Will Ferrell's 15 funniest films

Will Ferrell’s first feature film role was a bit part in 1997’s Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery alongside fellow Saturday Night Live alum Mike Myers. In the spy spoof, Ferrell plays the fez-wearing henchman Mustafa, the man responsible for Dr. Evil’s cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, losing all his hair during the unfreezing process. For the egregious error, Dr. Evil attempts to kill Mustafa in a giant furnace, but he somehow survives and repeatedly and hilariously calls for help. The impossible-to-kill gag was resurrected in the film’s sequel when Mustafa (back in 1969) plunged off a cliff but somehow survived.

1998’s “A Night at the Roxbury,” based on characters portrayed by Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan on “SNL,” was the former’s first starring role in a major motion picture. Although the script struggled a bit to convert a one-joke skit into a full movie, Ferrell proved his could hold his own as a leading man, and the critically panned comedy has since garnered a cult following for its zany humor.

“Zoolander” was a dumb movie in every sense of the word, but it was a wonderful dumb movie packed full of laughs and hilarious performances by Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Will Ferrell. Some of the best lines came from Ferrell’s villain character, Jacobim Mugatu, who somehow expertly walked the line between being the oddest guy in the film and also the most level-headed - even if he felt like he was “taking crazy pills.” The satirical fashion comedy was so popular that Ferrell reprised his role in 2016's "Zoolander 2." 

When “Old School” was released in 2003, it became an instant classic for anyone who attended, planned to attend, or visited a college at some point in their lives. And out of all the characters, Will Ferrell’s Frank the Tank was the one everybody wanted to party (and streak) with. Although the role obviously appealed to anyone who likes to have a good time, Frank struck a particularly strong chord with guys and gals in their 30s and 40s who are settling down in life, but still yearn to live it up.

In the same year that Will Ferrell chugged from a beer funnel, bared his naked rear, and shot himself in the neck with a tranquilizer gun, someone decided he’d be the perfect star of a PG-rated Christmas movie. Whoever thought of casting Ferrell as Buddy the Elf deserves a medal, as the film is often referred to as one of the best (and funniest) Christmas movies ever made. “Elf” never ceases to make us smile, and not just because smiling is our favorite.

When most people think of Will Ferrell movies, the first one that comes to mind is usually 2004’s “Anchorman.” In addition to a dynamite script (courtesy of Ferrell and his longtime collaborator, director Adam McKay) and an all-star supporting cast that includes Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner, the film succeeded based on the character Ferrell created and brought to live before our very eyes. Anchorman Ron Burgundy is hip, charming, devilishly handsome, and hilariously ignorant – and audiences will forever quote pretty much every line he utters in the film.

“Wedding Crashers” didn’t need Will Ferrell; it would have been extremely funny and successful without him. In fact, Ferrell wasn’t even credited for his minor role as Chazz Reinhold. Yet the film is so much better with his brief cameo as a misguided former wedding crasher who gives advice to Owen Wilson’s character after his falling out with Vince Vaughn. If you need any convincing, just remember that Ferrell’s “Mom! The meatloaf!” line is still one of the most quoted bits in the 2005 comedy, even though the comedian is only onscreen for about five minutes.

By 2005, comedy fans were already convinced that there was nothing Will Ferrell couldn’t do...except maybe sing. Appearing alongside Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, the funnyman did just that when he accepted the role of the pigeon-keeping ex-Nazi Franz Liebkind in the film version of Mel Brooks’ musical “The Producers,” which was based on the director’s 1968 film of the same name. Although the revamp was hit-or-miss with critics, it earned four Golden Globe nominations, including a Best Supporting Actor nod for Ferrell.

Although his supporting role in “The Producers” and cameo in “Wedding Crashers” were praised, Will Ferrell still needed a successful starring role to redeem himself after twice disappointing audiences in 2005 with “Bewitched” and “Kicking & Screaming.” After all, a wise man once said, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” When “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” was released in 2006, Ferrell silenced his critics and proved that he can still be a winner year after year.

Will Ferrell has established himself as a master of the buddy comedy, and 2007’s “Blades of Glory” was no exception. Opposite Jon Heder, Ferrell played an overly confident, sex-obsessed figure skater, which proved that the comedian could take an already ridiculous premise and make it even more absurd. “Blades of Glory” holds a 70-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a soundbite of Ferrell from the film was forever immortalized in a 2011 song by rappers Kanye West and Jay Z.

After previously pairing up for “Talladega Nights,” Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly reunited for 2008’s “Step Brothers,” which also starred Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, Adam Scott, and Kathryn Hahn. Although the film only mustered a 55-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, fans of Ferrell consider it to be one of his funniest and most quotable films to date, and it continues to earn more respect with each passing year. That says a lot for an absurdly obscene film that contains much more than its fair share of gross-out humor.

Before the “Daddy’s Home” films, Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg teamed up to form an unlikely duo as two cops trying to make names for themselves - for accompishing something positive, at least. In addition to Ferrell delivering another strong performance, 2010’s “The Other Guys” also showcased Wahlberg’s ability to hold his own as the co-star of a pure comedy film.

After previously voicing characters on TV shows such as “The Oblongs,” “Family Guy,” and “SpongeBob SquarePants,” Will Ferrell tried his hand at his first animated feature film with 2006’s “Curious George,” which fared well critically, but wasn’t especially funny. Ferrell returned to cartoons in 2010 for “Megamind,” in which he plays the titular role of an extraterrestrial mastermind who is something of a cross between DC Comics’ Lex Luthor and Brainiac. The film performed even better than “Curious George,” and ended up being a hit amongst both children and adults. Of course, it also helped that the supporting cast includes Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross, Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons, Ben Stiller, and Justin Theroux.

Combining live-action acting and voice work, Will Ferrell portrayed both Lord Business and The Man Upstairs in “The LEGO Movie.” The funnyman got to show off his comedic chops as yet another villain but he also pulled on the audience's heartstrings a bit at the end. The feel-good adventure comedy was an absolute smash hit among kids and grown-ups alike, earned a very impressive Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 96 percent, and spawned a sequel and numerous spin-offs.

Tomatoes be damned; we absolutely adore "Daddy's Home 2." Sure, we're suckers for holiday comedy films, so the 2017 film was right up our alley...but how can you fail with a cast that includes Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, and John Cena, as well newcomers to the franchise John Lithgow and Mel Gibson? Not only was this slapstick sequel packed with Christmas cheer, but it was a less frustrating film than the original, which saw Ferrell and Wahlberg constantly trying to compete with each other. With that conflict behind them, "Daddy's Home 2" is just about the zany antics of a combined family on a holiday vacation, allowing all the characters – including Ferrell – to shine in their own ways.