The 21 Best Comedy Movies of 2019

If you need a laugh in 2019, you're not alone. This year, lots of great comedy movies are scheduled to hit theaters, from What Men Want to Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.

movies, comedy
(Image credit: Universal + Warner Brothers +Paramount)

Real life can be, well, a lot. That's especially true in 2019, which is why lightening things up with a little well-placed comic relief is so important. Good news: 2019's slate of comedy movies includes a plethora of laugh-out-loud funny flicks that will take your mind off the worst woes of the real world.

Take a look at some of the funniest comedy movies that have already dropped or are coming out in 2019. Feel free to bookmark this list and refer to it all year when you find yourself in desperate need of a good belly laugh.

'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World'

Release date: January 3

Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson, and F. Murray Abraham.

The final installment in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, aka your non-Pixar go-to when you need to laugh and cry all in one animated series.

'The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part'

Release date: February 8

Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Tiffany Haddish, Will Arnett, Stephanie Beatriz, Charlie Day, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, and Maya Rudolph.

Before he was training raptors and guarding the galaxy, Chris Pratt was making everything awesome and making us laugh uncontrollably in The LEGO Movie. Finally, after five long years, everything will be awesome again. (It's already getting rave reviews.)

'What Men Want'

Release date: February 8

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Tracy Morgan.

Taraji P. Henson as a woman suddenly imbued with the ability to read men's minds? Yes, please.

'Isn't It Romantic?'

Release date: February 13

Starring: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam DeVine, and Priyanka Chopra.

What would it be like if you woke up in a rom-com? The answer, according to Isn't It Romantic?, seems to be more com than rom.

'Fighting with My Family'

Release date: February 14

Starring: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn, and Dwayne Johnson.

This one is based on the hilarious and, at times, heart-wrenching true story of professional wrestler Saraya "Paige" Bevis, who grew up in a family of professional wrestlers and eventually went on to win the WWE Divas Championship in 2014.

'Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral'

Release date: March 1

Starring: Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, and Tyler Perry.

Few franchises in this world are more reliably good for a laugh than the Madea movies. Only Tyler Perry could have us this excited to laugh at a funeral.

'Shazam!'

Release date: April 5

Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan, Grazer, Grace Fulton, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Faithe Herman, Cooper Andrews, Marta Milans, and Djimon Hounsou.

It's a superhero movie, but without the "gritty realism" or the "taking itself remotely seriously" vibes.

'Little'

Release date: April 12

Starring: Regina Hall, Issa Rae, and Marsai Martin.

Take Tom Hanks' classic Big and reverse the formula (thus the title, Little): Instead of a kid waking up in an adult body to learn some valuable life lessons, a grown woman is transformed back into her nerdy 13-year-old self to learn how to better live her life.

'Drunk Parents'

Release date: April 19

Starring: Alec Baldwin, Salma Hayek, Jim Gaffigan, Joe Manganiello, Ben Platt, and Treat Williams.

The title tells you pretty much everything you need to know. This is not a subtle movie.

'Long Shot'

Release date: May 3

Starring: Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Andy Serkis, June Diane Raphael, Bob Odenkirk, and Alexander Skarsgård.

This comedy is about a journalist who follows his former babysitter—who just so happens to be running for president—on the campaign trail.

'Pokémon: Detective Pikachu'

Release date: May 10

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro, Chris Geere, Ken Watanabe, and Bill Nighy.

Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu as a detective. It's like Deadpool meets Pokémon Go meets the weirdest dream you've ever had.

'The Hustle'

Release date: May 10

Starring: Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson.

This one is a female-centric remake of the 1988 classic Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and a perfect vehicle for the hilarious and talented Hathaway and Wilson.

'Late Night'

Release date: June 7

Starring: Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella, Hugh Dancy, John Lithgow, Denis O'Hare, Reid Scott, and Amy Ryan.

Emma Thompson as a hilarious late night host. Mindy Kaling as her first female staff writer. It's a perfect recipe for feminist funny.

'Men in Black: International'

Release date: June 14

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry Bourgeois, Emma Thompson, and Liam Neeson.

Men in Black is back, this time with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson in the suits. If their comedic chemistry is anything like it was in Thor: Ragnarok, then the laughs probably won't stop at all.

'Toy Story 4'

Release date: June 21

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, and Keanu Reeves.

The latest installment in the Toy Story franchise is described as a "rom-com" and it's supposed to be more emotional than any of the previous installments. But, you know, also funny?

'Hobbs & Shaw'

Release date: August 2

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, and Helen Mirren.

Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw of the Fast & Furious franchise team up for a lot of action and just as many witty one-liners.

'Good Boys'

Release date: August 16

Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon

Three tween boys go on a R-rated adventure after a series of mishaps at their first "kissing party." You know, as you do.

'Where'd You Go, Bernadette?'

Release date: August 16

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig, Emma Nelson, James Urbaniak, Judy Greer, Troian Bellisario, Zoë Chao, and Laurence Fishburne.

Based on the popular novel of the same name, the movie follows a young woman's journey to find her mother, the titular Bernadette, when she mysteriously disappears.

'Spies in Disguise'

Release date: September 19

Starring: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones, Karen Gillan, and DJ Khaled.

Super suave super spy Lance Sterling has to team up with a gadget-inventing super geek to save the world. Hijinks, presumably, ensue.

'Zombieland: Double Tap'

Release date: October 18

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Emma Stone, Rosario Dawson, Zoey Deutch, and Luke Wilson.

The Zombieland gang—Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock—face off against some newly-evolved undead foes.

'Last Christmas'

Release date: November 8

Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, and Emma Thompson.

Kate has the worst luck. Then, she takes a job as a department store elf at Christmas time, meets Tom, and finds her luck changing. Rom-com vibes for days.

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Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.