Since his debut on British TV back in 1995, Simon Pegg has spent decades at the forefront of major franchises. The acclaimed actor has written some of his most impressive roles with his long-time collaborator, director Edgar Wright. Keep reading to discover the full list of Simon Pegg’s best movies ranked and where to stream them now. We'll also show you if there are any Simon Pegg movies available to stream legally online for free.
What are the best Simon Pegg movies?
Pegg rose to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the sitcom, Spaced, which was directed by Wright and starred his other frequent on-screen collaborator, Nick Frost. This series gave Wright and Pegg the inspiration for the first film in the cult Cornetto trilogy, Shaun of the Dead, where London salesman Shaun is caught in a zombie apocalypse.
Despite its small budget of $6 million, the film went on to receive two BAFTA nominations and gross $38.7 million at the box office. Alongside Pegg and Frost, it starred other well-known British actors such as Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton and Lucy Davis. Though Shaun of the Dead might have the largest cult following, its sequel, Hot Fuzz, became the highest grossing film out of the trilogy.
The buddy cop action comedy sees Frost and Pegg team up again with a host of familiar faces as other police officers such as Jim Broadbent, Olivia Coleman, Bill Bailey and Rafe Spall. On its $12 million budget, it went onto gross $80 million worldwide and has been named one of the greatest films of the 21st century by Empire.
Though the final installment in the Cornetto trilogy, The World’s End, didn’t perform as well at the box office (reaching $46 million on a $20 million budget) the sci-fi comedy consolidated these three films as British comedy cult classics.
In between these installments, Pegg landed roles in major Hollywood franchises including the Tom Cruise-led action epic Mission: Impossible as the IMF’s Benji Dunn. After his debut Mission: Impossible III, Pegg remained a permanent fixture in the cast alongside Cruise, Ving Rhames and Rebecca Ferguson. The actor also appeared as Montgomery Scott in J.J Abrams’ Star Trek with Chris Pine in the titular role as Jim Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. He reprised his roles for both sequels, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond, which he also co-wrote with Doug Jung.
The actor’s enviable flair for comedy has seen him take on leading roles in British comedies such as the romcom Man Up and Run, Fatboy, Run as well as the sci-fi road trip movie, Paul. It’s difficult to distinguish Pegg’s best role due to his varied dramatic and comedic roles. However, his time in the Cornetto trilogy, specifically Hot Fuzz, as well as in Star Trek and the later Mission: Impossible movies is undoubtedly some of his best work.
Where can I watch Simon Pegg movies on UK streaming services?
From animation to live action, from comedy horror to science fiction, here are the best Simon Pegg movies and where to stream them now.