What do zombies, crooked cops, evil exes, and deadly game shows have in common? They are all integral parts of movies directed by Edgar Wright. Born on April 18, 1974 in Poole, England, he would attend Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design, before starting his career with an independent western parody called “A Fistful of Fingers” in 1995. Wright is a director that is known for his snappy editing transitions, perfectionism on set, and witty comedy that might take a few viewings to fully understand. With “The Running Man”, Wright’s most recent feature film having been released in 2025, it is as good a time as any to see how each flick measures up to one another.

7. Last Night In Soho (2021)

     Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer, travels to London for school in hopes of one day making it big. She decides to stay in a top-floor apartment nearby after leaving the unpleasant dormitory at the London School of Fashion. However, she starts having strange dreams about a singer, Sandie, who used to live in her new room, plunging her into a darker mystery than she could have ever anticipated.

     While being far different from many of Wright’s other movies, “Last Night in Soho” keeps his signature style completely intact. Some of the best parts of the film are when Eloise and Sandie interact within the dream, swapping places through stunning transitions. The mystery of Sandie’s past and how it impacts Eloise’s personality in the present continually raises the stakes, slowly pushing Eloise further into madness. The conflict presented is more of a slow burn than other Wright pictures, but it builds to a climactic revelation that makes Eloise question everything she has encountered throughout her dreams. “Last Night In Soho” tackles heavy themes that Wright’s films have not previously explored, such as misogyny, exploitation, and obsession. The film pushes the boundaries set by these subjects, with Wright showing how romanticizing the past can harm people’s perceptions of reality.

     That being said, since this style of movie is far removed from Wright’s previous work, it is not as satisfying once it comes to a close. Action fits the quick cuts and humor of his other movies more than the introspective, slow-paced nature of a thriller. While it is commendable that Wright attempted something completely different, it sticks out in his filmography as the movie with the most superfluous and unanswered aspects. The film features an ultimately pointless love story, as well as an unexplained reason as to why Eloise possesses the supernatural powers that she does. With a concept that becomes a bit confusing by the end, “Last Night in Soho” is Edgar Wright’s worst movie. However, even Wright’s worst is some of the industry’s best.

6. The Running Man (2025)

     In a dystopian version of 2025, Ben Richards and his family are in a state of crisis. After being blacklisted from work, Richards must participate in the country’s most dangerous game show, The Running Man, in hopes of winning enough money to save his sick daughter. With the whole country hunting him down, Richards must last 30 days on the run, while figuring out if this game is truly rigged. 

     Being an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 book, “The Running Man” hoped to be more faithful than the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film of the same name. With the budget and modern technology to make this possible, 2025’s take on the classic story hits the mark in a way that the Schwarzenegger movie never could. Glen Powell plays a charismatic and more sympathetic version of Richards than the character from King’s novel, looking out for others in a game where anyone else would focus on themselves. The real world commentary about America’s consumerism and unregulated use of AI makes this movie’s themes even more poignant and hard hitting. 

     While this style of movie fits Wright’s style better than “Last Night in Soho,” the stench of corporate meddling permeates throughout “The Running Man’s” runtime. With in-your-face product placement for “Butterfinger,” “Liquid Death,” “Monster Energy,” and “Funyuns,” Paramount backpedaled on their own movie’s commentary to sell real-world items to the viewer. There are a few sequences and shots that feel like Wright’s snappy editing truly shines through, but much of this movie feels like one that could be made by other directors. One thing that can be said about every other Wright feature is that they all feel like his vision and a work of art that can only be attributed to his one-of-a-kind approach. Disappointingly, the same cannot be said for “The Running Man” in some cases. 

5. Baby Driver (2017)

     “Baby Driver” is Wright’s most successful release to date, being a traditional heist movie with a twist. Baby is a getaway driver, paying off his debts in hopes of one day living a normal life. After sustaining hearing injuries during a car accident when he was younger, he now listens to music to drown out the ringing in his ears, while also using it to fuel his driving skills. After meeting Debora, a waitress at a local diner, his new mission is to run away with her before his past catches up to him.

     The biggest strength of “Baby Driver” is how it incorporates music to every facet of the film. In many scenes featuring a track, every action on screen links to the beat. This makes the movie feel like a slew of music videos stitched together into a high-stakes action film. Every needle drop is perfectly chosen to match its corresponding scene, leading to a movie that feels thoughtfully designed from start to finish. “Baby Driver’s” signature car chases are also a highlight, showcasing Baby’s abilities through incredibly creative maneuvers that will make viewers feel cool just by watching them. Couple all of this with standout performances from Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx, and “Baby Driver” becomes Wright’s easiest movie to recommend to the average movie-goer.

     While there isn’t anything technically wrong with “Baby Driver,” it is the least funny Edgar Wright movie next to “Last Night in Soho.” Where other Wright movies have sequences that embody the film’s identity and public memory of the film as a whole, “Baby Driver” doesn’t manage that outside of its overall style being unique. Baby is also unlike any of Wright’s other leads, being soft spoken to contrast the insane criminals he is forced to interact with. Even though this does a good job making him seem like an outsider in this world he doesn’t belong in, it doesn’t make him anywhere near as interesting or enjoyable to watch as the other protagonists that Wright has made. The action and character moments carry much of the movie, but the two hour runtime and lack of memorable quotes or jokes makes this one of Wright’s least rewatchable films.

4. The World’s End (2013)

     The final film of Wright’s self-titled “Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy,” “The World’s End” concludes Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s bunch of buddy duo movies with a bang. With “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” being unique takes on the zombie and action genres respectively, “The World’s End” takes a different approach on the sci-fi thriller. Pegg plays Gary King, a down-on-his-luck alcoholic, who reunites his childhood group of friends to attempt their hometown’s pub crawl. However, their fun is cut short when they learn that the town has been overrun by robot alien hybrids. This forces them to fight their way to the final pub, or die trying.

     Just like the other movies in this trilogy, the best part is the dynamic between Pegg and Frost. Their chemistry and conflict drives the narrative of self worth and accepting change that the film preaches. Watching Gary King put the lives of his friends in danger to complete a bar crawl because it’s all he has left is both hilarious and heartbreaking to watch unfold. The action is where this film shines, with three standout fight scenes that take advantage of their environments well, while allowing each friend to showcase their personalities as these battles play out. The threats posed by the alien antagonists are also daunting and inventive, with their desire to end humanity’s stupidity juxtaposing perfectly with the unending incompetence of Gary’s character. Overall, watching five friends hang out while simultaneously fighting through an alien invasion is endlessly entertaining to watch.

     This movie, while being incredible, lacks a bit of the comedic edge that makes the other films in Wright’s catalog shine. His signature dry wit is still present, but it takes a backseat, where his other movies blend their comedy into the narrative more naturally. Being the conclusion to this anthology-style trilogy, it hits the mark in every way it needs to.

3. Hot Fuzz (2007)

     Forced to transfer to the quiet town of Sandford because he’s too good at his job, police officer, Nicholas Angel, soon finds that his new home isn’t what it seems. After a string of murders and the disappearances of many other townsfolk, it is up to him and the police chief’s son, Danny, to uncover who is behind it all.

     Taking the form of a classic action buddy-cop movie, “Hot Fuzz” revels in its constantly shifting tone. One minute might have the two leads watching other cop flicks, while the next might show the grisly scene of a man whose house blew up after someone sabotaged his stove. It mixes comedy, high stakes action, and mystery perfectly to keep the pace constantly moving. The twisted plot that unfolds as the film progresses is incredibly satisfying to watch, with all of these pieces leading to a climax that puts other third-act confrontations to shame. Running gags, like the runaway goose or the golden statue man that the police are overly concerned about, keeps the humor escalating just as much as the action. 

     The only reason this movie isn’t as good as some of Wright’s others is that Nicholas and Danny aren’t as interesting as some of the other characters played by Pegg and Frost. There are still some amazing moments between them, but those moments don’t match up to some of this trilogy’s best. That being said, the other areas where the film shines, like its creative climax and hilarious moments, allows it to squeak past “The World’s End” as Wright’s third best film.

2. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

     Being Edgar Wright’s first film with actual company funding, “Shaun of the Dead” had a lot to prove. What could have been a low effort spoof on the classic zombie film, became one of the most interesting case studies for the genre as a whole, while also becoming one of the biggest cult classic horror films of all time. The movie centers around Shaun, a man being held back by his childhood best friend and roommate, Ed. After Shaun is broken up with by his girlfriend, he’s thrust into a zombie outbreak that plagues the streets of London. This sets Shaun into action, going on a dangerous journey to find his friends and get to the one safe place he can think of: his favorite local pub.

     This movie has been described by Wright as a “zom-rom-com.” The zombie apocalypse is just a backdrop to the central conflict of Ed and Shaun’s relationship, as well as the love story between Shaun and Liz. With a brisk hour and a half runtime, “Shaun of the Dead” is all killer, no filler. Moving seamlessly from character moment to tense zombie survival set piece, the film doesn’t waste any time, making it the tightest film in Wright’s catalog. It is also one of the most quotable films he has made, with lines like “you’ve got red on you” appearing multiple times in different situations to create entertaining callbacks to look out for. This movie perfects the dynamic between Pegg and Frost, making their friendship seem believably co-dependent and self destructive until the very end. It is easy to see why these two characters would have a hard time letting go of one another to the point where they cause each other the most harm. While this movie features zombies as a plot device, it is more about letting go of the things that hold you back so that you can look forward to a better future and version of yourself.

     While nearly flawless, “Shaun of the Dead” is Wright’s first feature film, meaning he hadn’t perfected his signature style yet. There is one movie left that takes all of his best filmmaking skills, and turns them into one of the most creative, unique, and memorable movies of all time.

1. Scott Pilgrim VS. The World (2010)

     Based off of Brian Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, “Scott Pilgrim VS. The World” follows 22 year old Scott, an unemployed musician dating a high schooler. One day, he meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, but to date her he first must defeat her seven exes in different locales across Toronto, Canada. On top of this, he must juggle the battle of the bands, being evicted by his roommate, and learning what love really is.

     While this movie has an insane premise on paper, it simultaneously tackles incredibly grounded subject matter about self worth and what love really means, while also showcasing larger than life battles against super powered vegans and skateboarding movie stars. Every fight against an ex in this movie features a new gimmick to keep things different, much like a boss battle in a video game. One fight has Scott taking on stunt doubles on a movie set, while another is a battle of the bands where each group’s instruments manifest giant monsters to battle for them. When this movie isn’t reveling in its constantly evolving confrontations, it’s showcasing some of Wright’s best humor through the film’s amazing characters. Each ex is completely unique and hilarious, playing into creative archetypes to make each encounter memorable. Couple this with the rapid pace that crams six books into less than two hours, and there is never a dull moment in “Scott Pilgrim VS. The World.” The movie is also packed to the brim with references, homages, and callbacks to comics and games, making it a celebration of all things pop culture. Above all, this is easily Wright’s funniest and most easily rewatchable film to date, packing so much charm into every scene that its runtime flies by.

     Even though some fans of the comics may find this abridged version of the story to lack some of the depth of the books, the movie manages to excel in ways that the comics can’t due to the medium that they are bound to. It is safe to assume that there will never be a movie like “Scott Pilgrim VS. The World” again. Wright’s passion for his craft shines through in every movie he puts out, but this one manages to stand above the rest.