These are the ten best comedy movies of the year as of June 2024. Overall, the first half of 2024 has quietly been a great year for innovative and original comedy movies even though many of these great films don’t have the box office numbers to back them up. 2023 saw a surge of interest in classic screwball romantic comedies such as No Hard Feelings, starring Jennifer Lawrence and a breakout performance from Andrew Barth Feldman, and the hilarious Anyone But You, which saw the highly topical onscreen pairing of Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) and Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria).

Yorgos Lanthimos’ celebrated Oscar-winning film Poor Things starring Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, and Mark Ruffalo also fell into the realm of dark comedy, among many other subgenres. The Holdovers, another 2024 Oscar winner from director Alexander Payne (The Descendants, Sideways), is also classified as a holiday comedy/drama hybrid. The box office success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die is also a great sign of the state of the modern action comedy blockbuster. There are still many highly anticipated comedy releases to look forward to in 2024, such as Despicable Me 4, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

10

Argylle

Released on February 2, 2024

Matthew Vaughn’s highly anticipated spy movie features an ensemble cast led by Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Catherine O’Hara. Of course, there is also Henry Cavill sporting an unforgettable haircut, as well as John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Richard E. Grant, and pop star Dua Lipa. While certain cast members appear in the film much more often than others, Vaughn’s ambitious Argylle is full of twists and turns that will certainly leave viewers guessing, or questioning, what will happen next.

Argylle spoofs many standard genre tropes of the spy action thriller which makes for plenty of humorous moments. Argylle underperformed at the box office, but Vaughn has plans to expand his Argylle series with the addition of several prequels, sequels, spinoffs, and potentially even a Kingsman crossover. Argylle is available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.

9

Babes

Released on May 17, 2024

From the hilarious mind of Broad City co-creator Ilana Glazer, Babes is one of the standout original comedies of 2024. The film is co-written by Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz (Broad City, Ramy) and directed by Pamela Adlon, who notably played Pamela in the celebrated comedy series Louie (2010-2015) and Sam Fox in Better Things (2016-2022). Babes follows lifelong friends named Eden (Glazer) and Dawn, played by Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest), as Eden chooses to pursue pregnancy alone after a one-night stand.

Given the iconic comedic genius of Broad City, it’s no surprise that Babes features the same type of signature humor from the beloved Comedy Central series that ran from 2014 until 2019. Babes is one of the highest-rated comedies of the year on Rotten Tomatoes, receiving an impressive critic score of 91%. Babes is currently screening in select theaters.

8

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Released on March 22, 2024

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire sees the return of the original Ghostbusters cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson. The film also stars Paul Rudd, who reprises his role from the previous Ghostbusters installment from 2021, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, alongside co-star Carrie Coon. While some viewers didn’t find Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire to be as enjoyable as Ghostbusters: Afterlife, it still marks a notable entry into the beloved franchise that has had a history of misfiring with its sequels.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire obviously leans into the realm of supernatural, fantasy, sci-fi, and adventure genres, meaning there is plenty more to offer throughout the movie than punchlines alone. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is directed and co-written by Gil Kenan (City of Ember, Monster House) along with Jason Reitman (​​​​​​​Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Juno, Up in the Air). Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is available to rent or buy on VOD.

7

Kung Fu Panda 4

Released on March 8, 2024

Kung Fu Panda is one of the most profitable animated movie franchises of the 21st century, earning more than $2.36 billion worldwide across four separate installments. The most recent film of the celebrated series, Kung Fu Panda 4, is already the most profitable installment of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, earning more than $545 million worldwide against a franchise-low production budget of just $85 million. The budgets for the other three Kung Fu Panda films were $130 million, $150 million, and 140 million, respectively.

Kung Fu Panda 4 sees the return of the irreplaceable Jack Black as protagonist Po and features a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, and more. Movies starring Jack Black are typically best known for their laughs. Kung Fu Panda 4 is available to rent or buy on VOD.

6

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Released on April 19, 2024

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is the second 2024 comedy starring Henry Cavill. From writer and director Guy Ritchie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is based on a true story about the real-life Special Operations Executive that was founded by Winston Churchill, who is widely considered to have started modern “black ops” in the UK. Despite its historical and dramatic premise, the film is very much an action comedy that is full of Ritchie’s signature style.

Cavill lets loose in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare in one of his most entertaining movies since Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018). The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare marks the first reunion between Henry Cavill and Guy Ritchie since the celebrated 2015 spy thriller The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is available to rent or buy on VOD.

5

Mean Girls

Released on January 12, 2024

The classic Tina Fey comedy Mean Girls got a musical remake in 2024, and it ended up being one of the best comedies of 2024. The film successfully captures the essence and themes of the original instant classic comedy from 2004, which is not surprising since Fey returned to write the screenplay for the 2024 redux. 2024’s Mean Girls features a new slate of female leads playing high school teenagers such as Angourie Rice and Reneé Rapp, and features performances from Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, John Hamm, and a surprise cameo from Lindsay Lohan. As one of the first movies that came out in 2024, it left a lasting impression. Mean Girls is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ and MGM+.

4

Ricky Stanicky

Released on March 7, 2024

Ricky Stanicky marks Zac Efron’s return to comedy after the 2019 stoner comedy The Beach Bum starring Matthew McConaughey, Snoop Dogg, and Isla Fisher. Efron has starred in a number of notable comedies such as the 2014 classics Neighbors and That Awkward Moment. He has also recently flexed his dramatic acting muscle in the outstanding wrestling drama The Iron Claw from A24. Like Jake Gyllenhaal’s recent Road House remake, Ricky Stanicky was released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video and features John Cena as well as comedic actors Andrew Santino (Dave) and Jermaine Fowler (Sorry to Bother You). The film was directed by Peter Farrelly, the acclaimed director of Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and Fever Pitch. Ricky Stanicky is available to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

3

Lisa Frankenstein

Released on February 9, 2024

Lisa Frankenstein was written by Diablo Cody, the acclaimed screenwriter of Juno (2007) and Jennifer’s Body (2009). The film stars Kathryn Newman of Freaky (2020) and Big Little Lies (2017-2019) acclaim and pairs her alongside Riverdale and Big Daddy actor Cole Sprouse. Despite being a box office flop, earning a worldwide total of just under $10 million, the film is already being considered a future cult classic and is being celebrated amongst viewers for its highly original story and nostalgic themes. Critics who liked Lisa Frankenstein applauded the film’s sharp and comedic screenplay as well as the performances from its great cast. Lisa Frankenstein is available to stream exclusively on Peacock.

2

Hit Man

Released on May 24, 2024

The new Glen Powell film features the Top Gun: Maverick breakout star in his most versatile role yet, playing a loner college professor who moonlights as an assassin for his local police department. Hit Man also became Powell’s highest-rated movie of his acting career after earning a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, slightly getting the edge over the massively successful box office hit Top Gun: Maverick. Hit Man is full of interesting twists and cleverly toys with the concept of identity through Powell’s dual portrayals of Ron and Gary, but still effectively carries some familiar tropes of beloved action comedies.

Hit Man’s cast is also led by Adria Arjona who plays Madison, the unexpected love interest of Powell’s Gary Johnson. Madison believes that Gary is actually Ron, a stylish, confident, and very dangerous trained assassin. Already considered one of the best movies of Richard Linklater’s extensive career as a director and screenwriter, Hit Man blends several genres to create a well-balanced mix of screwball/romantic comedy, action-inspired thriller, and classic film noir. Hit Man is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.

1

The Fall Guy

Released on May 3, 2024

The Fall Guy stars Ryan Gosling in his highly-anticipated follow-up to 2023’s highest-grossing film, Barbie. It’s also a massive love letter and tribute to the history of stuntmen and stuntwomen in Hollywood, featuring several wild stunts while offering glimpses of behind-the-scenes movie magic. The Fall Guy is part romantic comedy, part action comedy, and 100% crowd-pleasing fun. Gosling shines alongside Emily Blunt, and a stellar supporting cast of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, and a late cameo from Jason Mamoa make this easily one of director David Leitch’s best and most passionate films.

Outside of being a hilarious comedy, The Fall Guy makes a clear and direct effort to raise awareness about the historic lack of recognition of stuntwork at the Academy Awards. Not only does it achieve this point by including real-life stunt workers in the movie, and featuring Gosling as a resilient, death-defying stuntman in the lead role, but it also mentions the lack of recognition in the movie itself. Leitch (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Bullet Train) was also a former stuntman himself, which makes the message even more resoundingly intentional and felt while still being hilarious and entertaining. The Fall Guy is currently screening in select theaters.