As we gradually pass the halfway mark of 2025, the number of remaining movies to look forward to in this calendar year is getting smaller and smaller. Thankfully, fans of the action genre still have plenty of majorprojects releasing in 2025to look forward to - including some of the biggest blockbusters in recent memory.
There have already been some huge action releases in 2025, with movies likeMission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningandThunderbolts*leading the genre forward. However, theremaining action movies of 2025arguably seem even more exciting, with many upcoming sequels waiting for the winter months to leave their mark. And it’s not all sequels;there are plenty of original projects coming too.
Sisu 2
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Sisu 2: Following the 2023 release, Sisu 2 continues the saga with unknown plot details. The film picks up where its predecessor left off, inviting audiences back into its unique universe. Awaiting further plot revelations, the sequel promises to expand upon the narrative established in the original movie.
Sisu 2is one of the lesser-known action movies that’s releasing this year, but it’s also among the most exciting for those who’ve seen the original. Jalmari Helander’sSisuwas a massive critical success upon its release in 2022, blending fiercely emotional storytelling with countless brutal, fluid action sequences that sear themselves into audiences’ minds.
Sisuhas been compared to movies likeRamboandPlatoonthanks to its large-scale action and wartime commentary, andSisu 2really seems to be leaning into these comparisons.The sequel is bigger, bolder, and bloodier than the first, with the trailer teasing several extended set pieces that seem extremely ambitious and technical.
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II: A sequel to the 2021 film Mortal Kombat, this movie continues the saga of Earth’s champions as they face new threats from the Outworld. Building on the original’s mythical universe, the film delves deeper into the lore of the Mortal Kombat tournament and its legendary fighters.
Mortal Kombat IIis the direct sequel to 2021’s popular video game adaptation, which starred Jessica McNamee and Lewis Tan in the lead roles. Both actors will return for this highly-anticipated sequel, withnewcomers Karl Urban and Martyn Fordalso joining the cast as video game icons Johnny Cage and Shao Kahn, respectively.
TheMortal Kombatvideo games are renowned for their excessive violence and creative fight choreography, which is something that was effectively carried over into Simon McQuoid’s movie adaptation.The director will return forMortal Kombat II, so fans can expect much of the same dramatic fight sequences and dramatic storytelling as the first movie.
Bob Odenkirk’s subversive turn inNobodywas one of thebest action performancesin recent memory, so it’s not surprising that he’s making a long-awaited comeback inNobody 2.The movie takes place shortly after the events of the original, asOdenkirk’s protagonist takes his family on a much-needed vacation- where he stumbles into a deadly small town conspiracy.
Nobodyis one of many recentmovies that’s clearly inspired byJohn Wick, with its sharp fight choreography and dynamic camerawork giving the film a very fast pace that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.There were plenty of enclosed fight scenes in the original moviethat quickly became fan-favorites, and the trailer forNobody 2suggests that many more are coming.
Tron: Ares
Tron: Ares is the third film in the Tron franchise and is a direct follow-up to Tron and Tron: Legacy. The movie revolves around Ares, an advanced digital Program sent into the real world to complete a perilous task, marking humanity’s first encounter with artificial beings outside of digital space.
Tron: Aresis the third installment in the hugely popularTronseries,comingfifteen years after the previous entry,Tron: Legacy. The movies are renowned for their neon-soaked visuals and slick camerawork, which doesn’t seem to be going anywhere in the upcoming sequel.Tron 3follows Jeff Bridges’ protagonist, Kevin Flynn, as he fights to protect the real world from an escaped AI known as Ares.
BothTronandTron: Legacywere praised upon release for their ability toblend high-stakes action filmmaking with more profound, personal storytellingthat offers some interesting commentary on society in the digital age. With the inclusion of an AI entity as the film’s principal villain, this sharp commentary seems alive and well inTron: Ares.
Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands is a science fiction film set for release in 2025, building on the longstanding Predator franchise.
Predator: Badlandsis the most recent entry inthePredatorseries, taking place many years in the future and following the titular creature as it’s disavowed from its clan and joins forces with an unlikely ally. Despite taking place within the same universe,Badlandsmarks a noteworthy stylistic departurefrom Dan Trachtenberg’s previous live-action movie,Prey.
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ThePredatorfranchise has been through several reinventions throughout the decades, with John McTiernan’s 1987 original serving as loose inspiration for everything that followed.The series has been through multiple different time zones, followed several different protagonists, and even drifted between genres in a way that very few franchises have ever attempted.
Predator: Badlandsseems like an effective blend of the classic, sci-fi storytelling of McTiernan’s original movie and the sharp, modern cinematography of Trachtenberg’s recent sequel, which feels like the best of both worlds.This dystopian, futuristic setting is where thePredatorfranchise typically thrives, and the trailers indicate thatBadlandshas really nailed that aesthetic.
The Running Man
The Running Man centers on a man participating in a perilous game show where contestants evade deadly “Hunters” in a global pursuit.
Edgar Wright’sThe Running Manis ahighly stylized adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novelof the same name, which follows a disgraced policeman named Ben Richards who competes in a dangerous reality show to clear his name and win enough money to get his life back on track. The remake stars Glen Powell in the lead role, which was originally played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Following the director’s underwhelming 2021 horrorLast Night in Soho,The Running Manseems like a much-needed return to formfor Wright, with its sharp sense of humor and dynamic visuals. Wright has already proven himself as a talented action director through projects likeBaby Driver, which features some of the most creative set pieces in the genre’s history.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The Fantastic 4: First Steps features Marvel’s First Family navigating their dual roles as superheroes and family members in a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. They defend Earth from a formidable space god, Galactus, and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer, testing their familial bonds and heroic resolve.
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsmarks the introduction of Marvel Comics’ leading superhero family into the MCU, just over a year before the franchise’s next cinematic event,Avengers: Doomsday. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach,Fantastic Fourdetails the iconic heroes’ attempts to protect their universefrom the destructive appetite of a cosmic force named Galactus.
There have been countlesstheories aboutFantastic Fourand how it’s going to connect to the wider MCU, but the most exciting aspect of the movie is how much of a stylistic departure it seems from the other movies in the franchise. With itsretro visuals and bold sense of humor,Fantastic Fouris a very different kind of action movie for families this summer.
Fantastic Four: First Stepsalso marks the beginning of the MCU’s “Phase Six”, which is set to continue over the next few years and conclude with the release ofAvengers: Secret Warsin December 2027.This will signify the end of the MCU’s “Multiverse Saga,”which has included such popular projects asSpider-Man: No Way Home,WandaVision, andThunderbolts*.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar: Fire and Ash is a 2025 science fiction film continuing the saga of Pandora. Jake Sully and Neytiri confront a formidable new enemy, the Ash People, led by Varang. Struggling with personal loss and external threats, they strive to protect their family and Pandora’s future.
Arguably thebiggestaction movie of 2025,Avatar: Fire and Ashis waiting until the very last month of the yearto make its entrance. The movie is a sequel to James Cameron’s genre-defining 2009 filmAvatar(and 2022’sThe Way of Water), with the director returning to helm the third entry in his beloved sci-fi franchise.
Fire and Ashsees much ofAvatar’s principal cast returnto their roles, with names like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver all coming back for the sequel. The cast’s newcomers include Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis, who play the characters of Dr. Mogue and Peylak, respectively.
WithThe Way of Waterproving that Cameron can still reel in viewers even after a long delay between installments, there is a lot of anticipation forFire and Ashas audiences wait to see what the iconic director has in store next.The new movie is confirmed to explore a new Na’vi clanon Pandora known as the Ash People.
