Let's be real about Your Highness. When it dropped in 2011, critics absolutely shredded it. They hated the crude humor, the weird tonal shifts, and the fact that an Oscar winner like Natalie Portman was running around in a medieval thong. But for a specific subset of movie fans, Danny McBride and David Gordon Green created a cult masterpiece. It’s a very specific vibe. You need the epic, sweeping vistas of Lord of the Rings mixed with the "what did I just watch?" energy of Pineapple Express. Finding movies like Your Highness isn't just about finding comedies; it's about finding that rare intersection of high-budget fantasy production and low-brow, R-rated absurdity.
It’s a tough needle to thread. Most fantasy movies take themselves way too seriously. Most stoner comedies are stuck in a basement or a convenience store. When you combine them, you get something that feels like a Dungeons & Dragons campaign where everyone showed up intoxicated.
The "R-Rated Fantasy Quest" DNA
To understand what makes a movie feel like Your Highness, you have to look at the structure. It’s not just a parody. It’s a love letter to 1980s "sword and sorcery" films like Krull or The Beastmaster. It uses real sets, practical effects whenever possible, and a score that sounds like it belongs in a prestigious epic. Then, it drops a bunch of characters into the frame who swear like sailors and have zero heroic qualities.
Role Models: The New Gold Standard
If you want that same feeling of a D&D session gone wrong, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) is the closest modern equivalent, though it’s significantly cleaner. It lacks the hard-R raunchiness, but it nails the "incompetent adventurers" trope. Chris Pine plays a bard who is basically useless in a fight. That’s the Thadeous energy we’re looking for.
But if it’s the filth you’re after? You have to look at The Little Hours (2017).
Imagine a medieval convent. Now fill it with Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, and Kate Micucci. They’re bored, they’re foul-mouthed, and they’re absolutely losing their minds. It’s based on The Decameron, which is wild because that means the "modern" crude humor is actually centuries old. It captures that jarring contrast between the historical setting and the incredibly blunt, modern dialogue that made Your Highness work for its fans.
The McBride Factor: Eastbound and Medieval
You can’t talk about this genre without talking about Danny McBride’s specific brand of the "confident idiot." If you loved him as Thadeous, you basically have to watch everything else he’s touched. This Is the End (2013) isn't fantasy—it’s apocalyptic—but the group dynamic is identical. It’s a bunch of famous people playing heightened, jerk-ish versions of themselves while the world literally ends around them. The scene where McBride argues about "wasting" water is peak Thadeous.
Why Most Fantasy Parodies Fail
Usually, when people look for movies like Your Highness, they get recommended things like Year One or Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Those are great, but they’re different.
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Monty Python is surrealist genius. Year One is a sketch-comedy movie. Your Highness is different because it actually tries to be a fantasy movie. It has a villain (Justin Theroux) who is genuinely creepy and a quest that feels like it has stakes, even if the heroes are morons.
The Cult of the 80s Sword and Sorcery
To truly appreciate the DNA of this subgenre, you have to go back to the source material it’s mocking.
- Conan the Barbarian (1982): This is the blueprint. Without the grim-faced seriousness of Arnold Schwarzenegger, you don't get the joke of Your Highness.
- Flash Gordon (1980): The camp factor is off the charts. The Queen soundtrack, the bright colors, the over-the-top acting—it’s the aesthetic ancestor of Courtney’s (James Franco) earnest heroism.
- Willow (1988): It has that "ragtag group on a journey" feel that defines the quest narrative.
If you haven't seen these, the jokes in modern fantasy comedies might feel a bit thin. The humor comes from the subversion of these specific tropes.
Breaking Down the Best Alternatives
Since there isn't a direct sequel to Your Highness (despite the fans' wishes), we have to piece together the experience from other films that share its "vibe."
Knights of Badassdom (2013)
This movie is the literal bridge between our world and the fantasy world. It’s about Live Action Role Players (LARPers) who accidentally summon a real demon from Hell. It stars Peter Dinklage, Steve Zahn, and Ryan Kwanten. It’s low-budget, but it understands the "nerd culture" aspect of fantasy. It’s crunchy. It’s bloody. It’s got a heavy metal soundtrack. It feels like the younger, scrappier brother of Your Highness.
Year One (2009)
Jack Black and Michael Cera. It’s set in the biblical era rather than a high-fantasy kingdom, but the "two losers wandering through history" vibe is a 1:1 match. It didn't land well with critics either, but if you enjoy the improvisational style of McBride and Franco, you’ll find plenty to like here. The bit with Cain and Abel (played by David Cross and Paul Rudd) is genuinely hilarious in its absurdity.
Sausage Party (2016)
Stay with me here. It’s not fantasy. It’s an animated movie about groceries. However, if what you liked about Your Highness was the "R-rated take on a G-rated genre," this is the ultimate example. It takes the "Pixar" formula and fills it with existential dread, drug use, and extreme profanity. It’s the same shock-to-the-system humor.
The Technical Art of the "High-Low" Comedy
Director David Gordon Green did something interesting with Your Highness. He shot it on 35mm film. He used the same lenses that big-budget epics use. He hired Brian Reitzell to do a score that felt like a 70s prog-rock odyssey.
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This is why "funny fantasy" often fails. Most directors shoot comedy like a sitcom—bright lights, flat backgrounds, everything in focus. Green shot it like a drama.
When you see Thadeous and Courtney standing on a cliffside, it looks like Game of Thrones. Then Thadeous starts talking about his "magic" hand, and the juxtaposition creates the comedy. Without the high production value, the low humor doesn't land as hard.
Other Movies with This Specific Aesthetic
- The Barbarians (1987): A total "B-movie" that feels like a fever dream.
- Deathstalker II (1987): This is actually a comedy, whether it meant to be or not. The lead actor plays it with a "wink" to the camera that feels very modern.
- Army of Darkness (1992): Bruce Campbell’s Ash is the ultimate prototype for the modern "idiot hero." He’s got a chainsaw for a hand and a "boomstick," and he’s trapped in the Middle Ages. It’s more horror-adjacent, but the slapstick comedy is legendary.
Is the "Stoner Fantasy" Genre Dead?
Honestly? Sorta.
Big studios are terrified of R-rated comedies right now. They cost a lot to make (if you want the dragons to look good) and they have a capped audience because of the rating. Your Highness was a box office bomb, grossing only about $28 million against a $50 million budget. That kind of math makes producers nervous.
Most of this energy has moved to television. Shows like Galavant (a musical fantasy comedy) or The Legend of Vox Machina (an R-rated animated D&D show) are carrying the torch. Vox Machina on Amazon Prime is probably the best recommendation for someone who wants the exact tone of Your Highness. It’s got the gore, the swearing, the sexual humor, and a genuine fantasy plot.
The Nuance of the "Highness" Humor
There’s a specific type of joke that McBride excels at: the "unearned confidence."
In Your Highness, Thadeous is terrible at everything, yet he feels entitled to all the glory. This is a recurring theme in Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones. If you’re looking for movies like Your Highness because of the character dynamics, you should actually stop looking at movies and start watching those HBO series. The setting changes, but the soul of the humor is identical.
Hidden Gems You Might Have Missed
If you’ve seen the big names, here are a few deeper cuts that scratch that same itch:
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Gwar: Phallus in Wonderland (1992)
This is barely a movie. It’s a long-form music video/film hybrid from the shock-rock band GWAR. It’s grotesque, fantasy-themed, and incredibly NSFW. It’s much weirder than Your Highness, but it occupies the same "stoner fantasy" headspace.
Erik the Viking (1989)
Directed by Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) and starring Tim Robbins. It’s a Viking epic that plays with the tropes of Norse mythology in a way that’s both smart and silly. It doesn't have the "bro-humor" of the McBride era, but it has the same love for the genre it's spoofing.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Wait, hear me out. Everyone has seen this, but have you watched it recently? It’s the "clean" version of Your Highness. It has the same DNA of a classic quest populated by weirdos. If you can appreciate the wit of Vizzini, you can appreciate the absurdity of Thadeous.
Actionable Steps for the Ultimate Binge
If you want to recreate the experience of Your Highness, don't just pick one movie. Curate a marathon that highlights the evolution of the "dumb fantasy" genre.
- Start with the Source: Watch Conan the Barbarian (1982). See how serious it is. Witness the muscles and the monsters.
- Move to the Transition: Watch Army of Darkness. Notice how the hero starts becoming a bit of a jerk.
- The Modern Twist: Watch The Little Hours. Experience the modern profanity in a historical setting.
- The Direct Comparison: Watch Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. See how a big budget can finally make a "funny" fantasy world look incredible.
Pro Tip: If you're looking for the visual aesthetic, check out the work of Frank Frazetta. He’s the artist who defined what "Sword and Sorcery" looks like. Your Highness is essentially a Frazetta painting come to life, but with more jokes about genital-shaped amulets.
The "Stoner Fantasy" genre might be small, but it's potent. It requires a willingness to look at the epic and the ridiculous at the same time. While we might not get a Your Highness 2 anytime soon, the spirit of the "lazy hero in a magical world" lives on in indie films and high-end animation. Check out The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon if you want that specific R-rated itch scratched immediately. It’s the closest you’ll get to the adventures of Thadeous and Courtney in the modern era.
Keep your expectations low and your fantasy tropes high. The best way to enjoy these movies is to accept the absurdity of the premise right out of the gate. Fantasy is meant to be an escape; sometimes, that escape just happens to involve a lot of cursing and a mechanical bird named Simon.