Every Edgar Wright Movie, Ranked
Like his foremost contemporaries in the film industry, Edgar Wright’s continued popularity as a filmmaker is not solely based on luck alone, but on the strength of his various directorial efforts.
Drawing on an infectious sense of comedy, booming soundtracks, energetic screenplays, and massive ensemble casts, Wright has quickly become one of the most exciting directors currently working today, as evidenced by his short but impressive filmography over the past 20 years.
Having handed in a variety of colorful projects over the years, Wright has routinely proven himself adept at handling every genre in the cinematic landscape, be it horror, comedy, action, crime, or some other film that merges two or more of these genres together. From chilling murder mystery horror films to distinctly British zombie-populated comedies, here is every one of Edgar Wright’s movies to date, ranked in order from worst to best.
7. Last Night in Soho (2021)
Among Wright’s more recent efforts, Last Night in Soho also marks the first time Wright handed in a non-comedic horror film after lampooning the genre with films like Shaun of the Dead. Looking to the Italian giallo films of Mario Bava and Dario Argento for inspiration, Wright crafts an immersive and equally hallucinogenic psychological horror film with Last Night in Soho. Meticulously recreating the glamor and glitz of 1960s London, Last Night in Soho presents a remarkable mystery for viewers to unravel, creatively flashing back and forth between modern-day Soho and the neon-lit streets of the gritty Swinging Sixties.
6. The Sparks Brothers (2021)
As with his aforementioned 2021 release Last Night in Soho, 2021 saw Wright expand into a genre outside of his typical comfort zone with the musical documentary, The Sparks Brothers. Chronicling the lives and careers of sibling musicians Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks, The Sparks Brothers shines a light on the duo’s impressive contributions to the rock genre, as well as their immediate influence on groups like Queen, Joy Division, and The Smiths. A relatively minor addition to Wright’s filmography, it nevertheless spells out a characteristically stylish documentary for the director, fueling our hopes that he one day returns to the genre.
5. The World’s End (2013)
The final entry in Wright and Simon Pegg’s fan-favorite Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, The World’s End again sees Wright take aim at a very specific genre of film: in this case, ‘70s sci-fi films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Stepford Wives. Once again relying on the austere acting capabilities of its lead cast, Wright conjures up a side-splittingly funny sci-fi action thriller unlike any other. Yet for all its killer robots and soulless alien duplicates, The World’s End never loses its inner heart or radiant sense of emotion, focusing on the bonds between five childhood friends as they reunite for one last adventure together (the scope of which they never could have dreamed possible).
4. Hot Fuzz (2007)
The second act in Wright and Pegg’s Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz once again shows off the two filmmakers’ ability to tackle practically any cinematic genre imaginable. In the case of this 2007 comedy, Wright and Pegg turn their attention to the stereotypical buddy cop genre, lampooning everything from Point Break and Bad Boys II to Lethal Weapon and Dirty Harry. Alternating between explosive action and dry English humor, Wright delivers a police procedural satire capable of entertaining a universal audience, adequately living up to the standards set by Shaun of the Dead before it.
3. Baby Driver (2017)
After concluding the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy with 2013’s The World’s End, Wright set his sights on a predictably ambitious action heist film with 2017’s Baby Driver. Drawing on the talents of a larger ensemble cast, Wright blends a traditional neo-noir narrative with a carefully curated rock and roll playlist with Baby Driver’s upbeat soundtrack. Through this infectiously musical approach, Wright establishes Baby Driver almost as a musical version of Heat or Fast and Furious, leaving viewers bobbing their heads and tapping their feet to the beat of its numerous music-backed action sequences.
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Adapting a comic book series as wholly unique as Bryan Lee O’Malley Scott Pilgrim was never going to be easy. But as with each of his indelible works, Wright ultimately rose to the occasion, crafting a movie as memorably zany as its comic book counterpart. Adapting the 2D dimensional world of O’Malley’s anime-inspired universe for the big screen, Wright introduces various filmmaking techniques and storytelling methods rarely seen in a big-budget film. Through this novel approach, Wright manages to helm a cartoonish romantic comedy that owes as much to Legend of Zelda and Rock Band as it does to Kill Bill and Annie Hall.
1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
The film that launched Wright and Pegg to new heights in the mainstream film industry, Shaun of the Dead also helped revitalize viewers’ obsession with zombies for the ensuing decade that followed. Channeling their avid appreciation for Resident Evil and the zombie films of George A. Romero, Wright and Pegg hilariously transposed the underlying narrative of Night of the Living Dead to the quaint and mundane settings of suburban London. The results gave way to a movie of startling originality and buoyant creativity, cleverly juxtaposing its sardonic sense of humor with plenty of rousing scares throughout.
