Top 10 Family Guy Movie Parodies

In the episode “Wasted Talent,” Peter and his buddies learn of an upcoming tour of the Pawtucket Brewery. To win a spot on the tour, they need to find a silver scroll hidden inside a random bottle of beer. Sound familiar? Not only is the storyline ripped straight from “Willy Wonka,” but the entire episode is basically one giant parody of the movie. There are lines, story beats, and music ripped straight from the source, and some of the characters are more hilarious and exaggerated versions of the ones found in the movie. We don’t remember Charlie getting kicked in the shin by an Oompa-Loompa, though.

This scene starts with Chris being attacked by a haunted tree. Herbert then shows up and yells “You shall not pass” to the tree (it’s not quite as epic as Gandalf’s, but eh), causing them both to fall down a massive crevice. The moment is ripped straight from the beginning of “The Two Towers,” and follows the scene pretty much beat-by-beat. It’s simply awesome to see Herbert fighting a monstrous tree with his walker while epic music plays in the background. This one isn’t as gut-bustingly hilarious as some of the other entries on our list, but it’s probably one of the most fantastical scenes in “Family Guy” history.

It’s kind of endearing to see a psychopathic serial killer gleefully talking about the wildlife returning to a newly cleaned lake. Aaaand then he nonchalantly stabs two teenagers. An oddly nice Jason Voorhees makes numerous appearances throughout the show, including once as a store manager threatening to kill his employee and another time as a loving dad dropping off his psychotic son at camp. There’s something oddly funny about the way the writers have decided to portray Jason in the series. Sure, he retains his bloodlust, but he also seems to have a giant heart. It’s that odd disconnect that makes his appearances so much fun.

We don’t know what it is about the scenes ripped directly from movies, but they always seem to be the funniest. In this episode, Meg develops a crush on Tom Tucker. While watching him on television, she has a vision of Tom swimming in a pool, calling her cute, stripping off his shirt, and making out with her. This is inspired by the famous scene from the classic teen comedy “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” although it is infinitely sexier in the movie. Sorry, but watching a grown, mustachioed, hairy-chested man making out with a teenager is not exactly our idea of sexy. Like Brian says, it’s “awwwkwaaard.”

Seth MacFarlane apparently loves him some Indiana Jones, because “Family Guy” certainly loves to reference it. If Peter isn’t using the sunlight and a scepter-like device to find a notebook in his attic, then he’s being chased by the natives of a foreign land and escaping at the last minute on a plane. The native scene is right out of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” complete with the exact same music and quotes. And, this being “Family Guy,” Meg hilariously drops dead from the numerous blow darts in her back. And to think, that was all due to Chris becoming a freshman…

This “Family Guy” parody has everything: time travel, alternate timelines, key-tars… and TONS of “Back to the Future” references. After complaining about missing the single life within earshot of Death, Peter’s transported back to the ‘80s to relive his younger years. Only, he misses his chance with Lois, and when he gets back to the future, she’s married to Quagmire. Well, if you’re familiar with the adventures of Marty McFly, you can guess what happens next: Peter goes back to 1984 and has to win Lois’ heart at the big dance…while “Earth Angel” plays in the background. You can probably also guess that he succeeds, and that Brian – and Rick Astley – get their moment in the spotlight.

Who knew that “Family Guy” and Agatha Christie could go so well together? “And Then There Were Fewer,” a play on the film adaptation’s title, follows the same plot of Christie’s story, only, you know, with “Family Guy” characters. This entire episode works not only as a parody of the murder mystery genre as a whole, but also as a legitimately interesting story in and of itself. We’re actually left wondering who the killer could be, all the while laughing at the goofy genre hallmarks that the episode brings attention to. Plus, it’s just awesome to see all the characters together in one place, even if they’re dropping like flies.

“Family Guy” just loves borrowing from the ‘80s, don’t they? This moment is taken from the events of the “Family Guy” movie, “Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story,” which was first released direct-to-DVD, then aired on TV as part of Season 4. Here, Stewie races to the swim meet at the community pool. Of course, this being “Family Guy,” it must be done through parody, and the recipient this time is “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” The scene follows the climax of the movie to a tee, including Stewie going back for the sunbathing babes, stealing a drink, and running alongside his father, all to the tune of the movie’s score. Too bad it doesn’t end well, because Stewie just HAD to jump in slow motion while everyone else proceeded at normal speed.

“The Shawshank Redemption” is often considered to be one of the greatest movies ever made, so of course “Family Guy” couldn’t keep their hands off it. The episode “Three Kings” directly parodies three Stephen King stories, but we’re focusing on “The Shawshank Redemption” here. This installment is particularly good at poking fun at the various contrivances of the story, like the warden throwing a rock directly at the poster or Red remembering the name of the obscure Mexican village. We love the movie, but the episode does bring up some interesting points.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “Inside Out” (2015)
“Passenger Fatty-Seven”

- “Office Space” (1999)
“I Dream of Jesus”

- “The Great Gatsby” (1974)
“High School English”

Could it really have been anything else? It’s no surprise that the writers and producers of “Family Guy” are huge “Star Wars” fans, as there have been many fantastic parodies and homages aimed at the franchise over the years. That said, it’s their three-part “Laugh It Up, Fuzzball” series which truly takes the crown. This series of episodes directly parodies the original three “Star Wars” movies, but it does so in a very caring manner. The series is a clear love letter to the films, but it also pokes fun at their many, many flaws and inconsistencies.