Tired of seriousness and stress? Then dive into the world of new and best comedies of 2023, many of which you can already watch.
We have collected the best premieres of this year in one list, showing all the variety of humor in world cinema. Choose what will be interesting to you, make yourself comfortable, relax and be filled with a good mood. Or wait a while for the premiere. And don’t forget that laughter prolongs life! 🙂
Magic Mike’s Last Dance
- Rating IMDB – 5.3
- Genre: Drama, comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Worldwide gross: $57 030 156
- Directed by Steven Soderbergh
- Cast: Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, Ayoub Khan Dean, Jemelia George, Juliet Motamed, Vicky Pepperdine, Gavin Spox, Alan Cox, Caitlin Gerard, Christopher Bencomo
Soderbergh’s tragicomedy, the sequel to 2015’s “Super Mike XXL,” was released on February 10, 2023. “The Last Dance” is a film starring Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum.
Judging by the title, it is the third and final part of the series about Mike Lane. He is sidelined as a bartender by wealthy socialite Maxandra Mendoza (Hayek), who has separated from her husband, and is assigned to put on a scandalous show at a theater owned by her ex’s family. Business relations between Mike and Max gradually warm up.
Mike’s story is inspired by the biography of Channing Tatum himself, who produced and starred in the film.
Your Place or Mine
- Rating IMDB – 5.6
- Genre: Melodrama, Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Alyn Brosh McKenna
- Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, Zoe Chao, Jesse Williams, Wesley Kimmel, Teague Notaro, Steve Zahn, Rachel Bloom, Griffin Matthews, Vella Lovell
The upbeat romcom, released on February 10, 2023, is one of the funniest movies starring Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon.
Debbie lives in Los Angeles, is raising her ailing son Jack by herself, and is constantly swirling with endless worries. Her old friend Peter from New York, a little tired of the serious business of his business, proposes to swap houses for a week.
Debbie can rest in the comfort of his cozy apartment, and he will be distracted from business in her simple home, at the same time looking after Jack. And at some point they both realize that it would be a good idea to combine both their lives.
The film was shot entirely in Brooklyn.
Cocaine Bear
- Rating IMDB – 6.0
- Genre: Thriller, comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Budget: $35 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $87 640 364
- Directed by Elizabeth Banks
- Cast: Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenrike, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Ray Liotta, Isaiah Whitlock Jr, Brooklyn Prince, Christian Convery, Margo Martindale, Jessie Tyler Ferguson, Hannah Hoekstra
How many horror movies do you know that are inspired by real events? The horror comedy “Cocaine Bear” was released on February 24, 2023 and has already made $87 million laughs worldwide.
It’s the story of a large bear getting high and wreaking havoc in a Kentucky national park. The movie begins with a hapless drug dealer dumping bags of cocaine over the woods and then dying when his parachute fails to open. The bear accidentally stumbles upon the drugs and gobbles up a killer dose. And then starts killing, leaving behind a trail of bloody corpses of hikers, teenage delinquents, police officers and criminals who were looking for the scattered cocaine.
The real bear who stumbled upon the scattered drugs died from them before he could go on a rampage. The stuffed animal, dubbed “Pablo Escobar,” is on display at a Kentucky mall.
We Have a Ghost
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Fantasy, Family, Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Budget: $75 000 000
- Directed by Christopher Landon
- Cast: Anthony Mackie, David Harbour, Jahi Diallo Winston, Teague Notaro, Erica Ashe, Jennifer Coolidge, Faith Ford, Neels Fitch, Isabella Russo, Steve Coulter
The supernatural comedy from Netflix was released on February 24, 2023. It’s a wonderful and funny movie about ghosts you don’t have to be afraid of.
A black Presley family with two children buys a beautiful large house, glimpsing its low price. It soon becomes clear what the reason for the unpopularity of the house is – it is haunted by a real ghost. However, the family is not going to be frightened, and quickly put on the Internet information about the ghost Ernest, resembling a famous actor, who hangs out in his house. The Presleys become online celebrities, and their otherworldly anomaly becomes of interest to the CIA.
The film is based on the short story “Ernest” by writer Jeff Mann.
Meongmongi
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- South Korea production / 2023
- Worldwide gross: $1 315 078
- Directed by Kim Joo-hwan
- Cast: Cha Tae-hyun, Yoo Young-seok, Jeon Ji-hoon, Ryu Soo-yeon, Lee Seung-hee, Park Jin-ju, Kim Yoo-jung, Lee Jae-woo, Kim Ji-yeon, Jeon In-sung
On the first day of spring, a wonderful South Korean tragicomedy about devotion and love was released, a film that takes one’s heart with its cozy emotionality.
Min-soo is a young man who plans to marry his sweetheart So-young. But when he proposes to the girl, she admits that she is severely allergic to dogs. Min has a best friend with whom he has been through a lot – a golden retriever named Rooney. And now the guy has to make a choice and find a solution to a situation that is almost unsolvable.
Champions
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Comedy, Sports, Drama
- USA production / 2022
- Worldwide gross: $18 834 240
- Directed by Bobby Farrelly
- Cast: Woody Harrelson, Caitlin Olson, Matt Cooke, Ernie Hudson, Cheech Marin, Madison Tevlin, Joshua Felder, Kevin Iannucci, Ashton Gunning
Another, very recent film about basketball, which had its world premiere on March 9, 2023. An uplifting comedy about teamwork and people who are passionate about the sport.
An irascible assistant coach Marcus Marakovic (Woody Harrelson) gets into a drunken mess and is offered a choice between a year and a half in jail or the unpromising and depressing job of community coach for a basketball team of people with mental disabilities. Marcus doesn’t want to go to prison at all, and with anticipation of an unpleasant hardship he sets off for a new job that will change his life.
People with developmental disabilities were invited as extras through the charity St. Amant.
Deurim
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Sports, comedy
- South Korea production / 2023
- Budget: $10 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $8 096 085
- Directed by Lee Byung-hoon
- Cast: Park Seo-joon, Lee Ji-eun, Kim Jeong-soo, Ko Chang-seok, Jeong Seung-gil, Lee Hyun-woo, Yang Hyun-min, Hong Wan-pyo, Ho Jun-seok, Lee Ha-ni
Sports comedies are usually very similar in plot, but each time it is a story with new faces and funny situations leading to an uplifting finale. The South Korean “Deurim” was released on April 26, 2023 and became a hit at the local box office.
An experienced and desperate soccer player, Yoon Hong-dae, has been miscast. Now he is forced to become a mentor for a special national team made up of homeless marginalists who have no idea what to do on the field. It’s up to Yoon to turn a bunch of ragamuffins into real pros in the shortest possible time to compete in the prestigious championships.
Actor Park Seo-joon started attending soccer training long before filming in preparation for the role. He had never played soccer before either. 🙂
Long ma jing shen
- Rating IMDB – 6.5
- Genre: Comedy, action
- China production / 2023
- Worldwide gross: $35 466 444
- Directed by Larry Yang
- Cast: Jackie Chan, Liu Haoqun, Guo Qilin, Jackie Wu, Yu Ailai, Joi Yong, Yu Rongguang, Andy He, Xiao Shengyang, Lan Yueting
Time has no power over the legendary Jackie Chan, who returned to his roots in his homeland and has already created a new expressive comedy that has received huge ratings, in his inimitable style – a martial arts film with a twist. The film was released in Russia on April 27, 2023.
The raisin is called Ogonyok, and he is a horse. The very real horse, owned by an aging stuntman named Lao (played, of course, by Jackie Chan himself). Lao is lonely and up to his ears in debt. He fondly cherishes Lightning and dreams of one day returning to his stunts, and at the same time longs to restore his relationship with his daughter. And, of course, he will get a chance to prove himself and get justice once again.
The film has many references to earlier Jackie Chan action films.
Paint
- Rating IMDB – 5.0
- Genre: Drama, comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Brit McAdams
- Cast: Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Ciara Renee, Stephen Root, Elizabeth Henry-Macari, Paul Kosopod, Sonia Darmey Lopez, Ryan Czerwonko, Aidan T.K. Baker, Lucy Freyer
A curious creative tragicomedy about the downfall of a local celebrity saw the light of day on April 7, 2023.
Carl Nargle had been the host of an art show on local television for 20 years, teaching viewers the techniques of drawing. Lately, however, he feels a serious crisis and realizes that he has bored his audience. The bosses hire a young artist, Ambrosia, who quickly becomes a favorite with viewers and colleagues, and Karl is fired. Now he is left with nothing else to do but find a new place in the world.
Carl’s prototype is American host and artist Bob Ross.
Renfield
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Comedy, horror, crime, action
- USA production / 2023
- Budget: $65 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $25 607 238
- Directed by Chris McKay
- Cast: Nicholas Holt, Nicolas Cage, Aquafina, Ben Schwartz, Shohreh Agdashlu, Brandon Scott Jones, Adrian Martinez, Camille Chen, Bess Rouse, Jenna Canell
The charming acting duo of the two Nicolases, Cage and Holt, in the roles of Dracula and Renfield, respectively, was released on April 14, 2023. It’s a horror comedy offering a fresh take on the vampire classic.
Robert Montague Renfield has been Dracula’s trusted servant for over a century. Immortal, he makes sure his master always has fresh victims, because in this version the Count not only drinks blood but also devours human flesh. They move to New Orleans, where Dracula sleeps during the day and Renfield begins attending a help group for victims of a toxic relationship, trying to figure out if he is capable of starting a new life solely for himself.
In an interview about the film, director Chris McKay said that his film is a direct sequel to 1931’s Dracula.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Drama, comedy, family
- USA production / 2023
- Worldwide gross: $20 541 755
- Directed by Kelly Freamon
- Cast: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Elle Graham, Amari Alexis Price, Catherine Mullen Kupferer, Aidan Wojtak-Hissong, Landon S. Baxter
A comedy-drama about growing up with a hint of religiosity, based on Judy Blum’s bestseller of the same name, was released on April 23, 2023. To the beautiful music of Hans Zimmer, 11-year-old Margaret Simon, the protagonist of this touching story, experiences life before our eyes.
Returning from summer camp, Margaret learns that her family is moving to the New Jersey suburbs, leaving New York City. This is very upsetting to the girl at first, but then she realizes that the new school is much more interesting. The new teacher, Mr. Benedict, learning that Margaret’s mother is a devout Christian and her father is Jewish, assigns the girl a year-long study on her identity. This assignment becomes a series of surprising and sometimes hilarious discoveries for our heroine.
Writer Judy Blum played the tiny role of a woman walking her dog in the film.
Fool’s Paradise
- Rating IMDB – 4.8
- Genre: Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Charlie Day
- Cast: Charlie Day, Ken Jong, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Ray Liotta, Steve Coulter, Jason Bateman, Edie Falco, Mary Elizabeth Ellis
This satirical American comedy is released May 12, 2023. The plot centers on a dumb fool who inadvertently acquires fame, and everything in this film is a bit grotesque.
His name is John Doe, and he’s a grown man with the brains of a 5-year-old child. Once out of a mental institution, he lives on the streets, obeying anyone who tells him what to do. Meanwhile, a movie shoot is nearby, and the cranky lead singer, Tom Bingsley, refuses to continue working.
Suddenly, the producer bumps into John Doe on the street and realizes that he is a copy of the cranky star. He decides to use John as an understudy, but suddenly Tom Bingsley dies, and now the filmmakers have no choice: mute John is the only chance to finish the movie properly. He accidentally gets a new name, Latte Pronto, and enjoys his fame…
The film was almost entirely shot in 2018, and it is one of Ray Liotta’s last films before his death in 2022.
Strays
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Comedy, adventure
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Josh Greenbaum
- Cast: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Sofia Vergara, Ayla Fisher, Will Forte, Jamie Demetrioux, Randall Park, Josh Gad, Harvey Guillen, Rob Riggle
This very, very bawdy adventure-comedy film about dogs is coming to theaters in America on June 7, 2023, and later in other countries. The film makes full use of animation, indistinguishable from reality, and of course there’s plenty of real footage.
Reggie is a cheerful terrier who adores his drunkard master, Doug. Then one day the owner throws Reggie out on the street. The doggie teams up with a gang of stray dogs, has incredible adventures, becomes a real stud, and only there realizes that he was a hostage to a toxic relationship. That’s when Reggie plots his revenge on Doug by biting off his penis.
Reggie’s main character was voiced by the coolest comedian ever, Will Ferrell.
No Hard Feelings
- Genre: Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Gene Stupnicki
- Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Bart Feldman, Natalie Morales, Ebon Moss-Bacrak, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti, Scott MacArthur, Hassan Minhaj, Kyle Mooney
This light-hearted life comedy with a flavor of romance will be released in wide release on June 23, 2023.
This is the story of the careless Maddie, played by Jennifer Lawrence, a cab driver girl whose car is impounded. She’s looking for a new job on a Web site and stumbles upon an unusual ad.
A boomer couple, alarmed by their son Percy’s indifference to romantic relationships, wants to hire an uninhibited girl to be his girlfriend and introduce the boy to adulthood. And for her services, Maddie is offered her dream car-so why not give it a try?
Jennifer Lawrence also acted as a producer of this film.
Joy Ride
- Genre: Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Adele Lim
- Cast: Stephanie Xu, Ashley Park, David Denman, Desmond Chaim, Annie Mumolo, Alexander Hodge, Sherry Cola, Chris Pang, Isla Rose Hall
An adult comedy filled with crazy situations during a crazy and hilarious trip is released July 7, 2023.
Audrey dreams of finding her birth mother in China and one day decides to take an important trip for her. Shy and not knowing the language, Audrey calls her friend Lolo, a desperately cocky bully, who brings her eccentric cousin and Kat, a college friend, along for the company. This company embarks on a journey that will be unforgettable for all involved.
The film was first screened at the SXSW Film Festival, and for director Adele Lim it is her feature debut.
Theater Camp
- Rating IMDB – 7.4
- Genre: Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman
- Cast: Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin, Jimmy Tatro, Caroline Aaron, Ayo Edebiri, Nathan Lee Graham, Amy Sedaris, Patti Harrison
We’ll see the hilarious theatrical frenzy in the atmosphere of a buffoonery and eternal celebration in Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s fresh comedy on screens very soon, on July 14, 2023.
AdirondACTS Summer Camp is a haven for aspiring actors. There are endless performances of a variety of plays under the guidance of experienced mentors. But this celebration of the arts is threatened when the tireless and indefatigable camp director, Joan, falls into a coma. To save another camping season and keep the camp from going bankrupt, her goofy son Troy is forced to team up with the most eccentric of theaters.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, but we’ll have to wait until it’s released in wide distribution. By the way, the film is based on the 2020 short film of the same name.
Barbie
- Genre: Fantasy, melodrama, comedy, adventure
- USA, UK production / 2023
- Directed by Greta Gerwig
- Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Greenblatt, Helen Mirren, John Cina, Nicola Kohlan, Will Ferrell, Emma Maki, Simu Liu, Hari Nef
Can you imagine Ryan Gosling as Ken? We’re looking forward to the premiere of the charmingly colorful Barbie rom-com, coming very soon on July 19, 2023.
In the story, the classic Barbie doll is cast out of her lovely Barbieland because she no longer conforms to modern canons of perfection. Unhappy Barbie turns into an ordinary girl in the real world and is forced to find her place here, among imperfect people and interiors. And the faithful Ken accompanies his friend.
For the role of Barbie tried many actresses, from Amy Schumer to Anne Hathaway, but settled on Margot Robbie.
Bottoms
- Genre: Comedy
- USA production / 2023
- Directed by Emma Seligman
- Cast: Dagmara Dominczyk, Ruby Cruz, Rachel Sennott, Nicholas Golitsyn, Ayo Edebiri, Kaia Gerber, Lacey Dover, Havana Rose Liu, Wayne Per, Marshawn Lynch
The satirical teen sex comedy “Bottoms,” out in late August 2023, is the story of two feisty high school girls who start a fight club.
So, two high school girl friends Josie and PJ get their revenge on arrogant cheerleaders by starting their own club with the help of cool history teacher Mr. G. The club is conceived as a feminist community, but quickly turns into a real martial arts circle. The girls who come here practice martial arts techniques, which eventually escalate into real school violence.
The film premiered back in March, at the South by Southwest American Indie Film Festival.
Next Goal Wins
- Genre: Drama, comedy, sports
- UK, USA production / 2023
- Directed by Taika Waititi
- Cast: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Keightley, Kaymana, David Faine, Rachel House, Bela Coale, Taika Waititi, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Moss, Uli Latukefu
Taika Waititi’s sports comedy will not be released in wide release until September 22, 2023. As usual, the director played a minor but amusing role in the film, which, by the way, is based on real events.
At the center of the plot is the famous American coach Thomas Rongen. His career has had ups and downs, and one day he was appointed coach of the real outsiders, who have already stopped hoping for any wins, resigned to his status as “whipping boys”.
Having miraculously entered FIFA in 1998, the American Samoa National Team had not won a single victory until they had Thomas Rongen, who changed everything.
The script is based on the 2014 British documentary of the same name about Coach Rongen.
The Palace
- Genre: Comedy
- Italy, Poland, Switzerland, France production / 2023
- Directed by Roman Polanski
- Cast: Mickey Rourke, Joaquin de Almeida, John Cleese, Oliver Masucci, Fanny Ardant, Bronwyn James, Alexander Petrov, Olga Kent, Anton Pampushny, Fortunato Serlino
Roman Polanski’s European tragicomedy The Palace doesn’t see the light of day until September 28. The film features an excellent ensemble cast of Oscar-winning, not-so-young stars, great music by Alexandre Desplat and beautiful interiors of the monument of architecture.
The events unfold in the famous luxury Swiss hotel Gstaad on New Year’s Eve 1999. Wealthy guests from all over the world come here for a dinner party, and their fates are intertwined with the lives of the hotel employees. Of course, the story will have unexpected twists and turns and lots of cute humor.
The film had a budget of 17 million € and was shot for 17 weeks in Gstaad.
Jiao huan ren sheng
- Rating IMDB – 4.8
- Genre: Comedy, fantasy
- China production / 2023
- Worldwide gross: $58 220 000
- Directed by Su Lun
- Cast: Lei Jiaying, Zhang Xiaofei, Zhang Yuhao, Sha Yi, Liu Mintao, Yu Ailai, Ding Jiali, Wu Yanshu, Yang Enyu
The expressive Chinese film comedy “Jiao huan ren sheng” (English title “Five Hundred Miles”) was released on January 22, 2023. The unpretentious plot, the bright picture – this movie is perfect for a pleasant evening viewing.
Lu Xiaogu, an 18-year-old boy from a big family, is secretly in love with a 30-year-old girl, Jin Hao, but he hesitates to tell her because of the age difference. At the same time, the not-so-lucky and lonely lawyer Zhong Da has a blind date and meets Jin. They start dating, but suddenly Jun and Lu switch bodies and lives. They experience many funny adventures and look for a way to get it all back.
The film was released in cinemas in time for the Chinese New Year and grossed 150 million yuan on its first day.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: Action movie, comedy
- UK, USA production / 2022
- Budget: $50 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $37 846 956
- Directed by Guy Ritchie
- Cast: Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes, Bugsy Malone, Hugh Grant, Eddie Marsan, Peter Ferdinando, Nicholas Facey, Lourdes Faberes
This action film by crime comedy master Guy Ritchie, released in January 2023, is a great way to forget about life’s difficulties for a while. Jason Statham starred in the film.
An international gang steals a top-secret new weapons development from the British government for multi-billionaire Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). In order to get this high-tech device back home, the government hires Orson Fortune, an MI6 agent nicknamed “Fortune.”
Upon learning that Simmonds is planning a benefit concert in Cannes, Fortune decides to infiltrate it with the help of the rich man’s favorite star, Danny Francesco (played by Josh Hartnett). The secret gun-grabbing operation takes place amidst the glittering world of show business, filled with the craziest curiosities.
The film was shot in Turkey and Qatar.
