It’s fair to say that many of the cast members of Saturday Night Live have gone on to bigger and better things. However, not many have gone on to have successful big screen careers, especially so if we take into account its longevity; for this reason alone, Will Ferrell stands out above the rest. Regarded as a comedic genius, Ferrell has starred in movies that have grossed over two billion dollars, and his filmography is practically packed to the rafters with contemporary comedy classics.
With this in mind, we’ve had a look at some of our favorite Will Ferrell movies and explained why we still continue to watch, quote and admire them in equal measure.
Stranger Than Fiction
We thought we’d start off with a bit of a curveball. Stranger Than Fiction is perhaps the most serious role that Will Ferrell has ever played. However, the movie still ranks up there as one of his best and marks a brief departure from the comedy genre not too dissimilar to Jim Carey in The Truman Show and Bill Murray in The Razor’s Edge. The premise of Stranger Than Fiction, the realisation that an unseen author is dictating the events in your life, initially sounds like a role which is a little bit heavy and heady for Ferrell to pull off. However, he does so with great aplomb and proves that he has “proper” acting chops to go with his more light-hearted demeanor.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Although the sequel didn’t disappoint, The Legend of Ron Burgundy is still without a doubt the best Anchorman film, in our opinion. With lines such as “I have many very important leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany”, the first installment is quite possibly one of the most quotable comedies of the last 50 years or so. The film also took the pop culture world by storm, with Ron Burgundy’s face appearing on t-shirts mugs and posters all around the world. In fact, there’s even a video game based on the film. The offering of online games at Lucky Pants Bingo includes a slot title which features Ron, Champ, Brick, Brian and Baxter and is an entertaining way to relive some of the best sound bites from the film.
The Other Guys
There have been a number of different actors over the years who have managed to match the energy of Will Ferrell, and John C. Reilly in particular has gotten plenty of good mileage out of their partnership. However, Ferrell’s performance alongside Mark Wahlberg in The Other Guys is a brilliant example of how he can bounce off someone playing a much more serious and straight character. Nigel Andrews of the Financial Times told readers to “send me the bill if you don’t laugh. We couldn’t have summed it up better ourselves.
Where Next For Will?
Although it feels like Will Ferrell has been around forever, he only recently turned 52 and so there’s plenty more left in the tank. Perhaps as he gets older, Ferrell will take on more serious roles and mould himself into a method actor. Eh – maybe not. Whichever way he decides to go, we’re excited to see more films from him as the years roll on.
I write like I think—fast, curious, and a little feral. I chase the weird, the witty, and the why-is-this-happening-now. From AI meltdowns to fashion glow-ups, if it makes you raise an eyebrow or rethink your algorithm, I’m probably writing about it. Expect sharp takes, occasional sarcasm, and zero tolerance for boring content.
