Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels of the same name, "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" wasn't a financial success — it grossed just shy of $50M a the global box office, but it stands out as a major highlight in both Michael Cera and director Edgar Wright's filmography. The film, which features early performances from now icons like Brie Larson, Kieran Culkin, and Anna Kendrick, has emerged as one of the most notable films from the 2010s.
While the film largely works because of its invigorating and rich, video game-like visuals, a lot of the film's shtick relies on Cera's awkward but equally confident performance as the titular character. In the film, the anxious and self-doubting Scott Pilgrim finds himself fighting Ramona's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) seven evil exes. For Wright, there was no better actor to take on the role of Pilgrim than Cera. "Michael was the only person that I thought of for Scott Pilgrim," Wright told Rotten Tomatoes in 2021. "Anybody that was more – and this sounds like a sort of criticism of Michael, but it's not – but anybody who was more obviously studly and macho, didn't seem to me like the right thing for Scott Pilgrim."
"Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" may have been overlooked at the time of its release, but its popularity has only grown in recent years. In fact, the multimedia franchise is set to receive the animated treatment thanks to Netflix. The best part? Cera is set to return as the voice of Scott Pilgrim alongside the rest of the original cast.
