15 Best Movies Like Project X

15 Best Movies Like Project X


Movies like Project X deliver the wild parties and the unbreakable friendship of youth. The 2012 film takes place over the course of one night while following Thomas, Costa, and J.B., three unpopular high school seniors committed to throwing the party of their lives. What seems like the trio’s final attempt to do something remarkable during their school years quickly goes off the rails, with the party growing increasingly absurd and out of hand.




Project X wasn’t the first comedy about non-stop partying, but it helped revitalize the subgenre. The film is produced by Todd Phillips, who directed The Hangover franchise, and its influence on pop culture was so great it has been cited by many real-life teens as their inspiration for throwing wild parties (via The Dallas Morning News). By playing with the most-used teen comedy tropes, Project X adapts typical conventions to a found footage style, delivering a one-of-a-kind movie. However, those looking to find similar movies with big laughs and party vibes still have plenty of options.


15 Neighbors (2014)

A Wild Frat Turns A Family’s Life Upside Down

Neighbors

Neighbors is a 2014 comedy starring Seth Rogen and Rose Bryne as a couple who unknowingly move into a home next to a frat house with their newborn baby. After failing to come to a compromise with the fraternity leader, Zac Efron, the new parents and the fraternity engage in an all-out war.

Director
Nicholas Stoller

Release Date
May 9, 2014

Cast
Zac Efron , Seth Rogen , Rose Byrne , Dave Franco , Christopher Mintz-Plasse , Jerrod Carmichael , Ike Barinholtz , Carla Gallo

Runtime
97 Minutes

Distributor(s)
Universal Pictures


Neighbors is a unique movie in that it casts Seth Rogen as the straight man against Zac Efron’s heavy partying frat boy. The film sees Rogen as a husband who is raising a family with his infant daughter and loving wife (Rose Byrne). However, their lives are turned upside down when Delta Psi Beta, a fraternity known for outrageous parties, moves in next door. It sounds like Animal House or Old School, but in this case, the fraternity are the antagonists and do everything they can to make the people around them miserable.

A sequel,
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,
came out in 2016.

Neighbors is similar to movies like Project X, with the wild parties getting bigger and crazier along the way. However, there is a little more substance to the film, as the frat only gets vengeful when they feel their neighbors betrayed their trust. Neighbors is as much about compassion and understanding as it is about causing problems, although both sides of the story create plenty of chaos before the film comes to an end. The film shares the wild party scenes in common with Project X, although things don’t get quite as wild.


14 The World’s End (2013)

Friends Reunite For One Last Pub Crawl

Seeing the main characters from Project X partying and dealing with the fallout from their actions, it is easy to picture them growing up and becoming a little more like the characters in The World’s End. The third film in Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (which also includes Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), The World’s End centers on a group of old friends back together years after their party days have ended for one last pub crawl to honor their friendship and to reminisce about days gone by. However, things do not go well for them.


The guys are all at different parts of their lives despite their similar ages, and it really shows how people can grow apart over the years. However, what really ties this movie into Project X is how everything just grows out of control with the protagonists going to increasingly desperate measures to stop it. In this case, it turns out there is an alien invasion starting while they are on the pub crawl, and they end up in the middle of this mess while trying to figure out their place in life.

13 Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)

Two Stoners Have A Wild Night To Remember

harold and kumar

The first film in the Harold and Kumar franchise, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle stars Kal Penn and John Cho, two roomates who, after getting high from smoking marijuana, embark on an epic adventure to get hamburgers from White Castle. Neil Patrick Harris also stars in the film as a fictionalized version of himself. 

Director
Danny Leiner

Release Date
May 30, 2004

Cast
John Cho , Ethan Embry , Robert Tinkler , Fred Willard , Kal Penn , Steve Braun

Runtime
88minutes

Distributor(s)
New Line Cinema

In Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, the titular stoner buddies (John Cho and Kal Penn) decide they want to set out to get some tasty White Castle burgers, but they then realize that just getting to the fast food restaurant is a journey in and of itself. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle remains similar to movies like Project X in that the situation goes from some friends partaking in some innocent partying and results in an almost life-or-death struggle.


The movie was followed by
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
(2008) and
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
(2011).

On their way to White Castle, Harold and Kumar encounter wild raccoons, gunshot victims, and violent racist police officers. In a humorous cameo, Law & Order: SVU actor Christopher Meloni plays Freakshow, a truck driver with oozing boils on his face. Even better was when Neil Patrick Harris showed up as a fictionalized version of himself, someone who popped up again in the sequels.

12 Van Wilder (2002)

A College Party Expert Meets His Match

National Lampoon's Van Wilder - Poster

National Lampoon’s Van Wilder is a comedy film centered on Van Wilder, a charismatic and perpetually upbeat student who has made college life his full-time endeavor, resisting graduation at every turn. Ryan Reynolds stars as the lead, bringing to life the irreverent and adventurous character who becomes an unlikely mentor to his peers while facing challenges from the university administration. Directed by Walt Becker, the film explores themes of fun and growth during collegiate years.

Director
Walt Becker

Release Date
April 5, 2002

Runtime
92 minutes


Ryan Reynolds enjoyed his breakout movie role in Van Wilder, where the young actor played the title character, a seventh-year senior who remains in college with the sole intention of partying all the time. This is where Reynolds perfected his arrogant comic persona, which has remained a part of his blockbuster movie career, eventually transforming into Deadpool in the Marvel movie franchise. While VanWilder is a product of its time, it remains a very funny look at the underbelly of college life.

The story sees Van Wilder meet a journalist for the college paper named Gwen (Tara Reid), and he sets out to win her over, which puts him in the crosshairs of her frat boyfriend, Dick (Daniel Cosgrove). There is also an incoming freshman named Taj (played by Kal Penn) who sees all of this from the outsider’s point of view, and the parties and wild escapades make it a perfect movie for fans of Project X, although with more of a sex comedy storyline.

11 House Party (1990)

A Teen Sneaks Out To Go To A Big Party


One of the biggest early party movies that has achieved both cult classic status and also the respect of film critics is the 1990 Reginald Hudlin movie House Party. On the surface, this is a vanity project for the former rap duo Kid ‘n Play, with Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin in the lead roles. However, it is a much more important movie than that. Play announces he is having a party at his house while his parents are on vacation, and Kid wants to attend.

The final result was a film that the Library of Congress added to the National Film Registry in 2022.

However, when Kid ends up grounded after getting into a fight with a school bully, he has to sneak out and make his way to the party. Unfortunately for him, there are many things that get in his way on the way to the party and the film flips from his struggles to reach the party to the actual party that encounters its own Project X-styled mishaps. The final result was a film that the Library of Congress added to the National Film Registry in 2022.


10 The Hangover (2009)

Three Men Search For A Missing Groom Following A Bachelor Party Gone Wrong

The Hangover

The Hangover follows a group of friends who head to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. With Doug (Justin Bartha) preparing for his wedding, his friends Phil, (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) take him on a night he’ll never forget, After blacking out, the group – who call themselves the “Wolf Pack” – realize that they’ve lost Doug, and must retrace the steps of the most outrageous night of their lives in order to find him.

Director
Todd Phillips

Release Date
June 5, 2009

Runtime
100 minutes

Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures

The Hangover shares many similarities with Project X despite going in the opposite direction: while Project X follows a party spiraling out of control, The Hangover is set in the aftermath of the party. After what was supposed to be a typical Las Vegas bachelor party, friends Phil, Stu, and Alan wake up to find Doug, the groom, missing. What’s more, there’s a baby in their closet and a tiger in their bathroom. As the Wolfpack desperately tries to understand what happened the night before and race against time to save a wedding, problems only stack up.

Blended image of Phil (Bradley Cooper) and The Wolfpack in The Hangover

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The Hangover has a spectacular cast and feels like a hilarious puzzle, consistently surprising the audience by upping the ante. Similar to the way Project X deals with the unpredictability of a party, introducing a scenario where anything can happen, The Hangover unfolds a chaotic night that only gets worse as the characters dig deeper. Despite the two sequels being letdowns, there are hopes for a possible Hangover 4.

9 Superbad (2007)

Three Friends Encounter Endless Misadventures On Their Way To A Party

Superbad

Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and produced by Judd Apatow, Superbad follows high school seniors Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), two best friends who are desperate to join the popular kids’ party before heading off to college. After asking their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) – A.K.A. McLovin – to use his fake ID to purchase alcohol, Seth and Evan end up getting drawn into a night of criminal misfortunes that threatens the very fabric of their friendship.

Director
Greg Mottola

Release Date
August 17, 2007

Runtime
113 minutes

Both Superbad and Project X nail the concept of a seemingly endless night, introducing unpopular seniors Evan and Seth who are bonded by a common goal: to make a name for themselves at the party of their lives. The difference is that the Superbad characters spend most of the movie trying to get to said party. The number of absurdities and peculiar characters that get in the teens’ way is hilarious, as the party becomes a seemingly unattainable final destination. As one of the movies to define the millennial generation, there would be no Project X without Superbad.


Superbad is considered a classic movie despite only being released in 2007. Even though the characters of both Superbad and Project X are engaging and funny, both movies are predominantly similar when the humor constantly evolves: as the hangout snowballs into an absolute nightmare, a series of hilarious circumstances force the teens out of their comfort zone. There’s a specific point of “no return” when the characters realize they went through so much that it can’t get worse — they just go along with it.

8 Booksmart (2019)

Two Academically Talented Girls Attempt To Enjoy High School For The First Time

Booksmart is a comedy that explores Project X‘s style from the perspective of two teen girls. The movie revolves around Amy and Molly, two high-school seniors who realize they wasted years of their lives refusing to have fun, always putting studies first. As their school year draws to a close, the two finally decide to work less and play more, setting out for an unforgettable night of fun.


Booksmart is a movie that positively represents queer love and uses the party scenario to address relevant topics such as sexuality and social anxiety. The teen comedy always maintains a funny, lighthearted tone that is also present in Project X. Although the focus is on the hangout storyline, the setup in the high school environment is just as funny and engaging, adding layers of nostalgia.

7 21 & Over (2013)

An Aspiring Med Student Is Convinced To Let Loose On His Birthday

21 and over movie poster

21 & Over

21 & Over follows three high school friends, Jeff, Casey, and Miller, who reunite to celebrate Jeff’s 21st birthday. What starts as a modest night out rapidly descends into a chaotic adventure as they navigate a series of misadventures and unexpected challenges. The film explores themes of friendship and the unpredictable nature of young adulthood.

Director
Jon Lucas , Scott Moore

Release Date
March 1, 2013

Cast
Miles Teller , Skylar Astin , Justin Chon , Sarah Wright

Runtime
93 Minutes

Distributor(s)
Relativity Media

Project X is an ode to irresponsibility, with the characters completely rejecting morality and letting go of everything they once knew as right. 21 & Over takes the subject one step further, getting rid of the high school scenario to address maturity and transition to adulthood. In the film, the rational and highly intelligent student Jeff Chang shows up to a seemingly innocent birthday celebration before the most important interview of his life. However, the small gathering quickly snowballs into a night of non-stop booze and debauchery.


While not one of Miles Teller’s best movies, like Project X, 21 & Over is constantly reminding its audiences about the worst that can happen, working around the comical setup with effective levels of tension, as Chang cannot, under any circumstances, miss his interview. Similarly, Project X‘s Thomas is constantly repeating that the house must be kept tidy and clean. These hints only make the consequences of the main characters’ reckless actions funnier, leading up to a great punch line.

6 Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

A Self-Conscious High Schooler Plans To Woo The Girl Of His Dreams At A Party

Cant Hardly Wait Movie Poster

Can’t Hardly Wait

School is finally over, and a diverse group of graduating seniors—from athletes and popular students to the academically inclined—converges at a rich classmate’s house for a celebration. At the party, artistic Preston (Ethan Embry) aims to confess his long-held feelings to Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the school’s most admired beauty. Meanwhile, geeky William (Charlie Korsmo) plots revenge against jock Mike (Peter Facinelli) for years of torment. In another twist, aspiring rapper Kenny (Seth Green) finds himself accidentally trapped in a room with the sarcastic Denise (Lauren Ambrose).

Director
Deborah Kaplan , Harry Elfont

Release Date
June 12, 1998

Runtime
101 Minutes

Distributor(s)
Sony Pictures Releasing

Project X is a movie that encapsulates the 2010s in every frame, from the digital-looking aspect of the found footage style to slang and pop culture references. Can’t Hardly Wait is the film’s 1990s counterpart, introducing the high school dynamics of that time through an unforgettable party on graduation day.


…captures
Project X’s
feeling of the endless potential of being young and going for something seemingly out of reach.

Can’t Hardly Wait has many likable characters who get themselves into a succession of increasingly ridiculous. The fashion defines the decade, as does the film’s main cast, from Jennifer Love Hewitt to Seth Green. However, at its center, the movie captures Project X’s feeling of the endless potential of being young and going for something seemingly out of reach.

5 Dazed And Confused (1993)

High Schoolers Of Different Social Circles Search For A Party On The Last Day Of School

The coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused, directed by Richard Linklater, follows a group of high school students on the last day of school before summer vacation. Set in the 1970s, the film explores themes of rebellion, freedom, and nostalgia, and features an ensemble cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, and Parker Posey.

Release Date
September 24, 1993

Cast
Jason London , Wiley Wiggins , Matthew McConaughey , Rory Cochrane , Joey Lauren Adams , Milla Jovovich

Runtime
102 minutes

Distributor(s)
Universal Pictures


Just like Project X, Dazed and Confused revolves entirely around a hangout, following the perspectives of high school freshmen and seniors on a night of drinking, music, and sex. Directed by Richard Linklater, the film is charming and realistic, offering an easy-going sense of humor that relies heavily on the interactions between characters.

high-school-teen-movies-cool-kids-good

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While the classic ’90s teen comedy is much more down to earth than Project X, both movies effectively play with the idea of a never-ending hangout, complemented by great uses of music in Dazed and Confused. The movie also helped kickstart the careers of young Hollywood actors like Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and Matthew McConaughey.

4 This Is The End (2013)

A Star-Studded Party Turns Into The End Of Days

This is the End Movie Poster

This is the End

In This Is the End, a group of celebrities play exaggerated versions of themselves during the end of the world. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride star in the 2013 apocalypse comedy, with appearances by Emma Watson, Rihanna, Kevin Hart, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Channing Tatum, the Backstreet Boys, and various other Hollywood celebs.

Release Date
September 12, 2013

Cast
Seth Rogen , James Franco , Jonah Hill , Michael Cera

Runtime
107minutes


The events that occur in Project X might seem exaggerated, but they don’t come even close to the absurdities that take place at This Is the End‘s party. The movie is an interesting meta-project that features renowned comedy actors playing themselves at a celebration at James Franco’s house. The booze and the glamour of the party are suddenly interrupted when the celebrities face an actual apocalypse as the world begins to end.

The original idea for the ending of
This Is the End
included Morgan Freeman playing God.

Besides the hilarious chemistry between the star-studded cast, This Is the End utilizes graphic violence as an efficient comedic tool, escalating the level of danger in a hilarious fashion. Just like Project X, This Is The End has incredible movie references and doesn’t miss the chance to pay homage to the films that inspired it. Additionally, it might be one of the best comedies about a party that spins out of control, as it’s impossible to tell what will happen next.


3 Old School (2003)

Todd Phillips Directs The Comedy About Middle-Aged Men Start A College Fraternity

old school poster

Old School

Old School stars Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Wilson as three friends who miss the glory days of college. Now in their 30s, the trio start their own fraternity to try to relive their college experience. Todd Phillips directed the 2003 film, who would go on to direct The Hangover in 2009.

Director
Todd Phillips

Release Date
February 21, 2003

Cast
Vince Vaughn , Jeremy Piven , Will Ferrell , Ellen Pompeo , Luke Wilson

Runtime
88 minutes

Distributor(s)
Paramount Pictures , DreamWorks Distribution , Columbia Pictures

Before stepping into the dark comic book material of Joker, Todd Phillips was mostly known for wild R-rated comedies like Project X. Before producing that movie or making The Hangover, he showed his affection for the genre with the hilarious Old School. Project X followed its format of three male leads with Old School getting great chemistry out of Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell.

It is hilarious seeing these older characters taking part in the same mayhem as the
Project X
characters.


While Project X shows the wild times of youth, Old School has a lot of fun with middle-aged men trying desperately to recapture some of that youth as the three men start a college fraternity despite being too old. It is especially hilarious seeing these older characters taking part in the same mayhem as the Project X characters, with their first party culminating in the infamous moment of Will Ferrell doing a solo naked run.

2 The Night Before (2015)

Three Friends Go On A Naughty Christmas Eve Adventure

The Night Before

The Night Before is a Christmas comedy that was released in 2015. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Set Rogen, and Anthony Mackie as three childhood friends, Ethan, Isaac, and Chris, who seek out a mysterious Christmas party in New York City. The film also stars Michael Shannon, Mindy Kaling, and Lizzy Caplan.

Director
Jonathan Levine

Release Date
November 25, 2015

Runtime
101minutes

Distributor(s)
Columbia Pictures , Sony

Like Old School and The Hangover, The Night Before offers the same wild party antics as Project X while focusing on older characters. The trio for this comedy is Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie as three best friends who are driven apart by the responsibilities of adulthood but decide to reunite for one final Christmas Eve celebration where they seek out a legendary party.


The holiday twist on the R-rated party comedy is a lot of fun and the movie captures Project X’s combination of hilarious debauchery and surprisingly sweet moments of friendship. The climactic party doesn’t disappoint either as it features James Franco, Miley Cyrus, and Oscar nominee Michael Shannon playing a Christmas angel.

1 National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)

A Comedy Classic About A Fun-Loving Frat House

​​​​​​​

Project X and every other R-rated party comedy owes something to Animal House as it was one of the first comedies to feel like an actual party. The first movie launched by the legendary National Lampoon comedy magazine, the movie follows the infamous Delta House, a fraternity at Faber College whose only goals are to have the wildest parties and the worst grade point averages.


The movie is less of a structured plot and more a series of scenes showing the hilarious misadventures these fun-loving students get up to. John Belushi is a standout of the talented young cast as the frat’s true party animal. While there are many examples of the fun energy the movie provides, the legendary toga party is the most entertaining, and like Project X, inspired real-life partiers for decades to follow.

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