Seth Rogen, now internationally known as one of Hollywood’s finest comedic actors,started as a stand-up comedianbefore acting in the TV showsFreaks and GeeksandUndeclaredand taking on smaller roles inDonnie DarkoandAnchorman:The Legend of Ron Burgandy. He also cut his teeth as a writer on Sacha Baron Cohen’s infamousDa Ali G Show. Rogen then appeared in a supporting role indirector Judd Apatow’s mega hitThe 40-Year-Old Virginand later in a starring role inKnocked Up.
His growing success led to the greenlighting of his passion projectSuperbad, which he had been writing with his friend Evan Goldberg since the tender age of 13. The coming-of-age teen comedy was a roaring success and has been hailed one of the defining movies of the Millennial generation. Since its release, Rogen has both acted in and written dozens of certified classics and even proven his versatility by taking on more dramatic roles in films likeFunny People,Steve JobsandSteven Spielberg’s latestThe Fablemans.
Whilst most will recognize him for his acting and trademark gruff laugh, his work behind the scenes is nothing to be scoffed at. Rogen has worked as part of a writing team on ten movies, establishing himself as a master of combining raunchy humor and a genuine heart. These are the best movies written by Seth Rogen, ranked.
Update June 27, 2025: This article has been updated to include all of Rogen’s screenwriting credit, including his recent hitTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
10The Watch (2012)
Written with Evan Goldberg and Jared Stern,The Watchis a rare example of a movie penned by Rogen in which he does not act in. This time, they opted for comedic heavyweights Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and British star Richard Ayoade.The Watchsees Rogen dipping his toes into sci-fi territory whilst keeping the irreverent and crude humor for which he has become known. It sees the aforementioned actors playing the parts of a vigilante neighborhood watch team who uncover an alien invasion plot and are forced to act
Why This Ranking
While the premise is fairly intriguing, and the jokes come thick and fast, not all of them hit the mark, which, considering it’s a Rogen movie, left the audience a little disappointed, making it among Rogen’s less popular output.
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Related:These Are the Best Seth Rogen Movies, Ranked
9Drillbit Taylor (2008)
Drillbit Taylor
Another example of a movie written by Rogen that doesn’t star him,Drillbit Taylorinstead places Owen Wilson center stage as an adult bodyguard approached by three children to protect them from the school bully. Far more family friendly than the type of humor we’ve come to expect from Rogen, the screenplay, written with Kristofor Brown, sees Rogen early in his career trying to find his voice.
Wilson is great as the hapless beggar passing himself off as a trained martial artist, and the story is full of humor and heart, but there is a problem with this movie and that comes from an uneven tone and lack of a clear direction. It at times feels like a transition piece between the old style of studio comedies in the early 2000’s to the new era that Rogen would redefine with Judd Apatow.
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8Sausage Party (2016)
Sausage Party
In 2016, Rogen teamed up with Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter, and Ariel Shaffir to write the screenplay for the computer-generated movieSausage Party. However, don’t be fooled into thinking this is a movie suitable for children; it is jam-packed full of filthy jokes and colorful language. Featuring a stellar voice cast that includes Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, Edward Norton, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Salma Hayek, Paul Rudd, and Danny McBride, the film is about a store full of anthropometric grocery items as they come to terms with what happens to them after they are purchased by customers.
While it mainly relies on gross-out humor, many of the gags are surprisingly intelligent, and the movie actually has a positive message hidden under a barrage of hilarious food puns and sex jokes. While the joke of it being an animated film with an R rating might get old quickly, the film is short and packs enough jokes to make up for it.
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7The Green Hornet (2011)
The Green Hornet
Written with Rogen’s frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg,The Green Hornetwas a reimagining of the popular pulp hero of the same name. The film was considered by many fans of the pair, along with superhero fans to be somewhat of a disappointment. But to quote Jonah Hill atThe Roast of James Franco(viaEW), as he playfully ribbed his pal Rogen, “It didn’t losethatmuch money.”
WhileGreen Hornetwas a disappointment among critics and fans at the time, the movie has gotten better with time. The movie was certainly ahead of the curve, doing an action parody of superhero movies five years beforeDeadpooldid. The movie was also a fun send-up of Los Angeles buddy comedies of the 80s and 90s likeLethal WeaponandRush Hour.Green Hornetis better than it gets credit for.
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6Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
The originalNeighbors(orBad Neighborsas it is known in some countries), written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brenden O’Brien, was a hilarious runaway success, which made over $270 million at the box office on an $18 million budget. When it came to the sequel,Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Rogen, along with Evan Goldberg and Nicholas Stroller, joined the writers of the original. The plot revolves around Zac Efron’s character eventually switching sides and helping his previous enemies, the Radners, played by Rogen and Rose Byrne, to help drive out the new bad neighbors, this time, a rowdy sorority.
There’s plenty of fun to be had in this movie, with not only a great performance by Chloe Grace Moretz but early film work from future superstars like Beanie Feldstein, Kiersey Clemons, and Awkwafina. The movie also does a good job of spotlighting the real unfairness standards between universities and sororities. It is just as funny as the first film with just as much heart.
Stream on DIRECTV
Related:Seth Rogen’s Best Dramatic Movies, Ranked
5The Interview (2014)
The Interview
Whilst the screenplay was actually written by Dan Sterling,The Interviewwas based on a story written by him and Goldberg. Rogen also directs alongside Goldberg. The film follows a sensationalist television interviewer and journalist, played by James Franco, and his manager, played by Rogen, as they are tasked by the U.S. government to assassinate the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who, in the movie, was a big fan of the television star.
Perhaps one of the most controversial movies of all time, not merely for its outrageous boundary-pushing vulgarity, but because of the political premise and the ripples it made throughout the world. The real-life Kim Jong-un wasn’t such a fan, however, and took the movie to be an outright attack on the nation. As a result of this perceived act of terror, the computer systems of Sony were hacked by the “Guardians of Peace,” a North Korean cybercrime group (viaNME). The group also threatened terrorist attacks against theaters showing the film. Which resulted in most theater chains opting not to show the movie.The movie itself was a clever and amusing look at both a vapid media and one of the world’s most dangerous dictators.
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4This Is The End (2013)
This is the End
This Is the Endfeatures a star-studded cast and follows a group of celebrities (including Seth Rogen, of course) playing fictionalized versions of themselves who are at a mildly uncomfortable dinner party when the literal apocalypse happens, and they need to learn to exist with what they have until they can figure out what’s going on. The premise of this story is certainly promising, and considering that the movie features comedy legends like Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera, and more, it’s definitely worth watching.
This is The Endmarked Rogen’s first film as a director alongside Goldberg, and the duo fall back nicely on what they know. Allowing the actors to play fictionalized versions of themselves lent itself to some great improv.This is the Endis certainly one of the funniest films of the 2010s.
3Pineapple Express (2008)
Pineapple Express
Perhaps one of the most beloved stoner comedies of its generation,Pineapple Expressis a laugh out loud action-adventure flick that sees Rogen and Franco demonstrating what it takes to create the perfect on screen duo. Rogen plays a casual marijuana smoker, while Franco is the overly friendly, slightly dimwitted dealer. The pair witness a murder and are forced on the run as a result.
The movie combines the right amoung of observation jokes with a healthy dose action and violence, there’s an underlying, sweeter tale exploring the budding friendship between the two leads and all the associated ups and downs. This combination of heart and humor has since become a staple of Rogen’s.
Rogen’s writing debut still remains one of his greatest. He’d already developed a working relationship with producer Judd Apatow, having starred in the likes ofThe 40-Year-Old VirginandKnocked Up.2007 was the year thatSuperbad, based on a story he’d been developing with Goldberg since he was just 13 years old, finally hit the big screens. The Apatow-produced coming of age flick is a masterclass in comedy and quite possibly one of the most quoted movies of the millennial generation.
From the hilarious back-and-forths between the teen leads to the gross-out sight gags, the humor never misses a beat. Despite all the ridiculousness and vulgarity, the characters and story are strangely relatable in portraying the awkwardness of navigating high school. Not only this, but it is also responsible for the making of Emma Stone, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and, of course, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the notorious McLovin.
1Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
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For yearsSuperbadwas seen as the peak of Seth Rogen’s work, the movie that defined his career, and it held that record for over 16 years. Yet appropriately, it was another teenage-centric movie released in August that would claim the crown. The recent film,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, rebooted the franchise for an entire generation and fully embraced both the teenage and mutant elements of the title that have gone underutilized in past films.
Why the Ranking
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemis what every major IP should strive for. Putting it in the hands of a creative voice who is able to put a new spin on the material.Mutant Mayhemshowed that after forty years, there was still plenty of new ways to imagine this property. It is funny, and heartfelt, and features an all-star voice cast that gives Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a new spin that will carry on for years to come.
