Time or The Magic Donkey Once Upon a Time (1918 film), a British silent romance directed by Thomas Bentley Once Upon a Time (1933 film), a French drama film Once Upon a Time (1944 film), an American fantasy starring Cary Grant Once Upon a Time (1973 film), a West German animated musical written and directed by Roberto Gavioli and Rolf Kauka Once Upon a Time (1995 film), a Thai drama Once Upon a Time (2008 film), a South Korean heist comedy Once Upon a Time (2013 film), an Indian Malayalam animated film directed by Binu Sasidharan Once Upon a Time (2017 Chinese film), a Chinese romantic drama Once Upon a Time (2017 Russian film), a Russian comedy-drama film Once Upon a Time film trilogy by Sergio Leone, consisting of: Once Upon a Time in the West, a 1968 epic Western film Duck, You Sucker!, a 1971 epic Western film Once Upon a Time in America, a 1984 epic crime drama film Windaria, a 1986 Japanese anime film also known in English as Once Upon a Time or Legend of Fabulous Battle Windaria Television Once Upon a Time (TV series), a 2011 American fantasy drama Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, a spin-off of Once Upon a Time Once Upon a Time... (franchise), a French educational animation franchise Once Upon a Time... Man, in 1978 Once Upon a Time... Space, in 1982 Once Upon a Time... Life, in 1987 Once Upon a Time... The Americas, in 1991 Once Upon a Time... The Discoverers, in 1994 Once Upon a Time... The Explorers, in 1996 Once Upon a Time... Planet Earth, in 2008 Once Upon a Time, Granada TV series from 1979–1983, featuring Peter Davison "Once Upon a Time" (The Prisoner), a 1968 episode of the allegorical science-fiction series The Prisoner "Once Upon a Time" (The Twilight Zone), a 1961 episode of the anthology series The Twilight Zone "Once Upon a Time", a 1995 television special of the PBS show Shining Time Station "Once Upon a Time" (Star Trek: Voyager), a 1998 episode of the science-fiction series Star Trek: Voyager "Once Upon a Time" (Charmed), a 2000 episode of the fantasy series Charmed "Once Upon a Time...", a 2011 episode of the drama series Dexter Wansapanataym (Filipinization of the phrase, "once upon a time"), a Philippine fantasy anthology "Once Upon a Time..." (The Night Agent), a 2026 episode of the action thriller series The Night Agent

Literature Once Upon a Time, an 1854 collection by Charles Knight Once Upon a Time (), 1882 collection by Luigi Capuana Once Upon a Time, 1897 collection by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman Once Upon a Time, 1910 novel by Richard Harding Davis Once Upon a Time, 1918 play by Rachel Crothers Once Upon a Time: A Book of Old-Time Fairy Tales, 1921 collection edited by Katharine Lee Bates "Once Upon a Time", poem by Nigerian writer Gabriel Okara, featured in his 1978 collection The Fisherman's Invocation Once Upon a Time, 1986 novel by Lucy Gordon Once Upon a Time, 1989–1992 series of novels by Kay Hooper Once Upon a Time: A Treasury of Modern Fairy Tales, 1991 collection edited by Lester del Rey and Risa Kessler Once Upon a Time, 1992 novel by Rebecca Flanders Once Upon a Time, 1993 children's book by John Prater and Vivian French Once Upon a Time, 1993 collection by Alan Garner Once Upon a Time: A Floating Opera, 1994 novel by John Barth Once Upon a Time, 1997 novel by Francine Pascal, the 132nd installment in the Sweet Valley High series Once Upon a Time, 2000 omnibus of four novels by Irene Brand, Lynn A. Coleman, Yvonne Lehman and Gail Gaymer Martin Once Upon a Time, 2002 novel by Barbara Fradkin Once Upon a Time (novel series), 2002–2010 series of novels by Simon Pulse Once Upon a Time, 2004 graphic novel by Serena Valentino

Music

Albums Once Upon a Time (The Lettermen album), 1962 Once Upon a Time (Earl Hines album), 1966 Once Upon a Time (The Kingston Trio album), 1969 Once Upon a Time (Donna Summer album), 1977 Once Upon a Time: The Singles, a 1981 album by Siouxsie and the Banshees Once Upon a Time (Simple Minds album), 1985 Once upon a Time (Marty Stuart album), 1992 Once upon a Time (Liverpool Express album), 2003 Once Upon a Time (Dreadzone album), 2005 Once Upon a Time (S.H.E album), 2005 Once Upon a Time (Tiwa Savage album), 2013 Once Upon a Time, a 2001 album by Claudia Christian

EPs Once Upon a Time (EP), a 2019 EP by Lovelyz Once Upon a Time, a 1993 EP by Jadis Once Upon a Time, a 2000 EP by Kahimi Karie Once Upon a Time, a 2021 EP by Chika

Songs

"Once Upon a Time" (Air song), from the 2007 album Pocket Symphony "Once Upon a Time" (Charles Strouse and Lee Adams song), from the 1962 musical All American "Once Upon a Time" (Jimmy Johnson song) recorded by Rochell & the Candles in 1960 "Once Upon a Time" (Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells song), from the 1964 duet album Together "Once Upon a Time" (The Pogues song), from the 1993 album Waiting for Herb "Once Upon a Time", one of the songs written by Cole Porter "Once Upon A Time", by Anup Rubens, Mukesh Mohamed and Ramya NSK from the 2016 Indian film Uyire Uyire "Once Upon a Time", by Donna Summer from the 1977 album Once Upon a Time "Once Upon a Time", by Kamelot from their 2010 album Poetry for the Poisoned "Once Upon a Time", by Jimmy Nail from the 1994 album Crocodile Shoes "Once Upon a Time", by Simple Minds from the 1985 Once Upon a Time album "Once Upon a Time", by the Linda Lindas from the 2024 album No Obligation "Once Upon a Time", by the Smashing Pumpkins from the 1998 album Adore "Once Upon a Time", by Toby Fox from the soundtrack of the 2015 video game Undertale "Once Upon a Time", by the Vels from the 1986 album House of Miracles

Other uses Once Upon a Time (Disney parks), a US–Japan video projection show Once Upon a Time (Devon theme park), a former attraction in England, UK Once Upon a Time (game), a family, storytelling-themed card game "Once Upon a Time", a painting series by Johannes Heisig "Once Upon a Time", the signature phrase of the eccentric Australian businessman and philanthropist W.A. Crowle, who used it as the name of one of his residences and a halfway house that he established in Sydney

See also

Twice Upon a Time (disambiguation) Once on a Time, a 1917 novel by A. A. Milne Once Upon a Time in the West, a 1968 epic Western film by Sergio Leone Once Upon a Time in America, a 1984 epic crime drama film by Sergio Leone Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, a 2011 Turkish film by Nuri Bilge Ceylan Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, a 2015 album by Wu-Tang Clan Once Upon a Time in Mesopotamia, a 1998 French documentary film Once Upon a Time in Mexico, a 2003 action film by Robert Rodriguez Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, a 2002 film by Shane Meadows Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, a 2010 Indian film by Milan Luthria and subsequent franchise Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a 2019 film by Quentin Tarantino Thrice Upon a Time, a 1980 novel by James P. Hogan