Ever had one of those nights where a housewarming party turns into the literal biblical apocalypse? That’s basically the plot of the James Franco movie end of the world, officially known as This Is the End. It’s a wild, R-rated fever dream where Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars play “themselves”—or at least, incredibly obnoxious, self-obsessed versions of themselves.
Released back in 2013, the film wasn't just another disaster flick. It was a meta-experiment. Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, it dropped a group of actors (who are friends in real life) into Franco's concrete-and-glass fortress of a mansion while the rest of Los Angeles was swallowed by sinkholes and blue beams of light.
Why This Is the End Still Matters
Honestly, the movie works because it’s so mean to its own stars. You’ve got James Franco playing a guy obsessed with Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill acting like a passive-aggressive "nice guy," and Michael Cera... well, Michael Cera playing a coke-fueled menace who meets a very grisly end. It’s hilarious.
But beneath the dick jokes and the Milky Way arguments, there’s a weirdly accurate depiction of how people actually act when things go south. They don't immediately become heroes. They bicker about who gets the last jug of water and whether someone "ejaculated" on a magazine. It’s petty. It’s human.
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The film was actually based on a short titled Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse from 2007. Expanding that tiny concept into a $42 million feature was a gamble, but it paid off, raking in about $126 million at the box office. People loved seeing the "Frat Pack" era of comedy tear itself apart.
The James Franco Character: Arty and Obsessive
In the James Franco movie end of the world, Franco’s house is basically a character itself. It’s filled with "art" that Franco actually painted in real life. His character is a heightened version of the "renaissance man" persona he had at the time—the actor who is also a poet, a painter, and a student.
One of the funniest running gags is Franco’s unrequited bromance with Seth Rogen. He’s built a room specifically for Seth. He’s painted murals of them together. It’s creepy and sweet at the same time. This self-parody was a bold move, considering how the public actually perceived Franco back then.
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Key Cameos That Stole the Show
While the main six (Franco, Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson) carry the movie, the cameos are legendary.
- Emma Watson: She shows up, thinks the guys are trying to "Hermione" her, and robs them at axe-point.
- Rihanna: She falls into a sinkhole early on after slapping Michael Cera.
- Channing Tatum: Two words: Gimp suit. It’s probably the most shocking reveal in the movie.
- Backstreet Boys: The ending in "Heaven" featuring Everybody (Backstreet's Back) is pure 2010s nostalgia gold.
Real Facts and Behind-the-Scenes Chaos
Making this movie wasn't all fun and games. During the filming of the cannibal scene—the one with Danny McBride and Channing Tatum—Emma Watson famously walked off set. She wasn't comfortable with how graphic the improvisation was getting. Seth Rogen later clarified there were no hard feelings, but it shows just how far they were pushing the "crazy" dial.
Interestingly, they didn't even film in Los Angeles. Despite the movie being a love letter (and a hate letter) to Hollywood, most of it was shot in New Orleans. Why? Tax incentives. They literally built "Melrose Avenue" in a parking lot in Louisiana.
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Another weird detail: the ending was almost very different. They actually considered having Morgan Freeman appear in Heaven as God, but he turned it down. Instead, we got the Backstreet Boys dance routine, which, in hindsight, was probably the better call for a comedy.
Is it actually a Horror Movie?
Kinda. The directors call it an action-comedy, but the creature designs are legitimately terrifying. The demons are huge, phallic, and scary. The visual effects team, Modus FX, handled over 240 shots. They didn't skimp on the gore either. Seeing a celebrity get decapitated by a falling light pole is the kind of dark humor that defines the James Franco movie end of the world.
How to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re revisiting This Is the End or watching it for the first time, keep an eye out for the foreshadowing. Early in the movie, Franco and Rogen talk about a sequel to Pineapple Express. Franco describes a scene where he sacrifices himself to save Seth—which is exactly how his character dies later in the movie.
- Check the Art: Most of the paintings in the house are real Franco originals.
- Listen to the Banter: About 50% of the dialogue was improvised. The tension between Jay Baruchel and Jonah Hill? That was based on real-life friction they had at the time.
- The "Rapture" Logic: The movie actually follows biblical Rapture rules quite strictly, which makes the absurdity even funnier.
Actionable Insight: If you’re looking for a double feature, pair this with The World’s End (Edgar Wright’s movie that came out the same year). They both deal with the apocalypse and friendship, but from totally different cultural perspectives. One is very British and bittersweet; Franco's is very Hollywood and loud.
You can usually find This Is the End streaming on platforms like Netflix or Hulu depending on your region, or for rent on Amazon and Apple TV. It remains the peak of that specific era of "meta" comedy where the line between the actor and the character completely vanished.