Upcoming Action Movies I Can’t Wait To See In 2025 And Beyond – The Running Man, Avatar: Fire & Ash, And More

There has been no shortage of new action movies on the 2025 movie schedule. It doesn’t look like things are slowing down at all in the final stretch of the year, or when we kick off the 2026 movie schedule

Now that big action flicks like Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, The Naked Gun, and Heads of State have rocked both the big screen and some of the best streaming services around, there’s more on the way. With big book-to-screen adaptations like The Running Man and massive sequels like James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire & Ash on the way, we’ve got ourselves a fun, action-packed, and over-the-top road ahead of us. Let’s break it all down…

Tron: Ares - October 10, 2025

Arguably one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Joachim Rønning’s Tron: Ares looks like it could bring the iconic sci-fi/action franchise to a whole new generation of moviegoers this fall. Set to open on the big screen (I need to see this in IMAX) this October, the upcoming sci-fi flick will follow Ares (Jared Leto), a computer program, as he leaves the confines of the digital world to carry out a mysterious mission in the real world.

And before you start asking, yes, Jeff Bridges is making a return to the franchise. That, combined with the fact that Nine Inch Nails composed the Tron: Ares score, has me champing at the bit and gearing up my light cycle for this long-awaited movie to finally see the light of day.

Predator: Badlands - November 7, 2025

Making a massive change from the rest of the franchise, Predator: Badlands looks like it’s going to be loads of fun when it hits theaters this November. Centering on a young predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Kolomatangi) looking to prove himself after being outcast from his clan, the movie looks like it will have all the trappings of a coming-of-age story, only this time it’s set in the middle of one of the premier sci-fi properties of our time.

One thing that has me excited to dive into this action-packed and thrilling story is the fact that Dan Trachtenberg, who has directed the previous two Predator movies – Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers – is sitting behind the camera once again.

The Running Man - November 14, 2025

There are several upcoming Stephen King adaptations on the horizon, but one I’m looking forward to the most is Edgar Wright’s The Running Man. Featuring Glen Powell as Ben Richards (a role previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in a previous adaptation), a man forced to compete in a popular yet lethal game show where he’ll have to face off against various murderous hunters who want to stop him in his tracks.

Based on everything I’ve heard about this new action movie, it sounds like Wright’s version of The Running Man will be darker, more chaotic, and truer to the source material than Paul Michael Glaser’s flashy, silly, and over-the-top adaptation all those years ago. Judging by the Running Man trailer, that seems to be true.

Trap House - November 14, 2025

Dave Bautista has been making a strong case for being the best wrestler-turned-actor. With a blend of superhero movies like the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Oscar-nominated films like Dune: Part Two, and everything in between, he’s done a lot since leaving the ring for the silver screen. Well, in November, he’ll add another movie to his filmography when he appears in Trap House, Michael Dowse’s upcoming action thriller.

In this one, Bautista will play an undercover DEA agent who embarks upon a game of cat and mouse to track down his son before he can rob one of the most notorious drug cartels on the continent. I can’t wait to see how this one shakes out, either on the big screen or when it makes its eventual streaming debut.

Sisu: Road to Revenge - November 21, 2025

Remember back in 2022 when Jalmari Helander unleashed Sisu, a Finnish World War II movie that was essentially “John Wick battles Nazis”? Well, we’re getting a second adventure with Jorma Tommila’s Aatami Korpi, everyone’s favorite gold prospector and undeniable badass.

Though I wish I hadn’t known much about this out-of-nowhere sequel, I have to admit that I’m pretty excited to see Aatami go on a path of vengeance again after learning that his family was murdered by a Red Army commander (played by Stephen Lang). One of my colleagues has already seen this one, and I’m going to trust his five-star review.

Avatar: Fire & Ash - December 19, 2025

James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire & Ash will undoubtedly end up becoming one of the biggest movies of the year, both in terms of pop culture reach and box office success (especially if it’s anything like its predecessors). Coming out less than a week before Christmas, this highly anticipated threequel will see Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their family come face-to-face with the Ash People, a deadly Na’vi tribe. But that isn’t all, as they still have Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and the RDA to deal with once again.

Though I have only watched the first two Avatar movies a couple of times over the years, you don’t miss a James Cameron movie on the biggest screen possible.

Anaconda - December 25, 2025

In a world of legacy sequels, reboots, and remakes, the upcoming Anaconda movie feels like a unique take on bringing back a franchise. This upcoming horror movie, which also sounds like it’ll have a lot of comedy and action throughout, stars Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, and Steve Zahn as a group of friends hellbent on recreating their favorite movie (1997’s Anaconda), and that sounds wild!

There’s been talk of an Anaconda reboot for years, and honestly, this approach to the classic creature feature has me both curious and excited. If the rest of the movie is anything like the trailer Sony Pictures dropped back in September, this is going to be one hell of a ride come Christmas.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die - January 30, 2026

Gore Verbinski, who directed the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, is gearing up to release his next picture, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. This sci-fi action film debuting in January 2026 will follow a man from the future who travels back in time to recruit people to help him fight off a rogue artificial intelligence.

With a cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Michael Peña, Juno Temple, and Haley Lu Richardson, this movie looks and sounds absolutely bonkers. I haven’t seen a trailer yet, but my hype level is going to go through the roof once that happens.

Mortal Kombat II - May 15, 2026

As someone who grew up pumping quarters into Mortal Kombat machines at the local arcade (Aladdin’s Castle, I miss you!) and then playing the various ports at home, I’ve long been obsessed with this fighting game franchise. Though the movies have been hit or miss over the years, I have high hopes for Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat 2.

In addition to seeing the debut of Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage, as well as the return of other fan-favorite characters, this highly anticipated sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat will also feature the titular combat tournament between fighters from Earth and Outworld. But we’ll have to wait a few months longer than expected, as Warner Bros. has shifted to a May 2026 release.

Street Fighter - October 16, 2026

The new Street Fighter movie is one of the big 2026 releases I can’t stop thinking about. I’m a massive (and unabashed) fan of the 1994 adaptation starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and the late Raul Julia, and Kitao Sakurai’s star-studded fighting movie has me all jazzed up like I’m a kid again.

Though no footage has been released as of October 2025, there is still a little more than a year before this one is slated to hit big screens around the world. However, I can’t wait to find out more about one of my most anticipated upcoming video game movies.

With more movies being announced all the time, it won’t be long before this list of upcoming action flicks gets even longer. In the words of Bart Scott: “Can’t wait!”