10 Chris Pratt Movies Since His Massive Parks & Recreation Fame

Yahoo

18-03-2025

The world had no idea that the curly blonde-haired jock Bright Abbott from the 2000s WB drama series Everwood would become a major A-list actor, but here we are. We're talking about Chris Pratt, who, for some, it was their first introduction to the Wanted star, while others might remember him more from his Parks and Recreation days.
Yes, Pratt also played the loveable and dorky shoeshiner at Pawnee City Hall, Andy Dwyer, who wasn't initially written as a series regular. However, the character became so likable that producers decided to bring him back, and thank God they did, or we would've never seen the Andy-April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) love story we didn't know we needed. The role is widely considered the one that broke Pratt into the industry, and his career has skyrocketed since.
Below are 10 films starring Pratt that premiered since the Minnesota native won us over with his quirkiness and undeniable humor in Parks and Recreation. We wouldn't be surprised if this list inspires you to binge every movie. We know we will.
We imagine it wasn't a difficult decision for Pratt to want to be a part of the Netflix film The Electric State, given his co-star is Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, and the directors are the famed brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, who were also behind Avengers: Endgame. So many heavy hitters are involved in the film, including Stanley Tucci, Ke Huy Quan, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, and Jenny Slate, who make a movie about robots that is extra enticing.
The film takes viewers on an adventure as an orphaned teen (Brown) sets out with a robot and a drifter (Pratt) to find her long-lost brother. The movie got drastically mixed reviews, and although there isn't a sequel film in the works, the Russo brothers might expand it to a TV series. Based on their interview with Entertainment Weekly, published on the day of its premiere in March 2025, they hinted that The Electric State could eventually become a show. Will Pratt and Brown reprise their roles? The jury is still out on that one.
Technically, Pratt starred in Bride Wars a few months before Parks and Recreation premiered, but it still counts in our book because he is fantastic in the romantic comedy. Bride Wars hit theaters in January 2009 (Parks and Recreation ran from April 2009 to February 2015), showing the hysterical battle between two best friends (Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway) who strive to outshine each other with their weddings taking place the same day.
Pratt portrays Hathaway's fiancé, who primarily wants to stay out of the brides' drama and have a low-key wedding. This is evident in his sweet proposal at home while eating Chinese takeout. The movie also stars Steve Howey, Candice Bergen, Kristen Johnston, Bryan Greenberg, and Casey Wilson.
In a May 2023 interview with People, Pratt mentioned the throwback film and how it's his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger's go-to. 'Her favorite movie is Bride Wars,' Pratt said of the author. 'Katherine is a huge fan of Bride Wars. She calls that 'true cinema.'' We couldn't agree more, Katherine.
Not only has Pratt repeatedly hit a home run onscreen, but he's also captivated audiences with his voice in numerous animated films. One is The LEGO Movie, in which he portrays Emmet, an ordinary LEGO who's mistaken for a special LEGO and is tasked to save the world. The family-friendly film also stars Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Jonah Hill, Charlie Day, and Alison Brie.
The movie premiered in 2014 and received such stellar ratings (a 96 percent Rotten Tomatoes score) that a sequel film, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, dropped in 2019. Much of the cast returned, including Pratt, who also voices the self-proclaimed 'galaxy defender' Rex Dangervest.
In June 2024, the original film saw a resurgence in popularity after dropping on Netflix, briefly securing the Number 9 spot in the streamer's Top 10 Movies, as per ScreenRant. This excites us even more for the third installment, The LEGO Movie 3, which is currently in development.
We recently rewatched The Five-Year Engagement and were reminded of Pratt's hysterical role in the rom-com, so it was a no-brainer it needs to be on this list. The film, which premiered in 2012, stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, an engaged couple who struggle to make it down the aisle after numerous setbacks and tests of the strength of their relationship. Pratt, for his part, plays Segel's character's best friend and colleague, whose goofiness wins over Blunt's character's sister (Alison Brie).
Many Rotten Tomato viewers named Pratt the star of the movie with his silly songs and performances and the best sidekick to Segel's character. In an April 2012 interview with GQ, Pratt admitted that his character had a lot of similarities to that of Andy in Parks and Recreation and that it's 'hard to dislike' either of them. We can confirm this is true.
The same year that The Five-Year Engagement premiered, Pratt starred in another memorable movie, Zero Dark Thirty. However, the movies are vastly different, with Zero Dark Thirty (2012) being an action/adventure documenting a decade-long hunt for terrorist Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks. Pratt doesn't portray a funny best man but an intense DEVGRY operator, and he actually trained with real Navy SEALS to prepare for the role, according to ScreenRant.
The outlet also noted in their December 2024 article that Pratt's character, Justin Lenihan, isn't a real person, although the actor had us fooled with his incredible portrayal. And just like it was impactful for us to watch, Pratt also felt a connection to the character, as it inspired him to develop his Amazon Prime series The Terminal List, in which he plays US Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander James Reece. Adding another to our must-watch Pratt TV series.
Much of Pratt's success has come from film series after the first installments garnered outstanding box office numbers. This was the case with the action sci/fi series Guardians of the Galaxy, which first debuted in 2014. Pratt leads the series by playing Star-Lord/Peter Quill, who joins forces with other intergalactic criminals to stop a warrior from destroying the universe. His co-stars include Zoe Saldana, James Gunn, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, and Sean Gunn.
The movie did so well that two sequel films, Volume 2 and 3, followed in 2017 and 2023. Despite rumblings of another movie being in the works, James Gunn told a fan on X in May 2024 that the series had ended (via ScreenRant); however, given that no prominent heroes died at the conclusion of Volume 3, anything can happen.
Pratt has kept himself busy in between filming Guardians of the Galaxy, as he also plays the lead character in the Jurassic World trilogy, which restarted the beloved franchise in 2015. The movie follows Pratt's and Bryce Dallas Howard's characters, who mimic the original Jurassic Park protagonists played by Sam Neill and Laura Dern. Just like in the franchise's first film, Pratt and Howard's characters must save Jurassic World luxury resort tourists from the dinosaurs within it and avoid a pre-historic takeover.
The popular series continued with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018 and Jurassic World Dominion in 2022, with Pratt and Howard still at the helm and the addition of Jeff Goldblum. The movies were a major career boost for Pratt and came with a hefty paycheck, as Variety reported in May 2018 that the Jennifer's Body star earned $10 million from Fallen Kingdom alone. It's unknown how much he raked in with the third film, but it's suspected he got a considerable (and much deserved) pay increase.
In 2024, Pratt again delivered some stand-out voiceover work in the animated film The Garfield Movie. Pratt portrays the titular character, forced to abandon his pampered life to partake in a high-stakes heist after reuniting with his father. Snoop Dogg, Angus Cloud, Ving Rhames, Brett Goldstein, and Hannah Waddingham also star in the film.
The movie is a reboot of the original comic book strip, and although it didn't receive the best reviews upon its release, it saw a broader audience on Netflix in September 2024 and earned the Number 1 spot on the platform's Top 10 (via ScreenRant). Garfield's creator, Jim Davis, also gave Pratt a perfect score review of his voicing of the character, which is the ultimate compliment.
We previously mentioned The Super Mario Bros. Movie when detailing the best nostalgia-bait films in recent years, and it was high on our list. This is partly because of Pratt's performance as the main character, Mario, who teams up with others in the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue his brother Luigi from the villain Bowser. Video game fanatics couldn't contain their excitement upon the film's release in 2023 as it brought to life the classic franchise with well-known actors voicing the characters.
The star-studded cast includes Charlie Day, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sebastian Maniscalco. A sequel is expected to drop in August 2026 (via The Hollywood Reporter); for Super Mario fans, the date can't come soon enough.
Rounding out the Top 10 Pratt films is 2011's Moneyball, in which he portrays the Oakland Athletics first baseman/catcher Scott Hatteberg. Pratt showed off his baseball skills in the movie, starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and even flexed his ego during his audition.
In a March 2025 interview on The Graham Norton Show, Pratt revealed he kicked director Bennett Miller and Pitt out of the room after their lackluster reactions to his initial audition, ultimately winning them over to pick him for the part. The moment was a pure power move that paid off for Pratt, as it was one of his more significant roles in the early days of his career. To be a fly on the wall during that audition…
Pratt gained a large following from his time in Parks and Recreation, and while we'll always remember him as the sweet Andy Dwyer, who performed to a massive crowd while eulogizing Pawnee's favorite miniature horse, Li'l Sebastian, he's given us many more reasons to fangirl over him with his slew of hit films. Before you scour your streaming services for these films, here's a reminder of Andy's musical tribute to his furry friend. You're welcome.