Is there anything that Donald Glover can't do? The man has shined as a television writer on 30 Rock, as an actor on shows like Community and Atlanta (which is his creation), as a standup comedian, and of course, in his rap career as Childish Gambino.
His star continues to rise with each passing year and that has included appearing in a handful of blockbuster films. From those big-budget hits to the indie stuff that started his career, Glover has been in some quality films. We're looking at the 10 best based on their ratings over at Rotten Tomatoes. For this list, we're only including scripted films and not documentaries.
The Lion King (53%)
The list begins with the biggest movie Donald Glover has been part of. The 2019 remake of The Lion King had a massive budget of around $260 million, though it grossed over $1 billion in the box office, so it more than made its money back. Glover took on the iconic voice role of Simba.
Most critics praised the voice work and the visuals of the film but felt it lacked energy and heart. Some claimed that you can't get the same emotion from the realistic-looking lions as you could with the original 90s animation style. At least 88% of the audience scores were positive.
The To Do List (54%)
Donald Glover has been a longtime friend of Aubrey Plaza. They've starred in films together before this and Plaza's name has been dropped in some of his raps. So, it made sense that they were together again here. The To Do List is a 2013 comedy about a high school graduate who is out to have more sexual experiences.
Aubrey Plaza plays the lead, while Glover has a much smaller role as Derrick Murphy. The consensus was that the acting was solid but The To Do List didn't do enough to push the boundaries and take the premise as far as it could go.
Mystery Team (58%)
Speaking of films where Donald Glover worked together with Aubrey Plaza. Mystery Team was released in 2009, before either one was a star as both Community and Parks and Recreation were only just starting. It was created by the group Derrick Comedy, of which Glover was a member.
The small independent film was made for less than $1 million. It has the least amount of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes of any of these, with just 19. Along with Plaza and Glover, this marked the feature film debut for Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids) and Ben Schwartz (Sonic The Hedgehog).
Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (61%)
Now we're in the territory of Donald Glover movies that are certified as fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Most of us remember Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day as a book from our childhoods. It has a simple premise of a kid going through the worst day of his life.
Most reviews believe this to be an affectionate and pleasant little movie, though it is forgettable. Glover has a small role as Greg and is joined by a talented group including Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Dylan Minnette, and Bella Thorne.
Magic Mike XXL (66%)
When audiences first heard about Magic Mike, a sequel probably wasn't expected. How many stories could you get out of a group of male strippers? Well, the first film was both a critical and commercial success. That opened the door for a sequel that included Donald Glover joining the cast as Andre.
Considering the 2015 release and the box office intake of over $120 million, this was the first time that a lot of people got to see Glover's talents. He showed off his upper body a few times and took the microphone to perform some music. Though it was considered lesser than its predecessor, this was still a good movie.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (70%)
It's kind of a shame that this movie bombed at the box office. It was the first Star Wars film to do so. 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story worked as a prequel installment that told the story of the legendary Han Solo. Despite the lack of money it made, this was well-received.
One of the aspects that received universal acclaim was Donald Glover's performance as a young Lando Calrissian. Glover captured the charisma and charm that Billy Dee Williams brought to the role while doing just enough to make it his own. We'd love to see him take up the role again at some point.
Guava Island (76%)
In 2018, Childish Gambino scored his first No. 1 single with "This is America." With that, he combined his acting, music, and creativity to deliver 2019's Guava Island. Released exclusively through Amazon Prime and written by Donald's brother Stephen, the film was a critical darling.
Starring Glover as Deni, Rihanna, and Letitia Wright, this film is about a man who wants to throw a musical festival on his home island but is thwarted by a group of criminals. It features some strong acting and delightful musical numbers while telling an emotional story.
The Martian (91%)
We've officially reached the stuff that has great scores on Rotten Tomatoes. 2015's The Martian tells the tale of a man (Matt Damon as Mark Watney) who gets left behind alone on Mars and must figure out how to survive as his co-workers on Earth attempt to bring him home.
The supporting cast is stellar, featuring Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, and plenty of others. Glover stars as Rich Purnell, an aerodynamicist who comes up with the plan to save Mark. The acting, screenplay, humor, and direction were all praised.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (92%)
Stars of Community appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is nothing new at this point. However, Donald Glover's appearance in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming was more than just a cameo. He portrayed a small-time criminal named Aaron Davis, notable for being the uncle to Miles Morales.
As for the film itself, it is often considered one of, if not the best live-action Spider-Man movie to date. Tom Holland is spectacular as Peter Parker, while names like Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., and Zendaya do great work. The action is great and it added a lot to the greater MCU.
The Muppets (95%)
A lot of people probably didn't expect this to work. Releasing The Muppets in 2011 seemed like a longshot since the characters were no longer all that popular. However, Jason Segel helped write this film and starred in it, managing to pull off something that blew audiences away.
They managed to combine the charm of the Muppets with a touching story involving humans. Great songs, solid acting from Segel and Amy Adams, and just a bit of nostalgia went a long way. Glover made a quick appearance as a CDE employee. He joined a long list of actors to appear including Rashida Jones, Emily Blunt, and Sarah Silverman.