Top 10 Hilarious Movie Deaths Of the Century (So Far)

“A Million Ways to Die in the West” (2014)

“A Million Ways to Die in the West” might be less remembered than Seth MacFarlane’s other projects, but it still has some chuckle-worthy jokes. One particular scene features MacFarlane and Charlize Theron waiting for a picture at the county fair, something that’s treated as a luxury for the time period. Instead of taking a photograph, the camera bursts into flames and the subjects catch on fire. The resulting shock is both awful and morbidly funny at the same time. Adding insult to injury, the two victims are put out of their misery with no effort to extinguish the fire. MacFarlane’s trademark, subversive humor creates a blackly comedic moment that's quite memorable.

“Burn After Reading” (2008)

Brad Pitt plays one of the biggest goofball roles of his career in “Burn After Reading.” As the lovably dumb Chad, Pitt is a gym employee who gets caught up in a scheme after finding a disc containing a CIA agent’s memoirs. This eventually leads the character to sneak into the agent’s house, seeking information to sell. Chad is caught there by George Clooney’s Harry and is killed in a sudden moment of violence. His death comes as a huge surprise, one which Pitt makes hilarious with his final facial expression. This Coen Brothers’ comedy is full of gallows humor, with this scene being among their most audacious examples.

“The Wicker Man” (2006)

If you’ve been on the internet since 2006, chances are you’ve at least heard about this infamous scene from “The Wicker Man.” Nicolas Cage’s character Edward Malus is held captive by a group of pagans and subjected to a series of torturous moments that lead up to his tragic death. All the while, Cage brings the heat with some of his boldest acting ever on screen. When the character is set upon by bees, the performer gives it his all - which is saying something. The sequence is so ridiculous you have to laugh. As screams and flames double up, it all feels like a crazy fever and is a true shock to the senses.

“Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” (2004)

"Dodgeball" is much funnier than anyone could have expected. The central, ragtag team presents a big challenge for their ornery coach, Patches O'Houlihan. When things seem to be going well for them, their dreams are dashed by an ironic death. O'Houlihan ends up dying because of a falling sign in a twist that nobody sees coming. The surprise of the moment and the build up to it serve as a memorable and untimely exit for the character. All of actor Rip Torn's signature one-liners make the character a treat, but it is this sequence that transforms him from a great comedic coach into a hilariously tragic mentor.

“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” (2010)

Tucker and Dale are two nice hillbilly friends who become villains due to a huge misunderstanding. A group of college kids come into contact with the pair and have reason to believe that they’re psycopathic murderers. When a friend of theirs goes missing, the group comes to save their friend, thinking Tucker and Dale have kidnapped her. Their planned attack goes haywire in laughable fashion. This includes a movement from one guy who takes a bad fall into a woodchipper. The film is packed with tons of wild deaths, but this scene might be the apex of the film’s delightfully ridiculous premise. There’s plenty of blood and the added effects only sell the sequence’s twisted humor even more.

“Shoot ‘Em Up” (2007)

“Shoot ‘Em Up” revels in its over-the-top, ultra-violent action sequences. One of the introductory scenes for Clive Owen’s anti-hero Smith finds him eating a carrot. The vegetable comes in handy as he rescues a pregnant damsel from a killer. Smith decides to attack the hitman with a little carrot improvisation. Taking the phrase “eat your vegetables” to a whole other level, the violent result leaves little to the imagination with its brutality. The execution is so surreal that it provokes laughs and gasps in equal amounts. Seeing the actor do it all without a second thought only adds to the moment’s power.

“Zoolander” (2001)

Ben Stiller's fashion model Derek Zoolander lives a deeply conceited life with his similarly-minded roommates. On a trip to the gas station, the fun-loving friends take a break to have a good-natured fight. Their zany energy sets the scene up as a funny aside, especially when the group starts spraying each other with gasoline. Zoolander realizes too late that one of them lights a cigarette that sets the station ablaze. Played for comic effect, the sequence turns deadly as the lead character's friends perish in the explosion. Stiller's perfect reaction sums up the silliness of this disaster.

“The Other Guys” (2010)

The Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg comedy “The Other Guys” starts off by showing the stark divide between these stars and their counterparts at the police department. Danson and Highsmith, The Rock and Samuel L. Jackson respectively, outperform the two leads with their excessive and arrogant tactics. Their fierce attitude comes back to bite them when a chase leads them to a rooftop. Rather than take the safe way down, both detectives agree to jump and plan for bushes to break their fall. Both actors ratchet up their action personas to the max in order to make this decision especially hilarious. The two obviously don’t survive the descent, but their choice does account for one of the movie’s best gags.

“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004)

“Anchorman” is one of the best absurd comedies of the 2000s. It also just so happens to have one of the more inexplicable deaths of its kind. When rival news teams start to threaten each other, the unassuming meteorologist Brick appears to be more deadly than anyone could have imagined. The sequence quickly turns into an all-out brawl as the various men scatter with various weapons. When fellow TV personality Brian finds himself caught in a net, Brick unleashes a trident into a man on horseback. Steve Carell’s mischievous smile afterwards brings everything into perspective as completely farcical violence. To make the moment even more iconic, the following scene finds the crew casually recapping the weatherman’s crime.

“Zombieland” (2009)

"Zombieland" is a welcome subversion of zombie and horror tropes. Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg's unlikely team-up takes them across the country in a journey of unexpected twists and turns. They seek shelter at Bill Murray’s mansion, unaware that the performer is still there and very much alive. The comedian’s zombie makeup startles Eisenberg's character and results in the star receiving a mortal wound. In his dying breaths, the actor expresses himself with a few notable and parting words. Not only does the cameo punctuate the already funny movie, it also was a huge surprise for audiences back in 2009. Murray brings his trademark dry humor to the scene, even in the face of certain death.