Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Adam McKay

Highest Rated: 100% BS High (2023)

Lowest Rated: 10% Holmes & Watson (2018)

Birthday: Apr 17, 1968

Birthday:

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

A veteran of Chicago's improvisational comedy scene, Adam McKay co-founded the popular and influential Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe, served as head writer on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ) and wrote and directed a string of hit comedies starring his production partner, Will Ferrell, including "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (2004) before delving into political satire with the critically praised and award-nominated "The Big Short" (2015) and "Vice" (2018), Born April 17, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McKay was raised by his mother, who worked as a waitress; his father, a musician, left the family when McKay was seven years of age. During this period, he found both solace and inspiration in television comedy, including the broad antics of the Three Stooges, and after stints at both Pennsylvania State University and Temple University, McKay decided to pursue a path in comedy by studying under legendary teacher Del Close at Chicago's Improv Olympic. He later formed his own improv group, the Upright Citizen's Brigade, with such future comedy stars as Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh and Matt Besser. His work with the group - which was marked by a political bent and a decidedly dark streak - led to McKay performing with the main stage group at the famed Second City, and in 1995, a chance to audition for "Saturday Night Live." Though he did not make the cut as a performer, producer Lorne Michaels brought him aboard as a writer in 1995, where he met and befriended new cast member Will Ferrell. Together, the pair created some of Ferrell's most memorable creations for the series, including a dim-witted take on then-President George W. Bush; McKay eventually rose to head writer for "SNL" before departing in 2001, with Ferrell following suit in 2002. The pair scored a substantial hit with "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," with McKay directing and co-writing and Ferrell starring as an awesomely clueless newscaster; its success begat a string of box office windfalls, including "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006), "Step Brothers" (2008) and "The Other Guys" (2010), as well as Funny Or Die, a user-submitted comedy video site that generated a slew of popular series, including the long-running "Drunk History" (Comedy Central, 2013- ), the irreverent online talk show spoof "Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifiniakis" (2008- ), the game show "Billy on the Street" (Fuse TV, 2011-15) with Billy Eichner and HBO's "Funny or Die Presents" (2010-11). McKay soon became the go-to creative force for broad, absurd comedies on film and television, and lent his talents to a slew of projects ranging from the Ferrell vehicles "Land of the Lost" (2009), "Get Hard" (2015) and "Daddy's Home" (2015) to the HBO series "Eastbound & Down" (2009-2013) with Danny McBride and a script rewrite for Marvel's "Ant-Man" (2015) with Paul Rudd. In the midst of this flurry of activity, McKay took a turn towards dramatic fare with an adaption of Michael Lewis's non-fiction book "The Big Short" (2015), which attempted to explain the 2007-2008 financial crisis caused by the U.S. housing bubble. Its irreverent, biting satire won critical praise and earned McKay and Charles Randolph an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Director. He then returned to a sizable stable of comedy projects, including "The Boss" (2016), with Melissa McCarthy, and "Daddy's Home 2" (2017), he wrote and directed "Vice" (2018), a darkly comic look at the life of former Vice President Dick Cheney, played by Christian Bale. Though reaction was split over McKay's depiction of Cheney as a cold, manipulative power broker, the film reaped numerous accolades, including Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for McKay.

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

100% 85% BS High Watchlist
100% 65% 537 Votes
Watchlist
98% 82% Oh Lucy! Watchlist 96% 77% Booksmart Watchlist 92% 80% For Madmen Only Watchlist 89% 88% The Big Short Watchlist 88% 88% Wild Wild Space Watchlist 88% 76% The Menu Watchlist
88% Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons'
Watchlist
88% 65% Hustlers Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 63% Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery Executive Producer - 2024
88% 88% Wild Wild Space Producer - 2024
No Score Yet 96% Daniel Producer - 2023
100% 85% BS High Executive Producer - 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Asog Executive Producer - 2023
No Score Yet 100% The Holly Executive Producer - 2022
88% 76% The Menu Producer $38.5M 2022
82% 58% God Forbid: The Sex Scandal that Brought Down a Dynasty Executive Producer - 2022
82% 81% Fresh Producer - 2022
56% 78% Don't Look Up Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
- 2021
81% 60% Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar Producer - 2021
88% No Score Yet The Oxy Kingpins Executive Producer - 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close Self - 2020
92% 80% For Madmen Only Self - 2020
100% 65% 537 Votes Executive Producer - 2020
64% 77% Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Executive Producer - 2020
88% 65% Hustlers Producer $105.0M 2019
96% 77% Booksmart Executive Producer $22.7M 2019
88% No Score Yet Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons' Executive Producer - 2019
10% 25% Holmes & Watson Producer $30.5M 2018
64% 61% Vice Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$47.8M 2018
67% 39% Ibiza Producer - 2018
98% 82% Oh Lucy! Executive Producer $374.3K 2017
21% 51% Daddy's Home 2 Producer $104.0M 2017
20% 35% The House Producer $25.6M 2017
22% 38% The Boss Producer $63.0M 2016
31% 49% Daddy's Home Producer $150.3M 2015
89% 88% The Big Short Director,
Screenwriter
$70.2M 2015
64% 56% Sleeping With Other People Producer $814.8K 2015
83% 85% Ant-Man Screenwriter $180.2M 2015
28% 45% Get Hard Producer $90.4M 2015
81% 56% The Yes Men Are Revolting Executive Producer $48.0K 2014
74% 46% Welcome to Me Producer $625.7K 2014
24% 36% Tammy Producer $84.5M 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet We the Economy: Inequality 1: Unbelievably Sweet Alpacas Director - 2014
74% 52% Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$127.3M 2013
17% 53% Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters Producer $55.7M 2013
58% 33% Bachelorette Producer $418.3K 2012
66% 51% The Campaign Producer $86.9M 2012
57% 45% The Dictator Executive Producer $59.6M 2012
42% 35% House of My Father Producer $5.9M 2012
79% 60% The Other Guys Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$119.2M 2010
26% 31% The Virginity Hit Producer $535.2K 2010
27% 37% The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard. Producer $15.1M 2009
26% 32% Land of the Lost Executive Producer $49.4M 2009
54% 69% Step Brothers Director,
Writer,
Executive Producer
$100.5M 2008
No Score Yet 20% Girl Missing Detective "Sally" LaSalle (Character) - 2007
72% 73% Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Terry Cheveaux (Character),
Director,
Screenwriter,
Executive Producer
$148.2M 2006
No Score Yet 56% Anchorman: Wake Up, Ron Burgundy -- The Lost Movie Director,
Screenwriter
- 2004
66% 86% Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Director,
Screenwriter
$84.1M 2004

TV

Credit
83% 50% Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Executive Producer,
Director
2022-2023
No Score Yet 86% Painting With John Executive Producer 2021-2023
95% 88% Succession Executive Producer,
Director
2018-2019 2021 2023
No Score Yet 63% Game Theory With Bomani Jones Executive Producer 2022-2023
88% 84% Dead to Me Executive Producer 2019-2020 2022
No Score Yet 92% Motherland: Fort Salem Executive Producer 2020-2022
50% 29% The Invisible Pilot Executive Producer 2022
57% 92% Q: Into the Storm Executive Producer 2021-2022
No Score Yet 18% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2022
No Score Yet 81% No Activity Executive Producer 2017-2019 2021
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Robbie Executive Producer 2020
No Score Yet 81% Drunk History Executive Producer 2013-2016 2018-2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter Guest 2019
75% 84% I'm Sorry Executive Producer 2019
43% 62% This Giant Beast That Is the Global Economy Executive Producer 2019
93% 52% I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman Executive Producer 2017-2018
50% 85% LA to Vegas Executive Producer 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The History of Comedy Self 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Real Time With Bill Maher Guest 2011 2016
No Score Yet 50% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2015
20% 62% Bad Judge Executive Producer 2014-2015
81% 62% The Spoils of Babylon Producer 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Larry King Now Guest 2013
91% 89% Eastbound & Down Executive Producer 2009-2010 2012-2013
100% No Score Yet Funny or Die Presents Executive Producer 2010-2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Guest 2010
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Writer 2010