Rebel Wilson is undeniably funny. Ever since her breakout in Pitch Perfect, she's shown a rare comic force—confidence, offbeat phrasing, and a self-aware swagger that can turn a side character into the most memorable part of a film. But when the writing is lazy, movies treat her like a shortcut, hoping her loudness will distract from structural deadness. It rarely works. Here are five films where Wilson's talents are wasted, ranked from least to most disastrous.
5. 'Bride Hard' (2025)
Bride Hard is the least terrible of the bunch, but that's faint praise. The premise—a wedding invaded by armed criminals, with Wilson as a maid of honor who secretly has action skills—sounds like a fun genre mashup. But the film mistakes noise for escalation, trying to be a wedding comedy, action spoof, and friendship repair story all at once. Wilson's character, Sam, is reduced to physical comedy and awkward disruption, with little emotional texture to make her journey matter. For a better action-comedy fix, check out our list of 10 Action Movies That Get Better Every Time You Watch Them.
4. 'Grimsby' (2016)
Grimsby has a few scenes so deranged that some mistake it for comic triumph. But it's just very willing to be disgusting, confusing shamelessness with bravery. Sacha Baron Cohen's Nobby Butcher pushes a foul, low-rent spy-comedy collision, but the film lacks precision. Wilson's Dawn Grobham is part of the problem—she's too game, and the movie relies on her willingness instead of shaping scenes or building payoffs. Comedy this nasty needs exact control; Grimsby is just swampy.
3. 'Senior Year' (2022)
There's a good movie hiding inside Senior Year, which makes it more frustrating than outright failures. A woman wakes from a 20-year coma and returns to high school to reclaim her lost status—a premise ripe for exploring arrested development and the pain of time moving on. But the film defaults to stale identity-reclamation beats and fake empowerment shortcuts. Wilson leans so hard into broadness that her character loses the sadness she desperately needed. The movie ducks the emotional bruise every time. For more on missed potential in streaming, see 3 Must-Watch Netflix Movies for Your Weekend Binge.
2. 'The Hustle' (2019)
Remaking Dirty Rotten Scoundrels takes nerve, because that film's pleasure lies in the precision of manipulation and social elegance. The Hustle replaces that with broad gags and a chaotic tone. Wilson and Anne Hathaway play con artists, but the movie lacks the rhythm and wit of the original. Wilson's performance feels like a series of loud riffs rather than a character. It's a comedy that forgets to be clever.
1. 'Cats' (2019)
Yes, Cats is here. Wilson plays Jennyanydots, and while she's not the worst part of this infamous disaster, the film is a perfect storm of tone issues and missed potential. The uncanny valley CGI, bizarre storytelling, and chaotic musical numbers make it a legendary misfire. Wilson's comic timing is buried under fur and digital weirdness. It's the ultimate example of a movie using her as emergency glitter—and failing spectacularly. For more on films that haunt you, check out The 10 Greatest Thrillers Ever Made.
Rebel Wilson deserves better than these films. When given sharp writing, she shines. Here, she's left to salvage sinking ships with volume and shamelessness—a task that rarely works. Let's hope her next projects give her the material she deserves.
