Joe's Apartment: MTV's Quirky First Movie Release of the '90s

The 1996 film about singing and dancing cockroaches was a strange choice, but still a fun watch.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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In 1996, MTV released its first feature film, Joe's Apartment, a quirky comedy about a young man named Joe who moves to New York City and discovers his apartment is overrun by a group of singing and dancing cockroaches. Despite the unusual premise, the film, starring Jerry O'Connell, found a cult following and is remembered today as an entertaining oddity from MTV's early days in filmmaking.

Why it matters

Joe's Apartment was an unconventional choice for MTV's first major movie release, as the network was known more for its music programming and edgy, youth-oriented content. The film's success, or lack thereof, was an early indicator of MTV's ambitions to expand beyond music videos and into feature film production, a path that would eventually lead to more successful projects like Varsity Blues and the Jackass franchise.

The details

The film follows Joe, played by Jerry O'Connell, as he moves to New York City and rents an apartment that is set to be demolished by a corrupt senator, only to discover it is inhabited by a group of lively, singing and dancing cockroaches. The cockroaches, voiced by a talented cast including Billy West, Dave Chappelle, and Tim Blake Nelson, become Joe's unlikely friends as he navigates life in the big city and a budding romance with the senator's daughter, Lily. The cockroaches' musical numbers and slapstick antics are the main draw of the film, which was adapted from a 1992 short film.

  • Joe's Apartment was released in theaters in 1996.
  • The film was based on a 1992 short film of the same name.

The players

Jerry O'Connell

An American actor known for roles in films like Stand By Me and the TV series Sliders, who starred as the lead character Joe in Joe's Apartment.

Billy West

A veteran voice actor who provided the voice for the lead cockroach character in Joe's Apartment, making his feature film debut.

John Payson

The writer and director of Joe's Apartment, who assembled a talented voice cast to bring the cockroach characters to life.

Robert Vaughn

An American actor who played the corrupt senator trying to demolish Joe's apartment building in the film.

Megan Ward

An American actress who played Lily, the senator's daughter and love interest for the main character Joe.

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What they’re saying

“Singing and dancing cockroaches? Why not?”

— Rich Knight, Author (cinemablend.com)

What’s next

While Joe's Apartment was not a box office success, the film has developed a cult following over the years. Fans of the movie's quirky charm and memorable cockroach characters may hope for a potential reboot or revival in the future.

The takeaway

Joe's Apartment, despite its strange premise, stands out as an early example of MTV's ambitions to expand beyond music programming and into feature film production. While the movie was not a commercial hit, its enduring cult status highlights the network's willingness to take risks on unconventional projects that offered a unique spin on traditional genres.