Ivan Tsarevich & the Grey Wolf 3

Ivan Tsarevich & the Grey Wolf 3 (2016), a Russian animated feature from Studio Melnitsa, is available to watch online on iFILM. The king of the Tri-devyatoe Kingdom marks his 150th birthday by abdicating on the spot — rod in hand, he retreats to a village dacha and leaves Ivan and the Wolf in charge.

Vasilisa reminds Ivan they never had a honeymoon. Before anyone can object, the whole crew boards a flying carpet for Milan and Paris. Back home, the scarecrow propped up as temporary deputy comes to life and starts rewriting the rules of the kingdom. Ivan Okhlobystin, Nikita Efremov and Mikhail Boyarsky voice the leads; Darina Schmidt directs.

The third entry in the franchise sticks to what works — fairy-tale Russia filtered through a thoroughly modern sense of humour, with enough slapstick to keep young viewers happy and enough wry asides for the adults in the room. Stream it online on iFILM.