Picking a favorite Owen Wilson role? No problemo, Gigantor.
In fact, the beloved actor revealed that when it comes to his kids—Wilson is dad to three—it’s his turn as an Old West figurine come to life that takes the cake for their favorite role.
“Night at the Museum,” he told E! News in an exclusive interview. “My kids kind of liked my little character Jedediah, and you know that stuff.”
But the 2006 comedy, which also stars Ben Stiller and the late Robin Williams, isn’t the only entry in Wilson’s filmography that’s a hit amount kids; that same year he also brought his vocal talents to Disney’s Cars as Lightning McQueen.
“I was just talking with somebody and about Cars,” he said, “and I can't believe that's been 20 years.”
In fact, for the 57-year-old—dad to son Robert, 15, with Jade Duell, son Finn, 12, with Caroline Lindqvist, and daughter Lyla, 7, with Varunie Vongsvirates—the passage of time has him spewing platitudes.
"You start to you know sound like your parents were,” Wilson joked. “‘I can't believe how fast the time goes.’ I had a quote from my yearbook. ‘Lately, it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been,’ which is kind of a little bit obnoxious for an 18-year-old to have that quote.”
But decades after he put the Grateful Dead quote to paper, he finally feels like he’s “earned that quote, because it has been a long, strange trip.”
And along the way, he’s left his mark on Hollywood.
“I've been lucky enough to kind of work in a lot of different genres,” Wilson noted. “So, hopefully there's something for everybody.”
That includes his upcoming movie Runner, which he stars in alongside Alan Ritchson as the pair attempt to deliver a life-saving organ to a young patient and out of the hands of black-market dealers.
“I think it's one of those stories that end up really resonating with people and with an audience,” Wilson explained of the film, which releases in theaters Sept. 11. “It's something that everybody can relate to. you kind of understand that there's a child in jeopardy and trying to get this organ transplant to them in time. It's a relatable theme.”
Plus, working alongside Ritchson was an appealing prospect, calling back to some of the movies Wilson loved most as a kid.
“It had that kind of buddy element to it,” he explained. “And when I read the script, it was one of those stories that just kind of hooks you, where you kind of you know get the stakes you know right at the beginning.”
“And,” he promised, “it just doesn't let up.”
Runner premieres in theaters nationwide on Sept. 11. For more films to look forward to before the end of the year, read on.
After a mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports their neighborhood to someplace unknown, the Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on them sticking together. Starring Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway.
Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau, and Anna Faris star in a wild comedy about four lifelong friends who escape to a luxury spa retreat for what turns out to be an unforgettable weekend dedicated to fun, laughter, and a lot of really bad decisions.
Ridley Scott directs this post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller starring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, and Guy Pearce.
The witchy Owens sisters return in this sequel to the 1998 classic. Starring Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Lee Pace, Joey King, and Maisie Williams.
Based on the New York Times best-seller, The Love Hypothesis follows Olive (Lili Reinhart), a Ph.D. candidate who impulsively kisses her department's most intimidating professor, Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman). Their mutual need for a fake relationship turns into an experiment in chemistry that might actually solve for love.
Inspired by true events, Unabomber follows Ted Kaczynski’s (Jacob Tremblay) transformation from Harvard prodigy into the infamous domestic terrorist. Also starring Russell Crowe, Shailene Woodley and Annabelle Wallis.
Adapted from Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel, this psychological thriller follows renowned author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) and Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer who relocates to the remote Crawford estate to ghostwrite for Verity.
Tom Cruise teams up with Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu for this black comedy the world's most powerful man as he embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
A companion piece to 2010's The Social Network, writer/director Aaron Sorkin's new film is inspired by the true story of a young Facebook engineer (Mikey Madison) who enlists the help of a Wall Street Journal reporter (Jeremy Allen White) to go on a dangerous journey that ends up blowing the whistle on Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) and the social network’s most guarded secrets.
When their son is kidnapped, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate (Ben Affleck) and his wife (Kerry Washington) find themselves drawn into a web of deception.
Where to Watch: In select theaters and streaming on Netflix
In this action-packed adventure inspired by the iconic Mattel toys, an undercover CIA agent (John Cena) returns to his small town and unwittingly gets his childhood friends embroiled in a frantic international pursuit to save the world.
Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Elinor Dashwood in this latest adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel. Also starring Fiona Shaw, Caitríona Balfe, George MacKay, and Esmé Creed-Miles.
A live-action version of the legendary arcade game, starring Noah Centineo, Jason Momoa, 50 Cent, and many more as the iconic fighters.
During a charity gala brimming with celebrities and billionaires, a movie star in the midst of an existential crisis (Chris Evans) is taken hostage by an eco-warrior (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her devoted followers.
Alexander Skarsgard transforms for his role as the Wicker Husband made for Olivia Colman's ostracized fisherwoman in this unconventional love story.
Where to Watch: In select theaters on October 23, expanding October 30, 2026.
Based on the beloved Dr. Seuss book, this animated adaptation will feature the voices of Bill Hader, Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, and America Ferrera.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping - November 20, 2026
This highly anticipated prequel revisits the world of Panem and follows young Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games. Also starring Glenn Close, Whitney Peak, Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Mckenna Grace and Maya Hawke.
Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reunite alongside Ariana Grande for this new chapter in the Meet the Parents franchise.
This animated coming-of-age saga follows an impulsive teenage girl named Billie (Hailee Steinfeld) who discovers secret magical abilities which hurtle her into a spectacular journey out of suburbia and into a vast witch realm called Hexe.
An insanely star-studded cast of MCU fan-favorites return to our screens in this fifth installment of the Avengers film series.
Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet return to deliver the epic conclusion to director Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy. Also starring Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson, and Javier Bardem.
The core cast (Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart) returns for this final installment of the reboot trilogy about a magical board game.