For anyone who grew up watching Disney Channel original movies, Ryan Merriman will always be Ben Cooper from 1999's Smart House. (Or, if you're really a DCOM super fan, he might always be Kyle from The Luck of the Irish, or Adam from A Ring of Endless Light.) But the actor has been in a lot of projects since his Disney Channel days. The movies Ryan Merriman has been in since Smart House show how versatile an actor he is, and his acting career doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Merriman's starred in pretty much every movie genre, from creepy horror movies to sci-fi films and various romantic comedies. He may be more recognized for his Disney Channel days — or his TV role as Ian Thomas on Pretty Little Liars — but Merriman has an extensive film career, too. He's acted in more movies than just the ones below, but these are some of his more recent endeavors.
In addition to the movies below, Merriman has several projects in the works. According to his IMDB page, Merriman will appear in the upcoming movies Portal, Sunny Daze, Tale of the Wet Dog, and Desolate Beauty. There's not a ton of information about the upcoming movies yet, but Merriman's definitely been keeping busy.
1The Jurassic Games (2018)
This movie has an impressive 80% Rotten Tomatoes score, though it's only based on five reviews. In addition to starring in the straight-to-VOD movie, Merriman also wrote it, so it's a must-see for his fans. The concept is sort of like Jumanji — people enter a VR video game — but with way higher stakes. According to the movie's Rotten Tomatoes summary, the game players are inmates on death row, and a death in the game amounts to a real-life death, too. Merriman plays the game's host in the twisted movie.
2Distortion (2017)
In this movie, Merriman plays a police detective who helps a woman piece together her memories after an attack. The movie premiered at the 13th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival last October. It also stars Corbin Bernsen, which should delight any Psych fans.
32 Years of Love (2017)
This isn't your average romantic comedy — it's a movie about a couple who isn't sure if they can make it in the long run. Merriman and Kayla Ewell star as a married couple who aren't on the same page about whether or not to have kids. If you're sick of rom-coms with perfect endings, this might be the perfect movie for your next night in.
4Domain (2016)
If sci-fi movies are more your thing, you might like Merriman's turn in Domain, which seems to be at least somewhat inspired by Lost. The trailer shows people living alone in underground bunkers to survive a mass epidemic, which probably won't end well.
5A Sunday Horse (2016)
Fans of feel-good animal movies will appreciate this heartwarming film, which stars Nikki Reed, Ving Rhames, and William Shatner alongside Merriman. The movie is inspired by a true story of a woman who pursues her horse jumping dreams, even after injury.
6The Congressman (2016)
This movie features Treat Williams as Charlie Winship, a congressman who finds himself facing controversy after neglecting to stand for the pledge of allegiance. (No, it wasn't in political protest — he was just sitting at his desk.) Based on the trailer, Merriman's character appears to be one of Winship's aides, who goes along with him on a journey of self-discovery.
7Fortune Cookie (2016)
Merriman stars alongside Chase Bennett, James Hong, Ross Kurt Le, and Philip Bushell in this horror movie about a group of friends dealing with a fortune cookie's prophecy. The trailer shows a car accident and even a ceiling crashing in, so this one's definitely not for the faint of heart.
8How Not To Propose (2015)
In this made-for-TV romantic comedy, Merriman's character, Travis, wants to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Lena, played by Ewell again. But a comedy of errors ensues during the couple's weekend getaway, during which Travis had planned to propose.
9The Last Rescue (2015)
In a role way different from the rom-coms he's starred in, Merriman played a paratrooper in this World War II movie.
10Independence Daysaster (2013)
This sci-fi movie features aliens attacking the world. Based on the trailer, it looks like Merriman's character, Pete, is working with the government to help stop the alien forces.
1142 (2013)
In this biopic about Jackie Robinson, Merriman played Major League Baseball star Dixie Walker. The movie is worth watching for more than just Merriman — Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman played Robinson.
12Dose Of Reality (2013)
Merriman acted alongside Fairuza Balk and Rick Ravanello in this independent movie about a woman who wakes up unconscious at a bar. From the trailer, it looks like Merriman plays a bar co-owner who the woman accuses of attacking her. And based on the preview, the actor's character and/or his partner might know more about the woman's trauma than they let on.
13Cheesecake Casserole (2012)
This movie focuses on a group of friends getting ready to graduate college, and Merriman plays one of the ladies' boyfriends. If you like the raunchy girls' trip genre, this movie might be perfect for your next movie night with friends.
If you're still nursing a crush on Merriman after all these years, then rest assured you have plenty of movies to catch up on.
