Every decade has its own genres and styles of films that show what was going on in Hollywood and society at that moment in time, especially with its biggest box office successes. The ’70s were the time when art films likeThe Godfathercould also be incredibly profitable; the ’80s were the greatest time for comedies at the box office; and in the ’90s, any rom-com with Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, or Sandra Bullock was an absolute hit.
With that in mind, it looks like the 2010s were a time of mixing genres, as many of the most successful comedies were also animated, adventure films, had a musical component, or were about superheroes. Overall, though, this was a time of sequels, as most of the films in the list below are a second or third movie about the adventures of their characters. Here are the highest-grossing comedy movies from each year in the 2010s, according to the worldwide numbers ofBox Office Mojo.
2010 - Despicable Me - $543 Million
Despicable Me
Despicable Mewas a surprising comedy hit, that gave us the Minions. It also proved the old Pixar idea that you may make movies that are fun for both parents and kids (this film was made by Universal Pictures, but the idea still stands). This is the story of Gru (Steve Carell), a supervillain who, while trying to enter another villain’s fortress, ends up adopting three orphan girls who change his life.
Why Was it Such a Hit?
For starters, the creation of the Minions. It has a heartwarming message while still making great jokes about the supervillain world (here, he’s trying to steal the Moon, of all things), and about being a new dad, and Carell gives a great voice performance as the lead character. The movie was a surprise hit, one that started a franchise that’s still going, even if the kids who saw this movie are now teenagers, or even college kids (last year, there was a viral phenomenon where they dressed up to go and see the latest film in the franchise,Minions: The Rise of Gru).
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2011 - The Hangover Part II - $586 Million
The Hangover Part II
The Hangover Part IIis much crazier than the first film, and that’s saying something, as this time, “The Wolfpack” find themselves hungover and not knowing what happened the night before in the only place in the world with much more sin than Las Vegas, Bangkok.
Why Did it Perform so Well?
Bigger is always better might be what the writers were thinking, as this film has some of the same ideas as the first, but they make them much bigger and more wild. From the Mike Tyson-like tattoo on Stu’s face to all the debauchery they did the night before, this is a movie for the biggest fans ofThe Hangover. If you’re one of them, you’re going to have the time of your life.
2012 - Men in Black 3 - $624 Million
Men in Black 3
InMen in Black 3, Agent J (Will Smith) travels to the past, 1969 to be exact, and tries to stop an alien from killing his friend, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones, who in the past, is played by Josh Brolin) and altering history for the worse, where humanity could be killed.
Why It Led the Box Office
Will Smith could have chemistry with a rock, but he and Brolin have a good one, following the same structure as the one he had with Tommy Lee Jones in the previous films. The move to the past allows for some great jokes (Andy Warhol is a MIB agent, obviously), andFlight of the Conchords’Jemaine Clement goes all-in on performing as the weird and sadistic villain, Boris the Animal. There’s even time for a bit of character work for J, as he discovers why his father was a hero.
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2013 - The Hangover Part III - $362 Million
The Hangover Part III
The Hangover Part IIIended the story of “The Wolfpack”, as Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Doug (Justin Bartha) try to have an intervention for Alan (Zach Galifianakis), who is out of control. On the trip to a rehab center in Arizona, something happens that puts the group in danger. The cause is Chow (Ken Jeong), of course.
Why it Was so Successful
Although it’s the worst film in the franchise, the chemistry between the leads still makes it work, and the saga is always better when the characters don’t know exactly what’s going on, and must improvise their way out of the strangest, scariest situations, and here, there’s a lot of that. The end is also pretty sweet and sentimental for a franchise with so much debauchery, proving the most important part of the franchise was always this relationship between this group of friends.
2014 - 22 Jump Street - $331 Million
22 Jump Street
22 Jump Streetis the next adventure for Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum). This time, they’re going undercover at college. As with any Phil Lord and Christopher Miller movie, the film has a lot of fun telling jokes about movie sequels, and how they’re always the same as the original, but with much bigger stakes and action scenes (this one is no different, and they know it).
Why it Topped the Box Office
The filmis a better sequel than you remember, as even between all the jokes and sequel fun, there’s still a lot of heart in the movie, as Schmidt and Jenko find new tribes for themselves and start drifting apart. Wyatt Russell is all charisma, and Jillian Bell steals every scene she’s in (you’re able to even see Hill trying not to laugh in a couple of their interactions). If all that wasn’t enough, the gag at the end about the future sequels is incredible, and the perfect ending for a franchise that has made a lot of metacommentaries and jokes about the nature of the film itself.
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2015 - Pitch Perfect 2 - $287 Million
Pitch Perfect 2
Pitch Perfect 2follows the first film’s story and surprising box office success, becoming Anna Kendrick’s biggest franchise in the process. This time, the Bellas need to win the A Capella World Championship, before graduation and everyone going their separate ways.
Why it Did so Well
The movie has many moments that showthe sisterhood between the Bellas, while also making a sequel that is bigger in scope and humor, and while maintaining what made the personal character arcs that made the first movie such a success. From the vertigo of leaving college, to having a first boyfriend who really loves you and sees you, even if that’s scary, or having a new-found family of friends; all those stories happen here.
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2016 - Deadpool - $782 Million
Deadpoolwas an incredible surprise when it was released. It not only became the biggest box office success of the year, but it did so by poking fun at superheroes, being as naughty as possible, and proving why more films should be R-rated. Reynolds is absolutely in his element here, and every supporting character has a great moment to shine. It all started because “someone” leaked an action scene in which Deadpool beats a group of bad guys, and that might have been the best idea of Reynolds’ career.
Why it Destroyed at the Box Office
Everything. The many hilarious moments, the relationship with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), the opening credits' scene at the start, andthe great quotes. This film starts with a bang, and never stops, while continuing to crack jokes, kill people, and look at creative ways to do so (the bullet count to kill as many mercenaries as possible, with just a few bullets being the perfect example).
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2017 - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle - $962 Million
Jumanji: Welcome to the Junglewas both a surprising box office hit and a movie that was much better than anybody had expected when they heard the film’s premise. Four high school acquaintances get sucked into a game, that’s now a video game and not a board game. With their new avatars, they discover many things about themselves, while having an incredible adventure that uses the best things about adventure films likeIndiana JonesorRomancing the Stone.
All the actors are having a great time with their characters' personalities, but none more than Jack Black as Bethany. The script is much smarter than it needs to be, talking about all the feelings of inadequacy and awkwardness high schoolers might feel at every moment, and the movie also delivers great action and adventure scenes, making it an entertaining watch.
2018 - Deadpool 2 - $734 Million
Deadpool 2
Read Our Review
Deadpool 2was an even bigger superhero comedy, with Ryan Reynolds’ improv absolutely unleashed, better action scenes, and great actors (Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, the whole X-Force team) who wanted to play in this weird, fourth-wall-breaking sandbox.
Why it Did So Well
Ryan Reynolds was born to play this character, and he delivers. The first movie was special, but didn’t have that much of a budget, so this time, the action scenes are much bigger and more spectacular, while still having Deadpool’s unique way of seeing things (like him trying to stop bullets with his sword, and failing spectacularly). Zazie Beetz as Domino steals every scene she’s in, and she should get her own spin-off, and the bit with the X-Force team is hilarious, including a cameo of one of the biggest stars on the planet. If there must be sequels, this is the way to do them.
2019 - Jumanji: The Next Level - $800 Million
Jumanji: The Next Levelis one of those movies that does many of the same things as the first film, but is smart enough to change some others, making it a new thing. This time, Spencer (Alex Wolff) and his friends enter the game, but they’re not the only ones, as Eddie (Danny DeVito), Spencer’s grandfather, and his estranged friend, Milo (Danny Glover), also enter, giving The Rock and Kevin Hart new characters to play and have fun with, as they’re the avatars for these old men.
This is one of thebest films with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, as he plays both action hero and old man (he’s the avatar for Danny DeVito’s character), and is having the time of his life doing it. The rest of the cast is so funny that it keeps things moving along and makes for a film as funny as the first. Like that one, it also has a surprising amount of heart, as friends get reunited, old discussions get settled, and characters feel much better about themselves after playing theJumanjivideo game.
