8 Best Edgar Wright Movies Ranked — TV, Shorts & Videos!

Edgar Wright Movies

8. The Running Man (2025)

Edgar Wright's adaptation of Stephen King's novel moves closer to the source material than the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film while still delivering the director's signature kinetic style.

Starring Glen Powell as Ben Richards, the film combines high-energy action, satirical commentary, and Wright's trademark precision editing into a fast-moving dystopian thriller.

The movie was generally praised for its inventive action sequences, sharp pacing, and Powell's charismatic performance. While we couldn't agree more on those fronts, the social satire it aims for doesn't come off quite as impactful as its source material. 

Even so, this Wright feature stands as a confident genre shift from one of modern cinema's best filmmakers.

Edgar Wright Movies

7. Last Night in Soho (2021)

With Last Night in Soho, Wright traded comedy for psychological horror without sacrificing his trademark visual flair. The film follows an aspiring fashion designer who mysteriously slips into 1960s London through vivid dreams that gradually become terrifying nightmares.

We can't help but praise this one for its striking cinematography, soundtrack, and performances from Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy. Though, its final act didn't quite live up to its mesmerizing setup. Even so, it remains one of Wright's boldest and most visually ambitious films, and that more than makes it worth a watch.

Edgar Wright Movies

6. The Sparks Brothers (2021)

Edgar Wright's first feature documentary is every bit as energetic and meticulously edited as his narrative films.

The Sparks Brothers chronicles the career of Ron and Russell Mael, the endlessly inventive duo behind the band Sparks, blending archival footage, animation, concert performances, and interviews with artists like Beck, Flea, and Jack Antonoff.

Wright's infectious enthusiasm and ability to make even newcomers care deeply about the band's legacy makes the movie more than worth the watch. Upon its release, it was celebrated as one of the most entertaining music documentaries in years, and we have to agree.

GREAT EDGAR WRIGHT FILMS

5. Baby Driver (2017)

Edgar Wright has mostly dabbled in satirical films over his career, and while Baby Driver has plenty of funny moments, it’s mostly a straight-up action-thriller with the most perfectly-curated soundtrack ever put in a film.

The opening credit sequence is pure delight as lyrics to the song playing pop up all around Baby getting himself a coffee, and it’s a genuine masterclass in what makes Wright such an effective filmmaker. He hones in on every detail so that nothing feels like an afterthought. 

Plus, the music isn’t just there for music’s sake. Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a tinnitus-stricken getaway driver who uses music to guide him through every heist. That is until he meets a waitress who inspires him to leave this life of crime behind.

If the film has any faults, it’s that some of the characters don’t feel as fully realized as they could have been. But when you have a movie this fun, it’s an easy fault to forgive. 

EDGAR WRIGHT SCREENPLAY

4. The World’s End (2013)

The World’s End is the last film in Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, and it’s a bit of a departure from the other movies in that lineage. Shaun of the Dead parodies the best zombie movies of all time and Hot Fuzz parodies amazing action films. And The World’s End draws influence from body swapping science-fiction films, which isn’t as well-known of a genre as the other two.

It also differs in the tone, which is a bit of a bummer but ultimately works for the kind of story this movie is trying to tell.

The movie follows Gary (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old alcoholic, who gets his old chums together for one last pub crawl. It’s a depressing look into how nostalgia can give one rose-tinted glasses and make you believe the past was better than it actually was.

EDGAR WRIGHT MOVIES LIST

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is what happens when you throw everything and the kitchen sink at your audience. Every frame has something new to notice. From character quirks to fun video game nods, you could pause at almost any moment and find a ton of bonuses.

Wright didn’t have to go that hard, but, by gum, he did. 

Everything about the film just works. The visuals are stunning, and the action is impressive. We’d even go to say this movie has the best action scenes you’ll find in any Edgar Wright film. Plus, the cast is absolutely stacked with a bunch of talented actors who would go on to make it back, like Chris Evans, Brie Larson, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. 

There’s genuinely no other film like Scott Pilgrim, and perhaps that’s the reason why it bombed at the box office. Fortunately, new generations of film enthusiasts seem to be discovering it, which is great because this is one movie we don’t want to forget.

EDGAR WRIGHT VISUAL STYLE

2. Hot Fuzz (2007)

A parody needs to do more than simply make fun of its subject. It needs to stand on its own as a piece of entertainment while pushing the genre forward. More than anything else, you need to approach the subject matter with love instead of derision or else you end up with something mean-spirited that’s at risk of becoming dated. 

Hot Fuzz sends up buddy-cop action-comedies, but you can also tell Wright has a profound appreciation for movies like Point Break and Bad Boys. He takes plot devices from the genre and adds his own signature style, so even if you’ve never seen a buddy-cop movie before, you don’t have to in order to enjoy this piece of hilarious art. 

BEST EDGAR WRIGHT MOVIEs

1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Edgar Wright’s first film is still his best. Shaun of the Dead has perfected the "funny zombie movie," expertly balancing scares with hilarious moments. The film follows the titular Shaun as he attempts to win back his girlfriend in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. The movie establishes everything that would go on to define Wright as a filmmaker, including something we haven’t really touched on yet. 

Shaun of the Dead has a fairly basic character arc. Shaun has to learn to be a more mature person so that Liz will want to get back together with him. Of course, this maturity comes under extreme circumstances: a zombie outbreak.

But Wright never loses sight of the humanity of these characters. While it’s a comedy, the moment when Shaun has to kill his mother turning into a zombie is genuinely heartbreaking. And it’s that attention to the characters that’s come to define Wright’s films. 

Humor and foreshadowing aside, Wright understands what makes his characters tick. He draws you in with flashy visuals, funny gags, and the classic Edgar Wright montage explaining how the plot will proceed, but his films stay with you because characters learn how to grow up, how to think for themselves, or how to accept friendship.

Wright’s made nine films so far, and each one lasts because he understands how to get audiences to relate to his characters... even if they’re bashing zombie brains in. 

EDGAR WRIGHT TOP MOVIES

Other Edgar Wright Projects

Edgar Wright is one of the best directors working today, and he’s managed to reach that status with nine highly watchable features to his name. 

But wait, there's more! Here are more bonus movies by Edgar Wright (as well as some other interesting projects) you may not have known about.

Dead Right

Wright showed his acumen for the movie parody early on with 1993’s Dead Right. The film parodies old action movies from the ‘70s, most notably Dirty Harry. It’s shot entirely on SVHS, and while it’s rough around the edges, it shows what Wright would be capable of. 

A Fistful of Fingers

If you can find a copy of 1995’s A Fistful of Fingers, you should watch it at your earliest convenience. It’s technically Wright’s first feature-length film, and he’s gone to great lengths to ensure no one can watch it. It’s a 78-minute Western he made for about $15,000 that sadly never found a distributor and has since been lost to the annals of time. 

Spaced

While Wright had been making short films since the 1980s, he got his big break with the British sitcom, Spaced. The show would go on to define what Edgar Wright scripts would consist of and bring him together with his muses, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Music Video for “Colors”

Edgar Wright has directed music videos for the likes of The Bluetones and Mint Royale in the past. His films naturally incorporate pop songs well into the action, so it only makes sense his talent would translate to music videos. His best work to date is the 2018 video for Beck’s “Colors.”