Forget therapy. Cancel your doom scrolling sessions. Put down the sad girl autumn playlist.
Because 2025 is serving comedy like it’s 1999 and studios just remembered people actually want to laugh at movies instead of having existential crises in darkened theaters for three hours.
This year isn’t just good for comedy. It’s a full blown comedy renaissance. Adam Sandler bringing back Happy Gilmore after 29 years. Liam Neeson doing slapstick in a Naked Gun remake because apparently action stars have the best deadpan timing. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis body swapping again in Freakier Friday. And Wes Anderson assembling literally every A-lister in Hollywood for The Phoenician Scheme.
But it’s not just sequels and reboots. SZA makes her acting debut opposite Keke Palmer in an Issa Rae production. Emma Stone reunites with Yorgos Lanthimos for their fourth collaboration. Dakota Johnson gets caught in a love triangle with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. Brendan Fraser cries in a wholesome Japanese dramedy. And Daniel Craig solves another murder as Benoit Blanc because Rian Johnson knows exactly what the people want.
From January releases already streaming to December theatrical drops still coming, 2025 packed 43 comedies into twelve months like studios suddenly remembered the genre prints money when done right. Rom coms. Action comedies. Horror comedies. Dramedies. Dark comedies. Wholesome family fare. Raunchy R-rated chaos. Every possible flavor of funny showed up.
Share this with your movie group chat because planning your 2025 watch list just got infinitely easier and your couch is about to get very comfortable.
1. One of Them Days: SZA’s Acting Debut With Keke Palmer Is Issa Rae Approved
Credits: YT
Keke Palmer and SZA playing best friends getting into rent money hijinks? Produced by Issa Rae? That’s not just a movie. That’s a cultural event. Released January 24, this comedy follows two besties whose annoying boyfriend runs off with rent money, forcing them into increasingly chaotic schemes to avoid eviction.
SZA’s acting debut was the most anticipated crossover since musicians decided acting was their second calling. And early reactions suggested she held her own opposite Palmer, who’s been a comedic force since True Jackson VP. Issa Rae’s involvement guaranteed the humor would feel authentic rather than focus-grouped, capturing the specific chaos of millennial friendship and money struggles.
The January release positioned it as 2025’s first must-see comedy, setting a high bar for everything that followed.
2. You’re Cordially Invited: Reese Witherspoon And Will Ferrell Battle Over Wedding Venues
Credits: The Hindu
When two brides accidentally book the same venue and their families refuse to budge, chaos erupts. Reese Witherspoon plays the sister of one bride. Will Ferrell is the father of the other. Both are stubborn. Both are extra. And neither will surrender their daughter’s perfect wedding day.
This Prime Video release on January 30 marked a return to big studio comedies for both stars. Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company co-produced, continuing her mission to create elevated commercial content. Ferrell brought his signature physical comedy and improvisation skills. Together they created wedding chaos that felt both absurd and oddly relatable for anyone who’s ever dealt with entitled wedding parties.
The destination wedding setting added gorgeous visuals to complement the humor. And the supporting cast of Geraldine Viswanathan and Meredith Hagner kept energy high when Witherspoon and Ferrell weren’t actively destroying each other’s carefully laid plans.
3. Paddington In Peru: The Bear Goes Home And Brings Olivia Colman
Credits: Variety
The Paddington movies might be the purest cinema of the 2010s. The first film charmed everyone. Paddington 2 became one of the highest-rated films ever on Rotten Tomatoes. Now Paddington in Peru had to follow that impossible act.
Released February 14 as perfect Valentine’s counter-programming, the third entry saw Paddington bringing the Brown family to his homeland. Emily Mortimer replaced Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Brown, joining Hugh Bonneville, Ben Whishaw voicing Paddington, and new additions Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas.
The film reportedly drew inspiration from Werner Herzog’s Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo, which is simultaneously the most Paddington thing ever and proof these movies operate on a completely different wavelength. Combining children’s book wholesomeness with auteur filmmaking references shouldn’t work. But Paddington makes it work beautifully.
4. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy: Our Favorite Disaster Returns
Credits: The Hindu
Twenty-three years after the first film, Bridget Jones returned for more romantic misadventures. But this time with a twist: she’s widowed and navigating modern dating including online apps and younger men while being a single mother.
Renée Zellweger reprised her iconic role, joined by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall as new love interests. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant returned because no Bridget Jones movie is complete without them. The Peacock release on February 13 gave Valentine’s weekend proper rom-com content for audiences who grew up with Bridget’s diary.
The film tackled grief, motherhood, and dating after 50 with the same humor and heart that made the original trilogy beloved. Seeing Bridget struggle with texting and profile pictures provided comedy gold while keeping her essential messiness intact.
Don’t miss number 5 because it involves killer robots and Brian Jordan Alvarez.
5. M3GAN 2.0: The Killer Doll Is Back And Upgraded
Credits: Movie Web
The surprise horror-comedy hit of early 2023 got its sequel on June 27. M3GAN, the AI doll who became murderously protective of her owner, returns despite being deactivated at the end of the first film. Because of course she does. You can’t keep a good killer robot down.
M3GAN 2.0 pits the original against newer, more advanced AI, creating a battle of the bots while Allison Williams’s character deals with the aftermath of unleashing homicidal technology. The sequel added Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jemaine Clement, and expanded the mythology of what happens when artificial intelligence decides humans are the problem.
The first film became a viral sensation through TikTok, with M3GAN’s dance becoming a meme. The sequel leaned into that cultural moment while pushing the horror-comedy balance further. It’s camp. It’s scary. It’s about technology we’re probably too close to actually creating. Perfect summer entertainment.
6. Happy Gilmore 2: Adam Sandler Returns After 29 Years
Credits: THR
They said it couldn’t be done. They said Happy Gilmore didn’t need a sequel. They were wrong on both counts. Netflix released Happy Gilmore 2 on July 25, bringing Adam Sandler back as the hockey player turned golf star who revolutionized the sport through anger management issues and unconventional technique.
Twenty-nine years is a long time between sequels. But Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller all returned. Bad Bunny and Benny Safdie joined as new characters. The plot sees Happy having lost his golf spark after 25 years, needing to rediscover his passion.
Reviews were surprisingly positive. Critics praised how the sequel honored the original without just rehashing jokes, finding genuine emotion in Happy’s journey while maintaining the absurdist humor that made the 1996 film a cult classic. It’s cheesy, ridiculous, optimistic, and exactly what Sandler fans wanted.
The film also featured cameos from actual PGA Tour players including Scottie Scheffler, blending real golf world with Sandler’s fictional universe in ways that shouldn’t work but absolutely do.
7. The Naked Gun: Liam Neeson Does Slapstick And It’s Perfect
Credits: THR
Liam Neeson playing Leslie Nielsen’s role in a Naked Gun remake sounded like the worst idea ever. Until everyone saw it. Released August 1, the Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer directed this reboot/sequel with Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., son of the legendary detective.
Neeson brought his action star gravitas to absurd slapstick, creating comedy through complete commitment to ridiculous situations. Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kevin Durand supported as Neeson deadpanned through scenarios that would make a normal person break character constantly.
The film fires jokes at machine gun pace, callbacks to the original trilogy, and proves that sometimes casting against type creates magic. Neeson’s reason for doing the movie? “Because we’re all messed up. And we need a few laughs.” Fair point, Liam. Fair point.
It became one of summer’s surprise hits, grossing over $100 million worldwide and potentially launching a new franchise with Neeson as the unlikely comedy king.
8. Freakier Friday: Lindsay Lohan And Jamie Lee Curtis Body Swap Again
Credits: THR
Twenty-two years after Freaky Friday became an early 2000s classic, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis returned for Freakier Friday on August 8. But this time, Anna is getting married and blending families, setting up new body-swapping possibilities across generations.
The sequel featured Manny Jacinto as Anna’s fiancé, with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Julia Butters rounding out the cast. Best of all: Anna’s band Pink Slip reunites, bringing back the “Take Me Away” energy that defined the original.
LiLo’s career renaissance continued with this nostalgia play that worked because it updated the premise rather than just repeating it. Seeing multiple generations swap bodies created new comedic possibilities while maintaining what made the 2003 film work: genuine mother-daughter chemistry and heart underneath the body-swap hijinks.
Share this list with your rom-com obsessed friend because we’re about to hit the fall releases.
9. The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson’s Spy Movie Is Pastel Perfection
Credits: The Hindu
When Wes Anderson makes a spy movie, you know it’ll look gorgeous and feel completely unlike any other espionage thriller. Released May 30, The Phoenician Scheme assembled an absurd cast: Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Michael Cera, Benedict Cumberbatch, and more.
The plot follows a wealthy arms dealer (del Toro) who enlists his estranged nun daughter (Mia Threapleton) in a larger conspiracy. It’s Anderson’s biggest budget to date, written with frequent collaborator Roman Coppola, featuring all the symmetrical shots and pastel color palettes fans expect.
Critics called it Anderson’s most action-heavy film while maintaining his distinctive style. If you love witty dialogue, ensemble casts, and production design so meticulous it borders on obsessive, this delivers everything you want from a Wes Anderson joint.
10. Materialists: Dakota Johnson Stuck Between Chris Evans And Pedro Pascal
Credits: Mint
Celine Song directed this June 13 dramedy about a matchmaker to the ultra-wealthy (Dakota Johnson) who falls for a client (Pedro Pascal) while reconnecting with her past (Chris Evans). It’s a muted, contemporary rom-com that subverts genre expectations.
Johnson brought her trademark deadpan humor. Pascal charm and heartbreak in equal measure. Evans the grounded ex-boyfriend energy. Together they created a love triangle that felt emotionally real rather than manufactured for plot convenience.
Song, who made waves with Past Lives, proved she could do romantic comedy without sacrificing artistic integrity. The film looks gorgeous, moves deliberately, and trusts audiences to appreciate slower-paced relationship storytelling.
11. Eddington: Joaquin Phoenix And Pedro Pascal Face Off In Ari Aster’s Pandemic Comedy
Credits: Amazon
Ari Aster doing political comedy set during the 2020 pandemic? Either brilliant or disaster. Released July 18, Eddington featured Joaquin Phoenix as a small-town sheriff running for mayor against beloved incumbent Pedro Pascal, with the election happening mid-lockdown and misinformation chaos.
Phoenix and Aster’s third collaboration after Beau Is Afraid continued their dark comedy partnership. The film examined how 2020’s divisiveness and internet toxicity manifested in small-town politics, creating a parable that felt both specific to that moment and uncomfortably timeless.
Austin Butler, Emma Stone, and others rounded out the ensemble as Aster deployed his distinctive visual style to cringe comedy and social satire. Not everyone’s cup of tea. But for Aster fans, essential viewing.
12. Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man: Daniel Craig Solves Another Murder
Credits: Talking Films
Rian Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc mystery hit select theaters November 26 before streaming on Netflix December 12. This time Blanc investigates an impossible crime at a small-town church with dark history, partnering with a young priest played by Josh O’Connor.
The ensemble expanded to include Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and more. Johnson teased this as Blanc’s “most dangerous” case yet, which considering the previous films involved literal murder attempts on the detective, sets a high bar.
The Knives Out franchise became Netflix’s most valuable property after they paid $469 million for two sequels. Wake Up Dead Man had to justify that investment while maintaining the clever plotting and social commentary that made Glass Onion a hit. Early reviews suggested Johnson stuck the landing again.
13-43: More Comedy Greatness You Can’t Miss
Space doesn’t allow full breakdowns of every film, but here’s what else 2025 delivered:
Companion (January 31): Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid in a twisted robot girlfriend thriller from the Barbarian team.
Heart Eyes (February 7): Horror-comedy about coworkers mistaken for a couple by a Valentine’s killer.
The Friend (March 28): Naomi Watts inherits Bill Murray’s Great Dane in this tearjerker adaptation.
Sacramento (April 11): Michael Cera and Kristen Stewart road trip directed by Michael Angarano.
Friendship (May 9): Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd explore toxic male friendship for A24.
Mountainhead (May 31): Succession creator Jesse Armstrong’s directorial debut about billionaires during crisis.
I Don’t Understand You (June 6): Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells’s Italian vacation disaster.
Deep Cover (June 12): Improv actors go undercover for London police starring Bryce Dallas Howard.
Heads of State (July 2): John Cena and Idris Elba as president and PM fighting conspiracy.
Oh, Hi! (July 25): Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon’s weekend away goes wrong.
Splitsville (August 22): Dakota Johnson explores open relationships gone bad.
The Thursday Murder Club (August 28): Helen Mirren leads elderly detectives solving murders.
Caught Stealing (August 29): Austin Butler in Darren Aronofsky’s 90s NYC crime comedy.
The Roses (August 29): Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch remake War of the Roses.
Twinless (September 5): Dylan O’Brien plays twins in bereavement support group.
Spinal Tap II (September 12): The band reunites after 41 years.
One Battle After Another (September 26): Paul Thomas Anderson’s biggest film with Leo DiCaprio.
Good Fortune (October 17): Aziz Ansari directs his feature debut about body-swapping with Seth Rogen.
Bugonia (October 24): Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos remake Save the Green Planet.
Rental Family (November 21): Brendan Fraser in wholesome Japanese dramedy.
Eternity (November 26): Miles Teller chooses his afterlife in fantasy rom-com.
Oh. What. Fun. (December 3): Michelle Pfeiffer goes missing during Christmas chaos.
Fackham Hall (December 5): British period piece spoof.
Atropia (December 12): Alia Shawkat at military base in fictional country.
Ella McCay (December 12): Emma Mackey as young politician in James L. Brooks film.
Is This Thing On? (December 19): Bradley Cooper directs Will Arnett doing standup post-divorce.
And more genre-benders, weird indies, and surprise delights filling every month with laughter.
Drop a comment: Which 2025 comedy are you most excited to watch or rewatch? Did Happy Gilmore 2 live up to the hype? Share this with your movie marathon crew because planning your year just got way easier.
Follow for more entertainment guides that actually help you decide what’s worth your time. Because with 43 comedies released in one year, you need someone telling you which ones actually deliver the laughs they promise. And honestly? 2025 delivered more hits than misses, proving comedy isn’t dead. It just needed the right year to remind everyone why we go to movies in the first place: to laugh until we forget everything else.
When 2025 started, nobody predicted it would save comedy. But between legacy sequels that actually worked, A-listers committing to slapstick, streaming services remembering people want to laugh, and filmmakers across every budget level delivering genuine humor, the year became comedy’s comeback tour. SZA made her debut. Sandler returned to Happy Gilmore. Neeson discovered deadpan. And Daniel Craig solved another murder with his ridiculous accent. Forty-three movies later, the lesson is clear: comedy works when studios trust funny people to be funny. Revolutionary concept. And 2025 proved it spectacularly.
