It isn't easy making a good parody movie. While it's one thing to poke fun at other movies, it's another to make an entertaining movie that stands out on its own in the process. Plenty of genres have been parodied throughout the years to varying degrees of success. Whether it be a biopic or a hit action movie, parody movies have long been a staple genre that has produced some truly classic films.
The movies on the following list not only poked fun at familiar films and genre tropes but produced compelling stories and laugh-out-loud jokes that have stood the test of time. While some parody films make the mistake of simply poking fun at random movies without any real reason, these movies took the time to craft a real story and stand out of the shadow of the films they are making fun of in the first place. These are the best parody movies of all time.
Updated on September 5th, 2023 by Darren Gigool: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
17 Mars Attacks! (1996)
Unapologetically eccentric, Mars Attacks! erupts on the screen as a satirical magnum opus helmed by Tim Burton. The film assembles an illustrious cast featuring Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, and Danny DeVito, among others.
Celebrating the chaos of an Earth under siege from malevolent Martians, the film captivates audiences with its outrageous costumes, melodramatic visual effects, and absurd sense of humor. Over the years, Mars Attacks! has cultivated a cult following, standing today as a staple in the annals of parody cinema.
16 Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Irreverently ingenious, Shaun of the Dead spotlights Simon Pegg as Shaun, a lackluster boyfriend concurrently fighting a failing romance and a zombie apocalypse. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film mixes wit with gore to an uproarious effect.
This film subverts conventional horror clichés by setting its protagonists in comically realistic predicaments, rendering the zombie onslaught almost a subplot. Through a balance of scares and satire, Shaun of the Dead has etched its indelible mark on both comedy and horror genres.
15 Black Dynamite (2009)
Destination Films
Explosively satirical, Black Dynamite features Michael Jai White as the titular Vietnam vet out to avenge his brother's demise. The film comes loaded with charisma, martial artistry, and a barrage of unforgettable one-liners.
It lampoons the blaxploitation genre with its overblown racial stereotypes, disco-era lingo, and choreographed fist fights. Since its release, Black Dynamite has ascended to cult classic status, lauded equally for its humorous subversion and respectful homage to the genre it parodies.
14 Tropic Thunder (2008)
Paramount Pictures
Inimitable in its mockery of Hollywood and the war movie genre, Tropic Thunder stands tall in the world of parody cinema. Directed by Ben Stiller, who also takes a role on-screen, the film assembles an impressive cast featuring Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, and Nick Nolte. Amidst the backdrop of a botched war film, it trails the tumultuous antics of a crew of self-absorbed actors who inadvertently land themselves in genuine peril.
With razor-sharp acumen, Tropic Thunder dissects not one, but two genres: battlefield war epics and movies about the film industry. Lampooning everything from overly dramatized death sequences to absurd vanity ventures—like a rap artist becoming an actor to promote an energy drink—the film targets every trope. It achieves unerring mockery while maintaining a sense of affection for the genres it parodies, hence the film has become an enduring hit in the comedy canon.
13 Galaxy Quest (1999)
Unparalleled in the realm of film parodies, this movie captivates the science fiction connoisseurs. This film tells a tale about former television actors, who were once headliners of a show eerily resembling Star Trek. Recruited unknowingly by extraterrestrials to save their race, these actors must transform fiction into reality. The movie captures skillfully the essence of genre cliche, the film layers the narrative with nuanced humor without ever mocking its roots.
Far more than a mere parody, the brilliance of Galaxy Quest serves as an adoring nod to both Star Trek and its fervent fans. It encapsulates the fascination of space and the promise of human potential. Over the years, Galaxy Quest has matured into an unforeseen triumph. Sporting an impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating of 90% and box office earnings exceeding $90 million, the film proves that when executed with nuance, a parody can attain both critical and commercial success.
12 Scary Movie (2000)
The Wayans family has added plenty to the world of comedy with their various films and television shows. The Wayans were led by their eldest brother Keenan Ivory Wayans for much of their success. It was Keenan who directed one of their funniest films Scary Movie.
This spoof of '90s slasher movies such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer was a hit with audiences that spawned multiple sequels, though the first two stand well above the rest of the franchise in quality.
11 Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
Not Another Teen Movie is a 2001 teen comedy that parodies popular films from the 80s and 90s. The plot is essentially a mash-up of films like American Pie, She's All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The Breakfast Club.
Every teen movie trope is stuffed into one, and the tagline for the movie was "The Teen Mother Of All Movies." Although the film doesn't have the best ratings, the raunchy comedy is truly a product of its time and warrants a watch for fans of the teen comedy genre and of its star-studded cast.
10 Hot Shots! (1991)
Hot Shots! directed by famed spoof director Jim Abrahams brilliantly parodied Top Gun and other popular films including Gone With the Wind and Marathon Man. The hilarious action comedy starred Charlie Sheen, Valeria Golino, Cary Elwes, and John Cryer.
The movie follows Topper Harley, played by Sheen, as he struggles with his demons as a fighter pilot, albeit in a hilarious and goofy fashion. The movie spawned a sequel, Hot Shots Part Deux.
9 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
If there was a specific genre that needed to be taken down a peg, it was that of the biopic. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story not only took the genre to task but managed to tell an epic story that stood out on its own.
John C. Reilly played legendary musician Dewey Cox in this Judd Apatow production. The film parodied such films as The Doors and Walk the Line while telling a surprisingly touching story that spans decades of rock and roll music. While the film didn't set any box office records, it garnered a well-earned cult following.
8 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
The story of a womanizing English spy fighting a bald maniac with a liking for cats may bring memories of countless James Bond movies, but some might associate that with Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
Mike Myers created this parody of James Bond and other spy films. His dual role of Austin Powers and his arch-nemesis Dr. Evil was a highlight of the 90s comedy era. The film kicked off a successful trilogy that still has fans questioning whether or not they'll ever see more of Austin "Danger" Powers.
7 The Naked Gun (1988)
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The Naked Gun began as a series created by the team of Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and Adam Zucker, and starring Leslie Nielsen. While the series known as Police Squad! didn't last, the feature adaptation of the series became an instant hit that led to two sequels.
Nielsen played Lieutenant Frank Drebin, a police officer caught in a conspiracy involving the Queen of England in this spoof of the police procedural. He starred alongside Priscilla Presley, who returned for all three films as well.
6 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)
Before Scary Movie, Keenan Ivory Wayans directed and starred in the Blaxploitation spoof I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. The 1988 film parodied Shaft and the all-around aesthetic of the 1970s Blaxploitation films.
The movie follows would-be hero Jack Spade as he tries to save the ghetto from the grip of the crime lord Mr. Big. I'm Gonna Git You Sucka was Wayan's directorial debut and the film debut of Chris Rock and Marlon Wayans in small supporting roles. The film even included past Blaxploitation actors such as Jim Brown and Bernie Casey.
5 This is Spinal Tap (1984)
"Hello, Cleveland!" Those famous words bring back memories of this mockumentary classic. When it comes to mockumentaries, few come anywhere close to the level of This is Spinal Tap, which remains infinitely quotable years after it hit theaters.
The film, written by mockumentary master Christopher Guest and directed by Rob Reiner told the hilarious story of hair-metal band, Spinal Tap, a band whose lack of self-awareness made this one of the most legendary examples of mockumentaries.
4 Monty Python and The Holy Grail (1975)
The crew behind the cult-favorite Monty Python's Flying Circus series rarely missed. Their first original film was 1975's Monty Python and The Holy Grail, which was no exception and kickstarted the comedy troupe's successful film series.
The hilarious send-up on the Knights of the Round Table was a strange, hilarious, and epic moment in comedy history that has stood the test of time. Monty Python's trademark humor made this an instant and rewatchable comedy classic for the ages.
3 Blazing Saddles (1974)
Usually touted as a movie that could only be made at the time of its release, Mel Brooks's Blazing Saddles is an uproarious parody of the Western genre, filled with gags and set pieces that didn't pull any punches.
While the language was as blue as it gets, the message was delivered brilliantly by Brooks and his cast led by Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. This wasn't some singing cowboy movie, this was the Wild West presented unapologetically.
2 Airplane! (1980)
As far as all-time great comedies go, Airplane! typically tops the list. It is easily the greatest parody of all time. Each scene is perfectly executed with an extremely quick-witted number of gags, all poking fun at the disaster genre.
It was Airplane! that truly cemented David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams as masters of parody. A legendary performance by Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack and a hilarious cameo by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Roger the Co-pilot made Airplane! the greatest parody of all time.
1 Young Frankenstein (1974)
Young Frankenstein is a horror comedy from the 1970s that is a director parody of the horror classic Frankenstein, which was the second release within the Universal Monster films. Gene Wilder embodies his role as a young doctor who moves into his grandfather's castle.
However, he also inherits a book that outlines reanimating dead bodies. The late Peter Boyle plays The Monster and breathes life into a corpse. The film offers little frights but is a parody that has withstood the ages.