There have been very few movies released in recent memory whose influence on their genre has been as immediately felt as John Wick. This gripping action movie spawned a whole wave of violent revenge thrillers that made use of the same fluid cinematography and detailed choreography, though many of these follow-ups applied the successful formula to entirely new stories. John Wick is among the best-ever movie ᴀssᴀssins, but there’s been some real compeтιтion in recent years.

Thankfully, this also means that audiences who enjoyed John Wick don’t have to look very far to find their next favorite project. Although many of these movies are just like John Wick, they each have strengths of their own that make them worth watching, whether that’s their unique storytelling or distinct visual styles.

10

Wild Card (2015)

Directed By Simon West

Wild Card certainly isn’t the critical darling that John Wick and its sequels ultimately became, but it’s still a very fun action movie that rode on the coattails of the former’s success. Simon West’s film tells the story of a recovering gambling addict who sets his sights on the criminals who ᴀssaulted his friend, looking for his own kind of justice.

But just like John Wick, Statham’s protagonist bites off more than he can chew and stumbles into a criminal conspiracy. Although Wild Card is rarely mentioned among Jason Statham’s best movies, it’s a very obvious riff on John Wick that somehow works.

9

Polar (2019)

Directed By Jonas Akerlund

Polar is another movie that doesn’t often get ranked high among critics, but deserves credit for its ability to essentially copy John Wick: Chapter 2’s plot while remaining wholly original and unique in its execution.

It’s the story of a powerful ᴀssᴀssin who wants to retire from his violent work, but his employers have something else in mind for him – forcing him to prove that he’s still as strong as he once was. The messy screenplay is often saved by Mads Mikkelsen’s excellent lead performance and the sheer ambition of the many action sequences.

8

The Beekeeper (2024)

Directed By David Ayer

Another John Wick-esque action movie starring Jason Statham, The Beekeeper mostly flew under audiences’ radars in 2024 due to its awkward release window and lack of memorable marketing. But the film is a very fun and original action movie that follows a retired ᴀssᴀssin whose personal vendettas bring him back into the business to protect the US President.

Like many recent Jason Statham movies, The Beekeeper works because it never takes itself too seriously. The film is aware of how ridiculous its action set pieces are, much like the John Wick movies, and it takes this in its stride. Jason Statham and David Ayer have collaborated multiple times, and their works offer a much-needed change of pace for the action genre.

7

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Directed By David Leitch

With its neon colors and dynamic set pieces, Atomic Blonde feels like a very fitting companion piece to the John Wick franchise. This movie centers around a female ᴀssᴀssin named Lorraine (played by Charlize Theron,) who is tasked with procuring an important list from MI6’s enemies in 1980s Berlin.

It’s a very stylish and energetic film that drives its story forward with brutal action scenes and sharply choreographed fight sequences, which are very reminiscent of Chad Stahelski’s direction in the John Wick movies. Theron’s fierce lead performance is also a major source of familiarity, drawing from Reeves’ stoic performance.

6

Nobody (2021)

Directed By Ilya Naishuller

Nobody has many similarities to John Wick that really helped the film’s marketing strategy when it was first released in 2021, but it’s also very unique and distinct. The story follows an ordinary man named Hutch, whose home is broken into by burglars, and he’s spurred to revenge after they put his family in danger.

But his quest for vengeance brings him into the crosshairs of a dangerous crime family, and he’s forced to fight for his survival. Much like John Wick, the entire movie is carried by its charismatic lead performance and its subversion of the “everyman” action trope.

5

Extraction (2020)

Directed By Sam Hargrave

Extraction has a very different story from the John Wick movies, but the two projects have a very similar visual style that uses extended long sH๏τs and sharp camera movements to suck the audience into these neatly choreographed set pieces.

Hargrave’s direction is seemingly inspired by Stahelski’s, and his movie feels like a perfect follow-up for those who enjoy John Wick. The story follows a dangerous mercenary, played by Chris Hemsworth, who is hired to extract the son of a wealthy crime lord from hostile enemy territory.

4

Bullet Train (2022)

Directed By David Leitch

David Leitch’s Bullet Train quickly gained notoriety for its fierce direction and mind-blowing choreography, which are made even more impressive by the fact that the majority of the film takes place on a train. One part Snowpiercer and one part Train to Busan, this project is one of the most stylish and original action movies in years.

Bullet Train tells the story of a professional ᴀssᴀssin who is employed to retrieve an important briefcase while it’s being transported on a bullet train through Japan, but it soon becomes clear that he’s just one of several mercenaries on board the vehicle with the same objective. Bullet Train is filled with intense action sequences that fans of John Wick will surely enjoy.

3

Deliver Us From Evil (2020)

Directed By Hong Won-Chan

Deliver Us From Evil is a dynamic South Korean thriller that follows a skilled ᴀssᴀssin as he travels to Thailand in order to solve a time-sensitive kidnapping case. But when he arrives in the country, he’s quickly hunted down by a man whose sibling he supposedly killed during a previous job.

Just like John Wick, this gripping thriller is a back-and-forth story of violent revenge that’s filled with action set pieces while maintaining a strong narrative and sense of world-building that makes the world feel real and authentic.

2

The Accountant (2016)

Directed By Gavin O’Connor

Not only is The Accountant one of Ben Affleck’s most engaging roles in a long time, but it’s also one of the most shamelessly original action movies of the 2010s. The project tells the story of a shady accountant named Christian Wolff, whose suspicious work catches the attention of the FBI and leaves him in the middle of a dangerous criminal conspiracy.

The Accountant is an essentially perfect movie for John Wick fans – it has gripping fight sequences, morally ambiguous action heroes, and a complex story that explores the corruption of the criminal underworld. With The Accountant 2 releasing in 2025, there’s never been a better time to catch up with this modern action classic.

1

Monkey Man (2024)

Directed By Dev Patel

Despite claims that it’s too similar to John Wick, Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is an enormous cinematic achievement that deserves its consideration among the decade’s best action movies. Yes, there are some thematic similarities to the John Wick franchise – but it has enough aesthetic and tonal distance to remain wholly original throughout.

Patel’s movie follows a young wrestler whose childhood trauma and social unrest cause him to act out against the city’s gluttonous elite, seeking revenge against the men who took everything from him. Though Monkey Man may seem like another John Wick-esque revenge thriller on the surface, it’s actually a much more nuanced social commentary about those in society who must fight to have their stories heard.