The 21st Century’s Most Quotable Comedy Classic Surges With Hardcore Streaming Fans

3 weeks ago 17

Danny Trejo squinting one eye in 'Anchorman'

Published Mar 7, 2026, 10:00 AM EST

In over three years at Collider, senior author Jake has now penned over 2500 articles covering a wide range of TV and film for the resources, lists, utilities, news, and interview teams. Alongside interviewing stars such as Selin Hizli, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Harlan Coben, and Chelsea Peretti, Jake was lucky enough to visit the set of Aardman and Netflix's Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl in 2024, getting the chance to chat with four-time Academy Award winner Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. Jake has also worked for other publications, including Agents of Fandom.

Although the genre has possibly faced its toughest period in cinema history this century, audiences have still been blessed with some of the finest comedies of all time. From Melissa McCarthy's Academy Award-nominated supporting performance in Bridesmaids and the game-changing screenplay genius of Hot Fuzz to the gothic mockumentary mastery of What We Do In the Shadows and the biting satirical farce of The Death of Stalin, the 21st century has had something for almost every comedy fan.

A crucial component to the staying power of any great comedy is its quotability, with the most quotable of the lot from these past 26 years currently reclaiming its place in the streaming charts. The laugh-a-minute Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a satirical take on the absurd 1970s American news industry, sets itself in 1970s San Diego, and follows the Channel 4 team of anchor Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), sportscaster Champ Kind (David Koechner), field reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), and weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell). When the latest hire at the company turns out to be a woman — Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) — the men struggle to adjust.

Although critics were hesitant to wholeheartedly praise Anchorman, with the movie earning just 66% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, its status as a modern comedy classic has been secured by its enduring presence in the watchlists of fans. Beloved by millions across the globe, the film is widely quoted in pop culture, and has become one the defining performances in the careers of each of its stars. Proof of its durability is that, at the time of writing, Anchorman is one of the ten most-streamed movies on Pluto in the U.S.

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Did 'Anchorman' Win at the Box Office?

(Not so) Breaking news: Anchorman was an undeniable box office hit. Against a reported budget of $25 million, the movie returned $11 million shy of the $100 million mark. Split between a domestic haul of $84 million and a relatively disappointing $5 million from overseas markets, Anchorman became the 65th highest-grossing movie of 2004 worldwide. The sequel, released almost a decade later in 2013, would nearly double Anchorman's total, earning $172 million worldwide.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is available to stream now on Pluto in the U.S. For all the latest streaming stories, make sure to stay tuned to Collider.