We are currently amid a very special Brenaissance as Brendan Fraser fans from all over the world are rooting for The Mummy franchise actor to make a comeback in Hollywood. Fraser had a series of bad films back in the late 2000’s after allegedly being sexually assaulted by the then-president of the HFPA. After the incident, Fraser wondered if he was black listed from HFPA. Well, he’s back seemingly better than ever and has a whole community of fans rallying behind him!
In honor of this new era of Brendan Fraser we have found ourselves in, I have binged basically everything he has ever been in. The result is this pretty comprehensive list of Fraser’s best films, along with how to stream them at home. Enjoy, and let the Brendaning commence!
The Mummy Franchise (1999, 2001, 2008)
When most people think of Brendan Fraser, The Mummy franchise is probably the first thing to come to mind and probably what he gets the most recognition for. Fraser plays adventurer Rick O’Connell with Rachel Weisz opposite him as his love interest and later wife. The two have beautiful on screen chemistry with one another, and are a total goals couple, very unlike the first film’s antagonist couple, played by Arnold Vosloo and Patricia Velasquez.
Stephen Sommers’ 1999 film that started the franchise off is actually a remake from a very classic monster flick of the same name back in the ‘30s, that featured one of the masters of horror himself, Boris Karloff. While it’s hard to revive such a classic and do it justice, Brendan Fraser helped lead the franchise to an overall success and definitely deserves a top spot on any list compiling Fraser films.
Stream The Mummy on HBO Max
Rent/Buy The Mummy on Amazon
Rent/Buy The Mummy Returns on Amazon
Stream The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor on Peacock
Rent/Buy The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor on Amazon
Buy The Mummy Trilogy digitally on Amazon
George of the Jungle (1997)
If The Mummy franchise is what most of the world knows Brendan Fraser for, then George of the Jungle is what all the diehard, ‘80s and ‘90s kids worship him for. And to quell any thirst trap needs you may have, he’s shirtless for most of the movie. There’s also a ton of recognizable names to fill out the cast, like Leslie Mann as Jane, Thomas Haden Church, and Holland Taylor.
If you’re familiar with the Tarzan story, then you pretty much know the basis for George of the Jungle. It’s your typical “man raised by apes leaves the jungle for the big city” story, with some added A+ cheesy humor. If you’re looking for an awesome throwback Disney movie, this one will really hit the spot.
Stream George of the Jungle on Disney+
Buy/Rent George of the Jungle of Amazon
Doom Patrol (2019 - Present)
I can’t really think of a better role for Brendan Fraser to jump start his comeback than Doom Patrol, and he’s absolutely brilliant in it (even though he's kind of a full-on robot in most of it). The HBO original series centers around a group of misfit superheroes who all get their powers in unfortunate ways. Fraser is joined by Matt Bomer, Diane Guerrero, and plenty others in Supernatural producer Jeremy Carver’s series. It is a cool and quirky watch that is unique, despite its DC Comics roots.
Crash (2004)
In the peak of his career (if you aren’t counting this new, Brenaissance peak, that is) Brendan Fraser plays opposite Sandra Bullock, Ludacris, and Don Cheadle in Crash as a district attorney up for reelection. The film is one that brings many stories together to tell one of redemption while dealing with issues on race. It won three Oscars, and while Fraser isn’t featured in much of the film himself, it’s certainly worth a watch for its many stellar performances.
Stream Crash on Showtime
Rent/Buy Crash on Amazon
No Sudden Move (2021)
Another banger from the Brenaissance, No Sudden Move puts Brendan Fraser opposite Don Cheadle once again in a heist film with some slight Reservoir Dogs vibes. Taking place in the Detroit in the ‘50s, a group of criminals are brought together for a mysterious job and have to work together to get to the bottom of the situation.
Ocean’s Eleven franchise director Steven Soderbergh is back in the heist game with No Sudden Move, and you know he’s going to kill it with another all-star cast. Brendan Fraser and Don Cheadle are joined by Ray Liotta, Jon Hamm, Kieran Culkin, David Harbour, and Benicio del Toro for this thrilling, thought provoking film.
Stream No Sudden Move on HBO Max
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (2008)
Based on the sci-fi fantasy novel of the same name by Jules Verne, Journey to the Center of the Earth is world bending and one of Brendan Fraser’s iconic roles from the 2000s. A magnificent lost world is found in the center of the Earth after Fraser’s character goes looking for his missing brother who wrote about the hidden world. He’s joined by his nephew, played by Hunger Games’ Josh Hutcherson, and their guide, played by Anita Briem.
The film was one of the biggest releases of the summer of 2008, even though it was competing with two other high action adventure films: Fraser’s own third installment of The Mummy franchise and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Stream Journey to the Center of the Earth on HBO Max
Rent/Buy Journey to the Center of the Earth on Amazon
Airheads (1994)
If you thought Brendan Fraser was wild in George of the Jungle, you’ve got to see the longer haired version of him opposite an equally shaggy haired Steve Buscemi in Airheads. He plays the lead singer of a rock band who storm a radio station in order to get their music played.
If that doesn’t already sound like a total must watch, add in the fact that a young Adam Sandler during his SNL days plays the third band member and you’ve got a trio ripe for comedy.
Encino Man (1992)
Interestingly enough, Brendan Fraser is at his wildest in his first major film role. He plays a frozen cave man who gets thawed out in present day (I mean, ‘90s present day) California by two teenagers, played by The Goonies and Lord of the Rings franchise star Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. What commences is a hilarious goofy film full of feel-good laughs.
Watching the movie now, after almost 30 years, brings a huge wave of ‘90s nostalgia, and it’s a lowkey film that should be revisited by any ‘80s or ‘90s kid.
School Ties (1992)
Another big starter film for the actor, Brendan Fraser leads this private school drama about a Jewish scholarship kid who hides his heritage for fear of anti-semitic peers. It’s important to note that the film takes place in the 1950s, and teaches lessons of acceptance and tolerance with bigotry being rooted in cowardice.
The film also acts as one of the starter films for the acting duo that is Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, being one of the first films the two have larger parts in. Big Shots director Robert Mandel meets Dick Wolf’s writing abilities for this intense drama.
Rent/Buy School Ties on Amazon
Glory Daze (1995)
The trio of Brendan Fraser, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon are back at it again in Glory Daze. This time Affleck is the one leading the film, alongside Sam Rockwell, with Damon and Fraser in much smaller roles. Still, it’s fun to see Fraser pop up in a cameo during a time he was basically everywhere in teen and new adult films.
Glory Daze is about a group of friends who struggle to hold on to their relationships and sense of self with the impending college graduation, and is a great film for future graduates to dust off around that time of year.
Gods And Monsters (1998)
The start of Brendan Fraser’s career was full of fun-loving comedies that built the actor up as perfect for goofy, care-free characters. Gods and Monsters was a very different film for the star. Playing opposite Ian McKellan, Fraser plays a young man who builds a relationship with James Whale, director of Frankenstein and a number of other classic horror flicks. The film acts as a fictionalized version of the final days of the director and handles a lot of heavy subjects, like suicide and sexual assault, and is definitely not a care-free watch.
Gods and Monsters broke Brendan Fraser out as an actor who could play in a more serious film and hold his own with a co-star that had proven himself in high stress films. Gods and Monsters may be a tough watch for fans of Fraser, knowing what the actor has discussed experiencing in his own life, but it’s not a performance to discount from his career.
Stream Gods and Monsters on HBO Max
Buy Gods and Monsters on Amazon
Inkheart (2009)
The 2000s were full of magical and fantastic adventure films from Brendan Fraser, and Inkheart certainly fits that bill. In this movie, whatever gets read out loud becomes real life, and you can imagine how amazing that could be. However, not all stories are happy ones, and a villain is freed into the real world.
Brendan Fraser is joined by Andy Serkis, Paul Bettany, and Eliza Bennet in this mystical film. Inkheart was one of the last big films Fraser starred in before his exit from films before the great Brenaissance.
Stream Inkheart on HBO Max
Buy Inkheart on Amazon
Honorable Mention: Scrubs (2001 - 2010)
If you’re anything like me, you love a good guest star. Brendan Fraser’s recurring guest star appearance in Scrubs as Doctor Cox’s brother-in-law was top notch. He was beloved by all characters, a feat not easily achieved with Doctor Cox and his wife present, which made his cancer diagnosis, and eventual death, even more tragic. His death is akin to Denny from Grey’s Anatomy for me.
Brendan Fraser started out his career back in the ‘90s just as strong, if not stronger, than any big name actor. He has shared the screen with so many icons, and created a solid reputation for himself. I can’t wait to see him back in full force, and he has so many cool projects lined up.
We’ll be able to see him opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s Killer of the Flower Moon in 2022, as well as the upcoming DC film Batgirl, which he is pretty perfect for. Fraser is also set for the lead in The Whale and Behind the Curtain of Night, both of which have yet to receive a release date.
It seems like the next couple years, at the very least, are going to be once again packed with Brendan Fraser flicks, and his fans couldn’t be more thrilled about it.
