Mason Thames has built an impressive filmography in a relatively short time, moving from television roles to major Hollywood movies before turning 20. He went from small guest spots on network television to carrying a horror hit, a live-action fantasy blockbuster, and a bestselling book adaptation. His kind of range is rare for an actor his age, and it makes his short filmography worth a closer look.
With twelve acting credits to his name as of 2026, this ranking is built on three factors. These would include how well each project performed critically, how it did commercially or on streaming charts, and how much the role actually mattered to Thames’ career. A guest appearance on a hit show does not carry the same weight as a lead role in a film that defined his career, even if the show itself was popular. With that in mind, here is Mason Thames’ filmography ranked from weakest to strongest.
Incoming (2024)
Incoming finds Mason Thames in a much lighter role than his work in his most popular films. He plays Benj Nielsen, one of four incoming high school freshmen navigating the chaos of their first major high school party. The Netflix comedy allowed Thames to explore adolescent humor and the awkwardness of teenage friendships rather than relying on the tension that defined his earlier breakthrough. Although Incoming is not among the strongest-reviewed projects in his filmography, it remains useful for anyone interested in seeing a different side of the actor.
Regretting You (2025)
Based on Colleen Hoover‘s novel of the same name, Regretting You gave Mason Thames a chance to lead a romantic drama rather than a horror project or franchise blockbuster. He starred alongside McKenna Grace, Allison Williams, and Dave Franco. The film also performed well, thanks to Hoover’s built-in audience from the novel. It showed a different side of his range than horror or fantasy had allowed so far. The film itself received a mixed critical response, with Rotten Tomatoes listing a 28% critics score. As a result, Regretting You is more notable as a step in Thames’ expanding range than as the strongest movie in his filmography.
Monster Summer (2024)
Monster Summer allowed Mason Thames to take on another coming-of-age role, this time in an adventure thriller opposite Mel Gibson. He plays Noah Reed, a young boy who becomes convinced that something strange is happening in his community during the summer. The film mixes childhood adventure with supernatural elements, giving Thames another opportunity to play a teenager confronting circumstances beyond his control. Although the movie does not have the same impact as Thames’ biggest performances, it is still an important part of Thames’ development. It also arrived shortly before he ran much larger projects in 2025.
Nimrods (2025)
Nimrods gives Mason Thames a chance to move away from horror and fantasy and play an aspiring musician named Tommy. The movie is inspired by Green Day‘s early touring years and centers around a band whose plans go awry after an opportunity to perform for the punk-rock group turns into an unexpected situation. Thames also shares the screen with Mckenna Grace, making the project their second movie together after Regretting You.
How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
Taking over as Hiccup in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon was a very different challenge from playing Finney. Mason Thames had to step into a role already closely associated with Jay Baruchel while making the character believable in a live-action setting. The movie received a 78% critics score and a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, although some critics felt Thames did not completely match the qualities of the animated Hiccup.
Even with that criticism, the role represents a major step forward for Thames because Hiccup is the central character in a large fantasy franchise. Thames also brought a quieter quality to the character that fits Hiccup’s position as an outsider among the Vikings of Berk. With How to Train Your Dragon 2 in post-production and scheduled for 2027, Thames has another opportunity to develop his version of Hiccup.
The Black Phone (2021)
The Black Phone remains the best Mason Thames movie to date because it gave the young actor a demanding lead role and allowed him to carry much of the story. Thames plays Finney Blake, a shy teenager who is abducted by the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and trapped inside a soundproof basement. The performance requires Finney to communicate fear without allowing the character to become passive, and Thames handles that balance particularly well.
The film also marked the point when Thames became much more than a promising young actor with a handful of television credits. Director Scott Derrickson selected him from hundreds of applicants, with the filmmaker praising his ability to process emotion naturally without overacting. Thames’ performance earned him nominations for the Saturn Award and Fangoria Chainsaw Awards for his work as Finney, further underlining how important the role was to his early career.
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