He made us howl, choke on turkey giblets, and believe that anchorman could be the highest calling of news. But even comedians like Will Ferrell have to figure out: which of their own movies stand the test of time? Today, we take on the difficult job of ranking Will Ferrell best movies, from crowd-pleasers to critical gems. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or someone who only caught Elf during the holidays, there’s something here for you.
Top 10 Will Ferrell Best Movies
Here are ten films that define Will Ferrell. Movies where he demonstrates his comedic ability, his talent to shock and make people still quote them to this day.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Ferrell stars as Ron Burgundy, a 1970s news anchor in San Diego who is swaggering and completely unaware at one time or another of how ridiculous the macho ego of television news is. It’s messy, it’s quotable (“I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch.”), and it made us laugh at how seriously we all can take ourselves. This movie not only made a cult favorite; it also established the personality of Ferrell in the world of film: loud, so ridiculous, yet strangely likeable.
Step Brothers (2008)
Two middle-aged men forced to live together as stepbrothers—Brennan (Will Ferrell) and Dale (John C. Reilly). Fight over bunk beds, stereo equipment, and responsibilities. The chaos runs wild. But what makes Step Brothers one of Ferrell’s best is that it leans into absurdity without losing heart. By the end, you see broken people trying to connect, however foolishly. And that mix of ridiculous and vulnerable, that’s classic Ferrell.
Elf (2003)
Buddy the elf, raised at the North Pole, large and human, is shipped to New York to find his father. It’s a simple premise. Yet Elf is full of joy, awkward moments, childlike wonder, and just enough mischief. When you watch Elf, you feel warmer. Not just because of the Christmas lights. The performance of Buddy isn’t just comedy, it’s belief. It’s hope, and that’s rare.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Ricky Bobby wants one thing: to be first. If you ain’t first, you’re last. Driven by his father’s voice and armed with absurd confidence, Bobby wrecks careers, friendships, and almost marriages, all while on the racetrack. Ferrell and co-writer/director Adam McKay blend satire, physical comedy, and sports movie tropes so tightly you forget you’re being mocked. It’s loud. It’s reckless. But it’s unforgettable.
Old School (2003)
Three guys in mid-life crisis: one loses his job, another his father, one his sense of purpose. What do they do? Start a fraternity. Go back to college. Revisit their youth with beer, pranks, and rewinded freedom. Ferrell’s character, Frank, contributes grounded absurdity—the straight (ish) man among the frat chaos. And that contrast is the glue holding Old School together.
Blades of Glory (2007)
Pair skating was never more ridiculous. Will Ferrell’s Chazz Michael Michaels clashes with Jon Heder’s Jimmy MacElroy, rivals forced into partnership by scandal. The film leans into how bizarre competitive ice skating is, how grandiose costuming and fanfare can get, and how dignity can be lost in sequins and then found again. Ferrell plays it big. It’s visual slapstick, and he commits.
The Other Guys (2010)
Two mismatched cops: one uptight, one brash. When their star colleagues die in action, they get a chance to fill in. The twist: they don’t quite know what “fill in” means. Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg riff off each other; office politics, financial crime, and action-parody blend here. It’s a little sharper, a little more aware of itself than some of his earlier work. A milestone in Ferrell’s evolution.
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
This one isn’t just laughs. Harold Crick (Ferrell) is a man listening to a narrator who seems to be writing his life in real time and possibly planning his death. Comedy, romance, existential dread, all in one. It’s cinematic balance: Ferrell stretching beyond his usual over-the-top persona. And when the absurd meets sincerity, you feel something real.
The Lego Movie (2014)
It isn’t a Will Ferrell vehicle per se (he voices Lord Business), but this film gives him room to shine differently. Animated, colorful, clever. The humor is sharp. The commentary about creativity, conformity, and imagination adds layers. It’s easy to dismiss animated comedies as for kids but this one isn’t. It’s smart, funny, and deeper than you expect.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Maybe it’s not his funniest. Maybe it didn’t break box-office records. But Fire Saga reminds us that Ferrell can still surprise. He builds a humble dream, puts two oddballs on stage in meditation masks, lights, and glitter, and asks: What if you really believed in something silly, and you fought anyway? Moments in this movie are heartfelt. The songs are catchy. It’s a newer feather in his cap.
What Makes These Films Stand Out
Here’s the truth: great comedy doesn’t work on autopilot. Ferrell’s best films succeed because he takes risks, sometimes looking foolish, sometimes touching on vulnerability. He trusts his co-stars, leans into weirdness, and never settles for safe jokes. And often, he lets absurdity lead but then gives the audience a reason to care.
Also, his range matters. His voice work (The Lego Movie), through his heartfelt satire (Stranger Than Fiction) to his raunchy buddy comedy (Step Brothers), his sports parody (Talladega Nights), shows that he can carry a film and make ensemble casts even funnier.
External Perspective & Critical Recognition
If you want to dive deeper, Rotten Tomatoes keeps a ranking of Will Ferrell movies by Tomatometer, letting critics weigh in on what works best.
That list confirms what this ranking tries to do: balance popular appeal with what critics often see as growth and craft. The Lego Movie, for example, appears near the top in critical lists.
FAQs
1-What is Will Ferrell’s highest rated movie?
On Rotten Tomatoes and other critic-ranking sites, The Lego Movie often comes out very high. It’s praised not just for humor, but for storytelling, animation quality, and thoughtful satire.
2-Which film made Will Ferrell famous?
It was a combination, but Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) really cemented his catchphrase-heavy, absurd-anchor persona. Before that, Elf (2003) was a breakthrough with audiences. Together, they moved him from “comedian you’ve seen on SNL or in parts” to movie star people talk about.
3-What is Will Ferrell’s highest grossing film?
For his live (non-animated) acting, Daddy’s Home (2015) holds that title. It outperformed his other live-action films in worldwide box office.
4-What is Will Ferrell’s net worth?
His net worth is estimated at about $160 million.
5-How tall is Will Ferrell?
He stands about 6 feet 3 inches tall, which is ~1.91 meters.
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