Hold onto your seats, because an 18-year-old actor is dominating the box office in a way we haven’t seen since Jim Carrey’s legendary 1994 streak. But here’s the twist: Who is Mason Thames, and how did he pull this off? Let’s dive into the rise of this young star and the surprising—and slightly controversial—details behind his success.
Imagine blending the essence of Jesse Eisenberg with a younger, slightly imperfect clone of Jake Gyllenhaal, and you might get someone like Mason Thames. In 2025, Thames has starred in three box office number ones, a feat that’s both impressive and oddly specific. From the live-action reboot of How to Train Your Dragon, where he played Hiccup, to the chilling sequel Black Phone 2 as the haunted teenager Finney, and finally, the romantic drama Regretting You alongside Mckenna Grace, Thames has proven his versatility. But here’s where it gets controversial: Regretting You barely clinched the top spot during one of the slowest box office weekends in recent history, and it’s possible Black Phone 2 could overtake it once final numbers are in. Is this a genuine streak, or just a quirk of timing?
To put this in perspective, the last actor to achieve three number ones in a single year was Jim Carrey in 1994, with Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb & Dumber. Carrey’s streak continued into 1998, with eight consecutive box office hits. Thames, whose upcoming projects are indie comedies, likely won’t match that—but his current achievement is still remarkable, especially given the diverse genres of his films: a family-friendly fantasy, an R-rated horror, and a classic romance. But is Thames truly the next big thing, or just a product of strategic casting?
Here’s the part most people miss: Thames isn’t a transformative actor—at least not yet. He’s competent, hitting his marks and conveying emotion effectively, but there’s a sense that he’s been cast for his ability to resemble a ‘young Jake Gyllenhaal type.’ This is most evident in How to Train Your Dragon, where his lack of resemblance to Jay Baruchel (the original voice of Hiccup) feels like a deliberate departure. In Black Phone 2, he reprises his role as Finney, a character that feels like a darker version of a Stranger Things kid. The film’s poor writing makes it hard to judge his performance, but his teenage reticence works well against the serial killer threat.
It’s in Regretting You that Thames faces his biggest challenge. Adapted from a Colleen Hoover novel, the film is a dual-track romance with a convoluted plot involving secret affairs, grief, and young love. Thames plays Miller Adams, a dreamy, sensitive teenager who romances Clara (Mckenna Grace). But does the character give Thames enough room to shine, or is he limited by the script’s quirks? Miller is an aspiring filmmaker, but his cinephile persona feels shallow, with his room adorned exclusively with Paramount catalog titles—including a Patriot Games poster. Is this a subtle product placement, or just a Gen Z stereotype?
Thames’ performance in Regretting You is his most traditionally charming, but the film struggles to give Miller depth. He feels like a composite of various love interests—the outcast, the artist, the whimsical romantic. Some might blame this on the perceived lack of masculine assertiveness in modern leading men, but Thames is genuinely young, playing close to his real age. Is this a sign of the industry’s reluctance to build films around individual personalities, or just a reflection of evolving storytelling?
Mason Thames is undoubtedly being tested in front of millions, but whether he’ll become the next Jim Carrey remains to be seen. His success so far is a mix of talent, timing, and strategic casting—but is that enough to sustain a career? What do you think? Is Mason Thames the real deal, or just a fleeting box office anomaly? Let’s discuss in the comments!
