Ever since his scene-stealing role in Scary Movie 3, Kevin Hart has been a Hollywood force of nature. And he's got 152 million Instagram followers to prove his success. Originally known as a stand-up comedian, Hart has starred in Hollywood films and on TV for years now. He has also released several well-received comedy albums, even created and starred as a fictionalized version of himself in Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013–2016). In 2017, Hart launched the Laugh Out Loud Network, a subscription video streaming service in partnership with Lionsgate. Have we mentioned his bromance with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson? We rest our case — Hart is everywhere!

Updated: December 2022: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Maria McGinnis.

"Of course, my success has grown because I've had some more success with theatrical movies. But the biggest real change is probably just my mentality," Hart once told Esquire. "I'm at a point now where I've grown tremendously as a man. I'm smarter. I'm more educated in the realm of business and what goes into the entertainment. That's what I think people don't understand — the term 'show business is real. It's a business and the more that you develop and the more that you learn it, the more powerful you have the potential of becoming. I'm learning it inside and out, and hopefully putting myself in a position to become a force to be reckoned with for quite some time."

Sure, there have been some duds, but Hart has certainly made his mark on a number of critically acclaimed films in recent years. While mostly comedic in nature, his best features have successfully reached a wide and diverse audience, not just small niches. And as his Netflix comedy Me Time with Mark Wahlberg hits the masses, here's a closer look at Hart's finest films to date.

10 Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)

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DreamWorks Animation

Remember those legendary illustrated novels by Dav Pilkey? Most 90s kids certainly do. Therefore, it was a delight seeing the franchise come to the big screen in 2017. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie follows George Beard (voiced by Hart) and Harold Hutchins (Thomas Middleditch), the prankster kings of their elementary school. They write comic books in their enclave. Their favorite character is the valiant, but dim-witted, tighty-whitey wearing Captain Underpants. He always saves the day, or at least attempts to. Principal Krupp (Ed Helms), a grumpy and lonely man, has had enough of the boys' shenanigans. He has come up with an ingenious way to end their prank tyranny. He plans to separate them.

Just when it seems they are foiled, George hypnotizes the simple-brained Krupp. He is transformed into a real-life Captain Underpants. The license for prank mayhem is unleashed for the giddy culprits until the boys realize they have bitten off more than they can chew. We can't wait for the highly anticipated sequel. Hart's iconic voice gives the O.G. film its pulse, and we hope to see his character return. It's a promising film franchise, to say the least.

Related: Kevin Hart Reveals What He Believes is Dwayne Johnson's Worst Movie

9 Night School (2018)

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Universal Pictures

Night School is about a group of adults who set out to earn their GEDs in a night school led by Tiffany Haddish. Hart plays Teddy, who dropped out of high school years ago due to undiagnosed learning disabilities that he didn't know how to cope with. Night School is a decently funny movie. As it's rated PG-13, it's not as raunchy or adult-focused as some other Hart films, but it still managed to be a fun, light watch with a few good laughs. Night School also offers some heartwarming moments, like when Hart finally gets his learning disabilities diagnosed, learns how to work with them, and perseveres to finally get his GED.

8 Ride Along (2014)

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Universal Pictures

Ride Along premiered in 2014 and is about a security guard (Hart) who has to prove to his girlfriend's cop brother (Ice Cube) that he's worthy of marrying her. Hart joins him on a 24-hour patrol in Atlanta and gets wrapped up in a bunch of action-packed shenanigans. In the movie, Hart is a jumpy, timid guy. It's a lot like the majority of the characters he plays, almost like an exaggerated version of himself. He's hilarious in the role and his character balances perfectly with Ice Cube's hard, no-nonsense demeanor. It's a well-cast, well-balanced comedy and even led to a sequel in 2016.

7 This is the End (2013)

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Columbia Pictures

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were clearly in agreement back in the day with the notion of, "Let's all play ourselves and make fun of ourselves!" In most films where actors appear as themselves, it's usually a singular cameo, but This is the End allows every actor to play heightened versions of themselves. The film's basic plot revolves around a large group of celebrities who have come together to have a debauched party when suddenly the apocalypse strikes.

The cast all play satirical versions of themselves, but the most impressive part of the film is how the actors are able to build off one another in improvisatory ways. "Get the f*** off me, Aziz!" is perhaps Hart's best one-liner here, when he selfishly kicks fellow comedian Aziz Ansari off of him to avoid getting killed during the first act's apocalyptic moment. His quick scene with Jason Segel (pictured above) is also good for a laugh.

6 35 & Ticking (2011)

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Image Entertainment

35 & Ticking centers around the lives of Victoria, Zenobia, Cleavon, and Phil — all friends of a certain age and struggling to build the families they've always dreamed of. While Zenobia (Nicole Ari Parker) is still looking for a man, Victoria (Tamala Jones) is married to a man who doesn't want children. Cleavon (Hart), meanwhile, is too geeky to get a woman, and Phil (Keith Robinson) is already married with children, but his wife is not very interested in being a mother. All four of them try to rectify their romantic lives and futures while their biological clocks tick away.

"The ensemble was great. Everyone gave a performance that was just breathtaking," co-star Parker once told Blackfilm.com. "Jill Marie Jones and Tamala Jones showed a side of themselves that we haven’t seen, Dondre Whitfield, Keith Robinson, and Kevin Hart delivered with the comedy, and of course, Mike Epps. It was a pleasure to be there and a pleasure to go to work every day."

5 Central Intelligence (2016)

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Warner Bros. Pictures/Universal Pictures

Kevin Hart and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is another great comedic duo. Central Intelligence stars the two as old high school buddies who reunite after 20 years. Hart is an average guy working as an accountant. Meanwhile, Johnson's character has had a major glow-up since high school and is now a muscular CIA agent skilled in hand-to-hand combat. When the two reunite, Hart ends up getting wrapped up in the world of international espionage and goes on the run with Johnson to stop a terrorist. It's another example of Hart in the standard role he normally plays, but Central Intelligence showcased his on-screen chemistry with Johnson and showed that the pair works really well together and plays off each other's strengths and weaknesses in a seamless way.

Related: Best Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Movies, Ranked

4 Get Hard (2015)

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Get Hard premiered in 2015 and is about a wealthy investment banker (Will Ferrell) who gets framed for a fraudulent crime he didn't commit and is sentenced to 10 years in prison. James (Ferrell) has 30 days to get his affairs in order before his sentencing, so he turns to Darnell (Hart) a guy who runs a car wash, to help him prepare for his time in prison. Hart has to essentially help Ferrell's character "get hard" to survive prison life. Ferrell and Hart are a strong comedic duo, and while Get Hard isn't hilarious from start to finish, it's a clever movie that's still worth a watch. It's one of those movies that may seem like it could be a miss, but it's actually pretty funny and allows both Hart and Ferrell to have ample time in the comedic spotlight.

3 The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

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Universal Pictures
 

The Secret Life of Pets is a cute animated comedy about what pets do when humans are away. Hence the title, these animals have extravagant lives that they live in secret, from adventuring throughout the city to throwing house parties. It's a really fun, bright movie with a stellar cast of actors including Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Dana Carvey, Tara Strong, Hannibal Buress and, of course, Kevin Hart. Hart plays the main antagonist of the movie, a cute, fluffy white rabbit named Snowball. The juxtaposition of Hart's voice in a body of a cute bunny is hilarious, and he delivers his lines with such heat, it makes this movie a great watch for kids and adults alike.

2 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

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Columbia Pictures

This new edition of the Jumanji franchise follows a group of teenagers who find themselves trapped in the infamous game and replicated as a group of adult avatars who must complete quests in order to get home. Co-starring Hollywood heavy-hitters Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Karen Gillan, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was released to rave reviews and grossed almost $1 billion worldwide. Hart is dynamite in the comedic role opposite comedic greats like Johnson and Black as children trapped in adult bodies. The script is laced with laugh-out-loud one-liners as the four of them navigate the dangerous Jumanji terrain originally brought to life by none other than Robin Williams in the '90s.

1 Top Five (2014)

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IAC Films

Chris Rock has certainly been in the news this year. Rock's Top Five digs under the surface of show business, politics, rap, and the exigencies of being Black and famous today — holding it all up to the light in the way only Rock can. Written, directed by, and starring Rock himself, Top Five tells the story of New York City comedian-turned-film star Andre Allen, whose unexpected encounter with a journalist (Rosario Dawson) forces him to confront the comedy career and the past that he's left behind. Hart takes command of his agent character's persona, blending smarts with edgy humor, as always. It's too bad the Oscars didn't show love for this one that year, but Top Five is not to be missed. Plus, watch out for that Jerry Seinfeld extended cameo!