5 Nathan Fillion Movies Which Made Us Absolutely Love Him

Most people recognize actor Nathan Fillion as John Nolan from series “The Rookie” and as the titular character Richard Castle from “Castle.” Besides his impressive number of television roles, Fillion has had a lengthy resume in movies, as well. With an impressive 115-plus credits to his name, this talented actor has been in dozens of movies – and is a skilled voice actor. Let’s check out some of his most memorable cinematic roles.  

5 Nathan Fillion Movies 

These movies we listed here showcase Fillion’s talent – for acting onscreen and in performing voice work. He is an in-demand actor who has both dramatic acting chops and near-perfect comedic timing. Fillion often rules the scene with his adept deadpan ability. Besides his TV role as Officer Nolan with which we’re all familiar, here’s a curated list of his movies you shouldn’t miss.

“Serenity” (2005)

Continuing his TV role as Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Fillion fully embodies “Mal” in this film. The crew of the spaceship Serenity have fled earth and one of the crew on it is a telepath, hunted for her psychic powers. The ship’s crew must evade the assassins, outwit the bad guys, and navigate the new solar system they’re now in. 

Fillion doesn’t disappoint in this fun flick. In fact, he’s been compared to a more rebellious Han Solo. Fans might better understand “Serenity” if they’ve watched the space western series “Firefly.” Fun fact: Fillion himself gave production the blueprints to the spaceship, as original blueprints from the show had been lost. He luckily happened to take pictures of them, plus of the original ship.

“Waitress” (2007)

Now we get to the obligatory rom-com – and it’s a good one. Playing opposite “Felicity” actress, Keri Russell, Fillion is Dr. Pomatter, who steals her heart – and the movie – as the romantic lead. Russell plays Jenna, a waitress (who is an amazing pie baker), who’s stuck in an unhappy marriage. She meets the doctor at the diner and the complications begin! 

Here Nathan Fillion delights with his signature wit he injects in the role. There’s an excellent supporting cast, including Andy Griffith, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelley, and Jeremy Sisto. Very sadly, Shelley, who was also the writer and director, was killed shortly after the film’s completion, as she was victim of a violent home invasion.

“Super” (2010)

What would happen if a regular person (or people) decided to dress up as a vigilante superhero and then avenge crimes? This is exactly what this movie tackles – it even could be considered a dark comedy adult version of the hilarious film “Kick-Ass,”’ which came out the same year. 

Although Fillion plays a smaller role in this, his part of The Holy Avenger is highly memorable. Rainn Wilson is lead with celebs like Fillion, Elliot Page. Liv Tyler, and a deliciously vile (six degrees of…) Kevin Bacon as the baddie. Superhero movie lovers need to see this James Gunn film. Interestingly, Fillion has lent his voice and played more superheroes than the actors you may recognize from the MCU.

“Much Ado About Nothing” (2012)

Fillion plays Dogberry in this Shakespeare film, directed by Joss Whedon. (Whedon also was involved with “Firefly” and “Serenity.”) Although the leads are Amy Acker as Beatrice and Alexis Denisof as Benedick, Dogberry (Fillion) is a scene stealer with every – and sometimes loud – entrance. This has a wonderful supporting cast, including Fran Kranz, Emma Bates, Reed Diamond, and Clark Gregg. 

Filmed at director Whedon’s house, this is an entirely different take on Shakespeare. A cool nugget of trivia about the making of this film: this was Whedon’s idea of a vacation! The Buffy franchise director, with the help of his wife, Kai Cole, dressed up their house to tape this fun, indie interpretation of playwright Shakespeare. 

“Thrilling Adventure Hour Live” (2015) 

Ben Blacker and Ben Acker (no relation to Amy Acker) have created a charming and irreverent franchise. Paying homage to the old style of live radio broadcast, there has been a whole slew of “Thrilling Adventure Hour” to include several podcasts plus a livestream TV series since 2020. The series attracts names like Keegan Michael Key, Melanie Lynskey, Josh Malina, and Christopher Meloni, among others. 

In the movie form, which is also doubles as a musical, Fillion plays Cactoid Jim, who’s King of the Martian Frontier. To fully appreciate the whimsical nature of the podcasts, you might want to check out “The Ballad of Cactoid Jim.” It’s a humorous take on an old Americana-folk radio tradition – and Fillion gives it his all.  

Nathan Fillion’s Versatility from Movies to TV 

Whether it’s the characters of Cactoid Jim, Richard Castle, or most currently, John Nolan, we love seeing Fillion play a wide variety of characters. He has charming boy-next-door looks, signature dry wit, and has a deep understanding of the characters he plays. We can’t wait to see what this actor does next.