As we gradually pᴀss 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 major projects releasing in 2025 to look forward to – including some of the biggest blockbusters in recent memory.

There have already been some huge action releases in 2025, with movies like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Thunderbolts* leading the genre forward. However, the remaining action movies of 2025 arguably 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.

8

Sisu 2

Release Date: October 22, 2025

Sisu 2 is 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’s Sisu was a mᴀssive critical success upon its release in 2022, blending fiercely emotional storytelling with countless brutal, fluid action sequences that sear themselves into audiences’ minds.

Sisu has been compared to movies like Rambo and Platoon thanks to its large-scale action and wartime commentary, and Sisu 2 really 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.

7

Mortal Kombat II

Release Date: October 24, 2025

Mortal Kombat II is 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, with newcomers Karl Urban and Martyn Ford also joining the cast as video game icons Johnny Cage and Shao Kahn, respectively.

The Mortal Kombat video 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 for Mortal Kombat II, so fans can expect much of the same dramatic fight sequences and dramatic storytelling as the first movie.

6

Nobody 2

Release Date: August 15, 2025

Bob Odenkirk’s subversive turn in Nobody was one of the best action performances in recent memory, so it’s not surprising that he’s making a long-awaited comeback in Nobody 2. The movie takes place shortly after the events of the original, as Odenkirk’s protagonist takes his family on a much-needed vacation – where he stumbles into a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly small town conspiracy.

Nobody is one of many recent movies that’s clearly inspired by John 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 movie that quickly became fan-favorites, and the trailer for Nobody 2 suggests that many more are coming.

5

Tron: Ares

Release Date: October 10, 2025

Tron: Ares is the third installment in the hugely popular Tron series, coming fifteen 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 3 follows Jeff Bridges’ protagonist, Kevin Flynn, as he fights to protect the real world from an escaped AI known as Ares.

Both Tron and Tron: Legacy were praised upon release for their ability to blend high-stakes action filmmaking with more profound, personal storytelling that offers some interesting commentary on society in the digital age. With the inclusion of an AI enтιтy as the film’s principal villain, this sharp commentary seems alive and well in Tron: Ares.

4

Predator: Badlands

Release Date: November 7, 2025

Predator: Badlands is the most recent entry in the Predator series, taking place many years in the future and following the тιтular creature as it’s disavowed from its clan and joins forces with an unlikely ally. Despite taking place within the same universe, Badlands marks a noteworthy stylistic departure from Dan Trachtenberg’s previous live-action movie, Prey.

The Predator franchise 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: Badlands seems 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 the Predator franchise typically thrives, and the trailers indicate that Badlands has really nailed that aesthetic.

3

The Running Man

Release Date: November 7, 2025

Edgar Wright’s The Running Man is a highly stylized adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel of 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 horror Last Night in Soho, The Running Man seems like a much-needed return to form for Wright, with its sharp sense of humor and dynamic visuals. Wright has already proven himself as a talented action director through projects like Baby Driver, which features some of the most creative set pieces in the genre’s history.

2

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Release Date: July 25, 2025

The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks 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 Four details the iconic heroes’ attempts to protect their universe from the destructive appeтιтe of a cosmic force named Galactus.

There have been countless theories about Fantastic Four and 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 its retro visuals and bold sense of humor, Fantastic Four is a very different kind of action movie for families this summer.

Fantastic Four: First Steps also marks the beginning of the MCU’s “Phase Six”, which is set to continue over the next few years and conclude with the release of Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027. This will signify the end of the MCU’s “Multiverse Saga,” which has included such popular projects as Spider-Man: No Way Home, WandaVision, and Thunderbolts*.

1

Avatar: Fire And Ash

Release Date: December 19, 2025

Arguably the biggest action movie of 2025, Avatar: Fire and Ash is waiting until the very last month of the year to make its entrance. The movie is a sequel to James Cameron’s genre-defining 2009 film Avatar (and 2022’s The Way of Water), with the director returning to helm the third entry in his beloved sci-fi franchise.

Fire and Ash sees much of Avatar’s principal cast return to 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.

With The Way of Water proving that Cameron can still reel in viewers even after a long delay between installments, there is a lot of anticipation for Fire and Ash as audiences wait to see what the iconic director has in store next. The new movie is confirmed to explore a new Na’vi clan on Pandora known as the Ash People.