10 Best Comedy Movies on HBO Max Right Now, from Barbie to Birdman

Comedy is the hardest genre to recommend, because what one person finds hilarious another finds grating. So instead of a single "funniest" ranking, this list of the best comedy movies on HBO Max spans styles: satire, romantic comedy, coming-of-age, horror comedy and family fun. Each one has strong audience ratings and a clear sense of who will enjoy it most.

All films were included with HBO Max in the US at the time of writing, based on TMDB and JustWatch data. The service, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, was briefly rebranded as "Max" before returning to the HBO Max name. If you see either name, it is the same service.

The 10 best comedy movies on HBO Max

1. Barbie (2023)

Director: Greta Gerwig · Rated: PG-13 · Runtime: 1 h 54 min · Style: satirical fantasy comedy

Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, starts having existential thoughts in perfect Barbieland and travels to the real world with Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, close behind. Barbie was the highest-grossing film worldwide in 2023, and it is a candy-colored crowd-pleaser with sharp ideas about identity. Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

2. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu · Rated: R · Runtime: 1 h 59 min · Style: dark comedy

A washed-up actor famous for playing a superhero, played by Michael Keaton, tries to revive his career with a Broadway play. Staged to look like one continuous shot, Birdman won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is a dizzying satire of fame and ego.

3. Lady Bird (2017)

Director: Greta Gerwig · Rated: R · Runtime: 1 h 34 min · Style: coming-of-age comedy-drama

A headstrong Sacramento high school senior, played by Saoirse Ronan, navigates her final year, college applications and a fierce, loving relationship with her mother, played by Laurie Metcalf. Lady Bird is funny, specific and deeply felt, and it received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

4. Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa · Rated: PG-13 · Runtime: 1 h 58 min · Style: romantic comedy

Newly separated Cal, played by Steve Carell, gets dating lessons from a smooth bachelor played by Ryan Gosling, while several love stories collide. With Emma Stone and Julianne Moore, it is one of the most rewatchable rom-coms of its era, and it has a great third-act twist.

5. Zombieland (2009)

Director: Ruben Fleischer · Rated: R · Runtime: 1 h 28 min · Style: horror comedy

A nervous college student, played by Jesse Eisenberg, survives the zombie apocalypse by following a strict list of rules, and teams up with a Twinkie-obsessed tough guy played by Woody Harrelson. Fast, gory and very funny, with one of the best celebrity cameos in comedy history.

6. Despicable Me (2010)

Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud · Rated: PG · Runtime: 1 h 35 min · Style: animated family comedy

Supervillain Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, plans to steal the moon, until three orphaned girls change his priorities. The film that introduced the Minions is still the franchise's sweetest entry.

7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Director: Tim Burton · Rated: PG · Runtime: 1 h 55 min · Style: family fantasy comedy

Tim Burton's adaptation of Roald Dahl's book stars Johnny Depp as an eccentric Willy Wonka hosting five children in his factory of wonders. Its darkly funny tone stays close to Dahl, and the Oompa-Loompa songs are memorable.

8. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Director: Drew Goddard · Rated: R · Runtime: 1 h 35 min · Style: horror comedy, meta-satire

Five college friends head to a remote cabin, and that is all you should know. Co-written by Goddard and Joss Whedon, it is a clever, very funny takedown of horror clichés. The less you know going in, the better.

9. Deadpool 2 (2018)

Director: David Leitch · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h · Style: superhero action comedy

Ryan Reynolds returns as the foul-mouthed mercenary, now protecting a young mutant from a time-traveling soldier played by Josh Brolin. Packed with fourth-wall-breaking jokes and pop-culture jabs, it is strictly for adults. Leitch's next film, How to Rob a Bank, is scheduled for November 2026, as covered in our upcoming releases guide.

10. The Suicide Squad (2021)

Director: James Gunn · Rated: R · Runtime: 2 h 12 min · Style: superhero action comedy

A team of expendable supervillains is sent on a suicide mission to a South American island. Gunn's take is violent, irreverent and surprisingly heartfelt, with Idris Elba, Margot Robbie and a scene-stealing shark named King Shark.

Quick picks by mood

What makes a comedy hold up?

The comedies that stay funny on rewatch tend to share a few traits: characters you care about, jokes rooted in personality rather than topical references, and a story that would work even without the gags. Lady Bird and Crazy, Stupid, Love. are good examples. Their humor comes from people we recognize, which is why they feel fresh years later. Satires like Barbie and Birdman hold up because their targets, the pressures of identity and fame, never go out of date. When choosing a comedy for a group, a film with heart is usually a safer bet than one that relies on shock value.

Finding more comedies

Browse our Comedy page for popular comedies with trailers and US availability, and the HBO Max platform page for the current catalog. HBO Max's official site, hbomax.com, lists plans and new arrivals. The Wikipedia overview of comedy films is a good primer on the genre's many subgenres, from screwball to mockumentary.

If you share a household with kids, pair this list with our guide to the best Pixar and Disney animated movies on Disney+. For something heavier, our Oscar Best Picture winners guide includes One Battle After Another, a comic thriller that is also on HBO Max.