The 22 Judd Apatow Movies and Shows You Need to See
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
When we talk about the true comedic legends of the film and television industry—creators like Mel Brooks, Charlie Chaplin, the fellas from Monty Python, and Christopher Guest—we're talking about people who are masters of their craft; they know what works, and dial into that, while also taking the kind of unexpected risks that tend to produce laughs more often than they don't (No one bats 1.000 in comedy. Let's be real.). Perhaps the most contemporary name that fits with those others is Judd Apatow, the writer/director/producer multi-hyphenate who's been behind the camera in one capacity or another for many of the greatest and most quotable comedy movies and shows of the last 30+ years.
Apatow is a rare case—an exclusively behind-the-scenes presence (outside of his brief return to stand-up a few years ago) who's become a recognizable name and personality himself. While he got his start alongside stars like Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler, it was a different generation of comedy stars whom he helped make into the presences they are today. The 1998 series Freaks and Geeks—which somehow only lasted one brilliant season before being cancelled—marked an early breakthrough for the likes of Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, Martin Starr, James Franco, and Busy Phillips. In the 2000s, he would work again with Rogen and Segel on the projects that eventually vaulted them to superstardom. And that prowess for finding stars has continued to this day.
Taking a dive down Apatow's IMDB page is a trip; he's been behind the scenes for many of the comedy films that defined an era. He released the semi-biographical film The King of Staten Island, starring Pete Davidson, directly to VOD in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic to give audiences something to watch at home, and now with The Bubble, his Tropic Thunder-esque farce of a pandemic-era blockbuster production, is diving into full-scale comedy mania.
And while, again, no one bats 1.000 in comedy, Apatow has just about as many hits as anyone could imagine over the last several decades. And many of those are truly essential viewing for the comedy fan. So, below, we've pulled together the full guide to getting into the work of Judd Apatow, one of the most influential comedy creators of the last 30 years.
Movies Judd Apatow Directed
Apatow's name has been attached to a lot of different projects through the years, but he's only actually directed seven of those movies himself. His typical style seems to be broad vulgar comedy, with a bit of a dramatic undertone—often times, the movies veer fully toward dramedy. The Bubble, switching things up however, is a full-on farce.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Apatow's directorial debut was also the movie that made Steve Carell a star. The title of the movie pretty much tells you all you need to know, but this is a movie that will satisfy your need for vulgar, gross-out humor, but also has a really nice heart to it—and a great, memorable ending sequence. Frequent Apatow pals Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd have great supporting roles here too, and Jonah Hill has a scene-stealing moment in an Ebay store.
Knocked Up (2007)
Knocked Up marked Seth Rogen's first leading role, and his ascension to star. Apatow also proved that he wasn't just a one-hit-wonder in the director's chair with this one, as it was a hit with critics (89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and also made over $200 million at the box office, a number that quite frankly seems impossible for a comedy (or anything other than a franchise blockbuster) in this day and age. Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann (Apatow's wife and frequent collaborator) are among the other stars here, while the "Apatow Crew" was further established with roles for Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, and Jay Baruchel, among others. Bonus: Apatow's daughters, Maude and Iris, are in this movie as small children—both are now acting in major productions.
Funny People (2009)
Funny People marked Apatow's biggest veer into dramedy territory yet, as his old pal Adam Sandler (they were once roommates sharing a $900/month apartment) plays a superstar comedian who gets diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, while also taking on a young comedian (Rogen) as his new writer. Jonah Hill has a fun supporting role, and an early-career Aubrey Plaza plays Rogen's love interest.
This Is 40 (2012)
Apatow goes quasi-autobiographical with This is 40, a Knocked Up spinoff that follows the side character couple played by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (and doesn't feature Seth Rogen or Katherine Heigl at all) as they explore turning 40 and the slow roll toward middle age.
Trainwreck (2015)
Apatow used his starfinding talents to good use, as Trainwreck really was the pinnacle of the Amy Schumer "moment" back in 2015. It's a very vulgar but also heartfelt romcom that ultimately really works (it's also the only movie Apatow directed but did not write; Schumer herself wrote it). Schumer carries the movie, but supporting roles by Bill Hader and LeBron James (yes, LeBron James!) are really great, and there's also a small John Cena performance where he really shows off the comedy chops that we've now seen him putting to use for quite some time.
King of Staten Island (2020)
Apatow basically gave Pete Davidson the Trainwreck treatment with King of Staten Island, a quasi-biographical dramedy loosely based on Davidson's own life, growing up in the aftermath of his father's death in 9/11. Even though he's playing basically a version of himself, Davidson gives his best performance ever, layered and complex, as the movie also deals with his mental illness. Marissa Tomei gives a great performance as his mom, and Bill Burr is almost shockingly good (though it shouldn't be too shocking after seeing his performance in The Mandalorian) as Tomei's new boyfriend and Pete's reluctant father figure.
The Bubble (2022)
Apatow ditches the dramedy framing for The Bubble, a pandemic-themed comedy about a group of actors making a sequel to a sad, desperate, blockbuster movie franchise during a pandemic. Is it our same pandemic? Probably! The Bubble isn't the greatest movie ever made, but it's a fun way to spend a couple hours, and to see Apatow direct something that's just going for laughs after so many attempts at dramedy. The star-studded cast includes Karen Gillan, Keegan-Michael Key, Leslie Mann, Pedro Pascal, David Duchovny, Borat 2's Maria Bakalava, and Iris Apatow.
Essential Movies Judd Apatow Produced
Apatow has had his hand in producing a lot of comedy movies—below are 9 of the best, movies you absolutely need to see.
The Cable Guy (1996)
The Cable Guy stars Jim Carrey in his absolute prime (and is directed by Ben Stiller), but don't go expecting the light-hearted fun of Dumb and Dumber or Ace Ventura; this is a dark comedy that even veers toward thriller territory at times. Carrey's performance as the titular Cable Guy is fantastic, and he bounces off Matthew Broderick wonderfully; Leslie Mann and Jack Black play key supporting roles. Don't sleep on this one!
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Apatow produced a trilogy of Will Ferrell-Adam McKay classics, starting with Anchorman: The Legendy of Ron Burgundy, before also adding Talladega Nights and Step Brothers to his list. Anchorman gets the list spot because it came first, and is one of the most quoted movies...probably of all time? The cast, which includes Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, David Koechner, Vince Vaughn, and Fred Willard, are all at the top of their games, and you'll probably crack up from one thing or another every minute or so. All three of the films from this group are comedy classics and deserve to be watched, and laughed at, many, many times.
Walk Hard (2007)
With the influx of self-serious musical biopics of the last several years like Bohemian Rhapsody, Walk Hard may hit even harder than it did back when it was first released. The movie features the great John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox, an amalgamation of many musical legends including Johnny Cash, as the movie expertly works as a parody of musical biopics like Walk The Line. It's hard to imagine a movie with this premise achieving its goals more.
Superbad (2007)
Superbad is another absolute contemporary comedy classic. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera play a pair of friends who just want to have one last great party night before the end of high school and heading off to college; their pal Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) gets a fake ID with the name "McLovin" on it and links up with a pair of fun-loving but dumb-dumb cops (played by Seth Rogen and Bill Hader), and the rest is history.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Any list of the best romantic comedies of all time should undoubtably include Forgetting Sarah Marshall for a number of reasons, chief among them that it's actually funny. Jason Segel co-wrote and stars in this movie, which finds him as a no-name music conductor for a TV show starring his very famous girlfriend—the titular Sarah Marshall, played by Kristen Bell. When she breaks up with him unexpectedly, he takes a much-needed vacation to Hawaii, where he meets a whole cast of characters (including a wonderfully dim-witted Paul Rudd), along with a potential new love interest (Mila Kunis), before running into his ex—and her new rock star beau (Russell Brand). It's truly one of the most enjoyable and delightful movies you can watch.
Pineapple Express (2008)
The ultimate stoner comedy? Respect to the duos of Cheech & Chong and Harold & Kumar, but Dale and Saul (Seth Rogen and James Franco) in Pineapple Express may just have them. This action comedy is an absolute blast, and Danny McBride as a character named Red is one of the most entertaining performances you can imagine.
Wanderlust (2012)
Apatow was a producer on Wanderlust, one of the most underrated comedies of the 2010s. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston play a couple who very quickly buy a tiny apartment and lose a ton of money on their investment, forcing them out of New York City and down south to work with Rudd's brother (Ken Marino). Along the way, they find a commune where they at first stay and then attempt to live—and the story goes from there. Characters at the commune include some played by Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Kathryn Hahn, Alan Alda, Joe Lo Truglio, and Jordan Peele, among others. It's an extremely fun movie with an extremely fun cast.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)
While it's hard to top Christopher Guest's repertoire of both This is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind, The Lonely Island—with Apatow producing—give him a run for their money of greatest comedic music mockumentary with Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, a hilarious and fast-paced spoof of modern pop stars. Andy Samberg plays Conner 4 Real, and, not surprising, since this is The Lonely Island after all, but the music is extremely funny, and catchy too. A super fun watch.
The Big Sick (2017)
Before he got super ripped, Kumail Nanjiani's biggest break came when he wrote and starred in The Big Sick, a based-0n-his-own-real-life romantic comedy. Kumail basically plays himself, and Zoe Kazan plays the woman he meets and begins dating—before a rare disease puts her into a months-long coma. Nanjiani is wonderful dealing with this seriously but in a movie that is often quite funny; he shares a number of great scenes with Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, who play her parents to perfection.
Essential TV Judd Apatow Produced
Like with movies, Apatow has had his hand in many shows over the course of his long career. Below are the most essential for fans of his style and comedy.
The Ben Stiller Show (1992-1993)
Stiller started his career in earnest with The Ben Stiller Show after quitting Saturday Night Live; the short sketches and segments here are basically all strange short films, and the cast—which includes Stiller, Andy Dick, Bob Odenkirk, and Janeane Garofalo—is super funny. Odenkirk would use his own experience on this show to inform Mr. Show, which he would make with David Cross on HBO, a few years later.
The Larry Sanders Show (1993-1998)
One of HBO's earliest hits was The Larry Sanders Show, which starred comedian Garry Shandling as a fictional late night host who's show hosted real-life comedians. Apatow would work with David Duchovny on The Bubble decades later, but the X-Files star's short appearance here would prove to the world that he could do comedy too—and not just hunt down extraterrestrials.
Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Despite only lasting one season—one perfect season, mind you—Freaks and Geeks may just be the most important project in the Apatow catalogue. Looking back on the show's cast now—including Linda Cardellini, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel, Busy Phillips, and Martin Starr, among others—is just wild. But on top of the cast being good, Freaks and Geeks is just a show that feels like a universal time capsule; it's set at a very specific moment in the past, but the teenage stories of fitting in and finding your place are universal.
Judd, if you're listening: I'd like to pitch a 20+ years later version, Cobra Kai style. Why not?
Undeclared (2001-2002)
After Freaks and Geeks was unjustly cancelled, Apatow and many of the same collaborators went ahead and made Undeclared, which was kind of like a college version of Freaks and Geeks (which focused on high school). The show found Jay Baruchel in the lead, and Seth Rogen and Jason Segel once again played key roles. Charlie Hunnam was in the mix here too, as was Kevin Hart in a small recurring role. Fun!
Girls (2012-2017)
Yes, yes. If you were alive and consuming pop culture between the years of 2012 and 2017, you've certainly heard of Girls, the brainchild of Lena Dunham which Apatow helped to produce on HBO. And while the conversation surrounding Girls often went back and forth, it really did prove to be a great commentary on young people and culture of the era, and frequently told a number of excellent stories. The episode pictured above, titled "The Panic in Central Park," was one of the best TV episodes of the 2010s, without question.
The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (2018)
Apatow's old friend Garry Shandling died unexpectedly in 2016, and this two-part HBO that he directed is a tribute to his life, work, philosophy, and legacy. Apatow interviewed 40 of his closest friends, family members, and collaborators, editing in behind-the-scenes footage and readings of some of Shandling's own journal entries, in a wide-sweeping documentary that really feels like a loving portrait of someone who was not only extremely talented at his craft, but widely respected by all and a great friend to many.
You Might Also Like
