How to watch

Jim Carrey's rubber-faced, hair-obsessed pet detective Ace Ventura burst onto screens in 1994 and instantly became a comedy phenomenon. The original film and its 1995 sequel, When Nature Calls, capture Carrey at the height of his comedic powers. While a later direct-to-video entry continued the character with a younger incarnation, the two theatrical films remain the heart of the franchise.

🕐 Release Order

Release order is the natural way to experience Ace Ventura, as the theatrical films form a connected storyline and the direct-to-video entry is a standalone spinoff.

1. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
2. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
3. Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective (2009)

Release order and chronological order align for this franchise. The first two theatrical films are the essential viewing, while Ace Ventura Jr. is a separate family-friendly spinoff.

📖 Story Chronology

The Ace Ventura story is linear and moves chronologically from one film to the next. The sequel When Nature Calls picks up after the events of Pet Detective and references key story beats from the original.

1. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
2. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
3. Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective (2009)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Start with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective — it's a comedy classic and one of the defining films of Jim Carrey's career. When Nature Calls is a bigger, louder sequel with some of Carrey's most memorable physical comedy. Ace Ventura Jr. is aimed at a younger audience and most fans treat the first two films as the definitive Ace Ventura experience. If you want the full story, watch all three in order — but the theatrical duo is where the magic truly lives.

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