Dylan O’Brien is arguably one of the most underrated actors of our generation. After featuring in the Teen Wolf series, he has established a powerful resume that continued to shine. TechTrends made a list of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time.
Dylan O’Brien first made himself comfortable in front of the camera by posting film content on YouTube. He has his first big role in the MTV series named Teen Wolf, where he played the role of Stiles Stilinski. For his natural talent, he got many roles coming, and he made a name for himself in the movie industry. His success was followed by hit action franchises, such as The Maze Runner. Moreover, he has recently played the male character in the Taylor Swift short film All Too Well. The young actor has gone to do many amazing projects and showed his abilities as a dramatic actor as well as his talent in voiceover roles. We made a reverse-chronological list of the best must see Dylan O’Brien performances. Without further ado, let’s get to it.
Best Dylan O’Brien Movies of All Time
As an American actor and musician, Dylan O’Brien has established himself as a star in the industry. He is getting more and more crazed by the movie fans, particularly after performing in the TV series Teen Wolf. He then continued to star in many movies. As stated before, he directed and starred in some short movies that he aired on his channel on YouTube before becoming a professional actor. Here are the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time. The list is in reverse chronological order.
The Outfit 2022
- Genre: Drama/Mystery
- Director: Graham Moore
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Zoey Deutch, Mark Rylance, Johnny Flynn, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Simon Russell Beale
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 7.1
Leonard, portrayed by Mark Rylance, is an English tailor in “The Outfit” who once worked on Savile Row, and his trade takes place in an unassuming shop in Chicago now. What he has to do is outsmart a dangerous group of criminals to get through a fateful night. The story revolves around Leonard Burling, and aside from O’Brien, the cast includes names like Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, and Johnny Flynn. The character of O’Brien was well-suited, as being a mob member gives the audience a brand-new perception as to what he is capable of doing, but there should have been more of Dylan. This is indeed one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time you need to add to your watch list. Although the story is believed to be slow, but not a slow burn, how the mystery unfolds is quite satisfying and great to watch.
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All Too Well: The Short Film 2021
- Genre: Drama/Music
- Director: Taylor Swift
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Sadie Sink
- Rating: IMDb 8.4
The short film directed by Taylor Swift is the extended version of the song “All Too Well” by the singer herself. It shows a troubled couple with their romance blooming before it finally falls apart. This is one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time. The short film represents losing a first love, with the singer aiming to teach her audience how to carry that in a positive way. In other words, although some first loves do not last, they can be a great moment of growth. O’Brien performs amazingly as the main male character.
Love and Monsters 2020
- Genre: Comedy/Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
- Director: Michael Matthews
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Jessica Henwick, Ariana Greenblatt, Michael Rooker, Dan Ewing, Melanie Zanetti
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 6.9
Love and Monsters tells the story of Joel Dawson, played by Dylan O’Brien, and other who have been living underground for five years since monsters took over the world. The chemical fallout from an asteroid lead to animals turning into monsters. Joel is able to contact his high school sweetheart, Aimee, portrayed by Jessica Henwick, through radio. He begins to feel love again, and for that, he is determined to leave the place he was taking refuge as he wants to meet his idol, although the world is not safe. His life could be threatened at any second, and the movie is quite entertaining for that. This is one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time. Moreover, it also has many cool monster designs.
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Flashback 2020
- Genre: Mystery/Drama
- Director: Christopher MacBride
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Maika Monroe, Hannah Gross, Emory Cohen, Keir Gilchrist, Brendan Steacy, Liisa Repo-Martell
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 56%, IMDb 5.3
This Canadian drama focuses on Fred’s character, played by Dylan O’Brien, who gets vivid flashbacks from his high school days. He gets horrific visions of a girl who disappeared in high school named Cindy. Fred understands that there is a drug that leads to individuals knowing some timelines. He realizes that he has to embark on a mental odyssey to know the truth, going deep into his memories. This is one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time.
Bumblebee 2018
- Genre: Action/Sci-fi
- Director: Travis Knight
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Peter Cullen, Jason Drucker
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 6.7
The movie Bumblebee grossed $468 million worldwide, and it is one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies ever. It was an industrial success and served as a prequel to the movie franchise the Transformers. In this movie, O’Brien’s voice is put on the title character Bumblebee/B-127. Many praised the movie for its motion sequences and how nostalgic it was. The actor did an amazing job, notwithstanding the fact that his face was not in the movie. This is indeed one of the best Dylan O’Brien films of all time.
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Maze Runner: The Death Cure 2018
- Genre: Sci-fi/Action
- Director: Wes Ball
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Ki Hong Lee, Will Poulter, Rosa Salazar
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 43%, IMDb 6.2
In the third trilogy of Maze Runner, Thomas helps his escaped Gladers group on their last and most dangerous journey. In order to save their friends, they have to break into the Last City, which is an ECKD-controlled labyrinth that might be the deadliest maze ever. Anyone who comes out alive will get answers to the Gladers’ questions. This is one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time. Make sure to add it to your watchlist if you haven’t already.
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American Assassin 2017
- Genre: Action/Thriller
- Director: Michael Cuesta
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Taylor Kitsch, Sanaa Lathan, Shiva Negar
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 34%, IMDb 6.2
Another one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time is American Assassin, which tells the story of Mitch Rapp. Played by O’Brien, Rapp holds a grudge against terrorists as his fiancé was killed during an attack in Spain. The two had recently gotten engaged before it happened. Determined to take revenge, Rapp recruits with the CIA and takes physical training sessions, and joins an agent-based team in Turkey that may start a war in the Middle East. Watch and see whether he would avenge his fiancé’s death. For those interested in action movies and those who are a fan of O’Brien’s work, this is what you are looking for.
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Deepwater Horizon 2016
- Genre: Action/Thriller
- Director: Peter Berg
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson, John Malkovich
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 82%, IMDb 7.1
Although Deepwater Horizon was one of the biggest box office bombs ever, it was nominated for a few main awards, with two Oscars. It follows the tale of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and oil leaking in the Gulf of Mexico. Dylan O’Brien plays the role of Caleb Holloway, who is one of the staff members at the time of the incident. Some argue that it is one of the most terrifying motion pictures out there since the devastation was portrayed quite viscerally. It shows how tousled big companies are and what a large role they have in destroying the planet. O’Brien, moreover, goes on to show what a talented actor he is. This is indeed one of Dylan O’Brien greatest movie roles.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials 2015
- Genre: Sci-fi/Action
- Director: Wes Ball
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Rosa Salazar, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 48%, IMDb 6.3
As one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials was expected to be a success following its predecessor. The story is based on the YA novel by the same name written by James Dashner. Gladers were chosen to go under severe experiments to stop the planet from being destroyed by a virus. In this franchise of the movie, the characters try to flee the group that put them there. It mostly focuses on the bond between them, and O’Brien’s performance is immaculate as ever when he portrays the role of Thomas.
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The Maze Runner 2014
- Genre: Sci-fi/Action
- Director: Wes Ball
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Blake Cooper, Dexter Darden
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 65%, IMDb 6.8
The first movie of The Maze Runner franchise came out in 2014 and has helped Dylan O’Brien gain more worldwide recognition after his Teen Wolf days. The movie focuses on Thomas, played by O’Brien, who wakes up and finds himself in a maze with other teenage boys. He does not remember who he is and what he is doing there. Moreover, many critics praised the movie for being different and for having excellent performances from the actors. O’Brien’s performance is so pivotal to the movie being unforgettable, and many have become fans of the character and the concept of the movie, making fandoms on social media. This is by far one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time.
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The First Time 2012
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Director: Jonathan Kasdan
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Britt Robertson, Victoria Justice, Craig Roberts, James Frecheville
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 47%, IMDb 6.8
Dave, played by Dylan O’Brien, is eager to confess his affection to his best friend Jane, portrayed by Victoria Justice. His underclassman Aubrey, played by Britt Robertson, helps him win her heart. As time passes, Dave and Aubrey spend time together and chat about every single thing. They like each other without a doubt, with the affection growing as days go by. Aubrey even ends her relationship with Ronny for her feelings for Dave. With Dave being forced to leave for his studies, the duo’s relationship has to be long-distance. O’Brien performs masterfully and makes it one of his best movies ever.
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High Road 2011
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: Matt Walsh
- Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Lizzy Caplan, Matt Jones, James Pumphrey, Abby Elliott, Rob Riggle
- Rating: IMDb 5.1
The movie High Road is directed by Matt Walsh, and it shows an improvised script of Glenn “Fitz” Fitzgerald, played by James Pumphrey. He is a young man who split his loyalty among his band, Monica, his girlfriend, and selling drugs. Following his band breaking up, Fitz sells drugs out of his garage and bonds with a kid named Jimmy, portrayed by Dylan O’Brien. When his drug deal goes awry, he hits the road with the 16-year-old kid. They face a lot of challenges as they seek safe harbor, not knowing what his girlfriend has in store for him at home. This is one of the best Dylan O’Brien movies of all time that you do not want to miss.