Table of Contents >> Show >> Hide
- How We Built This Fan-Powered Comedy List
- Ranked: The 30+ Funniest Movies Of 2018, According To Fans
- 1. Game Night
- 2. Deadpool 2
- 3. Tag
- 4. Crazy Rich Asians
- 5. Blockers
- 6. Paddington 2
- 7. Sorry to Bother You
- 8. The Favourite
- 9. Ant-Man and the Wasp
- 10. Isle of Dogs
- 11. Love, Simon
- 12. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
- 13. Instant Family
- 14. Super Troopers 2
- 15. The Death of Stalin
- 16. Vice
- 17. Eighth Grade
- 18. Mid90s
- 19. Private Life
- 20. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
- 21. Ocean’s 8
- 22. Uncle Drew
- 23. Night School
- 24. Life of the Party
- 25. Smallfoot
- 26. The Kissing Booth
- 27. Game Over, Man!
- 28. Overboard
- 29. Early Man
- 30. Peter Rabbit
- 31. Johnny English Strikes Again
- 32. Early-2018 & Streaming Sleepers
- How To Pick The Right 2018 Comedy For Your Mood
- Experiences & Tips: Getting The Most Laughs From 2018’s Funniest Movies
- Final Thoughts
2018 was a strangely perfect year for comedy. Superheroes got sillier, rom-coms made a full-on comeback,
animated bears and rabbits stole the show, and a group of friends turned game night into a full-blown crime caper.
If you’re trying to decide what to watch tonight and you want guaranteed laughs, this fan-powered list of the
funniest movies of 2018 is your cheat sheet.
Instead of just listing critics’ darlings, we looked at what real audiences actually enjoyed.
That means tapping into fan-voted rankings, audience scores, and year-end comedy roundups to build a list that feels
like it came from your group chat, not a film theory seminar.
How We Built This Fan-Powered Comedy List
To keep things honest and fun, this ranking draws heavily on fan input from
large voting platforms and then cross-checks those picks with critic-leaning lists:
- Ranker’s fan-voted list of the “Best Comedy Movies of 2018,” where thousands of users voted up their favorite laugh-out-loud films.
- Rotten Tomatoes’ best comedy movies of 2018 by Tomatometer, to see which fan favorites also impressed critics.
- Editorial roundups like Harper’s Bazaar and Polygon’s “best comedies of 2018” lists for standout titles and hidden gems.
- Feature pieces and ranked lists from outlets like CinemaBlend and GameSpot, which singled out movies like Game Night, Deadpool 2, and Crazy Rich Asians as the year’s top laugh machines.
The result is a hybrid: ranked by fans first, then lightly adjusted based on cultural impact, rewatch value, and how well each movie has aged.
Ranked: The 30+ Funniest Movies Of 2018, According To Fans
Let’s dive into the list. Use it as a ranking, a watchlist, or a friendly argument-starter at your next movie night.
1. Game Night
Fan favorite Game Night turns a simple couples’ game night into a deliriously escalating mystery involving
kidnappings, mistaken identities, and one overly intense neighbor who takes board games way too seriously.
Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams are perfectly matched, and the movie never wastes a setupit keeps twisting jokes
back on themselves in smart, surprising ways. Fans love it because it’s paced like an action movie but written like
a sharp sitcom, making it endlessly rewatchable.
2. Deadpool 2
If you like your superhero movies with a side of sarcasm and extremely questionable life choices,
Deadpool 2 is peak 2018 comedy. Ryan Reynolds leans even harder into meta-humor, mocking everything from
comic-book clichés to his own filmography. At the same time, the sequel somehow sneaks in a surprisingly sincere story
about found family, grief, and second chances. It’s chaotic, bloody, and wildly immaturein the best possible way.
3. Tag
Based on a true story about friends who’ve played the same game of tag for decades,
Tag works because it treats that ridiculous commitment completely seriously.
The castJeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Ed Helms, and moreplay grown adults sprinting through offices, churches,
and cities just to avoid being “it.” Underneath the physical gags, though, is a surprisingly sweet movie about
holding onto your friendships, even when life is trying very hard to turn everything into a LinkedIn post.
4. Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians is a rom-com with the soul of a classic studio movieand the budget to match.
It’s lush, glamorous, and frequently hysterical, especially whenever Awkwafina is on screen.
Fans adore the blend of sharp family comedy, culture clash, and swoony romance, wrapped up in a story about belonging
and self-worth. It’s the kind of movie that makes you laugh and then suddenly wonder if you should call your mom.
5. Blockers
Blockers takes the old “parents panicking about prom night” trope and flips it into something more modern
and surprisingly heartfelt. John Cena, Leslie Mann, and Ike Barinholtz play overprotective parents trying (and failing)
to stop their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity on prom night. The humor swings from raunchy to emotionally honest,
and the movie wins people over because it ultimately respects the girls’ agency while letting the adults be the ridiculous ones.
6. Paddington 2
Technically released in some territories in 2017, Paddington 2 hit U.S. audiences in early 2018 and quickly
became a word-of-mouth favorite. This is gentle, wholesome comedy done perfectly:
slapstick gags, clever visual jokes, and an endlessly optimistic bear who refuses to give up on peopleeven when he’s
falsely accused of theft. It’s one of those rare movies that kids love and adults quietly sob through.
7. Sorry to Bother You
Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You is the movie you put on when your group says, “We want something weird.”
It’s a ferociously original satire about race, capitalism, and corporate exploitation, told through the eyes of a
telemarketer who discovers his “white voice” is the key to success. The jokes hit on multiple levelsfrom sight gags
to surreal left turnsand fans still argue about the ending years later.
8. The Favourite
On paper, The Favourite is a period drama about the court of Queen Anne. In practice, it’s a vicious,
hysterical dark comedy about power, jealousy, and emotionally needy royals. Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, and Rachel Weisz
trade insults like weapons, and the script is stuffed with barbed one-liners. For viewers who like their humor dry,
politically messy, and a little cruel, this is top-tier 2018 comedy.
9. Ant-Man and the Wasp
After the gut punch of Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel fans needed something lighter, and
Ant-Man and the Wasp delivered. Paul Rudd’s everyman charm anchors a movie full of shrinking jokes,
giant Pez dispensers, and absurd action beats. It’s not the deepest superhero film, but it’s easily one of the
funniestperfect for when you want popcorn, quips, and a good-natured heist vibe.
10. Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson’s stop-motion film Isle of Dogs is set in a dystopian Japan where all dogs are exiled to a trash island,
but the movie’s deadpan humor and visual symmetry keep things light and quirky. The dog ensemble talks like
dry-witted indie rockers, and the movie is full of oddball asides, visual gags, and emotional beats that sneak up on you.
It’s not a conventional comedy, but it’s endlessly funny in that ultra-specific Wes Anderson way.
11. Love, Simon
Love, Simon is a heartfelt teen rom-com about a closeted high schooler trying to figure out who his anonymous
online crush is while keeping his secret. The humor is warm and character-drivenawkward family breakfasts,
chaotic school drama, and the kind of embarrassing moments that feel painfully real. Fans gravitate toward it because
it balances sweetness, representation, and genuine laughs without ever turning cruel.
12. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Netflix’s breakout rom-com hit, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, gave us fake dating,
perfect soft lighting, and Noah Centineo leaning against every surface like a professional.
The jokes are small and character-basedsibling banter, parental awkwardness, and high-school politicsbut
the overall effect is charming and very rewatchable. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a cozy sweatshirt.
13. Instant Family
Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne star as a couple who unexpectedly adopt three siblings,
and things go off the rails immediately. Instant Family is funny because it doesn’t shy away from
the chaos of foster care and parentingtantrums, misunderstandings, and bureaucratic nightmareswhile still landing
an emotional payoff. Fans often call this one of the most underrated funny movies of 2018.
14. Super Troopers 2
For fans of cult comedy, Super Troopers 2 is like catching up with old, incredibly immature friends.
The Broken Lizard crew returns as Vermont state troopers now dealing with a border dispute with Canada.
The jokes are proudly lowbrowaccent bits, pranks, and callbacks galorebut if you loved the original,
this sequel delivers exactly the kind of ridiculousness you signed up for.
15. The Death of Stalin
The Death of Stalin is pitch-black political comedy at its finest.
It follows Soviet leaders scrambling for power after Stalin’s death, and the humor comes from how incompetently
and selfishly everyone behaves. It’s one of those movies where the jokes land a second after the line,
right when you realize how horribly plausible it all is. Fans who like their laughs mixed with historical horror
put this one high on their 2018 lists.
16. Vice
Adam McKay’s Vice isn’t a traditional comedy, but its cutting satire of American politics,
complete with fake credits, absurd asides, and fourth-wall breaks, makes it one of 2018’s most bitterly funny films.
Christian Bale’s transformation into Dick Cheney is uncanny, and the movie weaponizes comedy to underline
just how terrifyingly effective quiet power can be.
17. Eighth Grade
Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade is almost too realso real that you might laugh just to cope.
It follows socially anxious teenager Kayla as she navigates middle-school hell, social media, and her own YouTube pep talks.
The humor is rooted in painfully specific details: awkward pool parties, cringe-inducing small talk,
and the feeling that every moment of your life might be filmed. It’s funny, but also deeply empathetic.
18. Mid90s
Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid90s, is a scrappy coming-of-age story about a kid who finds a new family
in a skate crew. The comedy is raw and often profanetrash talk at skate shops, ridiculous stunts,
and the kind of banter that only happens when parents aren’t in the room. It’s a vibe more than a joke machine,
but the laughs feel honest and lived-in.
19. Private Life
Private Life centers on a couple struggling with infertility, which doesn’t scream “comedy,”
yet the movie is quietly hilarious in its portrayal of well-meaning relatives, awkward conversations,
and invasive advice. It’s a dramedy where the humor comes from how humans fumble through pain and
still somehow make each other laugh along the way.
20. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Did anyone ask for more ABBA, more chaos on a Greek island, and Cher descending from the heavens?
Yes, actuallyeveryone did. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again doubles down on the musical’s campy charm,
delivering wild choreography, ridiculous plot twists, and earnest emotion. You don’t watch it for logic;
you watch it to sing along and giggle at your own life choices.
21. Ocean’s 8
Ocean’s 8 isn’t a wall-to-wall gag reel, but its breezy tone, heist hijinks, and
all-star cast (Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Awkwafina, and more) make it a very fun watch.
The jokes come from personality clashes, fashion-world satire, and the sheer delight of watching
extremely competent women run circles around everyone else.
22. Uncle Drew
Based on a Pepsi ad campaign, Uncle Drew should not be as enjoyable as it isand yet here we are.
NBA stars in old-age makeup play playground legends reuniting for one last tournament.
The humor is broadtrash talk, physical comedy, and age-related gagsbut it’s all delivered with such affection
that audiences were happy to go along for the ride.
23. Night School
Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish headline Night School, a comedy about a group of adults
trying to earn their GEDs. The classroom setup lets the movie bounce between different personalities,
learning styles, and over-the-top situations. It’s messy and joke-dense, with Hart’s hyper energy
and Haddish’s deadpan stare doing most of the heavy lifting.
24. Life of the Party
In Life of the Party, Melissa McCarthy plays a recently divorced mom who decides to join her daughter at college.
Cue generational clashes, oddball sorority events, and a lot of dancing like nobody is filming (even though everyone is).
Fans who love McCarthy’s physical comedy and improv-style riffing find plenty to enjoy here.
25. Smallfoot
Smallfoot flips the “scared villagers fear the monster” idea by following yetis who are terrified of humans,
or “smallfoots.” It’s a colorful animated comedy with catchy songs, slapstick humor, and a surprisingly thoughtful message
about questioning old beliefs. Families looking for a lighter 2018 comedy with jokes that work for kids and adults
put this in regular rotation.
26. The Kissing Booth
Is The Kissing Booth a perfect movie? Absolutely not. Is it wildly watchable and unintentionally
(and sometimes intentionally) funny? Yes. Fans treat it like high-camp teen drama:
over-the-top romance, absurd rules between friends, and some seriously questionable decision-making.
It’s the kind of movie you put on with snacks and a running commentary.
27. Game Over, Man!
From the creators of Workaholics, Game Over, Man! is a very R-rated action-comedy about
three hotel employees trying to rescue a hostage celebrity. It’s packed with gross-out gags,
improvised insults, and set pieces that ping-pong between “hilarious” and “how did this get greenlit?”
Perfect for late-night, slightly unhinged viewing.
28. Overboard
This gender-flipped remake of the ’80s film has Eugenio Derbez and Anna Faris playing out a
memory-loss romantic setup with a modern twist. The comedy leans on culture clash, class conflict,
and Derbez’s physical timing. While critics were mixed, many fans enjoyed it as an easy,
low-stakes watch with enough jokes to fill a weeknight.
29. Early Man
From the studio behind Wallace & Gromit, Early Man is a stop-motion sports comedy
where Stone Age villagers have to beat Bronze Age invaders at soccer. The premise alone is funny,
but the movie really shines in its detailed animation and dry British humorsilly puns, underdog slapstick,
and running gags about prehistoric life.
30. Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit updates Beatrix Potter’s classic characters as full-on pranksters battling the new Mr. McGregor
for control of the garden. There’s plenty of fast-paced slapstick for kids, but adults get sly jokes and
a surprisingly sharp sense of timing. It’s bright, bouncy, and a go-to 2018 family comedy when you need
something cheerful and energetic.
31. Johnny English Strikes Again
Rowan Atkinson returns as the world’s most incompetent spy in Johnny English Strikes Again.
The humor is pure physical and situational comedy: VR mishaps, mistaken identities, and Atkinson’s gift
for stretching a single gag into a full set piece. If your idea of a good time is watching someone fight technology
and lose, this will hit the spot.
32. Early-2018 & Streaming Sleepers
2018 also delivered plenty of smaller or streaming-first comedieslike Game Night–style thrillers,
teen rom-coms, and quirky indiesthat didn’t always crack the top of fan polls but are still worth a play.
Titles such as Game Over, Man!, The Package, and other streaming originals kept the jokes coming
straight to your couch.
How To Pick The Right 2018 Comedy For Your Mood
One of the best things about 2018’s comedy lineup is how many different types of laughs it offers:
- Big group watch? Go for crowd-pleasers like Game Night, Deadpool 2, or Crazy Rich Asians.
- Family movie night? Try Paddington 2, Smallfoot, Peter Rabbit, or Ant-Man and the Wasp.
- Artsy or dark humor? Queue up The Favourite, Sorry to Bother You, or The Death of Stalin.
- Feel-good romance? Hit play on Love, Simon, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, or Instant Family.
- So-bad-it’s-good energy? The Kissing Booth and Game Over, Man! are your chaos picks.
Think about your audience, your tolerance for raunchiness, and how much emotional weight you’re in the mood for,
then pick accordingly. The right movie will feel like it was made for that exact night.
Experiences & Tips: Getting The Most Laughs From 2018’s Funniest Movies
A good comedy is fun. A well-planned comedy night is legendary. Here are some practical, experience-based tips
to squeeze maximum joy from this list of the best funniest movies of 2018.
Build a “2018 Comedy Marathon” That Actually Flows
Instead of randomly clicking around, structure your marathon like a playlist:
-
Start light and fast. Kick off with something like Game Night or Tagmovies that are easy to follow
even if people are still arriving, talking, or grabbing snacks. -
Move into emotional-but-funny. Once everyone’s settled, rotate in Crazy Rich Asians, Love, Simon,
or Instant Family. The laughs are still there, but the emotional stakes go up, and people tend to
get quietly invested without realizing it. -
End with comfy chaos. Late at night, when everyone is a bit tired and silly, go for wild picks
like Deadpool 2, Game Over, Man!, or The Kissing Booth. At that point, the goal isn’t cinematic perfection
it’s shared, slightly delirious laughter.
Match the Movie to the Crowd
The biggest mistake people make is picking a comedy they love personally and assuming everyone else will be on the same wavelength.
Instead, think in terms of “laugh comfort zones”:
-
Mixed-age gatherings: Go with broadly appealing, PG-to-PG-13 options like Paddington 2,
Smallfoot, Peter Rabbit, or Ant-Man and the Wasp. -
Friend groups who love drama and gossip: Choose Crazy Rich Asians, The Favourite,
Ocean’s 8, or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforemovies that invite commentary on outfits, plot twists, and characters’ life choices. -
Film nerds and satire fans: Put on Sorry to Bother You, The Death of Stalin, Vice,
or Eighth Grade. Expect fewer explosive laughs and more “oh my god” reactions followed by discussion. -
People who just want background laughs: Something like Super Troopers 2, Johnny English Strikes Again,
or Night School can run in the background while people talk, snack, or scroll.
Turn It Into a Mini “Ranked By Fans” Experiment
One fun twist is to recreate the “ranked by fans” idea at home:
- Print or share a simple list of 5–10 titles from this ranking.
- After each movie, have everyone quickly rate it from 1–10 on their phone or a shared note.
- At the end of the night, reveal your group’s personal top three funniest movies of 2018.
You’ll almost always get a surprisesomeone who swears Mid90s is funnier than Deadpool 2,
or a group that quietly decides Game Night is the champion for the fourth year in a row.
Rewatch Value Matters More Than You Think
The best comedies of 2018 have strong rewatch value. Jokes you missed the first time,
background details that suddenly pop, and lines that become inside jokes long after the credits rollthose are the
things that keep fans voting these movies to the top of lists years later.
If you’re building a personal “comfort watch” collection, prioritize movies that:
- Feel good even when you know every twist (Game Night, Crazy Rich Asians, Paddington 2).
- Have layered humorvisual gags, throwaway lines, and character quirks (Isle of Dogs, The Favourite).
- Fit multiple moods: background noise, focused movie night, or “I just need something happy.”
Let Nostalgia Work For You
2018 is now far enough away that these movies have picked up a bit of nostalgia dust.
Rewatching them can feel like opening a time capsule: jokes about apps, cultural references,
and soundtracks that scream “late 2010s.” Lean into that. Pair a 2018 comedy with a snack or drink
you used to have around that time, or watch with friends you saw it with originally and see which lines
you still remember by heart.
Final Thoughts
The funniest movies of 2018 weren’t just about big punchlinesthey were about variety.
That year gave us acerbic political satire, heartfelt teen stories, shamelessly silly sequels,
and family movies that made adults cry into their popcorn. When fans rank these films,
they’re really voting for how the movies made them feel: lighter, seen, surprised, or just delightfully distracted.
Use this ranked list as a roadmap, not a rulebook. Start with the titles that excite you most,
experiment with new picks when you’re feeling brave, and don’t be afraid to crown your own
“funniest movie of 2018.” After all, the best comedy is the one that still makes you laugh
long after the year is over.