Here's every movie that Owen Wilson says "wow" in – but does Owen Wilson say "wow" in Loki, how many times does Owen Wilson say "wow" in his movies, and how did this trend begin? Answering these questions involves looking back at Owen Wilson's movies and the man's history as an actor-turned-meme. Notably, Wilson's most recent roles in Loki and Secret Headquarters seem to be moving away from saying "wow." This is understandable, considering how the trend has come to define the actor even more than the many dramatic roles that he has dedicated himself to over the years.
To be fair, Wilson is far from being the only Hollywood A-lister who's known for repeating the same trick over and over again to great effect. Over the course of an actor's career, it's common for them to develop something that can be observed in most of their roles. Brad Pitt has a habit of eating during movies, Tom Cruise often runs, Tom Hanks frequently uses the restroom, and even Samuel L. Jackson repeatedly has purple-accented accessories. Whether intentional or not, movie fans have paid extra attention to see if these moments will be in the actors' respective films.
Why Brad Pitt Is Always Eating In Movies
Owen Wilson's use of "wow" can be traced back to the beginning of his acting career, and it's an idiosyncrasy that he's continued to use over the years. Wilson is not only closely associated with the word itself, but he also has developed a signature and drawn-out way of saying "wow." The actor has even noted that sometimes he'll add in a "wow" here and there just for his fans and to see if audiences will catch it. As a result, Wilson has become forever immortalized as the subject of one of internet history's most viral memes. So how many wows has Owen Wilson said? Here's the math.
How Many Times Owen Wilson Says Wow In Every Movie
Here's a breakdown of every film Wilson says "wow" in (via Owenergy), plus how many times he says it in each film.
- Bottlerocket
- Breakfast of Champions
- The Haunting - 5 times
- Shanghai Noon
- Meet the Parents - 2 times
- Zoolander
- I Spy - 3 times
- Shanghai Knights - 4 times
- The Big Bounce - 2 times
- Starsky & Hutch
- Wedding Crashers - 6 times
- Cars - 6 times
- You, Me and Dupree - 3 times
- The Darjeeling Limited
- Drillbit Taylor - 2 times
- Marley & Me - 6 times
- Marmaduke - 4 times
- Little Fockers - 2 times
- Hall Pass - 6 times
- Midnight in Paris - 7 times
- Cars 2
- The Big Year - 3 times
- The Internship - 5 times
- Are You Here - 2 times
- Free Birds - 3 times
- Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
- No Escape - 2 times
- The French Dispatch
- Loki
Every Stat On Owen Wilson Saying Wow
Ever since Wilson said "wow" in his feature film debut in 1996's Bottlerocket, he has gone on to say the word in 27 different movies. Since he has appeared in 52 released films, Wilson statistically says "wow" in 51.9 percent of his movies. This frequency highlights why Wilson is so closely associated with the word, but exactly how many "wows" has Owen Wilson said? In these 27 movies, Owen Wilson says "wow" a total of 81 times. 2011's Midnight in Paris holds the record for the highest number of "wows" in a single Wilson movie, as he utters it seven times. Considering how Wilson has made around $200 million throughout his film career and averages around 3500 words per movie, he has earned roughly $135,000 from saying the word - at about $1300 per "wow."
Does Owen Wilson Say Wow In Loki?
Notably, Owen Wilson's Loki character Mobius does not say "wow" at all, even though the meme fits within the series' comedic vibe. Owen Wilson is actively trying to stop saying "wow" in his movies and escape the typecasting of yesteryear. That said, somewhere in the MCU, there's bound to be a Variant of Mobius who can't help but say the word, and he probably hangs out with alligator Loki. After all, the Multiverse is as infinite as Owen Wilson's "wows."
Why Owen Wilson Will No Longer Be Saying Wow
Owen Wilson's famous "wow" has certainly helped in turning the actor into a household name, but at the same time, it has also predefined every role that Wilson accepts, which can be detrimental to his career in the long run. Like fellow regular meme Nicolas Cage, Owen Wilson's performance as Sazerac in The French Dispatch shows that Wilson's unique presence and talent can sometimes be misappropriated for humor. This can be tiresome for a professional actor who continues to take on more challenging and serious roles.
As prevalent as Wilson's use of "wow" has become, it is not his only catchphrase. He can also frequently be heard saying "you're crazier than a road lizard," which is unmistakably more unique to Wilson. Between "wow" and his other catchphrase, viewers will need to keep their ears peeled to hear when he says them again in any of his other upcoming projects. That said, considering the current trajectory of Owen Wilson's career, the actor might just decide to ditch catchphrases altogether - which ironically would only make the next rare "wow" all the more powerful (but it may not be in the delayed Wedding Crashers 2).