Jon Favreau’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

As a fan, I can attest that it isn’t only Jon Favreau’s acting roles that make his work standout, but also the films and TV shows he has directed and produced. Initially, it appeared that Favreau might be typecast as an indie dramedy actor alongside his friend Vince Vaughn. However, a significant turning point came when Favreau took on the director’s role for their second film together, “Made.” This decision paved the way for him to carve out a successful career behind the camera.

Throughout his career, Jon Favreau experienced remarkable success as a director but never lost his passion for acting. He continued to accept both small roles in films he directed, such as Elf, and larger ones like Chef. Notably, he has primarily directed blockbuster movies, including Iron Man, which ignited the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and The Mandalorian, a Disney+ series that marked the beginning of the televised Star Wars universe. Favreau’s work has garnered him awards from the Golden Globes and Primetime Emmys, and he shows no signs of slowing down in the future.

10. Made (2001)

Director / Bobby Ricigliano

In the realm of Jon Favreau’s directorial accomplishments, Made was the film that ignited his career in the director’s chair. Although he was previously a screenwriter for the movie Swingers, which featured both him and Vince Vaughn, it was with this mafia-themed comedy that he got the opportunity to direct his own script. In Made, Favreau portrays Bobby, a man who works on construction projects for a local mob boss (Peter Falk). However, when financial difficulties arise, Bobby agrees to an illicit task and enlists the help of his friend Ricky (Vaughn).

The movie primarily explores the contrasting characters of Favreau and Vaughn; Favreau portrays the downtrodden, exasperated buddy, while Vaughn embodies the reckless, self-centered instigator who often lands them in predicaments. The film boasts a strong ensemble cast, featuring Famke Janssen and Vincent Pastore in secondary roles. The script and humor were commended by critics, although some felt it didn’t quite reach the level of hilarity or originality as Swingers.​

9. Four Christmases (2008)

Denver McVie

As a movie enthusiast, I must say that Jon Favreau has a knack for making significant impacts in his acting roles, even with minimal screen time. This was evident in his collaboration with Vince Vaughn on the heartwarming holiday comedy, “Four Christmases.” In this film, Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon portray Brad and Kate, a content couple who have opted out of marriage but share an unbreakable bond. To avoid family entanglements at all costs, they’ve mastered the art of dodging holiday gatherings. However, when their dream vacation to Fiji crumbles, they find themselves unwillingly visiting not one, but both sets of families during Christmas.

In a funny twist, Jon Favreau takes on the role of Denver McVie, Brad’s older brother, who happens to be an amateur cage fighter, much like his other brother Dallas, portrayed by Tim McGraw. As you might guess, they give Brad a warm welcome upon his arrival, courtesy of their overbearing brotherly affection that often manifests as physical confrontations. This scene is a clever nod to Favreau’s past roles – in the film Made, he was an underground fighter during his leisure time, and in Iron Man, he played a former boxer. The movie Four Christmases was a commercial hit and has since become a beloved holiday tradition.

8. The Jungle Book (2016)

Director / Pygmy Hog (voice)

Disney has reimagined some of their beloved animated films as live-action or CGI remakes, featuring a blend of live-actors and computer-generated imagery. Not all these adaptations have been equally successful, but Jon Favreau directed two that stood out: The Lion King and The Jungle Book. Of the two, while The Lion King dominated the box office with earnings of $1.6 billion, The Jungle Book was deemed a superior film and grossed approximately a billion dollars independently.

This film resembles the initial animated adaptation, narrating the adventure of a young, orphaned boy named Mowgli who’s taken under the care of a wolf pack and brought up in the wilderness. However, his existence is threatened by the menacing Bengal tiger, Shere Khan. The safety and protection of Mowgli becomes the responsibility of other jungle dwellers. Pixar played a significant role in shaping the storyline, contributing to its exceptional quality, and it received an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

7. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

Manny Riskin

In addition to his own directorial work, Jon Favreau often appears in films directed by other movie makers. A significant break came when Martin Scorsese chose him for the 2013 film, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a dark comedy that narrates the life story of Jordan Belfort. The tale unfolds as Belfort ascends to the position of a stockbroker and subsequently crashes due to his arrest on charges of widespread corruption. In this movie, Favreau plays Manny Riskin, Jordan’s attorney in securities, who appears to defend Belfort and counsels him to admit guilt.

In “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Favreau’s character was modeled after Ira Sorkin, an American lawyer who defended Bernard Madoff following his arrest for the biggest Ponzi scheme ever recorded. The film received critical acclaim and made several top-10 lists in 2013. It earned five Oscar nominations but didn’t win any. However, Leonardo DiCaprio did receive a Golden Globe for his performance. Interestingly, Favreau’s character was the only one who avoided getting involved in the scandal.

6. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Harold “Happy” Hogan

Jon Favreau kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe by directing the initial Iron Man film, thus introducing the MCU in 2008. Since then, his on-screen acting career has largely been confined to MCU productions, save for a voice role in Solo: A Star Wars Story. This implies that since 2017, Favreau’s big-screen appearances have been limited to portraying the character of Harold “Happy” Hogan. In 2024, he stepped into a new role and transported the MCU into Deadpool’s universe.

In a brief appearance, Deadpool dropped by the Avengers’ headquarters, seeking employment as a team member. Unfortunately, Happy had to gently decline his application. Though minor, the scene was hilarious, and served as a bridge connecting the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Fox’s X-Men films (featuring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine), and Deadpool into one cohesive universe. This standout MCU film of the 2020s gave director Favreau an exciting opportunity to contribute to it.

5. Swingers (1996)

Mike Peters

Prior to his breakout role in the 1996 film “Swingers”, Jon Favreau had already appeared in various movies such as “Hoffa”, “Rudy”, and “PCU”. However, it was in this movie where he made a significant impact, as he wasn’t just an actor but also its screenwriter. This film was Doug Liman’s second directorial project, marking a turning point in his career that eventually led to hit movies like “The Bourne Identity” and “Edge of Tomorrow”. Interestingly, it was also Vince Vaughn and Favreau’s first significant acting roles together.

In this rephrased version: Mike, portrayed by Favreau, is a comedian having a tough time after a recent breakup with his girlfriend. His buddy Trent (played by Vaughn) encourages him to get back into the social scene and introduces him to the world of swingers. This encounter leads Mike to meet Lorraine (Heather Graham), but his lingering feelings for his ex cause him to stumble repeatedly. The film, in which both Favreau and Vaughn rose to fame, is still celebrated as a notable gem from the ’90s indie movie scene.

4. Chef (2014)

Director / Carl Casper

After achieving success with several blockbuster films following his breakthrough with “Made”, Jon Favreau decided to venture into a different direction by directing a 2014 comedy-drama road trip movie titled “Chef”. This was a relatively small, intimate production with an $11 million budget and Favreau himself playing the lead role. In this film, we follow Carl Casper, a head chef at a Los Angeles restaurant who clashes with his owner over his desire for culinary innovation and creativity. When his demands for change are rejected and he receives a negative review from a local critic, Carl’s frustration boils over and leads him to resign from his job.

After that, Carl opted for a unique approach to his passion for cooking – he decided to traverse the country via a food truck rather than working in a restaurant. This journey helped him rediscover the very reasons he fell in love with culinary art initially.

On the other hand, “Chef” was a hit at the box office and received favorable critical acclaim, boasting an 87% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics lauded the script’s humor and emotion, with Favreau demonstrating his comedic prowess not only in front of the camera but also behind it as a director.

3. Iron Man (2008)

Director / Harold “Happy” Hogan

Jon Favreau was instrumental in starting the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a monumental milestone in comic book movie history. Despite working on a relatively unknown superhero character initially, Favreau didn’t feel the weight of high expectations. One of his most noteworthy directorial choices within the MCU was persistently advocating for Robert Downey Jr. to portray Tony Stark. The studio had reservations about Downey Jr., but Favreau believed in his potential to launch what eventually became a cinematic juggernaut.

This role was a triumph for Favreau, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and Downey Jr., propelling him to leading man status in Hollywood. The success of this movie was pivotal, as it laid the groundwork for the Avengers film and the entire multi-billion-dollar franchise. Favreau’s prowess with this movie cemented his reputation as a blockbuster director for the ensuing two decades. Concurrently, the MCU leveraged the success of Iron Man, making the superhero the focal point of the franchise.

2. Elf (2003)

Director / Doctor Ben

Although Jon Favreau is currently known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Disney live-action films, his most cherished directorial endeavor steers clear of both these franchises. Instead, it was the Christmas comedy movie “Elf,” released in 2003, where he sat in the director’s chair and Will Ferrell starred as Buddy, a baby who Santa Claus mistakenly took to the North Pole and raised as an elf because he suspected Buddy’s human father would cause trouble.

Eventually, when Buddy grew up, Santa granted him permission to seek out his biological father. This prompted Buddy’s journey to New York City for the first time and immersion into the real world. The movie was an immense hit and resulted in a Broadway musical adaptation, a video game version, and a holiday special. Today, “Elf” is often hailed as one of the finest Christmas movies ever made and has become a traditional viewing choice during the holiday season.

1. The Mandalorian (2019-2023)

Director / Paz Vizsla (voice)

The universe of the Star Wars films experienced a pause following the divisive response to the sequel trilogy, yet Disney decided to take a risk to keep the franchise alive. Already successful in initiating the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Jon Favreau, Disney entrusted him with control over the Star Wars universe by hiring him as the showrunner for their first Disney+ series within the franchise, titled The Mandalorian.

Subsequent events found Din Djarin, a Mandalorian bounty hunter, tasked with retrieving “The Child.” Yet, he opted to safeguard the young Grogu and endeavored to escort him to safety, nurturing his potential as a future Jedi. On top of overseeing the production, Jon Favreau penned or co-penned 19 episodes of the series. Spanning three seasons, The Mandalorian garnered a Golden Globe award and received six Primetime Emmy nominations.

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2025-04-22 22:11