Upcoming Action Movies I Can't Wait To See In 2025 – Mortal Kombat II, Avatar: Fire & Ash, And More

There has been no shortage of new action movies on the 2025 movie schedule, and it doesn’t look like things are slowing down at all in the final stretch of the year. 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 sequels like Kombat II and James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire & Ash on the way, we’ve got ourselves a fun, action-packed, and over-the-top road to December. Here are the new action movies I can’t wait to see before the end of 2025.

Tin Soldier - September 12, 2025

Brad Furman’s Tin Soldier looks like a cheesy action flick throwback from the ‘90s, and I mean that in the best possible way. This upcoming thriller stars Scott Eastwood as a former soldier who is tasked by the government to infiltrate the compound of an enigmatic cult leader played by Jamie Foxx. To make matters worse, Eastwood’s Nash Cavanaugh was once one of Bokushi’s (Foxx) followers, so expect some complications.

I can’t get a read on the tone, but this is giving me some serious Apocalypse Now vibes combined with classic blaxploitation films of the ‘70s, and I can dig that. Oh, Robert De Niro and John Leguizamo also appear in this one, which has me even more excited to check this out in September.

Code 3 - September 12, 2025

An action movie about ambulance drivers? Wait, is this a remake of Michael Bay’s 2022 thriller Ambulance? No, it’s Code 3, an upcoming action comedy starring Rainn Wilson as a burned-out paramedic on his final shift alongside his partner played by Lil Rel Howery. On what is supposed to be an easy training shift for his replacement (played by Aimee Carrero), quickly turns into a chaotic journey through the city where anything and everything can happen.

This is one of those movies that has flown under the radar, but it could be one of those sleeper comedies we’re talking about for years to come. We shall see when Code 3 hits theaters in September.

Prisoner of War - September 19, 2025

There has been no shortage of World War II movies over the years, but the upcoming Scott Adkins action thriller looks like a new take on the war film genre. Directed by Louis Mandylor, Prisoner of War follows Adkins’ James Wright, a commander in the Royal Air Force who is shot down during the Battle of Bataan and taken to a Japanese POW camp. In order to survive and potentially escape the hellish conditions, Wright is forced to face a gauntlet of skilled fighters hand-picked by the ruthless camp commander.

Anyone who’s seen any of Adkins movies knows that this dude is a total ass-kicker, and I don’t think Prisoner of War will be any different when it lands on VOD in September.

London Calling - September 19, 2025

Despite sharing a title with one of The Clash’s most popular songs, Allan Ungar’s London Calling isn’t about the late Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, or other members of the legendary British punk outfit. Instead, this action comedy centers on Tommy Ward (Josh Duhamel), a down-on-his-luck hitman, as he is forced to babysit the son (played by Jeremy Ray Taylor) of a crime boss after a job goes wrong. This one looks like it has comedy, action, and a whole lot of heart.

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.

Mortal Kombat II - October 24, 2025

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.

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. This one looks absolutely wild, in all the best ways.

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 had 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). November can’t come soon enough.

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 to see how it’s pulled off. Who knows, maybe I’ll make the whole family go see this Christmas Day.

These are the action movies I’m excited about right now, but expect even more recommendations as we get closer to the end of 2025. And don’t get me started on those promising 2026 movies on the way…